Marcus Tullius Cicero→Unknown|c. -50 AD|Cicero|AI-assisted
I receive your letters rarely — perhaps they are not all delivered — but they are delightful; especially the most recent one, how full of good judgment, how rich in both duty and counsel! Although I had already resolved to handle everything just as you were advising, still my plans are strengthened when I perceive that prudent and faithful counselors see things the same way.
As for Appius, as I have often discussed with you, I am very fond of him, and I sensed that he began to return my affection as soon as we set aside our quarrel. For he was complimentary toward me during his consulship, an agreeable friend, and even an enthusiast for my literary pursuits. And you are my witness that I have not failed in my duties toward him — to which testimony, I believe, our comic witness Phania can now be added. And indeed I valued him all the more because I perceived that he was fond of you. You already know that I am entirely Pompey's man, and you understand that Brutus is dear to me. What reason is there why I should not wish to embrace a man flourishing in age, wealth, honors, talent, children, kinsmen, connections, and friends — especially my colleague, and one who in the very distinction and expertise of our college is devoted to me?
I have written about this at such length because your letter suggested in certain ways that you had some doubt about my attitude toward him. I believe you have heard something. It is false, believe me, whatever you have heard. The character of my policies and methods bears a certain dissimilarity to his administration of the province. From this, some people have perhaps suspected that I differ from him out of personal rivalry rather than a disagreement of views. But I have never done or said anything that I would wish to be contrary to his reputation. Moreover, after this affair involving the recklessness of our Dolabella, I am offering myself as an advocate on his behalf in his time of danger.
In the same letter you wrote of "the lethargy of the state." I was quite pleased, and I was glad that our friend had been frozen into inactivity. The last line of your page stung me, written in your own hand. What are you saying? Curio is now defending Caesar? Who would have thought it — except me? For, as I live, I did think so. Immortal gods, how I miss our laughter together!
It was my intention, since I have completed the administration of justice, enriched the communities, preserved for the tax collectors even the arrears from the previous census period without any complaint from the provincials, and have been agreeable to private citizens of every rank, to set out for Cilicia on the first of May, and, once I had reached the earliest summer campaign positions and stationed the troops, to depart in accordance with the Senate's decree. I long to see you as aedile, and an extraordinary yearning for the city grips me — for all my people, and for you above all.
XIII. M. CICERO IMP. S. D. M. CAELIO AEDILI CURULI Laodiceae; in. Mai. 50
Raras tuas quidem (fortasse enim non perferuntur) sed suavis accipio litteras; vel quas proxime acceperam, quam prudentis, quam multi et offici et consili! etsi omnia sic constitueram mihi agenda ut tu admonebas, tamen confirmantur nostra consilia cum sentimus prudentibus fideliterque suadentibus idem videri. Ego Appium, ut saepe tecum locutus sum, valde diligo meque ab eo diligi statim coeptum esse ut simultatem deposuimus sensi. Nam et honorificus in me consul fuit et suavis amicus et studiosus studiorum etiam meorum. Mea vero officia ei non defuisse tu es testis, cui iam κωμικὸς μαρτύς, ut opinor, accedit Phania; et mehercule etiam pluris eum feci quod te amari ab eo sensi. Iam me Pompei totum esse scis, Brutum a me amari intellegis. Quid est causae cur mihi non in optatis sit complecti hominem florentem aetate, opibus, honoribus, ingenio, liberis, propinquis, adfinibus, amicis, collegam meum praesertim et in ipsa collegi laude et scientia studiosum mei? Haec eo pluribus scripsi quod [non] nihil significabant tuae litterae subdubitare qua essem erga illum voluntate. Credo te audisse aliquid. Falsum est, mihi crede, si quid audisti. Genus institutorum et rationum mearum dissimilitudinem non nullam habet cum illius administratione provinciae. Ex eo quidam suspicati fortasse sunt animorum contentione, non opinionum dissensione, me ab eo discrepare. Nihil autem feci umquam neque dixi quod contra illius existimationem esse vellem; post hoc negotium autem et temeritatem nostri Dolabellae deprecatorem me pro illius periculo praebeo. Erat in eadem epistula 'veternus civitatis.' Gaudebam sane et congelasse nostrum amicum laetabar otio. Extrema pagella pupugit me tuo chirographo. Quid ais? Caesarem nunc defendit Curio? Quis hoc putaret, praeter me? Nam, ita vivam, putavi. Di immortales, quam ego risum nostrum desidero! Mihi erat in animo, quoniam iuris dictionem confe ram, civitates locupletaram, publicanis etiam superioris lustri reliqua sine sociorum ulla querela conservaram, privatis, summis infimis, fueram iucundus, proficisci in Ciliciam Non. Mai. et, cum prima aestiva attigissem militemque collocassem, decedere ex senatus consulto. Cupio te aedilem videre miroque desiderio me urbs adficit et omnes mei tuque in primis.
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I receive your letters rarely — perhaps they are not all delivered — but they are delightful; especially the most recent one, how full of good judgment, how rich in both duty and counsel! Although I had already resolved to handle everything just as you were advising, still my plans are strengthened when I perceive that prudent and faithful counselors see things the same way.
As for Appius, as I have often discussed with you, I am very fond of him, and I sensed that he began to return my affection as soon as we set aside our quarrel. For he was complimentary toward me during his consulship, an agreeable friend, and even an enthusiast for my literary pursuits. And you are my witness that I have not failed in my duties toward him — to which testimony, I believe, our comic witness Phania can now be added. And indeed I valued him all the more because I perceived that he was fond of you. You already know that I am entirely Pompey's man, and you understand that Brutus is dear to me. What reason is there why I should not wish to embrace a man flourishing in age, wealth, honors, talent, children, kinsmen, connections, and friends — especially my colleague, and one who in the very distinction and expertise of our college is devoted to me?
I have written about this at such length because your letter suggested in certain ways that you had some doubt about my attitude toward him. I believe you have heard something. It is false, believe me, whatever you have heard. The character of my policies and methods bears a certain dissimilarity to his administration of the province. From this, some people have perhaps suspected that I differ from him out of personal rivalry rather than a disagreement of views. But I have never done or said anything that I would wish to be contrary to his reputation. Moreover, after this affair involving the recklessness of our Dolabella, I am offering myself as an advocate on his behalf in his time of danger.
In the same letter you wrote of "the lethargy of the state." I was quite pleased, and I was glad that our friend had been frozen into inactivity. The last line of your page stung me, written in your own hand. What are you saying? Curio is now defending Caesar? Who would have thought it — except me? For, as I live, I did think so. Immortal gods, how I miss our laughter together!
It was my intention, since I have completed the administration of justice, enriched the communities, preserved for the tax collectors even the arrears from the previous census period without any complaint from the provincials, and have been agreeable to private citizens of every rank, to set out for Cilicia on the first of May, and, once I had reached the earliest summer campaign positions and stationed the troops, to depart in accordance with the Senate's decree. I long to see you as aedile, and an extraordinary yearning for the city grips me — for all my people, and for you above all.
Latin / Greek Original
XIII. M. CICERO IMP. S. D. M. CAELIO AEDILI CURULI Laodiceae; in. Mai. 50
Raras tuas quidem (fortasse enim non perferuntur) sed suavis accipio litteras; vel quas proxime acceperam, quam prudentis, quam multi et offici et consili! etsi omnia sic constitueram mihi agenda ut tu admonebas, tamen confirmantur nostra consilia cum sentimus prudentibus fideliterque suadentibus idem videri. Ego Appium, ut saepe tecum locutus sum, valde diligo meque ab eo diligi statim coeptum esse ut simultatem deposuimus sensi. Nam et honorificus in me consul fuit et suavis amicus et studiosus studiorum etiam meorum. Mea vero officia ei non defuisse tu es testis, cui iam κωμικὸς μαρτύς, ut opinor, accedit Phania; et mehercule etiam pluris eum feci quod te amari ab eo sensi. Iam me Pompei totum esse scis, Brutum a me amari intellegis. Quid est causae cur mihi non in optatis sit complecti hominem florentem aetate, opibus, honoribus, ingenio, liberis, propinquis, adfinibus, amicis, collegam meum praesertim et in ipsa collegi laude et scientia studiosum mei? Haec eo pluribus scripsi quod [non] nihil significabant tuae litterae subdubitare qua essem erga illum voluntate. Credo te audisse aliquid. Falsum est, mihi crede, si quid audisti. Genus institutorum et rationum mearum dissimilitudinem non nullam habet cum illius administratione provinciae. Ex eo quidam suspicati fortasse sunt animorum contentione, non opinionum dissensione, me ab eo discrepare. Nihil autem feci umquam neque dixi quod contra illius existimationem esse vellem; post hoc negotium autem et temeritatem nostri Dolabellae deprecatorem me pro illius periculo praebeo. Erat in eadem epistula 'veternus civitatis.' Gaudebam sane et congelasse nostrum amicum laetabar otio. Extrema pagella pupugit me tuo chirographo. Quid ais? Caesarem nunc defendit Curio? Quis hoc putaret, praeter me? Nam, ita vivam, putavi. Di immortales, quam ego risum nostrum desidero! Mihi erat in animo, quoniam iuris dictionem confe ram, civitates locupletaram, publicanis etiam superioris lustri reliqua sine sociorum ulla querela conservaram, privatis, summis infimis, fueram iucundus, proficisci in Ciliciam Non. Mai. et, cum prima aestiva attigissem militemque collocassem, decedere ex senatus consulto. Cupio te aedilem videre miroque desiderio me urbs adficit et omnes mei tuque in primis.