Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. -60 AD|Cicero|AI-assisted
I agree entirely with your view of the situation. Sampsiceramus is throwing everything into confusion. There is nothing we should not fear; he is openly contriving a tyranny. For what else do this sudden marriage alliance, the Campanian land, and this lavish outpouring of money signify? Even if these were the final steps, there would still be too much evil in them; but the nature of the case is such that these cannot be the final steps. For what? Can these things in themselves give them any pleasure? They would never have come to this point unless they were securing access to other ruinous measures. But, as you write, we shall not weep over these matters at Arpinum around the tenth of May, lest both the labor and the oil of our literary pursuits be wasted; instead we shall discuss them with tranquil minds.
Immortal gods! I am consoled now not so much by hopefulness as formerly, but by indifference, which I employ in no matter so much as in this civic and public one. Indeed, that element in me which is somewhat vain and not free from love of glory — for it is a fine thing to know one's own faults — even that is affected by a certain pleasure. For it used to sting me that Sampsiceramus's services to the fatherland might for ages hence appear greater than mine. From this worry, at any rate, I am now certainly free; for he lies so low that even the Curian regime seems to stand upright by comparison. But more of this when we meet.
Still, it seems to me that you will be in Rome when I arrive, which I shall readily accept if it can be done at your convenience. But if, as you write, you are coming my way, I would like you to fish out from Theophanes what the tax-collector's disposition is toward me. You will inquire, of course, in your solicitous manner, and bring me from him, as it were, suggestions on how I should conduct myself. From his conversation we shall be able to form some conjecture about the whole situation.
I agree entirely with what you say in your letter. The Pasha is running
amuck. We may anticipate anything: he is quite clearly setting up a
tyranny. What else is the meaning of this sudden marriage-contract,
of the proposals about the Campanian land, of this reckless expenditure
of money? If that were the end of it, it would be disastrous enough: but
the nature of the case makes it impossible that this should be the end.
These things in themselves cannot possibly give them any pleasure: and
they would never have taken this step except as the first to other
pernicious acts. But, as you say, we will discuss these questions
rationally at Arpinum about the 10th of May, and not prove all the
labour and the midnight oil we have spent on our studies wasted by
weeping over them. Heaven help us! I derive consolation not so much from
hope, as I did formerly, as from a spirit of indifference, which I call
to my service especially in civic and political matters. Nay more, the
little strain of vanity and thirst for fame that there is in me—it is a
good thing to recognize one’s own faults—even experiences a pleasurable
sensation. For the thought that the Pasha’s services to the country
might in the dim future be reckoned higher than mine, used to prick me
to the heart: but now I rest quite easy on that score. He has fallen so
low that the fallen Curius in comparison seems to stand erect. But of
this when we meet. It seems now as though you will be at Rome when I
arrive: for which I shall not be at all sorry, if it is
expiscere, quonam in me animo sit Arabarches. Quaeres scilicet κατὰ τὸ
κηδεμονικὸν et ad me ab eo quasi ὑποθήκας adferes, quem ad modum me
geram. Aliquid ex eius sermone poterimus περὶ τῶν ὅλων suspicari.
prorsus ut scribis ita sentio, turbatur Sampsiceramus. nihil est quod non timendum sit; homologoumenos turannida suskeuazetai. quid enim ista repentina adfinitatis coniunctio, quid ager Campanus, quid effusio pecuniae significant? quae si essent extrema tamen esset nimium mali, sed ea natura rei est ut haec extrema esse non possint. quid enim? eos haec ipsa per se delectare possunt? numquam huc venissent nisi ad alias res pestiferas aditus sibi compararent. verum, ut scribis, haec in Arpinati a. d. vi circiter Idus Maias non deflebimus, ne et opera et oleum philologiae nostrae perierit; sed conferemus tranquillo animo. [2] di immortales neque tam me euelpistia consolatur ut antea quam adiaphoria, qua nulla in re tam utor quam in hac civili et publica. quin etiam quod est subinane in nobis et non aphilodoxon (bellum est enim sua vitia nosse), id adficitur quadam delectatione. solebat enim me pungere ne Sampsicerami merita in patriam ad annos sescentos maiora viderentur quam nostra. hac quidem cura certe iam vacuus sum; iacet enim ille sic ut + phocis + Curiana stare videatur. sed haec coram. [3] tu tamen videris mihi Romae fore ad nostrum adventum, quod sane facile patiar si tuo commodo fieri possit; sin ut scribis ita venies, velim ex Theophane expiscere quonam in me animo sit arabarches. quaeres scilicet kata to kedemonikon et ad me ab eo quasi hupothekas adferes quem ad modum me geram. aliquid ex eius sermone poterimus peri ton holon suspicari.
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I agree entirely with your view of the situation. Sampsiceramus is throwing everything into confusion. There is nothing we should not fear; he is openly contriving a tyranny. For what else do this sudden marriage alliance, the Campanian land, and this lavish outpouring of money signify? Even if these were the final steps, there would still be too much evil in them; but the nature of the case is such that these cannot be the final steps. For what? Can these things in themselves give them any pleasure? They would never have come to this point unless they were securing access to other ruinous measures. But, as you write, we shall not weep over these matters at Arpinum around the tenth of May, lest both the labor and the oil of our literary pursuits be wasted; instead we shall discuss them with tranquil minds.
Immortal gods! I am consoled now not so much by hopefulness as formerly, but by indifference, which I employ in no matter so much as in this civic and public one. Indeed, that element in me which is somewhat vain and not free from love of glory — for it is a fine thing to know one's own faults — even that is affected by a certain pleasure. For it used to sting me that Sampsiceramus's services to the fatherland might for ages hence appear greater than mine. From this worry, at any rate, I am now certainly free; for he lies so low that even the Curian regime seems to stand upright by comparison. But more of this when we meet.
Still, it seems to me that you will be in Rome when I arrive, which I shall readily accept if it can be done at your convenience. But if, as you write, you are coming my way, I would like you to fish out from Theophanes what the tax-collector's disposition is toward me. You will inquire, of course, in your solicitous manner, and bring me from him, as it were, suggestions on how I should conduct myself. From his conversation we shall be able to form some conjecture about the whole situation.
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
prorsus ut scribis ita sentio, turbatur Sampsiceramus. nihil est quod non timendum sit; homologoumenos turannida suskeuazetai. quid enim ista repentina adfinitatis coniunctio, quid ager Campanus, quid effusio pecuniae significant? quae si essent extrema tamen esset nimium mali, sed ea natura rei est ut haec extrema esse non possint. quid enim? eos haec ipsa per se delectare possunt? numquam huc venissent nisi ad alias res pestiferas aditus sibi compararent. verum, ut scribis, haec in Arpinati a. d. vi circiter Idus Maias non deflebimus, ne et opera et oleum philologiae nostrae perierit; sed conferemus tranquillo animo. [2] di immortales neque tam me euelpistia consolatur ut antea quam adiaphoria, qua nulla in re tam utor quam in hac civili et publica. quin etiam quod est subinane in nobis et non aphilodoxon (bellum est enim sua vitia nosse), id adficitur quadam delectatione. solebat enim me pungere ne Sampsicerami merita in patriam ad annos sescentos maiora viderentur quam nostra. hac quidem cura certe iam vacuus sum; iacet enim ille sic ut + phocis + Curiana stare videatur. sed haec coram. [3] tu tamen videris mihi Romae fore ad nostrum adventum, quod sane facile patiar si tuo commodo fieri possit; sin ut scribis ita venies, velim ex Theophane expiscere quonam in me animo sit arabarches. quaeres scilicet kata to kedemonikon et ad me ab eo quasi hupothekas adferes quem ad modum me geram. aliquid ex eius sermone poterimus peri ton holon suspicari.