Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. 49 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome/Athens|AI-assisted
In both respects I followed your advice. My speech was such that Caesar would think well of me rather than owe me thanks, and I held firm on not going to Rome. We were easily deceived in thinking him easy; I have seen nothing less easy. He said that he was being condemned by my judgment, and that the rest would be slower to come if I did not. I said my case was unlike theirs.
After much back and forth, he said, "Come then, and speak about peace." "At my discretion?" I asked. "Am I to prescribe your words to you?" he said. "Then I will speak in this way," I said. "I will say that the Senate does not approve of an expedition into Spain or of transporting armies into Greece, and I will say much in lamentation for Gnaeus." Then he said, "I do not want those things said." "That is what I thought," I said. "But I do not want to be present, because either I must say this, and many things I could in no way keep silent if I were there, or I must not come." The upshot was that he, as if looking for an exit, told me to think it over. I could not refuse. So we parted. I believe, then, that he does not love me. But I loved myself, which has not happened to me for a long time.
As for the rest, gods above, what a retinue, what an underworld crew, as you like to say. Celer was a hero among them. What a ruined affair. What desperate forces. And what of the fact that Servius' son and Titinius' son were in the camp that besieged Pompey? Six legions. Caesar is very alert and very bold. I see no end to the evil. Now you must certainly bring out your plans. This was the final point.
His closing remark, which I nearly passed over, was hateful: if he was not allowed to use my advice, he would use the advice of those he could, and would descend to anything. "So you saw the man, as you had written? You groaned?" Certainly. "Tell the rest." What else? He immediately went to Pedius' place, toward Norbanus; I went to Arpinum. From there I await that chattering swallow of yours. "I would rather," you will say, "that you not do what is already done." Even the very man we are following has been mistaken in many things.
But I am waiting for your letter. There is no longer any room for the old "let us see where this comes out." The endpoint was my meeting with Caesar, and I have no doubt I offended him. For that reason we must act all the more quickly. Please send a letter, and a political one. I am waiting for your letter very anxiously now.
In both respects I followed your advice. I spoke so as to gain Caesar's respect rather than his gratitude; and I persisted in my resolve not to go to Rome. We were mistaken in thinking he would be easy to manage. I have never seen anyone less easy. He kept on saying that my decision was a slur on him, and that others would be less likely to come, if I did not come. I pointed out that my case was very unlike theirs. After much talk he said, "Well, come and discuss peace." "On my own terms?" I asked. "Need I dictate to you?" said he. "Well," said I, "I shall contend that the Senate cannot sanction your invasion of Spain or your going with an army into Greece, and," I added, "I shall lament Pompey's fate." He replied, "That is not what I want." "So I fancied," said I: "but I do not want to be in Rome, because either I must say that and much else, on which I cannot keep silent, if I am present, or else I cannot come." The upshot was that I was to think over the matter, as Caesar suggested, with a view to closing our interview. I could not refuse. So we parted. I am confident then he has no liking for me. But I like myself, as I have not for a long time.
For the rest, ye gods what a following! What âmes damnées in your phrase! Celer is an hero to the rest. What an abandoned cause, and what desperate gangs! What can one think of a son of Servius and a son of Titinius being in an army which beset Pompey? Six legions! He is very wide-awake and
bold. I see no end to our evil days. Now assuredly you must produce your advice. This was the limit we contemplated.
Caesar's finale, which I had almost forgotten, was hateful:—"If I may not use your advice, I shall use the advice I can and go to any length." You will say: "You have seen him to be as you have described him: and did you heave a sigh?" Indeed I did. You ask for the rest of our talk. What more is there to tell? He went straight to Pedum, I to Arpinum. From thence I await the "twittering swallow" you talk of. You will say you prefer me not to dwell on past mistakes. Even Pompey, our leader, has made many.
But I await a letter from you. There is no room now, as before, for your "await the event." The limit we fixed was that interview; and I have no doubt I annoyed Caesar; so I must act the more quickly. Please send me a letter and deal with la haute politique. I await a letter from you now very anxiously.
[1] Vtrumque ex tuo consilio; nam et oratio fuit ea nostra ut bene potius ille de nobis existimaret quam gratias ageret, et in eo mansimus, ne ad urbem. illa fefellerunt facilem quod putaramus; nihil vidi minus. damnari se nostro iudicio, tardiores fore reliquos, si nos non venerimus, dicere. ego dissimilem illorum esse causam. Cum multa, 'veni igitur et age de pace.' 'meone ' inquam 'arbitratu?' 'an tibi' inquit 'ego praescribam?' 'sic' inquam 'agam, senatui non placere in Hispanias iri nec exercitus in Graeciam transportari, multaque , inquam 'de Gnaeo deplorabo.' tum ille, 'ego vero ista dici nolo.' 'ita putabam , inquam; 'sed ego eo nolo adesse quod aut sic mihi dicendum est multaque quae nullo modo possem silere si adessem aut non veniendum.' summa fuit, ut ille quasi exitum quaerens, 'ut deliberarem.' non fuit negandum. ita discessimus. credo igitur hunc me non amare. at ego me amavi, quod mihi iam pridem usu non venit. [2] reliqua, o di! qui comitatus, quae, ut tu soles dicere, nekuia! in qua erat heros Celer. O rem perditam! O copias desperatas! quid quod Servi filius, quod Titini in iis castris fuerunt quibus Pompeius circumsederetur! sex legiones; multum vigilat, audet. nullum video finem mali. nunc certe promenda tibi sunt consilia. hoc fuerat extremum. [3] illa tamen katakleis illius est odiosa quam paene praeterii, si sibi consiliis nostris uti non liceret, usurum quorum posset ad omniaque esse descensurum. 'vidisti igitur virum, ut scripseras? ingemuisti?' certe. 'cedo reliqua.' quid? continuo ipse in Pedi Norbanum, ego Arpinum; inde--exspecto equidem lalageusan illam tuam. 'tu malim' inquies 'actum ne agas.' etiam illum ipsum quem sequimur multa fefellerunt [4] sed ego tuas litteras exspecto. nihil est enim iam ut antea 'videamus hoc quorsum evadat.' extremum fuit de congressu nostro; quo quidem non dubito quin istum offenderim. eo maturius agendum est. amabo te, epistulam et politiken! valde tuas litteras nunc exspecto.
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In both respects I followed your advice. My speech was such that Caesar would think well of me rather than owe me thanks, and I held firm on not going to Rome. We were easily deceived in thinking him easy; I have seen nothing less easy. He said that he was being condemned by my judgment, and that the rest would be slower to come if I did not. I said my case was unlike theirs.
After much back and forth, he said, "Come then, and speak about peace." "At my discretion?" I asked. "Am I to prescribe your words to you?" he said. "Then I will speak in this way," I said. "I will say that the Senate does not approve of an expedition into Spain or of transporting armies into Greece, and I will say much in lamentation for Gnaeus." Then he said, "I do not want those things said." "That is what I thought," I said. "But I do not want to be present, because either I must say this, and many things I could in no way keep silent if I were there, or I must not come." The upshot was that he, as if looking for an exit, told me to think it over. I could not refuse. So we parted. I believe, then, that he does not love me. But I loved myself, which has not happened to me for a long time.
As for the rest, gods above, what a retinue, what an underworld crew, as you like to say. Celer was a hero among them. What a ruined affair. What desperate forces. And what of the fact that Servius' son and Titinius' son were in the camp that besieged Pompey? Six legions. Caesar is very alert and very bold. I see no end to the evil. Now you must certainly bring out your plans. This was the final point.
His closing remark, which I nearly passed over, was hateful: if he was not allowed to use my advice, he would use the advice of those he could, and would descend to anything. "So you saw the man, as you had written? You groaned?" Certainly. "Tell the rest." What else? He immediately went to Pedius' place, toward Norbanus; I went to Arpinum. From there I await that chattering swallow of yours. "I would rather," you will say, "that you not do what is already done." Even the very man we are following has been mistaken in many things.
But I am waiting for your letter. There is no longer any room for the old "let us see where this comes out." The endpoint was my meeting with Caesar, and I have no doubt I offended him. For that reason we must act all the more quickly. Please send a letter, and a political one. I am waiting for your letter very anxiously now.
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] Vtrumque ex tuo consilio; nam et oratio fuit ea nostra ut bene potius ille de nobis existimaret quam gratias ageret, et in eo mansimus, ne ad urbem. illa fefellerunt facilem quod putaramus; nihil vidi minus. damnari se nostro iudicio, tardiores fore reliquos, si nos non venerimus, dicere. ego dissimilem illorum esse causam. Cum multa, 'veni igitur et age de pace.' 'meone ' inquam 'arbitratu?' 'an tibi' inquit 'ego praescribam?' 'sic' inquam 'agam, senatui non placere in Hispanias iri nec exercitus in Graeciam transportari, multaque , inquam 'de Gnaeo deplorabo.' tum ille, 'ego vero ista dici nolo.' 'ita putabam , inquam; 'sed ego eo nolo adesse quod aut sic mihi dicendum est multaque quae nullo modo possem silere si adessem aut non veniendum.' summa fuit, ut ille quasi exitum quaerens, 'ut deliberarem.' non fuit negandum. ita discessimus. credo igitur hunc me non amare. at ego me amavi, quod mihi iam pridem usu non venit. [2] reliqua, o di! qui comitatus, quae, ut tu soles dicere, nekuia! in qua erat heros Celer. O rem perditam! O copias desperatas! quid quod Servi filius, quod Titini in iis castris fuerunt quibus Pompeius circumsederetur! sex legiones; multum vigilat, audet. nullum video finem mali. nunc certe promenda tibi sunt consilia. hoc fuerat extremum. [3] illa tamen katakleis illius est odiosa quam paene praeterii, si sibi consiliis nostris uti non liceret, usurum quorum posset ad omniaque esse descensurum. 'vidisti igitur virum, ut scripseras? ingemuisti?' certe. 'cedo reliqua.' quid? continuo ipse in Pedi Norbanum, ego Arpinum; inde--exspecto equidem lalageusan illam tuam. 'tu malim' inquies 'actum ne agas.' etiam illum ipsum quem sequimur multa fefellerunt [4] sed ego tuas litteras exspecto. nihil est enim iam ut antea 'videamus hoc quorsum evadat.' extremum fuit de congressu nostro; quo quidem non dubito quin istum offenderim. eo maturius agendum est. amabo te, epistulam et politiken! valde tuas litteras nunc exspecto.