Remetente desconhecido → Marcus Tullius Cicero

If you are well, I am glad, and I am well. When I heard that Antonius with his forces, having sent Lucius Antonius ahead with part of the cavalry, was coming into my province, I moved my army from the camp at the confluence of the Rhone and began to march against them. I came by forced marches to Forum Voconii and pitched camp beyond it at the river Argenteus, facing the Antonians. Publius Ventidius joined him with his three legions and pitched camp beyond me. He had previously the Fifth Legion and from the remaining legions a large number of men, but unarmed. He has a large cavalry, for all escaped from the battle intact, so that there are more than five thousand horsemen. Many soldiers and cavalrymen have come over to me from him, and his forces diminish every day. Silanus and Culleo have left him. Although I was seriously annoyed at them because they had gone to Antonius against my wishes, still, for the sake of our humanity and our connection, I have had regard for their safety. Nevertheless I do not use their services, nor do I keep them in the camp, nor have I placed them in charge of any business. As regards this war, I shall not fail either the senate or the republic. I shall inform you of what I do hereafter. Although at all times the greatest eagerness in mutual service has prevailed between us in keeping with our friendship, and has been carefully maintained by each of us, nevertheless I do not doubt that in so great and sudden a crisis of the republic some things unworthy of me have been reported to you by my detractors through false rumors, things that would greatly disturb your mind because of your love for the republic. I have been informed by my agents that you received these reports with restraint and judged that they should not be rashly believed. These things are, as they ought to be, most welcome to me; for I also remember those earlier actions that proceeded from your goodwill toward enhancing and adorning my dignity, which will remain forever fixed in my mind. I earnestly ask you, my dear Cicero, if you have observed my life and most diligent zeal in managing the republic in earlier times -- conduct worthy of Lepidus -- to expect equal or even greater things in the time remaining, and to consider me worthy of your protection in proportion to the greater debt I owe you for your services. Farewell. Dated the eleventh day before the Kalends of June, from the camp at the Pons Argenteus.