Note 68 — TRANSLATION

‘The state’ at this stage of events was, of course, by no means unreservedly ‘on his side’, as Nicolaus says. In point of fact, as we learn from Cicero’s letters, very few men at Rome concerned themselves at this time about Octavian because of his youth, Nicolaus is valuable here because he draws upon Octavian’s memoirs and reveals how early Octavian matured his plans to become Caesar’s successor in power as well as property. The attitude of the consul Antony is well known (see Suet., Aug., 10; Plut., Ant. 16). Octavian felt that the influence of Cicero was worth cultivating, and hence while staying with his step-father at the villa adjacent to that of Cicero at Puteoli, during the latter part of April, made the most of every opportunity to ingratiate himself with Cicero: ‘nobiscum hic perhonorifice et peramice Octavius;’ ‘Octavius ... mihi totus deditus.’ (Cic., Att., 14, 11, 2; 14, 12, 2). Before the middle of May, the tribune L. Antonius presented Octavius to the people as Caesar’s heir (Cic., Att., 14, 20, 5; 14, 21, 4; 15, 2, 3).