ntly with the view of going
to Malta. Whether it was wise or not, Cicero afterwards lamented
having taken this course, and thought that he had better have
braved the danger and stood his trial. It at any rate facilitated
the next move of Clodius, who proposed and carried a bill
forbidding Cicero "fire and water" within 500 (afterwards reduced
to 400) miles of Italy, and confiscating his property. Accordingly,
Cicero had to go much farther than he had intended. He crossed from
Brundisium to Dyrrachium, and proceeded along the _via Egnatia_ to
its terminus at Thessalonica, where he spent the autumn, B.C. 58.
In November, B.C. 58, he returned to Dyrrachium, ready for the
recall which he heard was imminent. Meanwhile his town house was
destroyed, its site made a _templum_, and a statue of Liberty set
up in it, and his villas at Tusculum and Antium dismantled. The
dangers of his position are not exaggerated in his letters, and may
account for much of their melancholy tone. He had lost the
protection of the laws, and any one of his many enemies meeting him
might have killed him with practical impunity. He seems to have
left Rome in April.

LV (A III, 3)

TO ATTICUS (AT ROME)

VIBO, APRIL

[Sidenote: B.C. 58, AET. 48]

I hope I may see the day when I shall thank you for having compelled me
to remain alive! At present I thoroughly repent it. But I beg you to
come and see me at Vibo at once, to which town I have for several
reasons directed my journey.[299] But if you will only come there, I
shall be able to consult you about my entire journey and exile. If you
don't do so, I shall be surprised, but I feel sure you will.

[Footnote 299: Mod. _Monte Leone_, on the road to Rhegium, from which at
this time Cicero meant to cross to Sicily, and thence to Malta.]

LVI (A III, 2)

TO ATTICUS (AT ROME)

NARES LUCANAE,[300] APRIL

[Sidenote: B.C. 58, AET. 48]

The reason for having come this journey is that there was no place where
I could be independent except on Sica's estate,[301] especially till the
bill is emended,[302] and at the same time because I find that from this
spot I can reach Brundisium, if you were only with me, but without you I
cannot stay in those parts owing to Autronius.[303] At present, as I
said in my previous letter, if you will come to me, we shall be able to
form a plan for the whole business