Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. -44 AD|Cicero|AI-assisted
As soon as I learned from Pilia that she was sending a messenger to you
on the 15th, I scrawled this bit of a note. First then I want you to
know that I am leaving here for Arpinum on May 17th. So, if you have
anything to send after that, you must send it there: though I shall be
in Rome almost directly. For I want to scent out as clearly as possible
what is going to happen before I come to town. However, I fear my
suspicions are not far from the truth. For it is clear enough what they
are doing. My pupil, who dined with me to-day, is a warm admirer of
the man who was wounded by our Brutus: and, if you want to know, I see
quite clearly that they are afraid of peace. This is the theme on which
they are always dwelling: that a most distinguished person has been
killed, that by his death the whole state has been thrown into disorder;
that his acts will be null and void as soon as we have ceased to fear;
that his clemency was his destruction, and that, if he had not practised
clemency, such a thing could not have happened to him. I cannot help
thinking, then, that if Pompey comes with a strong force, which is quite
possible, there will certainly be war. When I picture this and think of
it, I am disturbed: for now we shall not have the choice you had before.
For we have shown our joy openly. Again they speak of us as ingrates.
What you and many others did then certainly will not be possible now.
Must I put in an appearance,
Miliens mori melius, huic praesertim aetati. Itaque me Idus Martiae non
tam consolantur quam antea. Magnum enim mendum continent. Etsi illi
iuvenes
ἄλλοις ἐν ἐσθλοῖς τόνδ' ἀπωθοῦνται ψόγον.
Sed, si tu melius quidpiam speras, quod et plura audis et interes
consiliis, scribas ad me velim simulque cogites, quid agendum nobis sit
super legatione votiva. Equidem in his locis moneor a multis, ne in
senatu Kalendis. Dicuntur enim occulte milites ad eam diem comparari et
quidem in istos, qui mihi videntur ubivis tutius quam in senatu fore.
then, and join the army? A thousand times better to die, especially at
my time of life. So now I am not so much consoled as I was with the
thought of the Ides of March, for there was a grave mistake committed
then. However, those youths "in other noble deeds wipe out their
shame." But, if you have any better hope, as you hear more news and
are in the midst of affairs, please write, and at the same time consider
what I ought to do about the votive legation. Here many people warn me
against attending the Senate on the 1st. They say troops are being
collected secretly for that occasion, and that too against your friends,
who to my idea will be safer anywhere than in the Senate.
Nonis Maus cum essem in Pompeiano, accepi binas a te litteras, alteras sexto die, alteras quarto. ad superiores igitur prius. quam mihi iucundum opportune tibi Barnaeum litteras reddidisse! tu vero cum Cassio ut cetera. quam commode autem quod id ipsum quod me mones quadriduo ante ad eum scripseram exemplumque mearum litterarum ad te miseram! sed cum ex Dolabellae aritia? (sic enim tu ad me scripseras) magna desperatione adfectus essem, ecce tibi et Bruti et tuae litterae! ille exsilium meditari. nos autem alium portum propiorem huic aetati videbamus; in quem mallem equidem pervehi florente Bruto nostro constitutaque re publica. sed nunc quidem, ut scribis, non utrumvis. adsentiris enim mihi nostram aetatem a castris, praesertim civilibus, abhorrere. [2] Antonius ad me tantum de Clodio rescripsit, meam lenitatem et clementiam et sibi esse gratam et mihi voluptati magnae fore. sed Pansa furere videtur de Clodio itemque de Deiotaro et loquitur severe, si velis credere. illud tamen non belle, ut mihi quidem videtur, quod factum Dolabellae vehementer improbat. [3] de coronatis, cum sororis tuae filius a patre accusatus esset, rescripsit se coronam habuisse honoris Caesaris causa, posuisse luctus gratia; postremo se libenter vituperationem subire quod amaret etiam mortuum Caesarem. [4] ad Dolabellam, quem ad modum tibi dicis placere, scripsi diligenter. ego etiam ad Siccam; tibi hoc oneris non impono. nolo te illum iratum habere. Servi orationem cognosco; in qua plus timoris video quam consili. sed quoniam perterriti omnes sumus, adsentior Servio. Publilius tecum tricatus est. huc enim Caerellia missa ab istis est legata ad me; cui facile persuasi mihi id quod rogaret ne licere quidem, non modo non lubere. Antonium si videro, accurate agam de Buthroto. [5] venio ad recentiores litteras; quamquam de Servio iam rescripsi. 'me facere magnam pra=cin Dolabellae.' mihi me hercule ita videtur, non potuisse maior tali re talique tempore. sed tamen quicquid ei tribuo, tribuo ex tuis litteris. tibi vero adsentior maiorem pra=cin eius fore si mihi quod debuit dissolverit. Brutus velim sit Asturae. [6] quod autem laudas me quod nihil ante de profectione constituam quam ista quo evasura sint videro, muto sententiam. neque quicquam tamen ante quam te videro. Atticam meam gratias mihi agere de matre gaudeo; cui quidem ego totam villam cellamque tradidi eamque cogitabam v Idus videre. tu Atticae salutem dices. nos Piliam diligenter tuebimur.
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As soon as I learned from Pilia that she was sending a messenger to you on the 15th, I scrawled this bit of a note. First then I want you to know that I am leaving here for Arpinum on May 17th. So, if you have anything to send after that, you must send it there: though I shall be in Rome almost directly. For I want to scent out as clearly as possible what is going to happen before I come to town. However, I fear my suspicions are not far from the truth. For it is clear enough what they are doing. My pupil, who dined with me to-day, is a warm admirer of the man who was wounded by our Brutus: and, if you want to know, I see quite clearly that they are afraid of peace. This is the theme on which they are always dwelling: that a most distinguished person has been killed, that by his death the whole state has been thrown into disorder; that his acts will be null and void as soon as we have ceased to fear; that his clemency was his destruction, and that, if he had not practised clemency, such a thing could not have happened to him. I cannot help thinking, then, that if Pompey comes with a strong force, which is quite possible, there will certainly be war. When I picture this and think of it, I am disturbed: for now we shall not have the choice you had before. For we have shown our joy openly. Again they speak of us as ingrates. What you and many others did then certainly will not be possible now. Must I put in an appearance,
Miliens mori melius, huic praesertim aetati. Itaque me Idus Martiae non tam consolantur quam antea. Magnum enim mendum continent. Etsi illi iuvenes
ἄλλοις ἐν ἐσθλοῖς τόνδ' ἀπωθοῦνται ψόγον.
Sed, si tu melius quidpiam speras, quod et plura audis et interes consiliis, scribas ad me velim simulque cogites, quid agendum nobis sit super legatione votiva. Equidem in his locis moneor a multis, ne in senatu Kalendis. Dicuntur enim occulte milites ad eam diem comparari et quidem in istos, qui mihi videntur ubivis tutius quam in senatu fore.
then, and join the army? A thousand times better to die, especially at my time of life. So now I am not so much consoled as I was with the thought of the Ides of March, for there was a grave mistake committed then. However, those youths "in other noble deeds wipe out their shame." But, if you have any better hope, as you hear more news and are in the midst of affairs, please write, and at the same time consider what I ought to do about the votive legation. Here many people warn me against attending the Senate on the 1st. They say troops are being collected secretly for that occasion, and that too against your friends, who to my idea will be safer anywhere than in the Senate.
Latin / Greek Original
Nonis Maus cum essem in Pompeiano, accepi binas a te litteras, alteras sexto die, alteras quarto. ad superiores igitur prius. quam mihi iucundum opportune tibi Barnaeum litteras reddidisse! tu vero cum Cassio ut cetera. quam commode autem quod id ipsum quod me mones quadriduo ante ad eum scripseram exemplumque mearum litterarum ad te miseram! sed cum ex Dolabellae aritia? (sic enim tu ad me scripseras) magna desperatione adfectus essem, ecce tibi et Bruti et tuae litterae! ille exsilium meditari. nos autem alium portum propiorem huic aetati videbamus; in quem mallem equidem pervehi florente Bruto nostro constitutaque re publica. sed nunc quidem, ut scribis, non utrumvis. adsentiris enim mihi nostram aetatem a castris, praesertim civilibus, abhorrere. [2] Antonius ad me tantum de Clodio rescripsit, meam lenitatem et clementiam et sibi esse gratam et mihi voluptati magnae fore. sed Pansa furere videtur de Clodio itemque de Deiotaro et loquitur severe, si velis credere. illud tamen non belle, ut mihi quidem videtur, quod factum Dolabellae vehementer improbat. [3] de coronatis, cum sororis tuae filius a patre accusatus esset, rescripsit se coronam habuisse honoris Caesaris causa, posuisse luctus gratia; postremo se libenter vituperationem subire quod amaret etiam mortuum Caesarem. [4] ad Dolabellam, quem ad modum tibi dicis placere, scripsi diligenter. ego etiam ad Siccam; tibi hoc oneris non impono. nolo te illum iratum habere. Servi orationem cognosco; in qua plus timoris video quam consili. sed quoniam perterriti omnes sumus, adsentior Servio. Publilius tecum tricatus est. huc enim Caerellia missa ab istis est legata ad me; cui facile persuasi mihi id quod rogaret ne licere quidem, non modo non lubere. Antonium si videro, accurate agam de Buthroto. [5] venio ad recentiores litteras; quamquam de Servio iam rescripsi. 'me facere magnam pra=cin Dolabellae.' mihi me hercule ita videtur, non potuisse maior tali re talique tempore. sed tamen quicquid ei tribuo, tribuo ex tuis litteris. tibi vero adsentior maiorem pra=cin eius fore si mihi quod debuit dissolverit. Brutus velim sit Asturae. [6] quod autem laudas me quod nihil ante de profectione constituam quam ista quo evasura sint videro, muto sententiam. neque quicquam tamen ante quam te videro. Atticam meam gratias mihi agere de matre gaudeo; cui quidem ego totam villam cellamque tradidi eamque cogitabam v Idus videre. tu Atticae salutem dices. nos Piliam diligenter tuebimur.