[sect. 2]
quos imitarere: e.g. Hirtius and Dolabella (cf. Ep. LXI. 7). Hirtius was in northern Italy, Dolabella in Syria. Cf. Intr. 42 f.
Spurinna: the celebrated haruspex who had warned Caesar to beware of the danger which threatened him until the Ides of March were past.
cum Favonius flaret: this wind began to blow during the second week in Feb. (cf. Plin. N. H. 2.122; Colum. 11.2.15; Ovid, Fasti 2.149). The reference helps to fix the date of the letter (cf. Ruete, 44).