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The Civil War.
[49 B.C.
written immediately before his revolt, Cælius gave unconscious testimony to the sagacity with which Cæsar had discarded the bad traditions of his party; while declaring that every one at Rome is now for Pompey, he is obliged to add "except a few moneylenders." From this time onward the equestrian order may be counted as among Cæsar's partisans.
In the midst of a people thus drifting, how was Cicero to act? Honour and duty showed him his place in the Republican camp; but many accidents and many doubts delayed his arrival there. He had been nominated by Pompey to take charge of the Campanian coast; and partly owing to a misunderstanding he had not quitted his post to join his leader, when the disaster of Corfinium occurred. Cæsar advanced on the very day of 49 B.C.the surrender (21st of February) and Cicero's road to Brundisium was barred. In any case he would not have gone,[1] for he was at the moment in the very depths of trouble and perplexity, and wanted time to recognise his duty and to steady his resolution. Meanwhile he had been constantly deluded by the hope that a peace might still be arranged. After crossing the Rubicon, Cæsar made fresh proposals through his cousin Lucius, which reached Pompey in Samnium on the 22d of January.[2] By these, Cæsar offered to give up all the points at issue;[3] he would surrender his provinces to the successors nominated by the Senate, and would come
