Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. 49 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome/Athens|AI-assisted
One thing still remains to complete our friend's disgrace: that he not come to Domitius' aid. "But no one doubts he will come to help him." I do not think so. "Then he will desert such a citizen, and those you know are with him, especially when Pompey himself has thirty cohorts?" Unless everything deceives me, he will desert him. He is unbelievably terrified and looks to nothing but flight.
You think, I see, that I ought to be his companion. I, however, have someone to flee from, but no one to follow. You praise my remark and call it memorable, that I would rather be defeated with Pompey than win with Caesar. I do prefer that - but with the Pompey who then existed, or who seemed to exist to me. With this Pompey, who runs before he knows either whom he is fleeing or where he is fleeing, who has handed over our position, left the fatherland, and is leaving Italy - if I preferred to be defeated with him, then I have got it: I am defeated.
What remains? I cannot look at the things I never feared I would see, and, by Hercules, I cannot look at the man because of whom I must be deprived not only of my people but of myself. I have written to Philotimus about travel money, either from the mint - for no one pays - or from your tent-mates, the Oppii. I will give you the rest of my instructions when the time comes.
The one act needed to crown Pompey's disgrace is the desertion of Domitius. I don't agree with the universal opinion that he is sure to help him. "Will he desert so distinguished a citizen as Domitius and those with him, even though he has thirty cohorts at his command?" Unless I am greatly mistaken he will desert him. He is incredibly alarmed, and has no thought but flight; and you want me to go with him; for I see what you think. Yes, I have a foe to flee from, but no friend to follow. As for your praise of that remark of mine, which you quote and call so memorable, that I would rather be conquered with Pompey than conquer with Caesar, well, I would: but it must be with Pompey my old hero or ideal. As to the Pompey of to-day, who flees before he knows from whom he is running or where to run; who has betrayed us, abandoned his country and deserted
Italy,—well, if I wanted to be conquered with him, I have got my wish; I am conquered. For the rest I cannot bear to look at Caesar's doings. I never expected to see them, nor the man himself who robs me not only of my friends, but of myself.
I have written to Philotimus about money for the journey—either from the mint, for none of my debtors will pay up, or from your associates the bankers. I will give you all other requisite instructions.
Vnum etiam restat amico nostro ad omne dedecus ut Domitio non subveniat. 'at nemo dubitat quin subsidio venturus sit.' ego non puto. 'deseret igitur talem civem et eos quos una scis esse cum habeat praesertim is ipse cohortis triginta?' Nisi me omnia fallunt, deseret. incredibiliter pertimuit, nihil spectat nisi fugam. [2] quoi tu (video enim quid sentias) me comitem putas debere esse. ego vero quem fugiam habeo, quem sequar non habeo. quod enim tu meum laudas et memorandum dicis, malle quod dixerim me cum Pompeio vinci quam cum istis vincere, ego vero malo sed cum illo Pompeio qui tum erat aut qui mihi esse videbatur, cum hoc vero qui ante fugit quam scit aut quem fugiat aut quo, qui nostra tradidit, qui patriam reliquit, Italiam relinquit, si malui, contigit, victus sum. quod superest, nec ista videre possum quae numquam timui ne viderem nec me hercule istum propter quem mihi non modo meis sed memet ipso carendum est. [3] ad Philotimum scripsi de viatico sive a Moneta (nemo enim solvit) sive ab Oppiis tuis contubernalibus. cetera apposita tibi mandabo.
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One thing still remains to complete our friend's disgrace: that he not come to Domitius' aid. "But no one doubts he will come to help him." I do not think so. "Then he will desert such a citizen, and those you know are with him, especially when Pompey himself has thirty cohorts?" Unless everything deceives me, he will desert him. He is unbelievably terrified and looks to nothing but flight.
You think, I see, that I ought to be his companion. I, however, have someone to flee from, but no one to follow. You praise my remark and call it memorable, that I would rather be defeated with Pompey than win with Caesar. I do prefer that - but with the Pompey who then existed, or who seemed to exist to me. With this Pompey, who runs before he knows either whom he is fleeing or where he is fleeing, who has handed over our position, left the fatherland, and is leaving Italy - if I preferred to be defeated with him, then I have got it: I am defeated.
What remains? I cannot look at the things I never feared I would see, and, by Hercules, I cannot look at the man because of whom I must be deprived not only of my people but of myself. I have written to Philotimus about travel money, either from the mint - for no one pays - or from your tent-mates, the Oppii. I will give you the rest of my instructions when the time comes.
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
Vnum etiam restat amico nostro ad omne dedecus ut Domitio non subveniat. 'at nemo dubitat quin subsidio venturus sit.' ego non puto. 'deseret igitur talem civem et eos quos una scis esse cum habeat praesertim is ipse cohortis triginta?' Nisi me omnia fallunt, deseret. incredibiliter pertimuit, nihil spectat nisi fugam. [2] quoi tu (video enim quid sentias) me comitem putas debere esse. ego vero quem fugiam habeo, quem sequar non habeo. quod enim tu meum laudas et memorandum dicis, malle quod dixerim me cum Pompeio vinci quam cum istis vincere, ego vero malo sed cum illo Pompeio qui tum erat aut qui mihi esse videbatur, cum hoc vero qui ante fugit quam scit aut quem fugiat aut quo, qui nostra tradidit, qui patriam reliquit, Italiam relinquit, si malui, contigit, victus sum. quod superest, nec ista videre possum quae numquam timui ne viderem nec me hercule istum propter quem mihi non modo meis sed memet ipso carendum est. [3] ad Philotimum scripsi de viatico sive a Moneta (nemo enim solvit) sive ab Oppiis tuis contubernalibus. cetera apposita tibi mandabo.