Marcus Tullius Cicero→Terentia|c. 53 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome|AI-assisted
If you and Tullia, our light, are well, I and sweetest Cicero are well too. On October 14 we arrived at Athens after struggling with quite unfavorable winds and sailing slowly and uncomfortably.
As we were leaving the ship, Acastus was there with your letters, on the twenty-first day after he set out, which was very energetic work. I received your letter, in which I understood that you feared the earlier ones had not reached me. All of them were delivered, and you wrote everything out most carefully. That was deeply welcome to me.
I was not surprised that this letter brought by Acastus was short, for you are now expecting me, or rather us, in person. We too want to come to you as soon as possible, though I understand what kind of republic I am coming into. From many friends' letters, which Acastus brought, I have learned that matters are pointing toward arms, so that when I arrive I will not be allowed to hide what I think. But since fortune must be faced, I will make the more effort to come quickly, so that we can consider the whole situation more easily.
Please, as far as your health permits, come out to meet us as far as you can. About the inheritance from Precius, which is a great sorrow to me, for I loved him dearly, I want you to see to this: if the auction takes place before I arrive, let Pomponius act for us, or Camillus if Pomponius cannot. Once I am safe at home, I will take care of the rest myself. But if you have already set out from Rome, still make sure this arrangement is made.
Dearest, sweetest Terentia, as you love me, all of you take care of your health. Farewell.
CCLXXXII (Fam. XIV, 5) TO TERENTIA (AT ROME) ATHENS, 16 OCTOBER: If you and my darling Tullia are well, I and my dearest boy Cicero are so too. On the 14th of October I arrived at Athens , after experiencing unfavourable winds and a slow and unpleasant voyage. As I was disembarking, Acastus met me with letters, the 21st day since his start, which is very active travelling. I received one from you, in which you tell me that you fear your previous letters did not reach me. I got them all: you have shown the greatest energy in writing me full accounts of everything, and I am exceedingly obliged to you. I was not surprised that the letter brought by Acastus was short: for you are expecting me, or rather us, immediately in person: and we are anxious to reach you at the earliest possible time, though I am fully aware to what a state of public affairs I am coming: for the letters brought me by Acastus from many of my friends have shown me that things look warlike, so that when I do arrive I shall not be able to cloak my sentiments. But since there is no shirking fate, I shall make the more haste, that I may consider the whole crisis with greater ease. Pray, as well as your health will permit, come as far as you can to meet me. As to the inheritance from Precius — I am deeply grieved at it, for I loved the man — I wish you to see to this: if the auction takes place before my arrival, let Pomponius , or, if he can't, Camillus act for us. As soon as I am safe at home I will look after the rest of the business myself. But if you have already started from Rome , still see that this arrangement is made. Dearest, sweetest Terentia , as you love me, take care, all of you, of your health. Good-bye.
V. Scr. Athenis a. d. XV. (XVII?) Kal. Novemb. a.u.c. 704. TULLIUS S. D. TERENTIAE SUAE.
Si tu et Tullia, lux nostra, valetis, ego et suavissimus Cicero valemus. Pr. Idus Oct. Athenas venimus, cum sane adversis ventis usi essemus tardeque et incommode navigassemus. De nave exeuntibus nobis Acastus cum litteris praesto fuit uno et vicesimo die, sane strenue. Accepi tuas litteras, quibus intellexi te vereri, ne superiores mihi redditae non essent: omnes sunt redditae diligentissimeque a te perscripta sunt omnia, idque mihi gratissimum fuit. Neque sum admiratus hanc epistolam, quam Acastus attulit, brevem fuisse; iam enim me ipsum exspectas sive nos ipsos, qui quidem quam primum ad vos venire cupimus, etsi, in quam rem publicam veniamus, intelligo; cognovi enim ex multorum amicorum litteris, quas attulit Acastus, ad arma rem spectare, ut mihi, cum venero, dissimulare non liceat, quid sentiam; sed, quoniam subeunda fortuna est, eo citius dabimus operam ut veniamus, quo facilius de tota re deliberemus. Tu velim, quod commodo valetudinis tuae fiat, quam longissime poteris, obviam nobis prodeas. De hereditate Preciana—quae quidem mihi magno dolori est; valde enim illum amavi—, sed hoc velim cures: si auctio ante meum adventum fiet, ut Pomponius aut, si is minus poterit, Camillus nostrum negotium curet: nos, cum salvi venerimus, reliqua per nos agemus; sin tu iam Roma profecta eris, tamen curabis, ut hoc ita fiat. Nos, si di adiuvabunt, circiter Idus Novembres in Italia speramus fore. Vos, mea suavissima et optatissima Terentia, si nos amatis, curate ut valeatis. Vale. Athenis a. d. XV. Kal. Novemb.
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If you and Tullia, our light, are well, I and sweetest Cicero are well too. On October 14 we arrived at Athens after struggling with quite unfavorable winds and sailing slowly and uncomfortably.
As we were leaving the ship, Acastus was there with your letters, on the twenty-first day after he set out, which was very energetic work. I received your letter, in which I understood that you feared the earlier ones had not reached me. All of them were delivered, and you wrote everything out most carefully. That was deeply welcome to me.
I was not surprised that this letter brought by Acastus was short, for you are now expecting me, or rather us, in person. We too want to come to you as soon as possible, though I understand what kind of republic I am coming into. From many friends' letters, which Acastus brought, I have learned that matters are pointing toward arms, so that when I arrive I will not be allowed to hide what I think. But since fortune must be faced, I will make the more effort to come quickly, so that we can consider the whole situation more easily.
Please, as far as your health permits, come out to meet us as far as you can. About the inheritance from Precius, which is a great sorrow to me, for I loved him dearly, I want you to see to this: if the auction takes place before I arrive, let Pomponius act for us, or Camillus if Pomponius cannot. Once I am safe at home, I will take care of the rest myself. But if you have already set out from Rome, still make sure this arrangement is made.
Dearest, sweetest Terentia, as you love me, all of you take care of your health. Farewell.
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
V. Scr. Athenis a. d. XV. (XVII?) Kal. Novemb. a.u.c. 704. TULLIUS S. D. TERENTIAE SUAE.
Si tu et Tullia, lux nostra, valetis, ego et suavissimus Cicero valemus. Pr. Idus Oct. Athenas venimus, cum sane adversis ventis usi essemus tardeque et incommode navigassemus. De nave exeuntibus nobis Acastus cum litteris praesto fuit uno et vicesimo die, sane strenue. Accepi tuas litteras, quibus intellexi te vereri, ne superiores mihi redditae non essent: omnes sunt redditae diligentissimeque a te perscripta sunt omnia, idque mihi gratissimum fuit. Neque sum admiratus hanc epistolam, quam Acastus attulit, brevem fuisse; iam enim me ipsum exspectas sive nos ipsos, qui quidem quam primum ad vos venire cupimus, etsi, in quam rem publicam veniamus, intelligo; cognovi enim ex multorum amicorum litteris, quas attulit Acastus, ad arma rem spectare, ut mihi, cum venero, dissimulare non liceat, quid sentiam; sed, quoniam subeunda fortuna est, eo citius dabimus operam ut veniamus, quo facilius de tota re deliberemus. Tu velim, quod commodo valetudinis tuae fiat, quam longissime poteris, obviam nobis prodeas. De hereditate Preciana—quae quidem mihi magno dolori est; valde enim illum amavi—, sed hoc velim cures: si auctio ante meum adventum fiet, ut Pomponius aut, si is minus poterit, Camillus nostrum negotium curet: nos, cum salvi venerimus, reliqua per nos agemus; sin tu iam Roma profecta eris, tamen curabis, ut hoc ita fiat. Nos, si di adiuvabunt, circiter Idus Novembres in Italia speramus fore. Vos, mea suavissima et optatissima Terentia, si nos amatis, curate ut valeatis. Vale. Athenis a. d. XV. Kal. Novemb.