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44 B.C.] warriors in the open field. He therefore awaited the attack behind the walls of the powerful fortress of Mutina, where he was besieged by Antony from December till the following April. Octavian sent messages to Decimus Brutus, urging him to hold out and promising assistance. Then he marched slowly northward through Umbria to Cisalpine Gaul, and encamped early in the next year (43 B.C.) at Forum Cornelii, where he maintained his post of observation until he was reinforced by fresh troops under Hirtius and Pansa, the new consuls.

In all these proceedings the young Cæsar had been acting in concert with Cicero. "Every day," writes Cicero on the 5th of November, "come letters from Octavian urging me to take up the cause, to save the commonwealth a second time, above all things to go to Rome immediately. . . . The country-towns are wonderfully enthusiastic for the lad. In his progress towards Samnium he came to Cales and stayed at Teanum. The crowds that go forth to meet and encourage him are marvellous. Could you have believed this possible? On this account I shall be in Rome earlier than I intended." There were still grave reasons for distrust, and these Atticus seems to have urged on his friend with much force. Cicero contented himself, however, with informing Oppius, who pressed him to throw himself heart and soul into the cause of Octavian