Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. -56 AD|Cicero|AI-assisted
What a welcome letter! What a delightful arrival! What steadfast fulfillment of your promise, what marvelous fidelity! What a voyage to be thankful for! Though, by Hercules, I was very nervous about it, remembering the terrors of your previous crossing. But unless I am mistaken, I shall see you sooner than you say. For I believe you supposed your womenfolk were in Apulia. Since this will not be the case, what is there to keep you in Apulia? Surely you are not going to devote days to Vestorius and sample again after an interval his Latin-flavored Atticism? Why not fly here instead and inspect the state of our Republic — I thought it was about the money distributed publicly to the tribes before the elections in one place, and then the acquittal of Gabinius — enjoy the dictatorship, the suspension of the courts, and the license for anything and everything. [2] Observe the equanimity of my spirit and — by Hercules — my delightful relationship with Caesar (for this is the one plank that gives me pleasure from this shipwreck). And indeed, my Quintus — yours too — good heavens, how Caesar treats him! With honor, dignity, favor! No differently than if I were the commander. He has been given the choice of selecting winter quarters for a legion, as Quintus writes to me. Can you not love such a man? Whom then among those others? But listen here! Did I write to you that I am serving as Pompey's legate and will be out of the city from the Ides of January? This seemed to suit many purposes. But enough — I think we shall discuss the rest in person, though you may expect something meanwhile. Many greetings to Dionysius; for him I have not only preserved but even built a place. What more? To the supreme joy I feel at your return, his arrival will add a great bonus. On the day you come to me, please, if you love me, stay at my house with your family.
O exspectatas mihi tuas litteras! O gratum adventum! O constantiam promissi et fidem miram! O navigationem amandam! quam me hercule ego valde timebam recordans superioris tuae transmissionis derreis. sed nisi fallor citius te quam scribis videbo. credo enim te putasse tuas mulieres in Apulia esse. quod cum secus erit, quid te Apulia moretur? num Vestorio dandi sunt dies et ille Latinus attikismos ex intervallo regustandus? quin tu huc advolas et invisis illius nostrae rei publicae +Germane putavi de nummis+ ante comitia tributim uno loco divisis palam, inde absolutum Gabinium dictaturam +fruere iustitio et omnium rerum licentia+. [2] perspice aequitatem animi mei et +ludum et contemptionem Seleucianae provinciae+ et me hercule cum Caesare suavissimam coniunctionem (haec enim me una ex hoc naufragio tabula delectat); qui quidem Quintum meum tuumque, di boni! quem ad modum tractat honore, dignitate, gratia! non secus ac si ego essem imperator. hiberna legionis eligendi optio delata commodum, ut ad me Quintus scribit. hunc tu non ames? quem igitur istorum? sed heus tu! scripseramne tibi me esse legatum Pompeio et extra urbem quidem fore ex Idibus Ianuarus? visum est hoc mihi ad multa quadrare. sed quid plura? Coram opinor reliqua, ut tu tamen aliquid exspectes. Dionysio plurimam salutem; cui quidem ego non modo servavi sed etiam aedificavi locum. quid quaeris? ad summam laetitiam meam quam ex tuo reditu capio magnus illius adventus cumulus accedet. quo die ad me venies, tu, si me amas, apud me cum tuis maneas. Cicero
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What a welcome letter! What a delightful arrival! What steadfast fulfillment of your promise, what marvelous fidelity! What a voyage to be thankful for! Though, by Hercules, I was very nervous about it, remembering the terrors of your previous crossing. But unless I am mistaken, I shall see you sooner than you say. For I believe you supposed your womenfolk were in Apulia. Since this will not be the case, what is there to keep you in Apulia? Surely you are not going to devote days to Vestorius and sample again after an interval his Latin-flavored Atticism? Why not fly here instead and inspect the state of our Republic — I thought it was about the money distributed publicly to the tribes before the elections in one place, and then the acquittal of Gabinius — enjoy the dictatorship, the suspension of the courts, and the license for anything and everything. [2] Observe the equanimity of my spirit and — by Hercules — my delightful relationship with Caesar (for this is the one plank that gives me pleasure from this shipwreck). And indeed, my Quintus — yours too — good heavens, how Caesar treats him! With honor, dignity, favor! No differently than if I were the commander. He has been given the choice of selecting winter quarters for a legion, as Quintus writes to me. Can you not love such a man? Whom then among those others? But listen here! Did I write to you that I am serving as Pompey's legate and will be out of the city from the Ides of January? This seemed to suit many purposes. But enough — I think we shall discuss the rest in person, though you may expect something meanwhile. Many greetings to Dionysius; for him I have not only preserved but even built a place. What more? To the supreme joy I feel at your return, his arrival will add a great bonus. On the day you come to me, please, if you love me, stay at my house with your family.
Latin / Greek Original
O exspectatas mihi tuas litteras! O gratum adventum! O constantiam promissi et fidem miram! O navigationem amandam! quam me hercule ego valde timebam recordans superioris tuae transmissionis derreis. sed nisi fallor citius te quam scribis videbo. credo enim te putasse tuas mulieres in Apulia esse. quod cum secus erit, quid te Apulia moretur? num Vestorio dandi sunt dies et ille Latinus attikismos ex intervallo regustandus? quin tu huc advolas et invisis illius nostrae rei publicae +Germane putavi de nummis+ ante comitia tributim uno loco divisis palam, inde absolutum Gabinium dictaturam +fruere iustitio et omnium rerum licentia+. [2] perspice aequitatem animi mei et +ludum et contemptionem Seleucianae provinciae+ et me hercule cum Caesare suavissimam coniunctionem (haec enim me una ex hoc naufragio tabula delectat); qui quidem Quintum meum tuumque, di boni! quem ad modum tractat honore, dignitate, gratia! non secus ac si ego essem imperator. hiberna legionis eligendi optio delata commodum, ut ad me Quintus scribit. hunc tu non ames? quem igitur istorum? sed heus tu! scripseramne tibi me esse legatum Pompeio et extra urbem quidem fore ex Idibus Ianuarus? visum est hoc mihi ad multa quadrare. sed quid plura? Coram opinor reliqua, ut tu tamen aliquid exspectes. Dionysio plurimam salutem; cui quidem ego non modo servavi sed etiam aedificavi locum. quid quaeris? ad summam laetitiam meam quam ex tuo reditu capio magnus illius adventus cumulus accedet. quo die ad me venies, tu, si me amas, apud me cum tuis maneas. Cicero