Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. 45 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome/Athens|AI-assisted
I am not in the least surprised that you take the matter of Marcellus hard and dread many kinds of danger. For who would have feared a thing that had never happened before, and that nature did not seem capable of allowing to happen? Everything, then, is to be dreaded. But here is something para tēn historian [Greek: "contrary to the record"], and from you of all people: that I am the last surviving man of consular rank. Well? What is your opinion of Servius? Though this of course counts for nothing on either side, least of all to me, since I reckon things have gone no worse for those men [the dead]. For what are we, or what can we be? At home, or abroad? And if it had not occurred to me to write up these I-know-not-what subjects, I would have nowhere to turn.
[2] As for Dolabella, I think it must be done just as you write, things rather koinotera [Greek: "more commonplace"] and politikōtera [Greek: "more in the public/statesmanlike vein"]. Something certainly must be done; for he greatly wants it.
[3] If Brutus accomplishes anything, you will see to it that I know; and indeed I think he ought to act as soon as possible, especially if he has made up his mind. For it would either quench or quiet all the gossip. There are some who talk even to me about it. But he himself will manage this best, especially if he talks it over with you too. I intend to set out on the eleventh before the Kalends. For here I have nothing to do, nor by Hercules anything there either, nor anywhere; but still, something there. Today I am expecting Spinther. For Brutus sent him to me. In a letter he clears Caesar of the death of Marcellus; on whom not even if Marcellus had been killed by treachery would any suspicion fall. But as it is, since the facts about Magius are established, does not that man's madness account for the whole affair? I plainly do not understand what it amounts to. So you will explain it. Although I have nothing to be in doubt about, except what cause of madness Magius himself had; and for him I had even become a guarantor. And no doubt that was it: for he was insolvent. I believe he asked something of Marcellus, and that Marcellus, as was his way, answered rather firmly.
I am not at all surprised that you are deeply troubled about Marcellus and fear many kinds of danger. For who would have feared what had never happened before and what nature seemed incapable of producing? Everything, therefore, must be feared. But I do not know what counsel to give or what to hope for. [2] What I do know is this: if our cause has any hope left, it rests on the good will of men like you. I ask you to think carefully about what is best, not only for yourself but for the Republic. For the Republic still exists in the hearts of good men, even if it has been driven from the Forum and the Senate house. [3] I shall write more when I know more. In the meantime, take courage and act with the prudence that has always distinguished you.
minime miror te et graviter ferre de Marcello et plura vereri periculi genera. quis enim hoc timeret quod neque acciderat antea nec videbatur natura ferre ut accidere posset? omnia igitur metuenda. sed illud irapa para' th'n istori/an , tu praesertim, me reliquum consularem. quid? tibi Servius quid videtur? quamquam hoc nullam ad partem valet scilicet, mihi praesertim qui non minus bene actum cum illis putem. quid enim sumus aut quid esse possumus? domi an foris? quod nisi mihi hoc venisset in mentem scribere ista nescio quae, quo verterem me non haberem. [2] ad Dolabellam, ut scribis, ita puto faciendum, koino/tera quaedam et politikw/tera . faciendum certe aliquid est; valde enim desiderat. [3] Brutus si quid egerit, curabis ut sciam; cui quidem quam primum agendum puto, praesertim si statuit. sermunculum enim omnem aut restinxerit aut sedarit. sunt enim qui loquantur etiam mecum. sed haec ipse optime, praesertim si etiam tecum loquetur. mihi est in animo proficisci xi Kal. Hic enim nihil habeo quod agam, ne hercule illic quidem nec usquam sed tamen aliquid illic. hodie Spintherem exspecto. misit enim Brutus ad me. per litteras purgat Caesarem de interitu Marcelli; in quem ne si insidiis quidem ille interfectus esset caderet ulla suspicio. nunc vero cum de Magio constet, nonne furor eius causam omnem sustinet? plane quid sit non intellego. explanabis igitur. quamquam nihil habeo quod dubitem nisi ipsi Magio quae fuerit causa amentiae; pro quo quidem etiam sponsor sum factus. et nimirum id fuit. solvendo enim non erat. credo eum petisse a Marcello aliquid et illum, aut erat , constantius respondisse.
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I am not in the least surprised that you take the matter of Marcellus hard and dread many kinds of danger. For who would have feared a thing that had never happened before, and that nature did not seem capable of allowing to happen? Everything, then, is to be dreaded. But here is something para tēn historian [Greek: "contrary to the record"], and from you of all people: that I am the last surviving man of consular rank. Well? What is your opinion of Servius? Though this of course counts for nothing on either side, least of all to me, since I reckon things have gone no worse for those men [the dead]. For what are we, or what can we be? At home, or abroad? And if it had not occurred to me to write up these I-know-not-what subjects, I would have nowhere to turn.
[2] As for Dolabella, I think it must be done just as you write, things rather koinotera [Greek: "more commonplace"] and politikōtera [Greek: "more in the public/statesmanlike vein"]. Something certainly must be done; for he greatly wants it.
[3] If Brutus accomplishes anything, you will see to it that I know; and indeed I think he ought to act as soon as possible, especially if he has made up his mind. For it would either quench or quiet all the gossip. There are some who talk even to me about it. But he himself will manage this best, especially if he talks it over with you too. I intend to set out on the eleventh before the Kalends. For here I have nothing to do, nor by Hercules anything there either, nor anywhere; but still, something there. Today I am expecting Spinther. For Brutus sent him to me. In a letter he clears Caesar of the death of Marcellus; on whom not even if Marcellus had been killed by treachery would any suspicion fall. But as it is, since the facts about Magius are established, does not that man's madness account for the whole affair? I plainly do not understand what it amounts to. So you will explain it. Although I have nothing to be in doubt about, except what cause of madness Magius himself had; and for him I had even become a guarantor. And no doubt that was it: for he was insolvent. I believe he asked something of Marcellus, and that Marcellus, as was his way, answered rather firmly.
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
minime miror te et graviter ferre de Marcello et plura vereri periculi genera. quis enim hoc timeret quod neque acciderat antea nec videbatur natura ferre ut accidere posset? omnia igitur metuenda. sed illud irapa para' th'n istori/an , tu praesertim, me reliquum consularem. quid? tibi Servius quid videtur? quamquam hoc nullam ad partem valet scilicet, mihi praesertim qui non minus bene actum cum illis putem. quid enim sumus aut quid esse possumus? domi an foris? quod nisi mihi hoc venisset in mentem scribere ista nescio quae, quo verterem me non haberem. [2] ad Dolabellam, ut scribis, ita puto faciendum, koino/tera quaedam et politikw/tera . faciendum certe aliquid est; valde enim desiderat. [3] Brutus si quid egerit, curabis ut sciam; cui quidem quam primum agendum puto, praesertim si statuit. sermunculum enim omnem aut restinxerit aut sedarit. sunt enim qui loquantur etiam mecum. sed haec ipse optime, praesertim si etiam tecum loquetur. mihi est in animo proficisci xi Kal. Hic enim nihil habeo quod agam, ne hercule illic quidem nec usquam sed tamen aliquid illic. hodie Spintherem exspecto. misit enim Brutus ad me. per litteras purgat Caesarem de interitu Marcelli; in quem ne si insidiis quidem ille interfectus esset caderet ulla suspicio. nunc vero cum de Magio constet, nonne furor eius causam omnem sustinet? plane quid sit non intellego. explanabis igitur. quamquam nihil habeo quod dubitem nisi ipsi Magio quae fuerit causa amentiae; pro quo quidem etiam sponsor sum factus. et nimirum id fuit. solvendo enim non erat. credo eum petisse a Marcello aliquid et illum, aut erat , constantius respondisse.