Letter coll=A:book=9:letter=6a Letter XLVII: ad Atticum 9.6a
March 2-5, 49 B.C.
The phrase essem in itinere indicates that this letter was written while Caesar was hastening to Brundisium to intercept Pompey if possible, before he should escape from Italy. Caesar reached Brundisium Mar. 9 (Att. 9.13 A.1). Cicero sent this letter to Atticus with one of his own (cf. Att. 9.6.6). Furnium: an ex-tribune, and a friend of Caesar and Cicero, to whom Fam. 10.25 and 26 are addressed.
praeterire: Cicero was still at Formiae.
tuo consilio [gap in text] ope: Caesar made strenuous efforts to induce Cicero to return to Rome and lend him the benefit of his influence, and Cicero kept up a correspondence with him in the hope of terminating the Civil War. Three weeks later a conference took place between them (cf. Intr. 29 f.) which led Cicero to give up all hope of a peaceful settlement of the difficulty. Cf. consilio, Ep. XLIX.1n. The proposal which Caesar made in this letter was left unanswered, since Cicero was at this moment waiting for some decisive news from Brundisium (cf. Att. 9.7.5), and also distrusted Caesar's purposes; cf. Att. 9.7. 5 noli enim putare tolerabiles horum insanias nec unius modi fore [gap in text] Legibus iudiciis senatu sublato, libidines audacias sumptus egestates tot egentissimorum hominum nec privatas posse res nec rem publicam sustinere.
