tony was no more formidable a foe than his
rival, or, indeed, than himself or any of the rest who were in power as
a result of natural acquisitiveness; therefore he refused to give ground
before him. Caesar, when he heard this decision, was for some time at a
loss what course to adopt. The young man hated both Decimus and Antony
but saw no way in which he could contend against them both at once. He
was by no means yet a match for either one of the two, and he was further
afraid that if he risked such a move he should throw them into each
other's arms and face the united opposition of the two. After stopping to
reflect that the struggle with Antony was already begun and was urgent,
but that it was not yet a fitting season for taking vengeance for his
father, he decided to make a friend of Decimus. He understood well that
he should find no great difficulty in fighting against the latter, if
with his aid he could first overcome his adversaries, but that Antony
would be a powerful antagonist on any subsequent occasion. So much did
they differ from each other. [-15-] Accordingly he sent a messenger to
Decimus, proposing friendship and promising alliance, if he would refuse
to receive Antony. This proposal caused the people in the city likewise
to join in expressing their gratitude to Caesar. Just at this time the
year was drawing to a close and no consul was on the ground, Dolabella
having been previously sent by Antony to Syria. Eulogies, however, were
delivered in the senate by the members themselves and by the soldiers who
had abandoned Antony,--with the concurrence also of the tribunes. When
they entered upon the new year they decided, in order that they might
discuss freely existing conditions, to employ a guard of soldiers
at their meetings. This pleased nearly all who were in Rome at the
time,--for they cordially detested Antony,--but particularly Cicero. He,
on account of his bitter and long-standing hostility toward the man, paid
court to Caesar, and so far as he could, by speech and action, strove to
assist him in every way and to injure Antony. It was for this reason
that, when he had left the city to escort his son to Athens for the
benefit of his education, he had returned on ascertaining that the two
were publicly estranged.

[-16-] Besides these events which took place that year Servilius
Isauricus died at a very advanced age. I have mentioned him both for that
fact and to show how the Romans of that period res