Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. -46 AD|Cicero|AI-assisted
About Mustela, do as you say, though it will be a big business. For that
reason I incline more to Clodia; though in both cases we must find out
about Faberius' debt. There will be no harm in your speaking to Balbus
about it and telling him, what is the truth, that we want to buy, but
cannot without getting in that debt, and dare not, until something is
settled. But when is Clodia going to be in Rome, and how much do you
think it will cost? Why I turn my thoughts to it is not that I should
not prefer the other, but it is a big venture and it is difficult to
contend with one who is eager for it, rich and one of the heirs. As far
as eagerness goes, I yield to no one, but in the other respects we are
worse off. However of this when we meet.
venerat mihi in mentem monere te ut id ipsum quod facis faceres. putabam enim commodius te idem istud domi agere posse interpellatione sublata. ego postridie Idus, ut scripsi ad te ante, Lanuvi manere constitui, inde aut Romae aut in Tusculano; scies ante utrum quod scies recte illam rem fore levamento, bene facis cum id esse mihi crede perinde ut existimare tu non potes. res indicat quanto opere id cupiam, quom tibi audeam confiteri quem id non ita valde probare arbitrer. sed ferendus tibi in hoc meus error. ferendus? immo vero etiam adiuvandus. [2] de Othone diffido, fortasse quia cupio. sed tamen maior etiam res est quam facultates nostrae, praesertim adversario et cupido et locuplete et herede. proximum est ut velim Clodiae. sed si ista minus confici possunt, effice quidvis. ego me maiore religione quam quisquam fuit ullius voti obstrictum puto. videbis etiam Trebonianos, etsi absunt domini. sed, ut ad te heri scripsi, considerabis etiam de Tusculano ne aestas effluat; quod certe non est committendum.
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About Mustela, do as you say, though it will be a big business. For that reason I incline more to Clodia; though in both cases we must find out about Faberius' debt. There will be no harm in your speaking to Balbus about it and telling him, what is the truth, that we want to buy, but cannot without getting in that debt, and dare not, until something is settled. But when is Clodia going to be in Rome, and how much do you think it will cost? Why I turn my thoughts to it is not that I should not prefer the other, but it is a big venture and it is difficult to contend with one who is eager for it, rich and one of the heirs. As far as eagerness goes, I yield to no one, but in the other respects we are worse off. However of this when we meet.
Latin / Greek Original
venerat mihi in mentem monere te ut id ipsum quod facis faceres. putabam enim commodius te idem istud domi agere posse interpellatione sublata. ego postridie Idus, ut scripsi ad te ante, Lanuvi manere constitui, inde aut Romae aut in Tusculano; scies ante utrum quod scies recte illam rem fore levamento, bene facis cum id esse mihi crede perinde ut existimare tu non potes. res indicat quanto opere id cupiam, quom tibi audeam confiteri quem id non ita valde probare arbitrer. sed ferendus tibi in hoc meus error. ferendus? immo vero etiam adiuvandus. [2] de Othone diffido, fortasse quia cupio. sed tamen maior etiam res est quam facultates nostrae, praesertim adversario et cupido et locuplete et herede. proximum est ut velim Clodiae. sed si ista minus confici possunt, effice quidvis. ego me maiore religione quam quisquam fuit ullius voti obstrictum puto. videbis etiam Trebonianos, etsi absunt domini. sed, ut ad te heri scripsi, considerabis etiam de Tusculano ne aestas effluat; quod certe non est committendum.