rned leisure.
In the course of this summer he continued to employ himself on some of
his most elaborate treatises. His works on the _Nature of the Gods_ and
on _Divination_, his _Offices_, his _Dialogue on Old Age_, and several
other essays belong to this period and mark the restless activity of his
mind. But though he twice set sail from Italy, he was driven back to
port at Velia, where he found Brutus and Cassius. Here he received
letters from Au. Hirtius and other friends of Caesar, which gave him
hopes that, in the name of Octavius, they might successfully oppose
Antony and restore constitutional government. He determined to return,
and announced his purpose to Brutus and Cassius, who commended him and
took leave of him. They went their way to the east to raise armies
against Antony; he repaired to Rome to fight the battles of his party in
the senate house.

Meanwhile Antony had been running riot. In possession of Caesar's papers,
with no one to check him, he produced ready warrant for every measure
which he wished to carry, and pleaded the vote of the senate which
confirmed all the acts of Caesar. When he could not produce a genuine
paper, he interpolated or forged what was needful.

On the day after Cicero's return (September 1st) there was a meeting of
the senate. But the orator did not attend, and Antony threatened to send
men to drag him from his house. Next day Cicero was in his place, but
now Antony was absent. The orator arose and addressed the senate in what
is called his _First Philippic_. This was a measured attack upon the
government and policy of Antony, but personalities were carefully
eschewed: the tone of the whole speech, indeed, is such as might be
delivered by a leader of opposition in parliament at the present day.
But Antony, enraged at his boldness, summoned a meeting for the 19th of
September, which Cicero did not think it prudent to attend. He then
attacked the absent orator in the strongest language of personal abuse
and menace. Cicero sat down and composed his famous _Second Philippic_,
which is written as if it were delivered on the same day, in reply to
Antony's invective. At present, however, he contented himself with
sending a copy of it to Atticus, enjoining secrecy.

Matters quickly drew to a head between Antony and Octavius. The latter
had succeeded in securing a thousand men of his uncle's veterans who had
settled in Campania; and by great exertions in the different towns of
Ital