Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. 45 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome/Athens|AI-assisted
As for the letter to Caesar, I was always entirely satisfied that those men should read it first. Otherwise I would have been both discourteous toward them and, toward my own self, very nearly reckless, if I had been going to give offense to him. But those men behaved candidly; and I am grateful that they did not keep silent about what they felt. Best of all, in fact, is that they want so many things changed that I have no reason to write the thing afresh. And yet, in the matter of the Parthian war, what was I supposed to aim at except what I judged he wanted? For what other purpose did our letter have except kolakeia [flattery]? Or, if I had wished to urge the things I thought best, would words have failed me? So there is no need of a whole letter. For where no great epiteugma [success, a hit] can be achieved, while an apoteugma [failure, a miss], even a small one, would be vexing, what need is there to parakindyneuein [run a risk]? Especially when this occurs to me: that he, since I had written nothing before, will suppose I would have written nothing until the whole war was finished. And I am even afraid he may think I meant this as a kind of meiligma [a sweetener, an appeasement] for my friend Cato. In short? I was thoroughly regretting it, and in this matter at least nothing could have turned out more to my liking than that our spoudē [zeal, eager effort] was not approved. We would otherwise have fallen in among those men, among them upon your kinsman.
[2] But I return to the gardens. I really do not want you to go there unless it is at your great convenience; for nothing is pressing. Whatever happens, let us put our effort into the Faberius affair. As for the day of the auction, however, let me know if you learn anything. The man who had come from Cumae, because he reported that Attica was plainly in good health and said that he had a letter, I sent to you at once.
I have heard all about the gardens from your letter and from Chrysippus. I was well aware of the bad taste shown in the house, and I see there
has been little or no alteration; however, he praises the larger bath and thinks the smaller could be made into a winter snuggery. So a covered passage would have to be added, and, if I made one the same size as that at my place at Tusculum, the cost would be about half as much in that district. However, for the erection we want to make nothing could be more suitable than the grove, which I used to know well; then it was not at all frequented, now I hear it is very much so. There is nothing I should prefer. In this, humour my whim, in heaven's name. For the rest, if Faberius pays that debt, don't bother about the cost; I want you to outbid Otho: and I don't think he will bid wildly, for I fancy I know the man. Besides I hear he has had such bad luck that I doubt if he will buy. For would he put up with it, if he could help it? But what is the good of talking? If you get the money from Faberius, let us buy even at a high price; if not, we cannot even at a low. So then we must fall back on Clodia. In her case I see more grounds for hope, as her property is worth much less, and Dolabella's debt seems so safe that I feel confident of being able to pay in ready money. Enough about the gardens. To-morrow I shall either see you or hear the reason why not. I expect that will be the business with Faberius. But come, if you can.
I am sending young Quintus' letter. How hard-hearted of you not to tremble at his hair-breadth escapes. He complains about me too. I have sent you half the letter. The other half about his
adventures I think you have in duplicate. I have sent a messenger to-day to Cumae. I have given him your letter to Vestorius, which you had given to Pharnaces.
de epistula ad Caesarem nobis vero semper rectissime placuit ut isti ante legerent. aliter enim fuissemus et in hos inofficiosi et in nosmet ipsos, si illum offensuri fuimus, paene periculosi. isti autem ingenue; mihique gratum quod quid sentirent non reticuerunt, illud vero vel optime quod ita multa mutari volunt ut mihi de integro scribendi causa non sit. quamquam de Parthico bello quid spectare debui nisi quod illum velle arbitrabar? quod enim aliud argumentum epistulae nostrae nisi kolakei/a fuit? an, si ea quae optima putarem suadere voluissem, oratio mihi defuisset? totis igitur litteris nihil opus est. ubi enim e)pi/teugma magnum nullum fieri possit, a)po/teugma vel non magnum molestum futurum sit, quid opus est parakinduneu/ein ? praesertim cum illud occurrat, illum, cum antea nihil scripserim, existimaturum me nisi toto bello confecto nihil scripturum fuisse. atque etiam vereor ne putet me hoc quasi Catonis mei/ligma esse voluisse. quid quaeris? valde me paenitebat nec mihi in hac quidem re quicquam magis ut vellem accidere potuit quam quod spoudh\ nostra non est probata. incidissemus etiam in illos, in eis in cognatum tuum. [2] sed redeo ad hortos. plane illuc te ire nisi tuo magno commodo nolo; nihil enim urget. quicquid erit, operam <in> Faberio ponamus. de die tamen auctionis, si quid scies. eum qui e Cumano venerat, quod et plane valere Atticam nuntiabat et litteras se habere aiebat, statim ad te misi.
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As for the letter to Caesar, I was always entirely satisfied that those men should read it first. Otherwise I would have been both discourteous toward them and, toward my own self, very nearly reckless, if I had been going to give offense to him. But those men behaved candidly; and I am grateful that they did not keep silent about what they felt. Best of all, in fact, is that they want so many things changed that I have no reason to write the thing afresh. And yet, in the matter of the Parthian war, what was I supposed to aim at except what I judged he wanted? For what other purpose did our letter have except kolakeia [flattery]? Or, if I had wished to urge the things I thought best, would words have failed me? So there is no need of a whole letter. For where no great epiteugma [success, a hit] can be achieved, while an apoteugma [failure, a miss], even a small one, would be vexing, what need is there to parakindyneuein [run a risk]? Especially when this occurs to me: that he, since I had written nothing before, will suppose I would have written nothing until the whole war was finished. And I am even afraid he may think I meant this as a kind of meiligma [a sweetener, an appeasement] for my friend Cato. In short? I was thoroughly regretting it, and in this matter at least nothing could have turned out more to my liking than that our spoudē [zeal, eager effort] was not approved. We would otherwise have fallen in among those men, among them upon your kinsman.
[2] But I return to the gardens. I really do not want you to go there unless it is at your great convenience; for nothing is pressing. Whatever happens, let us put our effort into the Faberius affair. As for the day of the auction, however, let me know if you learn anything. The man who had come from Cumae, because he reported that Attica was plainly in good health and said that he had a letter, I sent to you at once.
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
de epistula ad Caesarem nobis vero semper rectissime placuit ut isti ante legerent. aliter enim fuissemus et in hos inofficiosi et in nosmet ipsos, si illum offensuri fuimus, paene periculosi. isti autem ingenue; mihique gratum quod quid sentirent non reticuerunt, illud vero vel optime quod ita multa mutari volunt ut mihi de integro scribendi causa non sit. quamquam de Parthico bello quid spectare debui nisi quod illum velle arbitrabar? quod enim aliud argumentum epistulae nostrae nisi kolakei/a fuit? an, si ea quae optima putarem suadere voluissem, oratio mihi defuisset? totis igitur litteris nihil opus est. ubi enim e)pi/teugma magnum nullum fieri possit, a)po/teugma vel non magnum molestum futurum sit, quid opus est parakinduneu/ein ? praesertim cum illud occurrat, illum, cum antea nihil scripserim, existimaturum me nisi toto bello confecto nihil scripturum fuisse. atque etiam vereor ne putet me hoc quasi Catonis mei/ligma esse voluisse. quid quaeris? valde me paenitebat nec mihi in hac quidem re quicquam magis ut vellem accidere potuit quam quod spoudh\ nostra non est probata. incidissemus etiam in illos, in eis in cognatum tuum. [2] sed redeo ad hortos. plane illuc te ire nisi tuo magno commodo nolo; nihil enim urget. quicquid erit, operam <in> Faberio ponamus. de die tamen auctionis, si quid scies. eum qui e Cumano venerat, quod et plane valere Atticam nuntiabat et litteras se habere aiebat, statim ad te misi.