Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. 49 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome/Athens|AI-assisted
[1] I received three letters from you on the day after the Ides. They had been sent on the 4th, the 3rd, and the day before the Ides. So I will answer each one in turn, beginning with the oldest. I agree with you that I should preferably stay at my Formian villa, and also as regards the upper sea [the Adriatic]; and I will try, as I wrote to you before, to find some way of touching no part of public affairs with his [Caesar's] goodwill. As for your praising me because I wrote that I am forgetting the earlier deeds and offenses of our friend [Pompey], I am indeed doing exactly that. In fact, those very things which you bring up I do not recall as having been done against me by him in any other spirit. I want the gratitude owed for a kindness to count for far more with me than the resentment of an injury. So let us do as you advise, and pull ourselves together. For I am playing the sophist [Greek: sophisteuo], no sooner do I rush off to the countryside than, while still on the move, I do not cease working over my theses [Greek: theseis, set themes for rhetorical argument]. But some of them are very difficult to decide. As for the optimates, let it be just as you wish; but you know the saying, 'Dionysius in Corinth' [Greek: Dionusios en Korinthoi -- the tyrant of Syracuse reduced to running a schoolroom in Corinth, i.e. the mighty brought low].
[2] The son of Titinius is with Caesar. As for your seeming, so to speak, to be afraid that your advice might displease me -- truly nothing else gives me pleasure except your counsel and your letters. So, as you promise, do not stop writing to me whatever comes into your mind. Nothing could be more welcome to me. Now I come to the second letter. You are right not to believe the report about the number of soldiers; Clodia wrote that it was more than double. The story about the wrecked ships is also false. As for your praising the consul [Lentulus], I too praise his spirit, but I find fault with his judgment; for by the scattering of those men the negotiation for peace -- which I, at least, was contemplating -- has been done away with. And so afterwards I sent back to you Demetrius's book On Concord, and gave it to Philotimus. Nor indeed do I doubt that a ruinous war is hanging over us, whose beginning will be drawn from famine. And yet I grieve that I am not taking part in this war! In which there will be such great force of wickedness that, although it is an abomination not to feed one's parents, our leading men think that our most ancient and most sacred parent, our fatherland, ought to be killed by starvation. And I do not fear this from mere conjecture, but I was present at the conversations. This whole fleet -- from Alexandria, Colchis, Tyre, Sidon, Aradus, Cyprus, Pamphylia, Lycia, Rhodes, Chios, Byzantium, Lesbos, Smyrna, Miletus, Cos -- is being assembled to cut off Italy's supply lines and to seize the grain-producing provinces. But how angry he [Pompey] will come! And angriest of all at those who most wished him safe, as though he had been abandoned by the very men whom he himself abandoned. And so, while I am in doubt as to what it is right for me to do, my goodwill toward him brings very great weight to bear; take that away, and it would be better to perish in my country than to overturn my country by trying to save it. As regards the north, it is plainly so. I am afraid that Epirus may be harried; but what place in Greece do you suppose will not be plundered? For he openly proclaims, and shows it to his soldiers, that he will be superior to this man [Caesar] in his very largesse. You give me excellent advice that, when I see him, I should not speak too abjectly, but rather with dignity. That is plainly how it must be done. I am thinking of Arpinum, once I have met with him, so as not perhaps to be away when he comes, or to be racing this way and that on a wretched road. I hear, as you write, that Bibulus came and went back the day before the Ides.
[3] You were waiting, as you say in your third letter, for Philotimus. But he set out from me on the Ides. For that reason my letter, which I had written immediately in reply to that letter of yours, was delivered to you the more belatedly. About Domitius, I think it is as you write, that he is both at his Cosan villa and that his plan is unknown. That most disgraceful and most sordid of all men, who says that the consular elections can be held by a praetor, is the very same man he has always been in public affairs. And so no doubt this is the very thing that Caesar writes about in that letter of which I sent you a copy, that he wishes to make use of my 'counsel' (well, let it be; that is something everyone shares), my 'influence' (that is an absurd point, but I suppose he is pretending this with a view to certain senators' votes), my 'standing' (perhaps a consular's opinion in debate). The last item is, 'and the help of all your resources.' I began to suspect, even then from your letter, that this very thing was meant, or something not far off it. For it is of very great importance to him that the matter not come to an interregnum. He attains this if the consuls are created by a praetor. But we have it in our books that it is lawful not only for consuls not to be created by a praetor, but not even praetors, and that it has never been done; that for the consuls it is unlawful because it is not lawful for a greater imperium to be requested by a lesser, and for the praetors because they are elected on the footing of being colleagues of the consuls, whose imperium is greater. He will not be far from wishing this to be decreed by me, and from not being content with Galba, Scaevola, Cassius, Antony -- 'let the wide earth gape open for me' [Greek: tote moi chanoi eureia chthon, Homeric line wishing to be swallowed by the earth rather than face shame].
[4] But you see how great a storm is hanging over us. Which senators have gone over I will write to you when I have it for certain. About the grain supply you rightly understand that it can in no way be managed without the revenues; and not without reason do you fear both those who are around him, demanding everything, and an abominable war. Our friend Trebatius -- although, as you write, he hopes for nothing good -- I should nevertheless very much like to see. Do urge him to hurry; for it will have been opportune if he comes to me before Caesar's arrival. As for the Lanuvian estate, as soon as I heard that Phamea was dead, I wished, provided only there were going to be a Republic, that one of my friends might buy it; and yet I did not think of you, who are most of all my friend. For I knew that you are accustomed to ask 'in how many years' the return comes and 'how much there is in the land itself,' and I had seen your written plan not only at Rome but even at Delos. But all the same, although the property is charming, I value it at less than it was valued in the consulship of Marcellinus, when I thought those little gardens would be more delightful to me on account of the old house I then had, and at less expense than if I had rebuilt my Tusculan villa. I wished to spend 500,000 sesterces. I dealt through [...] for him to give it at that price when [...] he had it for sale. He refused. But now I think all those properties are lying flat because of the scarcity of money. For me indeed it will be most suitable -- or rather for us -- if you buy it; but beware of despising his follies. It is very charming. And yet all those things already seem to me made over to desolation. I have answered three letters, but I am waiting for others; for up to now your letters have kept me going. Dispatched on the Liberalia [March 17].
I am very glad to hear from your letters how strongly you approve of what happened at Corfinium. I shall follow your advice with pleasure—with all the more pleasure, because I had myself made up my mind to act with the greatest moderation, and to do my best to effect a reconciliation with Pompey. Let us see if by moderation we can win all hearts and secure a lasting victory, since by cruelty others have been unable to escape from hatred and to maintain their victory for any length of time except L. Sulla, whose example I do not intend to follow. This is a new way of conquering, to strengthen one's position by kindness and generosity. As to how this can be done, some ideas have occurred to me and many more can be found. I should like you to turn some attention to the matter.
I have taken N. Magius, a praefect of Pompey. Of course I kept to my policy and set him free at once.
So now two of Pompey's praefects of engineers have fallen into my hands and I have set them free. If they have any gratitude, they ought to exhort Pompey to prefer my friendship to that of men who were always the bitterest enemies both to him and to me. It is their machinations that have brought the State into its present plight.
[1] tris epistulas tuas accepi postridie Idus. erant autem iiii, iii, pridie Idus datae. igitur antiquissimae cuique primum respondebo. adsentio tibi, ut in Formiano potissimum commorer, etiam de supero mari, plaboque, ut antea ad te scripsi, ecquonam modo possim voluntate eius nullam rei publicae partem attingere. quod laudas quia oblivisci me scripsi ante facta et delicta nostri amici, ego vero ita facio. quin ea ipsa, quae a te commemorantur, secus ab eo in me ipsum facta esse non memini. tanto plus apud me valere benefici gratiam quam iniuriae dolorem volo. faciamus igitur, ut censes, conligamusque nos. Sophisteuo enim simul ut rus decurro atque in decursu theseis meas commentari non desino. sed sunt quaedam earum perdifficiles ad iudicandum. de optimatibus sit sane ita ut vis; sed nosti illud 'Dionusios en Korinthoi.' [2] Titini filius apud Caesarem est. quod autem quasi vereri videris ne mihi tua consilia displiceant, me vero nihil delectat aliud nisi consilium et litterae tuae. qua re fac, ut ostendis, ne destiteris ad me quicquid tibi in mentem venerit scribere. mihi nihil potest esse gratius. venio ad alteram nunc epistulam. recte non credis de numero militum; ipso dimidio plus scripsit Clodia. falsum etiam de corruptis navibus. quod consulem laudas, ego quoque animum laudo sed consilium reprehendo; dispersu enim illorum actio de pace sublata est quam quidem ego meditabar. itaque postea Demetri librum de concordia tibi remisi et Philotimo dedi. nec vero dubito quin exitiosum bellum impendeat cuius initium ducetur a fame. et me tamen doleo non interesse huic bello! in quo tanta vis sceleris futura est ut, cum parentis non alere nefarium sit, nostri principes antiquissimam et sanctissimam parentem, patriam, fame necandam putent. atque hoc non opinione timeo sed interfui sermonibus. omnis haec classis Alexandrea, Colchis, Tyro, Sidone, arado, Cypro, Pamphylia, Lycia, Rhodo, Chio, Byzantio, Lesbo, Zmyrna, Mileto, Coo ad intercludendos commeatus Italiae et ad occupandas frumentarias provincias comparatur. at quam veniet iratus! et iis quidem maxime qui eum maxime salvum volebant, quasi relictus ab iis quos reliquit. itaque mihi dubitanti quid me facere par sit, permagnum pondus adfert benevolentia erga illum; qua dempta perire melius esset in patria quam patriam servando evertere. de septemtrione plane ita est. metuo ne vexetur Epirus; sed quem tu locum Graeciae non direptum iri putas? praedicat enim palam et militibus ostendit se largitione ipsa superiorem quam hunc fore. illud me praeclare admones, cum illum videro, ne nimis indigenter et ut cum gravitate potius loquar. plane sic faciendum. Arpinum, cum eum convenero, cogito, ne forte aut absim cum veniet aut cursem huc illuc via deterrima. Bibulum, ut scribis, audio venisse et redisse pridie Idus. [3] Philotimum, ut ais in epistula tertia, exspectabas. at ille Idibus a me profectus est. eo serius ad tuam illam epistulam quoi ego statim rescripseram redditae sunt meae litterae. de Domitio, ut scribis, ita opinor esse ut et in Cosano sit et consilium eius ignoretur. iste omnium turpissimus et sordidissimus qui consularia comitia a praetore ait haberi posse est ille idem qui semper in re publica fuit. itaque nimirum hoc illud est quod Caesar scribit in ea epistula cuius exemplum ad te misi, se velle uti 'consilio' meo (age, esto; hoc commune est), 'gratia' (ineptum id quidem sed, puto, hoc simulat ad quasdam senatorum sententias), 'dignitate' (fortasse sententia consulari). illud extremum est, 'ope omnium rerum.' id ego suspicari coepi tum ex tuis litteris aut hoc ipsum esse aut non multo secus. nam permagni eius interest rem ad interregnum non venire. id adsequitur, si per praetorem consules creantur. nos autem in libris habemus non modo consules a praetore sed ne praetores quidem creari ius esse idque factum esse numquam; consules eo non esse ius quod maius imperium a minore rogari non sit ius, praetores autem quod ita rogentur ut conlegae consulibus sint quorum est maius imperium. aberit non longe quin hoc a me decerni velit neque sit contentus Galba, Scaevola, Cassio, Antonio, tote moi chanoi eureia chthon. [4] sed quanta tempestas impendeat vides. qui transierint senatores scribam ad te cum certum habebo. de re frumentaria recte intellegis quae nullo modo administrari sine vectigalibus potest; nec sine causa et eos qui circum illum sunt omnia postulantis et bellum nefarium times. Trebatium nostrum, etsi, ut scribis, nihil bene sperat, tamen videre sane velim. quem fac horteris ut properet; opportune enim ad me ante adventum Caesaris venerit. de Lanuvino, statim ut audivi Phameam mortuum, optavi, si modo esset futura res publica, ut id aliquis emeret meorum neque tamen de te qui maxime meus es cogitavi. sciebam enim te 'quoto anno' et 'quantum in solo' solere quaerere neque solum Romae sed etiam Deli tuum diagramma videram. verum tamen ego illud, quamquam est bellum, minoris aestimo quam aestimabatur Marcellino consule, cum ego istos hortulos propter domum antiquam quam tum habebam iucundiores mihi fore putabam et minore impensa quam si Tusculanum refecissem. volui HS Q. Egi per + predum ille daret tanti quom+ haberet venale. noluit. sed nunc omnia ista iacere puto propter nummorum caritatem. mihi quidem erit aptissimum vel nobis potius si tu emeris; sed eius dementias cave contemnas. valde est venustum. quamquam mihi ista omnia iam addicta vastitati videntur. respondi epistulis tribus sed exspecto alias; nam me adhuc tuae litterae sustentarunt. D. Liberalibus.
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[1] I received three letters from you on the day after the Ides. They had been sent on the 4th, the 3rd, and the day before the Ides. So I will answer each one in turn, beginning with the oldest. I agree with you that I should preferably stay at my Formian villa, and also as regards the upper sea [the Adriatic]; and I will try, as I wrote to you before, to find some way of touching no part of public affairs with his [Caesar's] goodwill. As for your praising me because I wrote that I am forgetting the earlier deeds and offenses of our friend [Pompey], I am indeed doing exactly that. In fact, those very things which you bring up I do not recall as having been done against me by him in any other spirit. I want the gratitude owed for a kindness to count for far more with me than the resentment of an injury. So let us do as you advise, and pull ourselves together. For I am playing the sophist [Greek: sophisteuo], no sooner do I rush off to the countryside than, while still on the move, I do not cease working over my theses [Greek: theseis, set themes for rhetorical argument]. But some of them are very difficult to decide. As for the optimates, let it be just as you wish; but you know the saying, 'Dionysius in Corinth' [Greek: Dionusios en Korinthoi -- the tyrant of Syracuse reduced to running a schoolroom in Corinth, i.e. the mighty brought low].
[2] The son of Titinius is with Caesar. As for your seeming, so to speak, to be afraid that your advice might displease me -- truly nothing else gives me pleasure except your counsel and your letters. So, as you promise, do not stop writing to me whatever comes into your mind. Nothing could be more welcome to me. Now I come to the second letter. You are right not to believe the report about the number of soldiers; Clodia wrote that it was more than double. The story about the wrecked ships is also false. As for your praising the consul [Lentulus], I too praise his spirit, but I find fault with his judgment; for by the scattering of those men the negotiation for peace -- which I, at least, was contemplating -- has been done away with. And so afterwards I sent back to you Demetrius's book On Concord, and gave it to Philotimus. Nor indeed do I doubt that a ruinous war is hanging over us, whose beginning will be drawn from famine. And yet I grieve that I am not taking part in this war! In which there will be such great force of wickedness that, although it is an abomination not to feed one's parents, our leading men think that our most ancient and most sacred parent, our fatherland, ought to be killed by starvation. And I do not fear this from mere conjecture, but I was present at the conversations. This whole fleet -- from Alexandria, Colchis, Tyre, Sidon, Aradus, Cyprus, Pamphylia, Lycia, Rhodes, Chios, Byzantium, Lesbos, Smyrna, Miletus, Cos -- is being assembled to cut off Italy's supply lines and to seize the grain-producing provinces. But how angry he [Pompey] will come! And angriest of all at those who most wished him safe, as though he had been abandoned by the very men whom he himself abandoned. And so, while I am in doubt as to what it is right for me to do, my goodwill toward him brings very great weight to bear; take that away, and it would be better to perish in my country than to overturn my country by trying to save it. As regards the north, it is plainly so. I am afraid that Epirus may be harried; but what place in Greece do you suppose will not be plundered? For he openly proclaims, and shows it to his soldiers, that he will be superior to this man [Caesar] in his very largesse. You give me excellent advice that, when I see him, I should not speak too abjectly, but rather with dignity. That is plainly how it must be done. I am thinking of Arpinum, once I have met with him, so as not perhaps to be away when he comes, or to be racing this way and that on a wretched road. I hear, as you write, that Bibulus came and went back the day before the Ides.
[3] You were waiting, as you say in your third letter, for Philotimus. But he set out from me on the Ides. For that reason my letter, which I had written immediately in reply to that letter of yours, was delivered to you the more belatedly. About Domitius, I think it is as you write, that he is both at his Cosan villa and that his plan is unknown. That most disgraceful and most sordid of all men, who says that the consular elections can be held by a praetor, is the very same man he has always been in public affairs. And so no doubt this is the very thing that Caesar writes about in that letter of which I sent you a copy, that he wishes to make use of my 'counsel' (well, let it be; that is something everyone shares), my 'influence' (that is an absurd point, but I suppose he is pretending this with a view to certain senators' votes), my 'standing' (perhaps a consular's opinion in debate). The last item is, 'and the help of all your resources.' I began to suspect, even then from your letter, that this very thing was meant, or something not far off it. For it is of very great importance to him that the matter not come to an interregnum. He attains this if the consuls are created by a praetor. But we have it in our books that it is lawful not only for consuls not to be created by a praetor, but not even praetors, and that it has never been done; that for the consuls it is unlawful because it is not lawful for a greater imperium to be requested by a lesser, and for the praetors because they are elected on the footing of being colleagues of the consuls, whose imperium is greater. He will not be far from wishing this to be decreed by me, and from not being content with Galba, Scaevola, Cassius, Antony -- 'let the wide earth gape open for me' [Greek: tote moi chanoi eureia chthon, Homeric line wishing to be swallowed by the earth rather than face shame].
[4] But you see how great a storm is hanging over us. Which senators have gone over I will write to you when I have it for certain. About the grain supply you rightly understand that it can in no way be managed without the revenues; and not without reason do you fear both those who are around him, demanding everything, and an abominable war. Our friend Trebatius -- although, as you write, he hopes for nothing good -- I should nevertheless very much like to see. Do urge him to hurry; for it will have been opportune if he comes to me before Caesar's arrival. As for the Lanuvian estate, as soon as I heard that Phamea was dead, I wished, provided only there were going to be a Republic, that one of my friends might buy it; and yet I did not think of you, who are most of all my friend. For I knew that you are accustomed to ask 'in how many years' the return comes and 'how much there is in the land itself,' and I had seen your written plan not only at Rome but even at Delos. But all the same, although the property is charming, I value it at less than it was valued in the consulship of Marcellinus, when I thought those little gardens would be more delightful to me on account of the old house I then had, and at less expense than if I had rebuilt my Tusculan villa. I wished to spend 500,000 sesterces. I dealt through [...] for him to give it at that price when [...] he had it for sale. He refused. But now I think all those properties are lying flat because of the scarcity of money. For me indeed it will be most suitable -- or rather for us -- if you buy it; but beware of despising his follies. It is very charming. And yet all those things already seem to me made over to desolation. I have answered three letters, but I am waiting for others; for up to now your letters have kept me going. Dispatched on the Liberalia [March 17].
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
[1] tris epistulas tuas accepi postridie Idus. erant autem iiii, iii, pridie Idus datae. igitur antiquissimae cuique primum respondebo. adsentio tibi, ut in Formiano potissimum commorer, etiam de supero mari, plaboque, ut antea ad te scripsi, ecquonam modo possim voluntate eius nullam rei publicae partem attingere. quod laudas quia oblivisci me scripsi ante facta et delicta nostri amici, ego vero ita facio. quin ea ipsa, quae a te commemorantur, secus ab eo in me ipsum facta esse non memini. tanto plus apud me valere benefici gratiam quam iniuriae dolorem volo. faciamus igitur, ut censes, conligamusque nos. Sophisteuo enim simul ut rus decurro atque in decursu theseis meas commentari non desino. sed sunt quaedam earum perdifficiles ad iudicandum. de optimatibus sit sane ita ut vis; sed nosti illud 'Dionusios en Korinthoi.' [2] Titini filius apud Caesarem est. quod autem quasi vereri videris ne mihi tua consilia displiceant, me vero nihil delectat aliud nisi consilium et litterae tuae. qua re fac, ut ostendis, ne destiteris ad me quicquid tibi in mentem venerit scribere. mihi nihil potest esse gratius. venio ad alteram nunc epistulam. recte non credis de numero militum; ipso dimidio plus scripsit Clodia. falsum etiam de corruptis navibus. quod consulem laudas, ego quoque animum laudo sed consilium reprehendo; dispersu enim illorum actio de pace sublata est quam quidem ego meditabar. itaque postea Demetri librum de concordia tibi remisi et Philotimo dedi. nec vero dubito quin exitiosum bellum impendeat cuius initium ducetur a fame. et me tamen doleo non interesse huic bello! in quo tanta vis sceleris futura est ut, cum parentis non alere nefarium sit, nostri principes antiquissimam et sanctissimam parentem, patriam, fame necandam putent. atque hoc non opinione timeo sed interfui sermonibus. omnis haec classis Alexandrea, Colchis, Tyro, Sidone, arado, Cypro, Pamphylia, Lycia, Rhodo, Chio, Byzantio, Lesbo, Zmyrna, Mileto, Coo ad intercludendos commeatus Italiae et ad occupandas frumentarias provincias comparatur. at quam veniet iratus! et iis quidem maxime qui eum maxime salvum volebant, quasi relictus ab iis quos reliquit. itaque mihi dubitanti quid me facere par sit, permagnum pondus adfert benevolentia erga illum; qua dempta perire melius esset in patria quam patriam servando evertere. de septemtrione plane ita est. metuo ne vexetur Epirus; sed quem tu locum Graeciae non direptum iri putas? praedicat enim palam et militibus ostendit se largitione ipsa superiorem quam hunc fore. illud me praeclare admones, cum illum videro, ne nimis indigenter et ut cum gravitate potius loquar. plane sic faciendum. Arpinum, cum eum convenero, cogito, ne forte aut absim cum veniet aut cursem huc illuc via deterrima. Bibulum, ut scribis, audio venisse et redisse pridie Idus. [3] Philotimum, ut ais in epistula tertia, exspectabas. at ille Idibus a me profectus est. eo serius ad tuam illam epistulam quoi ego statim rescripseram redditae sunt meae litterae. de Domitio, ut scribis, ita opinor esse ut et in Cosano sit et consilium eius ignoretur. iste omnium turpissimus et sordidissimus qui consularia comitia a praetore ait haberi posse est ille idem qui semper in re publica fuit. itaque nimirum hoc illud est quod Caesar scribit in ea epistula cuius exemplum ad te misi, se velle uti 'consilio' meo (age, esto; hoc commune est), 'gratia' (ineptum id quidem sed, puto, hoc simulat ad quasdam senatorum sententias), 'dignitate' (fortasse sententia consulari). illud extremum est, 'ope omnium rerum.' id ego suspicari coepi tum ex tuis litteris aut hoc ipsum esse aut non multo secus. nam permagni eius interest rem ad interregnum non venire. id adsequitur, si per praetorem consules creantur. nos autem in libris habemus non modo consules a praetore sed ne praetores quidem creari ius esse idque factum esse numquam; consules eo non esse ius quod maius imperium a minore rogari non sit ius, praetores autem quod ita rogentur ut conlegae consulibus sint quorum est maius imperium. aberit non longe quin hoc a me decerni velit neque sit contentus Galba, Scaevola, Cassio, Antonio, tote moi chanoi eureia chthon. [4] sed quanta tempestas impendeat vides. qui transierint senatores scribam ad te cum certum habebo. de re frumentaria recte intellegis quae nullo modo administrari sine vectigalibus potest; nec sine causa et eos qui circum illum sunt omnia postulantis et bellum nefarium times. Trebatium nostrum, etsi, ut scribis, nihil bene sperat, tamen videre sane velim. quem fac horteris ut properet; opportune enim ad me ante adventum Caesaris venerit. de Lanuvino, statim ut audivi Phameam mortuum, optavi, si modo esset futura res publica, ut id aliquis emeret meorum neque tamen de te qui maxime meus es cogitavi. sciebam enim te 'quoto anno' et 'quantum in solo' solere quaerere neque solum Romae sed etiam Deli tuum diagramma videram. verum tamen ego illud, quamquam est bellum, minoris aestimo quam aestimabatur Marcellino consule, cum ego istos hortulos propter domum antiquam quam tum habebam iucundiores mihi fore putabam et minore impensa quam si Tusculanum refecissem. volui HS Q. Egi per + predum ille daret tanti quom+ haberet venale. noluit. sed nunc omnia ista iacere puto propter nummorum caritatem. mihi quidem erit aptissimum vel nobis potius si tu emeris; sed eius dementias cave contemnas. valde est venustum. quamquam mihi ista omnia iam addicta vastitati videntur. respondi epistulis tribus sed exspecto alias; nam me adhuc tuae litterae sustentarunt. D. Liberalibus.