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Why did Cicero try to separate Pompey from Julius Caesar?

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Marble bust of Marcus Tullius Cicero, shown with short hair and draped clothing, displayed against a black background. — Cicero Marcus Tullius Cicero, detail of a marble bust; in the Capitoline Museums, Rome.

Cicero’s efforts to separate Pompey from Julius Caesar were driven by his desire to defend the traditional Roman Republic and its established oligarchy.31

Cicero viewed the political alliance between Caesar, Pompey, and Marcus Licinius Crassus—often called the First Triumvirate—as unconstitutional and a threat to the state. Following his return from exile in 57 BCE, Cicero sought to break this alliance by attracting Pompey to the side of the Senate. He hoped that by aligning with Pompey, he could lead a coalition of "right-thinking" men to preserve the traditional order.213

Ultimately, Cicero’s attempts to estrange Pompey from Caesar were unsuccessful, as the three dynasts renewed their compact at Luca in 56 BCE. Cicero, recognizing the shift in power, felt compelled to align himself with the triumvirate to maintain his position, though he continued to harbor concerns about the erosion of republican institutions.31