Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. 47 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome/Athens|AI-assisted
Balbus' letter-carrier delivered the packet very promptly. I have received a letter from you in which you seem to doubt whether I received those letters. I wish they had never been delivered. They increased my sorrow, and if they had fallen into anyone's hands, they would not have told them anything new. His hatred of me and the sort of letters he writes are common knowledge. Even Caesar, when he sent them to your friends, seems to have done it not to show his annoyance at Quintus' disgraceful conduct, but, I suppose, to make my misfortunes better known. You say you are afraid they may harm Quintus, and you are trying to remedy it. Why, Caesar did not even wait to be asked about him. That does not annoy me; what annoys me more is that the favors granted to me have no solid value.
Sulla, I believe, will be here tomorrow with Messalla. They are hurrying to him, driven away by the soldiers, who refuse to go anywhere until they get their pay. So, although people thought Caesar would not come here, he will, but not quickly. He is traveling slowly and stopping many days in each town. Then, however he manages things, Pharnaces must delay him.
So what do you think about me? I am already scarcely physically capable of enduring this bad climate, which adds ill health to my troubles. Shall I commission these people who are going to him to make my excuses, and then come nearer Rome? Please give this point your attention and help me with your advice, which you have not done despite many requests. I know it is a knotty question, but since there is a choice of evils, the mere sight of you would mean something to me. If I get that, I will have made some progress. Please attend to the will, as you promise.
Balbus' letter-carrier delivered the packet quite promptly. For I have got a letter from you in which you seem to doubt whether I received those letters. I wish they had never been delivered: for they increased my sorrow, and, if they had fallen into anyone's hands, they would not have told them anything new. For his hatred of me and the kind of letters he writes are common knowledge. Even Caesar, when he sent them to your friends, seems to have done it, not to show his annoyance at Quintus' disgraceful conduct, but, I suppose, to make my misfortunes better known. You say you are afraid they may do Quintus some harm, and you are trying to remedy it. Why, Caesar did not even wait to be asked about him. That does not annoy me: what is more annoying is that the favours granted to me have no sterling value.
Sulla, I believe, will be here to-morrow with Messalla. They are hurrying to him, hounded away by the soldiers, who refuse to go anywhere, until they get their pay. So, though people thought he would not, he will be coming here; but not in a hurry. For he is travelling slowly, and he is stopping many days in each town. Then, however he manages things, Pharnaces must delay him. So what do you think about me? For already I am scarcely capable physically of bearing this bad climate, which adds ill-health to my troubles. Shall I commission these people, who are going to him, to make my excuses, and come nearer Rome? Please give the point your
attention and help me with your advice, which you have not done in spite of many requests. I know it is a knotty question: but, as there is a choice of evils, the mere sight of you is something to me. If I get that, I shall have made some advance. Please attend to the will, as you promise.
[1] diligenter mihi fasciculum reddidit Balbi tabellarius. accepi enim a te litteras quibus videris vereri ut epistulas illas acceperim. quas quidem vellem mihi numquam redditas; auxerunt enim mihi dolorem (nec), si in aliquem incidissent, quicquam novi attulissent. quid enim tam pervulgatum quam illius in me odium et genus hoc litterarum? quod ne Caesar quidem ad istos videtur misisse, quasi qui illius improbitate offenderetur, sed, credo, uti notiora nostra mala essent. nam quod te vereri scribis ne illi obsint eique rei (me vis) mederi, ne rogari quidem se passus est de illo. quod quidem mihi molestum non est; illud molestius, istas impetrationes nostras nihil valere. [2] Sulla, ut opinor, cras erit hic cum Messalla. currunt ad illum pulsi a militibus qui se negant usquam, nisi acceperint. ergo ille huc veniet, quod non putabant, tarde quidem. itinera enim ita facit ut multos dies in oppidum ponat. Pharnaces autem, quoquo modo aget, adferet moram. quid mihi igitur censes? iam enim corpore vix sustineo gravitatem huius caeli quae mihi languorem adfert in dolore. an his illuc euntibus mandem ut me excusent, ipse accedam propius? quaeso, attende et me, quod adhuc saepe rogatus non fecisti, consilio iuva. scio rem difficilem esse, sed ut (in) malis etiam illud mea magni interest te ut videam. profecto aliquid profecero, si id acciderit. de testamento, ut scribis, animadvertes.
◆
Balbus' letter-carrier delivered the packet very promptly. I have received a letter from you in which you seem to doubt whether I received those letters. I wish they had never been delivered. They increased my sorrow, and if they had fallen into anyone's hands, they would not have told them anything new. His hatred of me and the sort of letters he writes are common knowledge. Even Caesar, when he sent them to your friends, seems to have done it not to show his annoyance at Quintus' disgraceful conduct, but, I suppose, to make my misfortunes better known. You say you are afraid they may harm Quintus, and you are trying to remedy it. Why, Caesar did not even wait to be asked about him. That does not annoy me; what annoys me more is that the favors granted to me have no solid value.
Sulla, I believe, will be here tomorrow with Messalla. They are hurrying to him, driven away by the soldiers, who refuse to go anywhere until they get their pay. So, although people thought Caesar would not come here, he will, but not quickly. He is traveling slowly and stopping many days in each town. Then, however he manages things, Pharnaces must delay him.
So what do you think about me? I am already scarcely physically capable of enduring this bad climate, which adds ill health to my troubles. Shall I commission these people who are going to him to make my excuses, and then come nearer Rome? Please give this point your attention and help me with your advice, which you have not done despite many requests. I know it is a knotty question, but since there is a choice of evils, the mere sight of you would mean something to me. If I get that, I will have made some progress. Please attend to the will, as you promise.
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] diligenter mihi fasciculum reddidit Balbi tabellarius. accepi enim a te litteras quibus videris vereri ut epistulas illas acceperim. quas quidem vellem mihi numquam redditas; auxerunt enim mihi dolorem (nec), si in aliquem incidissent, quicquam novi attulissent. quid enim tam pervulgatum quam illius in me odium et genus hoc litterarum? quod ne Caesar quidem ad istos videtur misisse, quasi qui illius improbitate offenderetur, sed, credo, uti notiora nostra mala essent. nam quod te vereri scribis ne illi obsint eique rei (me vis) mederi, ne rogari quidem se passus est de illo. quod quidem mihi molestum non est; illud molestius, istas impetrationes nostras nihil valere. [2] Sulla, ut opinor, cras erit hic cum Messalla. currunt ad illum pulsi a militibus qui se negant usquam, nisi acceperint. ergo ille huc veniet, quod non putabant, tarde quidem. itinera enim ita facit ut multos dies in oppidum ponat. Pharnaces autem, quoquo modo aget, adferet moram. quid mihi igitur censes? iam enim corpore vix sustineo gravitatem huius caeli quae mihi languorem adfert in dolore. an his illuc euntibus mandem ut me excusent, ipse accedam propius? quaeso, attende et me, quod adhuc saepe rogatus non fecisti, consilio iuva. scio rem difficilem esse, sed ut (in) malis etiam illud mea magni interest te ut videam. profecto aliquid profecero, si id acciderit. de testamento, ut scribis, animadvertes.