Itaque cum acerrimis nationibus et maximis Germanorum et Helvetiorum proeliis felicissime decertavit: ceteras conterruit, compulit, domuit, imperio populi Romani parere assuefecit, et quas regiones, quasque gentes nullae nobis antea litterae, { 5} nulla vox, nulla fama notas fecerat, has noster imperator nosterque exercitus et populi Romani arma peragrarunt. Semitam tantum Galliae tenebamus antea, patres conscripti; ceterae partes a gentibus aut inimicis huic imperio, aut infidis, aut { 10} incognitis, aut certe immanibus et barbaris et bellicosis tenebantur; quas nationes, nemo umquam fuit, quin frangi domarique cuperet; nemo sapienter de republica nostra cogitavit iam inde a principio huius imperi, quin Galliam maxime timendam huic { 15} imperio putaret; sed propter vim ac multitudinem gentium illarum numquam est antea cum omnibus dimicatum. Restitimus semper lacessiti. Nunc denique est perfectum, ut imperii nostri terrarumque illarum idem esset extremum. { 20}
CICERO, _de Provinciis Consularibus_, § 33.
[Linenotes: 3. +compulit+ = _checked_, usu. = _to constrain_. 5. +nullae litterae+ = _no book_. 8. +Semitam tantum Galliae+ = _it was but a strip of Gaul._ --W. F. +Semita+ (_se + mi_ = _go aside_, cf. _meo_, _trames_) = lit. _a narrow way_, _path._ 13-14. +nemo ... cogitavit+ = _there never has been a prudent statesman_. --W. F. 17. +cum omnibus+, i.e. with the Gauls as a nation. 19-20. +ut imperi ... extremum+, i.e. that our Empire extends to the utmost limits of that land.]
+Cicero’s Recantation+ (παλινῳδία). The time for the struggle between the Senatorial party (the Optimates) and the Triumvirs, weakened by their mutual jealousy, seemed to have come. Accordingly Cicero proposed in a full house to reconsider Caesar’s Agrarian Law (of 59 B.C.) for the allotment of lands in Campania; while Domitius Ahenobarbus (candidate for next year’s Consulship) openly declared his intention to propose Caesar’s recall. Caesar acted with his usual promptness, and the Conference at Luca restored an understanding between the three regents. Pompeius then crossed to Sardinia, and informed Q. Cicero that he would be held reponsible for any act of hostility on the part of his brother. Cicero had no choice but to submit, and delivered in the Senate his oration _de Provinciis Consularibus_, a political manifesto on behalf of Caesar and Pompeius--the _Recantation_ alluded to in _Ep. ad Att._ iv. 5, and elaborately explained in _Ep. ad Fam._ i. 9 (to Lentulus Spinther).