Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. 45 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome/Athens|AI-assisted
I wrote back at once yesterday to your morning letter; now I am replying to your evening one. I would have preferred that Brutus summon me. It would have been the fairer thing, since the journey hanging over him was both sudden and long; and, by Hercules, now too, given that we are so circumstanced that we cannot really live together in full (for you surely understand on what point the question of symbiosis [living together] chiefly turns), I was readily content that we be together at Rome rather than at the Tusculan villa.
[2] The books for Varro were not the cause of delay, for they are finished, as you saw; it is only the copyists' errors that are being removed. You know that I had my doubts about these books, but you must see to it. Likewise, the ones I am sending to Brutus the copyists have in hand.
[3] You write: "sort out my instructions." And yet Trebatius says that everyone makes use of that sort of withholding. What do you make of those people? You know the household. So get it settled smoothly [eugagogos]. It is incredible how little I care about that business. With all earnestness I assure you - and I would have you believe me - that my little properties are more a source of vexation to me than of pleasure. For I grieve more at having no one to whom I may hand them on than I rejoice at having something to make use of. And Trebatius said that he had told you this; but you, perhaps, were afraid that I would hear it against my will. That was indeed kindly meant, but, believe me, I no longer care about such things. So enter into the discussion, cut it short, settle it, and speak with Polla in such a way that you suppose yourself to be dealing with that Scaeva of his; and do not imagine that men who are in the habit of chasing after what is not owed will remit what is owed. Only see to the day, and that itself in a fair-minded way.
About Andromenes I thought exactly what you say, for you would have known and told me. However, you have written such a lot about Brutus that you say nothing of yourself. But when do you think he is coming? For I shall come to Rome on the 14th. What I meant to say in my letter to
Brutus was that I had gathered from your note that he did not wish me to come to Rome now just to pay my respects to him—but, as you say you have read the letter, perhaps I was not quite clear. However, as I am just on the point of coming, please see that my presence on the 15th does not prevent his coming to Tusculum at his convenience. For I shall not want him at the auction—surely in such a business you alone will be enough: but I do want him when I make my will. That I would rather postpone for another day now, so as not to seem to have come to Rome expressly for that purpose. So I have written to Brutus now that I shall not want him, as I had thought, on the 15th. I should like you to look after all this and see that we don't inconvenience Brutus in the least.
But what on earth is the reason why you are so frightened at my bidding you send the books to Varro on your own responsibility? Even now, if you have any doubts, let me know. Nothing could be more finished than they are. I want Varro, especially as he desires it: but, as you know, he is "a fearsome man; the blameless he would blame." I often picture him to myself complaining of this perhaps, that my side in the books is more fully defended than his own, though I assure you, if ever you come to Epirus, I will convince you it is not. For at present I have to give way to Alexio's letters. However, I don't despair of winning Varro's approval; and, as I have gone to the expense of a large paper copy, I should like to stick to my plan. But I repeat again, it must be on your responsibility. So, if you have doubts, let us change to Brutus: he is also a
follower of Antiochus. O that fickle Academy, always the same, now one thing, now another. But pray tell me, were you very pleased with my letter to Varro. May I be hanged if I ever take so much trouble with anything again. So I did not even dictate it to Tiro, who can follow whole sentences as dictated, but syllable by syllable to Spintharus.
ante meridianis tuis litteris heri statim rescripsi; nunc respondeo vespertinis. Brutus mallem me arcesseret. et aequius erat, cum illi iter instaret et subitum et longum, et me hercule nunc, cum ita simus adfecti ut non possimus plane simul vivere (intellegis enim profecto in quo maxime posita sit sumbi/wsij ), facile patiebar nos potius Romae una esse quam in Tusculano. [2] libri ad Varronem non morabantur, sunt enim deffecti , ut vidisti; tantum librariorum menda tolluntur. de quibus libris scis me dubitasse, sed tu videris. item quos Bruto mittimus in manibus habent librarii. [3] mea mandata, scribis, explica. quamquam ista retentione omnis ait uti Trebatius; quid tu istos putas? Nosti domum. qua re confice eu)gagw/gwj . incredibile est quam ego ista non curem. omni tibi adseveratione adfirmo, quod mihi credas velim, mihi maiori offensioni esse quam delectationi possessiunculas meas. magis enim doleo me non habere quoi tradam quam habere qui utar <laetor>. atque illud Trebatius se tibi dixisse narrabat; tu autem veritus es fortasse ne ego invitus audirem. fuit id quidem humanitatis, sed, mihi crede, iam ista non curo. qua re da te in sermonem et perseca et confice et ita cum Polla loquere ut te cum illo Scaeva loqui putes nec existimes eos qui non debita consectari soleant quod debeatur remissuros. de die tantum videto et id ipsum bono modo.
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I wrote back at once yesterday to your morning letter; now I am replying to your evening one. I would have preferred that Brutus summon me. It would have been the fairer thing, since the journey hanging over him was both sudden and long; and, by Hercules, now too, given that we are so circumstanced that we cannot really live together in full (for you surely understand on what point the question of symbiosis [living together] chiefly turns), I was readily content that we be together at Rome rather than at the Tusculan villa.
[2] The books for Varro were not the cause of delay, for they are finished, as you saw; it is only the copyists' errors that are being removed. You know that I had my doubts about these books, but you must see to it. Likewise, the ones I am sending to Brutus the copyists have in hand.
[3] You write: "sort out my instructions." And yet Trebatius says that everyone makes use of that sort of withholding. What do you make of those people? You know the household. So get it settled smoothly [eugagogos]. It is incredible how little I care about that business. With all earnestness I assure you - and I would have you believe me - that my little properties are more a source of vexation to me than of pleasure. For I grieve more at having no one to whom I may hand them on than I rejoice at having something to make use of. And Trebatius said that he had told you this; but you, perhaps, were afraid that I would hear it against my will. That was indeed kindly meant, but, believe me, I no longer care about such things. So enter into the discussion, cut it short, settle it, and speak with Polla in such a way that you suppose yourself to be dealing with that Scaeva of his; and do not imagine that men who are in the habit of chasing after what is not owed will remit what is owed. Only see to the day, and that itself in a fair-minded way.
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
ante meridianis tuis litteris heri statim rescripsi; nunc respondeo vespertinis. Brutus mallem me arcesseret. et aequius erat, cum illi iter instaret et subitum et longum, et me hercule nunc, cum ita simus adfecti ut non possimus plane simul vivere (intellegis enim profecto in quo maxime posita sit sumbi/wsij ), facile patiebar nos potius Romae una esse quam in Tusculano. [2] libri ad Varronem non morabantur, sunt enim deffecti , ut vidisti; tantum librariorum menda tolluntur. de quibus libris scis me dubitasse, sed tu videris. item quos Bruto mittimus in manibus habent librarii. [3] mea mandata, scribis, explica. quamquam ista retentione omnis ait uti Trebatius; quid tu istos putas? Nosti domum. qua re confice eu)gagw/gwj . incredibile est quam ego ista non curem. omni tibi adseveratione adfirmo, quod mihi credas velim, mihi maiori offensioni esse quam delectationi possessiunculas meas. magis enim doleo me non habere quoi tradam quam habere qui utar <laetor>. atque illud Trebatius se tibi dixisse narrabat; tu autem veritus es fortasse ne ego invitus audirem. fuit id quidem humanitatis, sed, mihi crede, iam ista non curo. qua re da te in sermonem et perseca et confice et ita cum Polla loquere ut te cum illo Scaeva loqui putes nec existimes eos qui non debita consectari soleant quod debeatur remissuros. de die tantum videto et id ipsum bono modo.