Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. -60 AD|Cicero|AI-assisted
As for what I promised you in my earlier letter — that some work would come out of this sojourn abroad — I no longer strongly affirm it. For I have so embraced leisure that I cannot be torn from it. And so I either delight myself with books, of which I have a splendid supply at Antium, or I count the waves — for the weather is not suitable for catching lizard-fish. My mind utterly recoils from writing. Indeed the geographical work I had undertaken is a massive project. Eratosthenes, whom I had set before myself as a model, is criticized by Serapion and Hipparchus. What do you think will happen if Tyrannio gets involved too? And truly the subjects are difficult to explain and monotonous, nor can they be adorned with rhetorical flourishes as readily as they seemed they could. And the main point is this: any excuse at all seems sufficient reason for me to do nothing — I who am even debating whether to settle here at Antium and spend all my remaining time here, where indeed I would rather have been a local magistrate than have been at Rome.
You, however, more wisely purchased a house at Buthrotum. But believe me, this community of Antium is a close second to that township of yours. That there should be a place so near Rome where many people have never laid eyes on Vatinius, where there is no one besides me who wishes any of the twenty commissioners alive and well, where no one disturbs me and everyone is fond of me! Here, here surely is where I must conduct my public life — for there in Rome it is not only impossible but even tiresome. And so those unpublished writings, which I shall read to you alone, will be composed in the style of Theopompus, or even in a much harsher vein. Nor do I engage in any other political activity now except hating scoundrels, and that itself without any bitterness, but rather with a certain pleasure in writing.
But to return to business: I have written to the city quaestors about my brother Quintus's affair. See what they say, whether there is any hope of getting denarii, or whether we must settle for Pompey's cistophori. Furthermore, decide what should be done about the wall. Anything else? Yes — let me know when you think you will be leaving there.
I am not so certain now about fulfilling the promises I made in former
letters to produce some work in this tour: for I have fallen so in love
with idleness, that I can’t tear myself from it. So I either enjoy
myself with my books, of which I have a jolly good lot at Antium, or
else count the waves: the rough weather won’t allow me to catch shads.
At writing my soul rebels utterly. The geographical work I had planned
is a big undertaking. Eratosthenes, whom I had taken as my authority, is
severely criticized by Serapion and Hipparchus; and, if I take
Tyrannio’s views too, there is no telling what the result would be.
Besides the subject is confoundedly hard to explain and monotonous, nor
does it give one as many opportunities for flowers of fancy as I
imagined: besides—and this is the chief point—I find any excuse for
idleness good enough. I am even debating settling down at Antium, and
spending the rest of my life here: and I really wish I had been a
magistrate here
quam Romae fuisse. Tu vero sapientior Buthroti domum parasti. Sed, mihi
crede, proxima est illi municipio haec Antiatium civitas. Esse locum tam
prope Romam, ubi multi sint, qui Vatinium numquam viderint, ubi nemo sit
praeter me, qui quemquam ex viginti viris vivum et salvum velit, ubi me
interpellet nemo, diligant omnes! Hic, hic nimirum πολιτευτέον; nam
istic non solum non licet, sed etiam taedet. Itaque ἀνέκδοτα, quae tibi
uni legamus, Theopompio genere aut etiam asperiore multo pangentur.
Neque aliud iam quicquam πολιτεύομαι nisi odisse improbos et id ipsum
nullo cum stomacho, sed potius cum aliqua scribendi voluptate.
Sed ut ad rem, scripsi ad quaestores urbanos de Quinti fratris negotio.
Vide, quid narrent, ecquae spes sit denarii, an cistophoro Pompeiano
iaceamus. Praeterea de muro statue quid faciendum sit. Aliud quid?
Etiam. Quando te proficisci istinc putes, fac ut sciam.
rather than in Rome. You have been wiser in your generation and made a
home for yourself at Buthrotum: but you may take my word for it that
this township of Antium runs your borough very close. To think of there
being a place so near Rome, where there are lots of people who have
never seen Vatinius, where there is not a single soul save myself who
cares whether any of our new commissioners are alive or dead, where no
one intrudes upon me, though every one is fond of me. This, this is the
very place for me to play the politician: for there in Rome, besides
being shut out of politics, I am sick of them. So I will compose a
private memoir, which I will read only to you, in the style of
Theopompus, or even a still bitterer vein. My only policy now is hatred
of the radicals: and that without rancour, indeed with some pleasure in
expressing it.
But to return to business, I have written to the city quaestors about my
brother Quintus’ affairs. See what they have to say, and whether there
is any hope of our getting current coin, or whether we must put up with
Pompey’s pice. Also decide what is to be done with the wall. Is
there anything else I meant to say? Yes. Let me know when you think of
going away.
quod tibi superioribus litteris promiseram, fore ut opus exstaret huius peregrinationis, nihil iam magno opere confirmo; sic enim sum complexus otium ut ab eo divelli non queam. itaque aut libris me delecto, quorum habeo Anti festivam copiam, aut fluctus numero (nam ad lacertas captandas tempestates non sunt idoneae); a scribendo prorsus abhorret animus. etenim geographika quae constitueram magnum opus est. ita valde Eratosthenes, quem mihi proposueram, a Serapione et ab Hipparcho reprehenditur. quid censes si Tyrannio accesserit? et hercule sunt res difficiles ad explicandum et homoeideis nec tam possunt antherographeisthai quam videbantur et, quod caput est, mihi quaevis satis iusta causa cessandi est qui etiam dubitem an hic Anti considam et hoc tempus omne consumam, ubi quidem ego mallem duumvirum quam Romae fuisse. [2] tu vero sapientior Buthroti domum parasti. sed, mihi crede, proxima est illi municipio haec Antiatium civitas. esse locum tam prope Romam ubi multi sint qui Vatinium numquam viderint, ubi nemo sit praeter me qui quemquam ex viginti viris vivum et salvum velit, ubi me interpellet nemo, diligant omnes! hic, hic nimirum politeuteon; nam istic non solum non licet sed etiam taedet. itaque anekdota quae tibi uni legamus Theopompio genere aut etiam asperiore multo pangentur. neque aliud iam quicquam politeuomai nisi odisse improbos et id ipsum nullo cum stomacho sed potius cum aliqua scribendi voluptate. sed ut ad rem, scripsi ad quaestores urbanos de Quinti fratris negotio. vide quid narrent, ecquae spes sit denari an cistophoro Pompeiano iaceamus. praeterea de muro statue quid faciendum sit. aliud quid? etiam. quando te proficisci istinc putes fac ut sciam.
◆
As for what I promised you in my earlier letter — that some work would come out of this sojourn abroad — I no longer strongly affirm it. For I have so embraced leisure that I cannot be torn from it. And so I either delight myself with books, of which I have a splendid supply at Antium, or I count the waves — for the weather is not suitable for catching lizard-fish. My mind utterly recoils from writing. Indeed the geographical work I had undertaken is a massive project. Eratosthenes, whom I had set before myself as a model, is criticized by Serapion and Hipparchus. What do you think will happen if Tyrannio gets involved too? And truly the subjects are difficult to explain and monotonous, nor can they be adorned with rhetorical flourishes as readily as they seemed they could. And the main point is this: any excuse at all seems sufficient reason for me to do nothing — I who am even debating whether to settle here at Antium and spend all my remaining time here, where indeed I would rather have been a local magistrate than have been at Rome.
You, however, more wisely purchased a house at Buthrotum. But believe me, this community of Antium is a close second to that township of yours. That there should be a place so near Rome where many people have never laid eyes on Vatinius, where there is no one besides me who wishes any of the twenty commissioners alive and well, where no one disturbs me and everyone is fond of me! Here, here surely is where I must conduct my public life — for there in Rome it is not only impossible but even tiresome. And so those unpublished writings, which I shall read to you alone, will be composed in the style of Theopompus, or even in a much harsher vein. Nor do I engage in any other political activity now except hating scoundrels, and that itself without any bitterness, but rather with a certain pleasure in writing.
But to return to business: I have written to the city quaestors about my brother Quintus's affair. See what they say, whether there is any hope of getting denarii, or whether we must settle for Pompey's cistophori. Furthermore, decide what should be done about the wall. Anything else? Yes — let me know when you think you will be leaving there.
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
quod tibi superioribus litteris promiseram, fore ut opus exstaret huius peregrinationis, nihil iam magno opere confirmo; sic enim sum complexus otium ut ab eo divelli non queam. itaque aut libris me delecto, quorum habeo Anti festivam copiam, aut fluctus numero (nam ad lacertas captandas tempestates non sunt idoneae); a scribendo prorsus abhorret animus. etenim geographika quae constitueram magnum opus est. ita valde Eratosthenes, quem mihi proposueram, a Serapione et ab Hipparcho reprehenditur. quid censes si Tyrannio accesserit? et hercule sunt res difficiles ad explicandum et homoeideis nec tam possunt antherographeisthai quam videbantur et, quod caput est, mihi quaevis satis iusta causa cessandi est qui etiam dubitem an hic Anti considam et hoc tempus omne consumam, ubi quidem ego mallem duumvirum quam Romae fuisse. [2] tu vero sapientior Buthroti domum parasti. sed, mihi crede, proxima est illi municipio haec Antiatium civitas. esse locum tam prope Romam ubi multi sint qui Vatinium numquam viderint, ubi nemo sit praeter me qui quemquam ex viginti viris vivum et salvum velit, ubi me interpellet nemo, diligant omnes! hic, hic nimirum politeuteon; nam istic non solum non licet sed etiam taedet. itaque anekdota quae tibi uni legamus Theopompio genere aut etiam asperiore multo pangentur. neque aliud iam quicquam politeuomai nisi odisse improbos et id ipsum nullo cum stomacho sed potius cum aliqua scribendi voluptate. sed ut ad rem, scripsi ad quaestores urbanos de Quinti fratris negotio. vide quid narrent, ecquae spes sit denari an cistophoro Pompeiano iaceamus. praeterea de muro statue quid faciendum sit. aliud quid? etiam. quando te proficisci istinc putes fac ut sciam.