Marcus Tullius Cicero→Gaius Toranius|c. 48 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome|Human translated
I had given a letter for you to the slaves of Gnaeus Plancius three days ago; I shall therefore be briefer now, and instead of consoling you as before, I shall now advise you. I think nothing is more useful for you than to wait there until you can know what you ought to do. For apart from the danger of a long, wintry, and harborless voyage, which you will have avoided, this too is worth a great deal: that you can set out from there suddenly when you have heard something definite. Besides, there is no reason why you should be eager to thrust yourself upon arrivals. Moreover, I fear many things, which I have shared with our friend Cilo. In short, you could have been in no more advantageous place in these troubles, from which you can most easily and swiftly betake yourself wherever you need to. And if he recovers himself, you will be there at the right time; but if -- since many things can happen -- something either hinders or delays him, you will be where you can know everything. This plan decidedly pleases me very much. As for the rest, as I have often urged you by letter, I would have you persuade yourself that in this cause you have nothing to fear for yourself beyond the common fate of the state. And though this is very grave, yet we have lived such lives and are now of such an age that we ought to bear bravely everything that befalls us through no fault of our own. All your family here are well and miss you with the deepest devotion, and love and honor you. Take care of your health and do not rashly stir from where you are.
DCXLII (Fam. VI, 20) TO C. TORANIUS (IN CORCYRA) TUSCULUM (JULY) Three days ago I delivered a letter for you to the servants of Gnaeus Plancius . I shall therefore be briefer, and as I tried to console you before, on the present occasion I shall offer you some advice. I think your wisest course is to wait where you are until you can ascertain what you ought to do. For, over and above the danger of a long voyage in winter and along a coast very ill-furnished with harbours, which you will thus have avoided, there is this point also of no small importance — that you can start at a moment's notice from where you are as soon as you get any certain intelligence. There is besides no reason for your being all agog to present yourself to them on their way home. Several other fears occur to me which I have imparted to our friend Cilo . To cut a long story short: in your present unfortunate position you could be in no more convenient spot from which to transfer yourself with the greatest facility and despatch whithersoever it shall be necessary for you to go. Thus, if Caesar gets home up to time, you will be at hand. But if — for many accidents may happen — something either stops or delays him, you will be in a place to get full information. This I am strongly of opinion is your better course. For the future, as I have repeatedly impressed on you by letter, I would have you convince yourself that in regard to your position you have nothing to fear beyond the calamity common to the whole state. And though that is exceedingly serious, yet we have lived in such a way and are at such a time of life, that we ought to bear with courage whatever happens to us without fault on our part. Here in Rome all your family are in good health, and with the most perfect loyalty regret your absence, and retain their affection and respect for you. Mind you take care of your health and do not move from where you are without full consideration.
XX. Scr. Asturae exeunte mense Sextili a.u.c. 709. CICERO TORANIO SAL
Dederam triduo ante pueris Cn. Plancii litteras ad te; eo nunc ero brevior teque, ut antea consolabar, hoc tempore monebo. Nihil puto tibi esse utilius quam ibidem opperiri, quoad scire possis, quid tibi agendum sit: nam praeter navigationis longae et hiemalis et minime portuosae periculum, quod vitaveris, ne illud quidem non quantivis, subito, cum certi aliquid audieris, te istim posse proficisci; nihil est praeterea, cur adventibus te offerre gestias; multa praeterea metuo, quae cum Cilone nostro communicavi. Quid multa? loco opportuniore in his malis nullo esse potuisti, ex quo te, quocumque opus erit, facillime et expeditissime conferas: quod si recipiet ille se, ad tempus aderis; sin—quoniam multa accidere possunt—aliqua res eum vel impediet vel morabitur, tu ibi eris, ubi omnia scire possis. Hoc mihi prorsus valde placet; de reliquo, ut te saepe per litteras hortatus sum, ita velim tibi persuadeas, te in hac causa nihil habere, quod tibi timendum sit, praeter communem casum civitatis, qui etsi est gravissimus, tamen ita viximus et id aetatis iam sumus, ut omnia, quae non nostra culpa nobis accidant, fortiter ferre debeamus. Hic tui omnes valent summaque pietate te desiderant et diligunt et colunt: tu cura, ut valeas et te istim ne temere commoveas.
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I had given a letter for you to the slaves of Gnaeus Plancius three days ago; I shall therefore be briefer now, and instead of consoling you as before, I shall now advise you. I think nothing is more useful for you than to wait there until you can know what you ought to do. For apart from the danger of a long, wintry, and harborless voyage, which you will have avoided, this too is worth a great deal: that you can set out from there suddenly when you have heard something definite. Besides, there is no reason why you should be eager to thrust yourself upon arrivals. Moreover, I fear many things, which I have shared with our friend Cilo. In short, you could have been in no more advantageous place in these troubles, from which you can most easily and swiftly betake yourself wherever you need to. And if he recovers himself, you will be there at the right time; but if -- since many things can happen -- something either hinders or delays him, you will be where you can know everything. This plan decidedly pleases me very much. As for the rest, as I have often urged you by letter, I would have you persuade yourself that in this cause you have nothing to fear for yourself beyond the common fate of the state. And though this is very grave, yet we have lived such lives and are now of such an age that we ought to bear bravely everything that befalls us through no fault of our own. All your family here are well and miss you with the deepest devotion, and love and honor you. Take care of your health and do not rashly stir from where you are.
Human translation - ToposText / Shuckburgh
Latin / Greek Original
XX. Scr. Asturae exeunte mense Sextili a.u.c. 709. CICERO TORANIO SAL
Dederam triduo ante pueris Cn. Plancii litteras ad te; eo nunc ero brevior teque, ut antea consolabar, hoc tempore monebo. Nihil puto tibi esse utilius quam ibidem opperiri, quoad scire possis, quid tibi agendum sit: nam praeter navigationis longae et hiemalis et minime portuosae periculum, quod vitaveris, ne illud quidem non quantivis, subito, cum certi aliquid audieris, te istim posse proficisci; nihil est praeterea, cur adventibus te offerre gestias; multa praeterea metuo, quae cum Cilone nostro communicavi. Quid multa? loco opportuniore in his malis nullo esse potuisti, ex quo te, quocumque opus erit, facillime et expeditissime conferas: quod si recipiet ille se, ad tempus aderis; sin—quoniam multa accidere possunt—aliqua res eum vel impediet vel morabitur, tu ibi eris, ubi omnia scire possis. Hoc mihi prorsus valde placet; de reliquo, ut te saepe per litteras hortatus sum, ita velim tibi persuadeas, te in hac causa nihil habere, quod tibi timendum sit, praeter communem casum civitatis, qui etsi est gravissimus, tamen ita viximus et id aetatis iam sumus, ut omnia, quae non nostra culpa nobis accidant, fortiter ferre debeamus. Hic tui omnes valent summaque pietate te desiderant et diligunt et colunt: tu cura, ut valeas et te istim ne temere commoveas.