Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. -49 AD|Cicero|AI-assisted
While Servius was with me, Cephalio came with your letter of the 10th,
which gave me great hope of better news about the eight cohorts. For
even the cohorts which are here are said to be wavering. On the same
day Funisulanus brought me a letter from you, corroborating the same
news. I gave him a full reply about his business, explaining all your
kindness. Hitherto he has not been satisfactory; and he owes me a large
sum and is not considered safe. Now he says that he will settle; but
that a debtor of his was slow in paying, and that you are to pay the
money by your letter-carriers, if that debtor has deposited it with
you. The amount Philotimus' man Eros will tell you. But to return to
more important matters.
That Caelian plan you favour is coming to a head: so I am worried
whether to await a favourable wind. It is a standard we want, and men
will flock to it. With your advice, that I should set sail openly, I
entirely agree: and so I think I will set out. However
interim litteras exspecto. Servi consilio nihil, expeditur. Omnes
captiones in omni sententia occurrunt. Unum C. Marcellum cognovi
timidiorem; quem consulem fuisse paenitet. Ὢ πολλῆς ἀγεννείας! qui
etiam Antonium confirmasse dicitur, ut me impediret, quo ipse, credo,
honestius. Antonius autem VI Idus Capuam profectus est. Ad me misit, se
pudore deterritum ad me non venisse, quod me sibi suscensere putaret.
Ibitur igitur et ita quidem, ut censes, nisi cuius gravioris personae
suscipiendae spes erit ante oblata. Sed vix erit tam cito. Allienus
autem praetor putabat aliquem, si ego non, ex collegis suis. Quivis
licet, dum modo aliquis.
De sorore laudo. De Quinto puero datur opera; spero esse meliora. De
Quinto fratre scito eum non mediocriter laborare de versura, sed adhuc
nihil a L. Egnatio expressit. Axius de duodecim milibus pudens! Saepe
enim ad me scripsit, ut Gallio, quantum is vellet, darem. Quodsi non
scripsisset, possemne aliter? Et quidem saepe sum pollicitus, sed
tantum voluit cito. Me vero adiuvarent his in angustiis. Sed di istos!
Verum alias. Te a quartana liberatum gaudeo itemque Piliam. Ego, dum
panis et cetera in navem parantur, excurro in Pompeianum. Vettieno
velim gratias, quod studiosus sit; si quemquam nanctus eris, qui
perferat, litteras des, antequam discedimus.
I await a letter from you meanwhile. Servius' advice has not been
helpful. All sorts of bars meet us in every opinion he expresses. Only
one man, C. Marcellus, have I known to be more timid, and he is sorry
he was ever a consul. What a lowborn spirit! He is said even to have
strengthened Antony's resolution to prevent my departure: so that his
own conduct I suppose may appear more honourable. Antony started for
Capua on the 10th, sending word that shame prevented his visiting me,
because he thought I was annoyed with him. So I shall go, and openly as
you advise, unless hope of playing a more important part shall offer.
But that can scarcely occur so soon. Allienus the praetor thought one
of his colleagues would be chosen, if I were not. Let it be anyone
they like so long as it is some one.
As peace delegate.
As to your sister, I approve. As for young Quintus, I am doing my best,
and I hope things are better. As for my brother Quintus, you must know
that he is taking extraordinary pains to borrow money to settle his
debt; but so far has squeezed nothing out of L. Egnatius. Axius is
modest about the £100: for he often requested in his letters that
I should pay Gallius as much as he wanted. Even if he had not written,
could I have helped it? I have often promised indeed; but he wanted so
much at once. They should have helped me rather in my difficulties,
confound them. But I will write of this another time. I am glad you
are rid of your ague, and Pilia too. While bread and provisions are
being put on board, I am going off to my estate at Pompeii. Please
thank Vettienus for his trouble. If you can find a messenger, give me a
letter before I leave.
12,000 sesterces.
[1] obsignata iam epistula superiore non placuit ei dari cui constitueram quod erat alienus. itaque eo die data non est. interim venit Philotimus et mihi a te litteras reddidit. quibus quae de fratre meo scribis, sunt ea quidem parum firma sed habent nihil hupoulon, nihil fallax, nihil non flexibile ad bonitatem, nihil quod non quo velis uno sermone possis perducere; ne multa, omnis suos, etiam quibus irascitur crebrius, tamen caros habet, me quidem se ipso cariorem. quod de puero aliter ad te scripsit et ad matrem de filio, non reprehendo. de Quinto et de sorore quae scribis molesta sunt eoque magis quod ea tempora nostra sunt ut ego iis mederi non possim. nam certe mederer; sed quibus in malis et qua in desperatione rerum simus vides. [2] illa de ratione nummaria non sunt eius modi (saepe enim audio ex ipso) ut non cupiat tibi praestare et in eo laboret. sed si mihi Q. Axius in hac mea fuga HS X_I_I_I_ non reddit quae dedi eius filio mutua et utitur excusatione temporis, si Lepta, si ceteri, soleo mirari de nescio quis HS X_X_ cum audio ex illo se urgeri. vides enim profecto angustias. curari tamen ea tibi utique iubet. an existimas illum in isto genere lentulum aut restrictum? nemo est minus. [3] de fratre satis. de eius filio indulsit illi quidem suus pater semper sed non facit indulgentia mendacem aut avarum aut non amantem suorum, ferocem fortasse atque adrogantem et infestum facit. itaque habet haec quoque quae nascuntur ex indulgentia, sed ea sunt tolerabilia (quid enim dicam?) hac iuventute; ea vero, quae mihi quidem qui illum amo sunt his ipsis malis in quis sumus miseriora, non sunt ab obsequio nostro. nam suas radices habent; quas tamen evellerem profecto, si liceret. sed ea tempora sunt ut omnia mihi sint patienda. ego meum facile teneo; nihil est enim eo tractabilius. quoius quidem misericordia languidiora adhuc consilia cepi et quo ille me certiorem vult esse eo magis timeo ne in eum exsistam crudelior. [4] sed Antonius venit heri vesperi. iam fortasse ad me veniet aut ne id quidem, quoniam scripsit quid fieri vellet. sed scies continuo quid actum sit. nos iam nihil nisi occulte. de pueris quid agam? parvone navigio committam? quid mihi animi in navigando censes fore? recordor enim aestate cum illo Rhodiorum aphraktoi navigans quam fuerim sollicitus; quid duro tempore anni actuariola fore censes? O rem undique miseram! Trebatius erat mecum, vir plane et civis bonus. quae ille monstra, di immortales! etiamne Balbus in senatum venire cogitet? sed ei ipsi cras ad te litteras dabo. Vettienum mihi amicum, ut scribis, ita puto esse. Cum eo, quod apotomos ad me scripserat de nummis curandis, thumikoteron eram iocatus. id tu, si ille aliter acceperit ac debuit, lenies. 'MONETALI' autem adscripsi, quod ille ad me 'PRO COS.' sed quoniam est homo et nos diligit, ipse quoque a nobis diligatur. vale.
◆
While Servius was with me, Cephalio came with your letter of the 10th, which gave me great hope of better news about the eight cohorts. For even the cohorts which are here are said to be wavering. On the same day Funisulanus brought me a letter from you, corroborating the same news. I gave him a full reply about his business, explaining all your kindness. Hitherto he has not been satisfactory; and he owes me a large sum and is not considered safe. Now he says that he will settle; but that a debtor of his was slow in paying, and that you are to pay the money by your letter-carriers, if that debtor has deposited it with you. The amount Philotimus' man Eros will tell you. But to return to more important matters.
That Caelian plan you favour is coming to a head: so I am worried whether to await a favourable wind. It is a standard we want, and men will flock to it. With your advice, that I should set sail openly, I entirely agree: and so I think I will set out. However
interim litteras exspecto. Servi consilio nihil, expeditur. Omnes captiones in omni sententia occurrunt. Unum C. Marcellum cognovi timidiorem; quem consulem fuisse paenitet. Ὢ πολλῆς ἀγεννείας! qui etiam Antonium confirmasse dicitur, ut me impediret, quo ipse, credo, honestius. Antonius autem VI Idus Capuam profectus est. Ad me misit, se pudore deterritum ad me non venisse, quod me sibi suscensere putaret. Ibitur igitur et ita quidem, ut censes, nisi cuius gravioris personae suscipiendae spes erit ante oblata. Sed vix erit tam cito. Allienus autem praetor putabat aliquem, si ego non, ex collegis suis. Quivis licet, dum modo aliquis.
De sorore laudo. De Quinto puero datur opera; spero esse meliora. De Quinto fratre scito eum non mediocriter laborare de versura, sed adhuc nihil a L. Egnatio expressit. Axius de duodecim milibus pudens! Saepe enim ad me scripsit, ut Gallio, quantum is vellet, darem. Quodsi non scripsisset, possemne aliter? Et quidem saepe sum pollicitus, sed tantum voluit cito. Me vero adiuvarent his in angustiis. Sed di istos! Verum alias. Te a quartana liberatum gaudeo itemque Piliam. Ego, dum panis et cetera in navem parantur, excurro in Pompeianum. Vettieno velim gratias, quod studiosus sit; si quemquam nanctus eris, qui perferat, litteras des, antequam discedimus.
I await a letter from you meanwhile. Servius' advice has not been helpful. All sorts of bars meet us in every opinion he expresses. Only one man, C. Marcellus, have I known to be more timid, and he is sorry he was ever a consul. What a lowborn spirit! He is said even to have strengthened Antony's resolution to prevent my departure: so that his own conduct I suppose may appear more honourable. Antony started for Capua on the 10th, sending word that shame prevented his visiting me, because he thought I was annoyed with him. So I shall go, and openly as you advise, unless hope of playing a more important part shall offer. But that can scarcely occur so soon. Allienus the praetor thought one of his colleagues would be chosen, if I were not. Let it be anyone they like so long as it is some one.
As peace delegate.
As to your sister, I approve. As for young Quintus, I am doing my best, and I hope things are better. As for my brother Quintus, you must know that he is taking extraordinary pains to borrow money to settle his debt; but so far has squeezed nothing out of L. Egnatius. Axius is modest about the £100: for he often requested in his letters that I should pay Gallius as much as he wanted. Even if he had not written, could I have helped it? I have often promised indeed; but he wanted so much at once. They should have helped me rather in my difficulties, confound them. But I will write of this another time. I am glad you are rid of your ague, and Pilia too. While bread and provisions are being put on board, I am going off to my estate at Pompeii. Please thank Vettienus for his trouble. If you can find a messenger, give me a letter before I leave.
12,000 sesterces.
Latin / Greek Original
[1] obsignata iam epistula superiore non placuit ei dari cui constitueram quod erat alienus. itaque eo die data non est. interim venit Philotimus et mihi a te litteras reddidit. quibus quae de fratre meo scribis, sunt ea quidem parum firma sed habent nihil hupoulon, nihil fallax, nihil non flexibile ad bonitatem, nihil quod non quo velis uno sermone possis perducere; ne multa, omnis suos, etiam quibus irascitur crebrius, tamen caros habet, me quidem se ipso cariorem. quod de puero aliter ad te scripsit et ad matrem de filio, non reprehendo. de Quinto et de sorore quae scribis molesta sunt eoque magis quod ea tempora nostra sunt ut ego iis mederi non possim. nam certe mederer; sed quibus in malis et qua in desperatione rerum simus vides. [2] illa de ratione nummaria non sunt eius modi (saepe enim audio ex ipso) ut non cupiat tibi praestare et in eo laboret. sed si mihi Q. Axius in hac mea fuga HS X_I_I_I_ non reddit quae dedi eius filio mutua et utitur excusatione temporis, si Lepta, si ceteri, soleo mirari de nescio quis HS X_X_ cum audio ex illo se urgeri. vides enim profecto angustias. curari tamen ea tibi utique iubet. an existimas illum in isto genere lentulum aut restrictum? nemo est minus. [3] de fratre satis. de eius filio indulsit illi quidem suus pater semper sed non facit indulgentia mendacem aut avarum aut non amantem suorum, ferocem fortasse atque adrogantem et infestum facit. itaque habet haec quoque quae nascuntur ex indulgentia, sed ea sunt tolerabilia (quid enim dicam?) hac iuventute; ea vero, quae mihi quidem qui illum amo sunt his ipsis malis in quis sumus miseriora, non sunt ab obsequio nostro. nam suas radices habent; quas tamen evellerem profecto, si liceret. sed ea tempora sunt ut omnia mihi sint patienda. ego meum facile teneo; nihil est enim eo tractabilius. quoius quidem misericordia languidiora adhuc consilia cepi et quo ille me certiorem vult esse eo magis timeo ne in eum exsistam crudelior. [4] sed Antonius venit heri vesperi. iam fortasse ad me veniet aut ne id quidem, quoniam scripsit quid fieri vellet. sed scies continuo quid actum sit. nos iam nihil nisi occulte. de pueris quid agam? parvone navigio committam? quid mihi animi in navigando censes fore? recordor enim aestate cum illo Rhodiorum aphraktoi navigans quam fuerim sollicitus; quid duro tempore anni actuariola fore censes? O rem undique miseram! Trebatius erat mecum, vir plane et civis bonus. quae ille monstra, di immortales! etiamne Balbus in senatum venire cogitet? sed ei ipsi cras ad te litteras dabo. Vettienum mihi amicum, ut scribis, ita puto esse. Cum eo, quod apotomos ad me scripserat de nummis curandis, thumikoteron eram iocatus. id tu, si ille aliter acceperit ac debuit, lenies. 'MONETALI' autem adscripsi, quod ille ad me 'PRO COS.' sed quoniam est homo et nos diligit, ipse quoque a nobis diligatur. vale.