It was amid such surroundings that the Academica was written.  The first trace of an intention to write the treatise is found in a letter of Cicero to Atticus, which seems to belong to the first few weeks of his bereavement[138].  It was his wont to depend on Atticus very much for historical and biographical details, and in the letter in question he asks for just the kind of information which would be needed in writing the Academica.  The words with which he introduces his request imply that he had determined on some new work to which our Academica would correspond[139].  He asks what reason brought to Rome the embassy which Carneades accompanied; who was at that time the leader of the Epicurean school; who were then the most noted [Greek:  politikoi] at Athens.  The meaning of the last question is made clear by a passage in the De Oratore[140], where Cicero speaks of the combined Academic and Peripatetic schools under that name.  It may be with reference to the progress of the Academica that in a later letter he expresses himself satisfied with the advance he has made in his literary undertakings[141].  During the whole of the remainder of his sojourn at Astura he continued to be actively employed; but although he speaks of various other literary projects, we find no express mention in his letters to Atticus of the Academica[142].  He declares that however much his detractors at Rome may reproach him with inaction, they could not read the numerous difficult works on which he has been engaged within the same space of time that he has taken to write them[143].

In the beginning of June Cicero spent a few days at his villa near Antium[144], where he wrote a treatise addressed to Caesar, which he afterwards suppressed[145].  From the same place he wrote to Atticus of his intention to proceed to Tusculum or Rome by way of Lanuvium about the middle of June[146].  He had in the time immediately following Tullia’s death entertained an aversion for Tusculum, where she died.  This he felt now compelled to conquer, otherwise he must either abandon Tusculum altogether, or, if he returned at all, a delay of even ten years would make the effort no less painful[147].  Before setting out for Antium Cicero wrote to Atticus that he had finished while at Astura duo magna [Greek:  syntagmata], words which have given rise to much controversy[148].  Many scholars, including Madvig, have understood that the first edition of the Academica, along with the De Finibus, is intended.  Against this view the reasons adduced by Krische are convincing[149].  It is clear from the letters to Atticus that the De Finibus was being worked out book by book long after the first edition of the Academica had been placed in the hands of Atticus.  The De Finibus was indeed begun at Astura[150], but it was still in an unfinished state when Cicero began to revise the Academica[151].  The final