Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. 46 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome/Athens|AI-assisted
I had thought you had some news, since the opening of your letter ran like this: "although I had no concern for what might be happening in Spain," still you would write something; but obviously you were responding to my own letter, as far as the forum and the senate house are concerned. But "the house," you say, "is a forum." What use is the house itself to me when I am deprived of the forum? We are finished, finished, Atticus, and indeed have been for a long time now, but only now do we admit it, ever since we lost the one thing that held us fast. And so I seek out solitude; and yet, if any business should bring me to you there, I will strive, in any way I can (and I will be able to), that no one but you should feel my grief, and, if it can be managed at all, that not even you should feel it. And there is also this reason for not coming. You remember what Aledius asked of you. Even now they are a nuisance; what do you suppose it will be like if I come?
[2] As for Terentia, see to it as you write, and relieve me from this not least addition to my very greatest distresses. And so that you may know that I grieve in such a way as not to lie wholly prostrate: in which consulship Carneades and that embassy came to Rome is recorded in your Annal [Atticus's chronological work, the Liber Annalis]. What I now ask is what the occasion of it was (about Oropus, I think, but I do not know for certain), and, if that is so, what the points in dispute were. Besides that, who was the distinguished Epicurean at that time and presided over the Garden at Athens [the school founded by Epicurus], and which statesmen [politikoi, men active in public affairs] at Athens were eminent. These too I think can be found out from Apollodorus's work.
[3] About Attica it is distressing, but since it is a light case, I am confident she is all right. About Gamala there was no doubt in my mind. For from what source comes a father so blessed as Ligus? For what shall I say of myself, who, even if everything I want should fall to me, cannot be relieved of my grief? As for the gardens of Drusus, the price you write they were on offer at I had also heard, and, as I think, I wrote to you yesterday; but at whatever price, what is necessary is bought cheap. To me, however you judge of it (for I myself know what I think of myself), it is a kind of relief, if not of grief, at least of an obligation I owe. I wrote to Sicca, because he is on friendly terms with Lucius Cotta. If nothing can be arranged about the properties across the Tiber, Cotta has land at Ostia in a most frequented spot, but only a tiny plot of ground, yet for this purpose more than even enough. I should like you to think this over. And do not be alarmed at those prices for the gardens. I now have no need of silver plate, nor of fine clothing, nor of certain pleasant places; this is what I need. I see, too, by whom I can be helped. But speak with Silius; for nothing is better. I have also charged Sicca with it. He wrote back that he has an appointment arranged with him. He will therefore write to me what he has done, and you will see to it.
Sicca has written to me in detail about Silius, and says he has reported
the matter to you; and you say the same in your letter. I am pleased
with the property and the conditions, except that I would rather pay
money down than assign property at a valuation. Silius will not want
show places and I can make myself contented on the income I have, though
hardly on less. So where can I get ready money? You can extort 5,000
guineas from Hermogenes, especially as it will be necessary; and I
find I have another 5,000 by me. For the rest of the money I will either
pay interest to Silius, until I get it from Faberius, or get the money
to pay with at once from some debtor of Faberius. There will be some
coming in too from other quarters. But you can take charge of the whole
matter. I much prefer them to Drusus' gardens; indeed the two have never
been compared. Believe me I am actuated by one single motive. I know I
have gone silly about it; but continue to bear with my folly. For it is
no use your talking about a place to grow old in; that is all over.
There are other things I want more.
putaram te aliquid novi, quod eius modi fuerat initium litterarum, 'quamvis non curarem quid in Hispania fieret,' tamen te scripturum; sed videlicet meis litteris respondisti ut de foro et de curia. sed domus est, ut ais, forum. quid ipsa domo mihi opus est carenti foro? occidimus, occidimus Attice, iam pridem nos quidem, sed nunc fatemur, postea quam unum quo tenebamur amisimus. itaque solitudinem sequor et tamen, si qua me res isto adduxerit, enitar, si quo modo potero (potero autem), ut praeter te nemo dolorem meum sentiat, si ullo modo poterit, ne tu quidem. atque etiam illa causa est non veniendi. meministi quid ex te Aledius quaesierit. qui etiam nunc molesti sunt, quid existimas, si venero? [2] de Terentia ita cura ut scribis meque hac ad maximas aegritudines accessione non maxima libera. et ut scias me ita dolere ut non iaceam, quibus consulibus Carneades et ea legatio Romam venerit scriptum est in tuo annali. haec nunc quaero quae causa fuerit (de Oropo, opinor, sed certum nescio) et, si ita est, quae controversiae. praeterea, qui eo tempore nobilis Epicureus fuerit Athenisque praefuerit hortis, qui etiam Athenis politikoi\ fuerint inlustres. quae etiam ex Apollodori puto posse inveniri. [3] de Attica molestum, sed quoniam leviter, recte esse confido. de Gamala dubium non mihi erat. Vnde enim tam felix Ligus pater? nam quid de me dicam, cui ut omnia contingant quae volo, levari non possum? de Drusi hortis, quanti licuisse tu scribis, id ego quoque audieram et, ut opinor, heri ad te scripseram; sed quanti quanti bene emitur quod necesse est. mihi, quoquo modo tu existimas scio enim ego ipse quid de me existimem), levatio quaedam est, si minus doloris at offici debiti. ad Siccam scripsi, quod utitur L. Cotta. si nihil conficietur de Transtiberinis, habet in Ostiensi Cotta celeberrimo loco sed pusillum loci, ad hanc rem tamen plus etiam quam satis. id velim cogites. nec tamen ista pretia hortorum pertimueris. nec mihi iam argento nec veste opus est nec quibusdam amoenis locis; hoc opus est. video etiam a quibus adiuvari possim. sed loquere cum Silio; nihil enim est melius. mandavi etiam Siccae. rescripsit constitutum se cum eo habere. scribet igitur ad me quid egerit, et tu videbis.
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I had thought you had some news, since the opening of your letter ran like this: "although I had no concern for what might be happening in Spain," still you would write something; but obviously you were responding to my own letter, as far as the forum and the senate house are concerned. But "the house," you say, "is a forum." What use is the house itself to me when I am deprived of the forum? We are finished, finished, Atticus, and indeed have been for a long time now, but only now do we admit it, ever since we lost the one thing that held us fast. And so I seek out solitude; and yet, if any business should bring me to you there, I will strive, in any way I can (and I will be able to), that no one but you should feel my grief, and, if it can be managed at all, that not even you should feel it. And there is also this reason for not coming. You remember what Aledius asked of you. Even now they are a nuisance; what do you suppose it will be like if I come?
[2] As for Terentia, see to it as you write, and relieve me from this not least addition to my very greatest distresses. And so that you may know that I grieve in such a way as not to lie wholly prostrate: in which consulship Carneades and that embassy came to Rome is recorded in your Annal [Atticus's chronological work, the Liber Annalis]. What I now ask is what the occasion of it was (about Oropus, I think, but I do not know for certain), and, if that is so, what the points in dispute were. Besides that, who was the distinguished Epicurean at that time and presided over the Garden at Athens [the school founded by Epicurus], and which statesmen [politikoi, men active in public affairs] at Athens were eminent. These too I think can be found out from Apollodorus's work.
[3] About Attica it is distressing, but since it is a light case, I am confident she is all right. About Gamala there was no doubt in my mind. For from what source comes a father so blessed as Ligus? For what shall I say of myself, who, even if everything I want should fall to me, cannot be relieved of my grief? As for the gardens of Drusus, the price you write they were on offer at I had also heard, and, as I think, I wrote to you yesterday; but at whatever price, what is necessary is bought cheap. To me, however you judge of it (for I myself know what I think of myself), it is a kind of relief, if not of grief, at least of an obligation I owe. I wrote to Sicca, because he is on friendly terms with Lucius Cotta. If nothing can be arranged about the properties across the Tiber, Cotta has land at Ostia in a most frequented spot, but only a tiny plot of ground, yet for this purpose more than even enough. I should like you to think this over. And do not be alarmed at those prices for the gardens. I now have no need of silver plate, nor of fine clothing, nor of certain pleasant places; this is what I need. I see, too, by whom I can be helped. But speak with Silius; for nothing is better. I have also charged Sicca with it. He wrote back that he has an appointment arranged with him. He will therefore write to me what he has done, and you will see to it.
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
putaram te aliquid novi, quod eius modi fuerat initium litterarum, 'quamvis non curarem quid in Hispania fieret,' tamen te scripturum; sed videlicet meis litteris respondisti ut de foro et de curia. sed domus est, ut ais, forum. quid ipsa domo mihi opus est carenti foro? occidimus, occidimus Attice, iam pridem nos quidem, sed nunc fatemur, postea quam unum quo tenebamur amisimus. itaque solitudinem sequor et tamen, si qua me res isto adduxerit, enitar, si quo modo potero (potero autem), ut praeter te nemo dolorem meum sentiat, si ullo modo poterit, ne tu quidem. atque etiam illa causa est non veniendi. meministi quid ex te Aledius quaesierit. qui etiam nunc molesti sunt, quid existimas, si venero? [2] de Terentia ita cura ut scribis meque hac ad maximas aegritudines accessione non maxima libera. et ut scias me ita dolere ut non iaceam, quibus consulibus Carneades et ea legatio Romam venerit scriptum est in tuo annali. haec nunc quaero quae causa fuerit (de Oropo, opinor, sed certum nescio) et, si ita est, quae controversiae. praeterea, qui eo tempore nobilis Epicureus fuerit Athenisque praefuerit hortis, qui etiam Athenis politikoi\ fuerint inlustres. quae etiam ex Apollodori puto posse inveniri. [3] de Attica molestum, sed quoniam leviter, recte esse confido. de Gamala dubium non mihi erat. Vnde enim tam felix Ligus pater? nam quid de me dicam, cui ut omnia contingant quae volo, levari non possum? de Drusi hortis, quanti licuisse tu scribis, id ego quoque audieram et, ut opinor, heri ad te scripseram; sed quanti quanti bene emitur quod necesse est. mihi, quoquo modo tu existimas scio enim ego ipse quid de me existimem), levatio quaedam est, si minus doloris at offici debiti. ad Siccam scripsi, quod utitur L. Cotta. si nihil conficietur de Transtiberinis, habet in Ostiensi Cotta celeberrimo loco sed pusillum loci, ad hanc rem tamen plus etiam quam satis. id velim cogites. nec tamen ista pretia hortorum pertimueris. nec mihi iam argento nec veste opus est nec quibusdam amoenis locis; hoc opus est. video etiam a quibus adiuvari possim. sed loquere cum Silio; nihil enim est melius. mandavi etiam Siccae. rescripsit constitutum se cum eo habere. scribet igitur ad me quid egerit, et tu videbis.