Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. -66 AD|Cicero|AI-assisted
I was already doing so of my own accord, and after two letters from you written most carefully to the same purpose, I was greatly moved. Added to this was Sallustius as a constant encourager, urging me to act as diligently as possible with Lucceius about reconciling your old friendship. But though I did everything I could, I was not only unable to recover his former goodwill toward you, but could not even draw out the reason for his changed feelings. Although he keeps bringing up that arbitration matter of his, and those things which even then, when you were present, I could see were offending his spirit, he certainly has something deeper that has lodged more firmly in his mind — something that neither your letters nor my advocacy can erase as easily as you in person would dispel, not only by your words but by that familiar expression of yours, if only you think it worth the trouble. And if you listen to me and wish to remain true to your own gracious nature, you will certainly think so. And do not wonder why, when I previously indicated to you by letter that I hoped he would be in our power, I now seem to despair of it: it is incredible how much more obstinate his disposition appears to me, and how much more hardened in this anger. But these things will either be healed when you come, or they will trouble the one in whom the fault lies.
As for what was written in your letter, that you suppose I am now considered elected — know that nothing is so vexed in Rome at present as the candidates with every kind of unfair dealing, nor is it known when the elections will be held. But you will hear about this from Philadelphus.
I would like you to send as soon as possible whatever you have acquired for our Academy. It is wonderful how not only the use of that place but even the thought of it delights me. As for your books, take care not to hand them over to anyone; keep them for me, as you write. The keenest eagerness for them possesses me, just as disgust now possesses me for everything else — things which you will find, incredibly, so much worse in so short a time than when you left them.
I had been working for you of my own free will, and my energies were
redoubled by the receipt of two letters from you insisting on the same
point. Besides Sallustius was continually pressing me to do my best to
replace you on your old friendly footing with Lucceius. But when I had
done the uttermost, I failed not only to win back his old affection for
you, but even to extract from him the reason for his change of feelings
towards you. Though he is continually harping on that arbitration case
of his, and the other things which I noticed provoked him when you were
here, there is something else, I am sure, which is rankling in his mind.
And this your presence, a talk with him, and still more the sight of
your familiar face, would do more to remove than either your letters or
my services as intermediary, if you think it worth while to come. And,
if you will listen to me and are disposed to act with your usual
courtesy, you will certainly think it worth while. You would never
believe how self-willed and stiff-necked he seems to be on the point: so
don’t be astonished that I now appear to doubt my ability to manage him,
though in former letters I hinted that I thought he would
obstinatior et in hac iracundia offirmatior. Sed haec aut sanabuntur,
cum veneris, aut ei molesta erunt, in utro culpa erit.
Quod in epistula tua scriptum erat me iam arbitrari designatum esse,
scito nihil tam exercitum esse nunc Romae quam candidatos omnibus
iniquitatibus, nec, quando futura sint comitia, sciri. Verum haec audies
de Philadelpho.
Tu velim, quae Academiae nostrae parasti, quam primum mittas. Mire quam
illius loci non modo usus, sed etiam cogitatio delectat. Libros vero
tuos cave cuiquam tradas; nobis eos, quem ad modum scribis, conserva.
Summum me eorum studium tenet sicut odium iam ceterarum rerum; quas tu
incredibile est quam brevi tempore quanto deteriores offensurus sis,
quam reliquisti.
Et mea sponte faciebam antea et post duabus epistulis tuis perdiligenter in eandem rationem scriptis magno opere sum commotus. Eo accedebat hortator adsiduus Sallustius, ut agerem quam diligentissime cum Lucceio de vestra vetere gratia reconcilianda. Sed cum omnia fecissem, non modo eam voluntatem eius quae fuerat erga te, recuperare non potui, verum ne causam quidem elicere immutatae voluntatis. Tametsi iactat ille quidem illud suum arbitrium, et ea. quae iam tum, cum aderas, offendere eius animum intellegebam, tamen habet quiddam profecto, quod magis in animo eius insederit, quod neque epistulae tuae neque nostra adlegatio tam potest facile delere, quam tu praesens non modo oratione, sed tuo vultu illo familiari tolles, si modo tanti putaris, id quod, si me audies et si humanitati tuae constare voles, certe putabis. Ac, ne illud mirere, cur, cum ego antea significarim tibi per litteras me sperare illum in nostra potestate fore, nunc idem videar diffidere, incredibile est, quanto mihi videatur illius voluntas obstinatior et in hac iracundia offirmatior. Sed haec aut sanabuntur, cum veneris, aut ei molesta erunt, in utro culpa erit. Quod in epistula tua scriptum erat me iam arbitrari designatum esse, scito nihil tam exercitum esse nunc Romae quam candidatos omnibus iniquitatibus, nec, quando futura sint comitia, sciri. Verum haec audies de Philadelpho. Tu velim, quae Academiae nostrae parasti, quam primum mittas. Mire quam illius loci non modo usus, sed etiam cogitatio delectat. Libros vero tuos cave cuiquam tradas; nobis eos, quem ad modum scribis, conserva. Summum me eorum studium tenet sicut odium iam ceterarum rerum; quas tu incredibile est quam brevi tempore quanto deteriores offensurus sis, quam reliquisti.
◆
I was already doing so of my own accord, and after two letters from you written most carefully to the same purpose, I was greatly moved. Added to this was Sallustius as a constant encourager, urging me to act as diligently as possible with Lucceius about reconciling your old friendship. But though I did everything I could, I was not only unable to recover his former goodwill toward you, but could not even draw out the reason for his changed feelings. Although he keeps bringing up that arbitration matter of his, and those things which even then, when you were present, I could see were offending his spirit, he certainly has something deeper that has lodged more firmly in his mind — something that neither your letters nor my advocacy can erase as easily as you in person would dispel, not only by your words but by that familiar expression of yours, if only you think it worth the trouble. And if you listen to me and wish to remain true to your own gracious nature, you will certainly think so. And do not wonder why, when I previously indicated to you by letter that I hoped he would be in our power, I now seem to despair of it: it is incredible how much more obstinate his disposition appears to me, and how much more hardened in this anger. But these things will either be healed when you come, or they will trouble the one in whom the fault lies.
As for what was written in your letter, that you suppose I am now considered elected — know that nothing is so vexed in Rome at present as the candidates with every kind of unfair dealing, nor is it known when the elections will be held. But you will hear about this from Philadelphus.
I would like you to send as soon as possible whatever you have acquired for our Academy. It is wonderful how not only the use of that place but even the thought of it delights me. As for your books, take care not to hand them over to anyone; keep them for me, as you write. The keenest eagerness for them possesses me, just as disgust now possesses me for everything else — things which you will find, incredibly, so much worse in so short a time than when you left them.
AI-assisted translation — This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.
Latin / Greek Original
Et mea sponte faciebam antea et post duabus epistulis tuis perdiligenter in eandem rationem scriptis magno opere sum commotus. Eo accedebat hortator adsiduus Sallustius, ut agerem quam diligentissime cum Lucceio de vestra vetere gratia reconcilianda. Sed cum omnia fecissem, non modo eam voluntatem eius quae fuerat erga te, recuperare non potui, verum ne causam quidem elicere immutatae voluntatis. Tametsi iactat ille quidem illud suum arbitrium, et ea. quae iam tum, cum aderas, offendere eius animum intellegebam, tamen habet quiddam profecto, quod magis in animo eius insederit, quod neque epistulae tuae neque nostra adlegatio tam potest facile delere, quam tu praesens non modo oratione, sed tuo vultu illo familiari tolles, si modo tanti putaris, id quod, si me audies et si humanitati tuae constare voles, certe putabis. Ac, ne illud mirere, cur, cum ego antea significarim tibi per litteras me sperare illum in nostra potestate fore, nunc idem videar diffidere, incredibile est, quanto mihi videatur illius voluntas obstinatior et in hac iracundia offirmatior. Sed haec aut sanabuntur, cum veneris, aut ei molesta erunt, in utro culpa erit. Quod in epistula tua scriptum erat me iam arbitrari designatum esse, scito nihil tam exercitum esse nunc Romae quam candidatos omnibus iniquitatibus, nec, quando futura sint comitia, sciri. Verum haec audies de Philadelpho. Tu velim, quae Academiae nostrae parasti, quam primum mittas. Mire quam illius loci non modo usus, sed etiam cogitatio delectat. Libros vero tuos cave cuiquam tradas; nobis eos, quem ad modum scribis, conserva. Summum me eorum studium tenet sicut odium iam ceterarum rerum; quas tu incredibile est quam brevi tempore quanto deteriores offensurus sis, quam reliquisti.