to get under sail again, Cicero disembarked, be it that he feared the sea
or had not yet utterly abandoned his trust in Octavian. So he travelled
some hundred stadia (about twelve miles) in the direction of Rome. But
wandering again and changing his plans, he reached the sea at Astura.
He paused one night amid harrowing reflexions, as e. g. to go to Rome,
throw himself at Octavian's feet and slay himself at the hearth of
Caesar's heir. Then he permitted his slaves to convey him to Caieta
by a barge, to his villa near by, which is particularly charming when the
trade winds blow in summer time. Crows settled on tackle and yard-
arms as the vessel was being rowed to land. Cicero however landed and
went to his villa to rest. The crows settled on the portal and cawed and
cawed. One alighting on the couch tried to draw the cloak from Cicero's
face. The faithful slaves blamed themselves severely therefore for
permitting themselves to abide there, and partly entreating and partly
constraining him carried him in the litter toward the sea. Meanwhile
the slayers arrived, a centurion Herennius and a military Tribune Popil-
ius (whom Cicero once had defended on a trial for parricide) with servants.
They broke open the doors which they found locked, and no one in the
villa would tell of Cicero's whereabouts, until a freedman of Quintus,
who had been liberally educated by Cicero, told the military Tribune of
the litter then carried by densely wooded paths to the sea. Popilius ran
around to the point where the path issued from the wood, while Herennius
arunning pursued the litter on the path. Cicero bade the slaves set down
the litter, "But he himself, as he was wont, with his left hand applied to
his chin, kept gazing steadfastly on the slayers, unkempt and unshaven,
his countenance shrivelled and furrowed from cares, so that most of those
who looked on wrapped their faces, and would not witness the butchery
there performed by Herennius." ¹

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