Marcus Tullius Cicero→Lucius Papirius Paetus|c. 45 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome|Human translated
You are a funny fellow, asking me what I think will happen to those municipalities and estates when our friend Balbus has just been at your house, as if I know anything he does not, or as if, whenever I do know something, I am not accustomed to learn it from him. On the contrary, if you love me, see to it that I know what is to become of us; for you had in your power someone from whom you could learn, either sober or certainly when drunk. But I, my dear Paetus, do not inquire about these things; first, because we have been living on borrowed time for nearly four years now -- if this is either a gain or a life, to survive the republic. Secondly, because I too seem to know what is going to happen: whatever those who are strongest wish will happen, and arms will always be strongest. We should therefore be content with whatever is conceded to us; anyone who could not endure this should have died. They are surveying the Veientine and Capenate territory for distribution; that is not far from Tusculum. Still, I am not afraid; I enjoy what I have while I may; I hope it may always be permitted. If that does not happen, yet since I, a brave man and philosopher, have considered it the finest thing to live, I cannot help but be fond of the man through whose favor I have achieved this. Even if he should wish the republic to be the kind that perhaps he too wants and all of us ought to wish for, he still has no means to bring it about; he has so entangled himself with so many. But I go further than I should; I am writing to you, after all. Know this, however: not only I, who am not privy to their deliberations, but not even the leader himself knows what is going to happen. For we serve him, and he serves the times; so neither can he know what the times will demand, nor we what he is thinking. I did not write this back to you before, not because I am usually idle, especially in letter-writing, but because, having nothing certain, I did not wish to bring you either worry from my doubts or hope from my assertions. Yet I shall add this, which is most true: that in these times I have so far heard nothing about that particular danger. But you, with your wisdom, ought to hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and bear whatever comes.
CDLXXVIII (Fam. IX, 17) TO L. PAPIRIUS PAETUS (AT NAPLES) ROME (AUGUST) Aren't you a ridiculous fellow for asking me what I think will be done about those municipal towns and lands, when our friend Balbus has been staying with you? As though I were likely to know what he doesn't, and as though, when I do know anything, it is not from him that I always learn it. Nay rather, if you love me, tell me what is going to be done about us: for you have had in your power one from whom you could have learnt it either sober or at any rate drunk. But for myself, I do not ask you for such information: in the first place, because I put it down as so much gain that I have been left alive for the last four years, if gain it is to be called, and if it is life to survive the Republic; and, in the second place, because I think that I myself know what is going to happen. For whatever the stronger chooses will be done, and the stronger will always be the sword. We ought, accordingly, to be content with any concession made to us, whatever it is; the man who was unable to endure this ought to have died. They are measuring the territory of Veii and Capena . This is not far from my Tusculan property. However, I don't at all alarm myself. I enjoy while I may: I only wish it may last. If that does not turn out to be the case, yet, since I in my courage and philosophy thought that nothing was better than to remain alive, I cannot but love the man by whose kindness I gained that object. But even if he should desire the continuance of a republic, such as perhaps he wishes and we ought all to pray for, he yet does not know how to do it: so completely has he entangled himself with many other people. But I am going too far. I forgot that I am writing to you. However, let me assure you of this, that not only I, who am not in his confidence, but even the leader himself is unable to say what is going to happen. For, while we are his slaves, he is a slave to circumstances: and so neither can he possibly be sure of what circumstances will demand, nor we of what he is designing. The reason that I did not send you this answer before was not because I am usually idle, especially in the matter of writing, but because, as I had no certainty about anything, I did not choose to cause you either anxiety from the hesitation, or hope from the confidence of my words. However, I will add this, which is the most absolute truth, that during the present crisis I have not heard a word about the danger you mention. In any case you will be bound, like the man of sense that you are, to hope for the best, prepare yourself for the worst, and bear whatever happens.
XVII. Scr. Romae mense Sextili (post VII. K. Sext.) a.u.c. 708. CICERO PAETO.
Ne tu homo ridiculus es, qui, cum Balbus noster apud te fuerit, ex me quaeras, quid de istis municipiis et agris futurum putem, quasi aut ego quidquam sciam, quod iste nesciat, aut, si quid aliquando scio, non ex isto soleam scire. Immo vero, si me amas, tu fac, ut sciam, quid de nobis futurum sit; habuisti enim in tua potestate, ex quo vel ex sobrio vel certe ex ebrio scire posses; sed ego ista, mi Paete, non quaero, primum quia de lucro prope iam quadriennium vivmus, si aut hoc lucrum est aut haec vita, superstitem rei publicae vivere; deinde quod scire ego quoque mihi videor, quid futurum sit; fiet enim, quodcumque volent, qui valebunt, valebunt autem semper arma. Satis igitur nobis esse debet, quidquid conceditur: hoc si qui pati non potuit, mori debuit. Veientem quidem agrum et Capenatem metiuntur; hoc non longe abest a Tusculano; nihil tamen timeo: fruor, dum licet, opto, ut semper liceat; si id minus contigerit, tamen, quoniam ego, vir fortis idemque philosophus, vivere pulcherrimum duxi, non possum eum non diligere, cuius beneficio id consecutus sum; qui si cupiat esse rem publicam, qualem fortasse et ille vult et omnes optare debemus, quid faciat tamen non habet: ita se cum multis colligavit. Sed longius progredior; scribo enim ad te. Hoc tamen scito, non modo me, qui consiliis non intersum, sed ne ipsum quidem principem scire, quid futurum sit; nos enim illi servimus, ipse temporibus: ita nec ille, quid tempora postulatura sint, nec nos, quid ille cogitet, scire possumus. Haec tibi antea non rescripsi, non quo cessator esse solerem, praesertim in litteris, sed, cum explorati nihil haberem, nec tibi sollicitudinem ex dubitatione mea nec spem ex affirmatione afferre volui. Illud tamen ascribam, quod est verissimum, me his temporibus adhuc de isto periculo nihil audisse: tu tamen pro tua sapientia debebis optare optima, cogitare difficillima, ferre quaecumque erunt.
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You are a funny fellow, asking me what I think will happen to those municipalities and estates when our friend Balbus has just been at your house, as if I know anything he does not, or as if, whenever I do know something, I am not accustomed to learn it from him. On the contrary, if you love me, see to it that I know what is to become of us; for you had in your power someone from whom you could learn, either sober or certainly when drunk. But I, my dear Paetus, do not inquire about these things; first, because we have been living on borrowed time for nearly four years now -- if this is either a gain or a life, to survive the republic. Secondly, because I too seem to know what is going to happen: whatever those who are strongest wish will happen, and arms will always be strongest. We should therefore be content with whatever is conceded to us; anyone who could not endure this should have died. They are surveying the Veientine and Capenate territory for distribution; that is not far from Tusculum. Still, I am not afraid; I enjoy what I have while I may; I hope it may always be permitted. If that does not happen, yet since I, a brave man and philosopher, have considered it the finest thing to live, I cannot help but be fond of the man through whose favor I have achieved this. Even if he should wish the republic to be the kind that perhaps he too wants and all of us ought to wish for, he still has no means to bring it about; he has so entangled himself with so many. But I go further than I should; I am writing to you, after all. Know this, however: not only I, who am not privy to their deliberations, but not even the leader himself knows what is going to happen. For we serve him, and he serves the times; so neither can he know what the times will demand, nor we what he is thinking. I did not write this back to you before, not because I am usually idle, especially in letter-writing, but because, having nothing certain, I did not wish to bring you either worry from my doubts or hope from my assertions. Yet I shall add this, which is most true: that in these times I have so far heard nothing about that particular danger. But you, with your wisdom, ought to hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and bear whatever comes.
Human translation - ToposText / Shuckburgh
Latin / Greek Original
XVII. Scr. Romae mense Sextili (post VII. K. Sext.) a.u.c. 708. CICERO PAETO.
Ne tu homo ridiculus es, qui, cum Balbus noster apud te fuerit, ex me quaeras, quid de istis municipiis et agris futurum putem, quasi aut ego quidquam sciam, quod iste nesciat, aut, si quid aliquando scio, non ex isto soleam scire. Immo vero, si me amas, tu fac, ut sciam, quid de nobis futurum sit; habuisti enim in tua potestate, ex quo vel ex sobrio vel certe ex ebrio scire posses; sed ego ista, mi Paete, non quaero, primum quia de lucro prope iam quadriennium vivmus, si aut hoc lucrum est aut haec vita, superstitem rei publicae vivere; deinde quod scire ego quoque mihi videor, quid futurum sit; fiet enim, quodcumque volent, qui valebunt, valebunt autem semper arma. Satis igitur nobis esse debet, quidquid conceditur: hoc si qui pati non potuit, mori debuit. Veientem quidem agrum et Capenatem metiuntur; hoc non longe abest a Tusculano; nihil tamen timeo: fruor, dum licet, opto, ut semper liceat; si id minus contigerit, tamen, quoniam ego, vir fortis idemque philosophus, vivere pulcherrimum duxi, non possum eum non diligere, cuius beneficio id consecutus sum; qui si cupiat esse rem publicam, qualem fortasse et ille vult et omnes optare debemus, quid faciat tamen non habet: ita se cum multis colligavit. Sed longius progredior; scribo enim ad te. Hoc tamen scito, non modo me, qui consiliis non intersum, sed ne ipsum quidem principem scire, quid futurum sit; nos enim illi servimus, ipse temporibus: ita nec ille, quid tempora postulatura sint, nec nos, quid ille cogitet, scire possumus. Haec tibi antea non rescripsi, non quo cessator esse solerem, praesertim in litteris, sed, cum explorati nihil haberem, nec tibi sollicitudinem ex dubitatione mea nec spem ex affirmatione afferre volui. Illud tamen ascribam, quod est verissimum, me his temporibus adhuc de isto periculo nihil audisse: tu tamen pro tua sapientia debebis optare optima, cogitare difficillima, ferre quaecumque erunt.