Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. 44 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome/Athens|AI-assisted
On the 18th, as I was leaving Sinuessa, I sent you a letter and then stopped at Vescia. There your messenger delivered your letter, which said more than enough about Buthrotum. You cannot care more about that matter than I do, and you will not; I ought to care for your business just as you care for mine. Since I have taken it up, I will put it before everything else.
From your letters and from others I hear that Lucius Antonius' speech was poor, though you have not told me exactly what it was like. I am glad to hear about Menedemus. Quintus keeps repeating exactly what you mention. I am relieved that you approve my decision not to write the kind of piece you had asked for. You will approve it even more if you read the speech I am writing to you about today.
You are right about the legions. But if you hope we can settle Buthrotum through the Senate, I think you have not taken the point deeply enough. As far as I can see, we have no chance of winning that way. Still, even if I am wrong, you will not be disappointed about Buthrotum. I think the same as you do about Octavius' speech, and I dislike his preparations for the games, as well as Matius and Postumus as his agents. Saserna is a colleague worthy of them. But the whole party, as you realize, fears peace no less than we fear war. I would be glad if we could free Balbus from his unpopularity, but even he has no hope of that, so he is turning his mind elsewhere.
I am very glad if the first Tusculan Disputation gives you courage, since there is no better or more available refuge. I am relieved that Flamma gives a good account of himself. I do not know the case of the people of Tyndaris, which concerns him, but I am on their side. The "last of the five" seems upset by the matters you know about, especially the withdrawal of the money. I am sorry about Alexio, though given the serious illness he had contracted, I think he was fortunate. I would like to know whom he named as residuary heirs, and the last day for accepting the inheritance under his will.
On the 18th I sent a letter to you as I was starting from Sinuessa, and stopped at.... Then at Vescia your messenger delivered your letter, which contained more than enough about Buthrotum. For you cannot and will not have that business at heart more than I have and shall have: that is the way that I ought to care for your business, and you for mine. Accordingly, as I have undertaken it, I shall give it the preference to everything else.
I hear from your letters and others that L. Antonius' speech was a poor thing; but what it was like I do not know, as you have not told me. I am glad to hear about Menedemus. Quintus certainly keeps on reiterating what you mention. I am relieved to hear that you approve of my determination not to write the sort of thing you asked me to write, and you will approve of it much more, if you read the speech about which I am writing to you to-day. What you say about the legions is true. But you do not seem to me to have taken the point sufficiently to heart, if you hope we can settle the matter of Buthrotum through the Senate. In my opinion (for so much I can see) we have no chance of winning; but supposing I am mistaken about that, you will not be disappointed about Buthrotum. About Octavius' speech I think the same as you, and I don't like
his preparations for the games or Matius and Postumus as his agents. Saserna is a colleague worthy of them. But all that party, as you realize, fear peace no less than we fear war. I should be glad if we could relieve Balbus of his unpopularity; but even he has no hope of that happening, so he is thinking of other things.
I am very glad if the first Tusculan Disputation gives you courage, for there is no other refuge either better or more available. I am relieved that Flamma gives a good account of himself. What the case of the people of Tyndaris is, about which he is concerned, I do not know, but I am on their side. The "last of the five" seems to be upset by the things you wot of, especially the withdrawal of the money. I am grieved about Alexio, but, as he had contracted such a serious disease, I think he was fortunate. Whom he has appointed residuary heirs I should like to know, and the latest day for acceptance of the inheritance under his will.
xv Kal. e Sinuessano proficiscens cum dedissem ad te litteras devertissemque acutius in Vescino accepi a tabellario tuas litteras; in quibus nimis multa de Buthroto. non enim tibi ea res maiori curae aut est aut erit quam mihi. sic enim decet te mea curare, tua me. quam ob rem id quidem sic susceptum est mihi ut nihil sim habiturus antiquius. [2] L. Antonium contionatum esse cognovi tuis litteris et aliis sordide; sed id quale fuerit nescio; nihil enim scripti. de Menedemo probe. Quintus certe ea dictitat quae scribis. consilium meum a te probari quod ea non scribam quae tu a me postularis facile patior, multoque magis id probabis, si orationem eam de qua hodie ad te scripsi legeris. quae de legionibus scribis, ea vera sunt. sed non satis hoc mihi videris tibi persuasisse qui de Buthrotiis nostris per senatum speres confici posse quod puto. tantum enim video, non videmur esse victuri, sed, ut iam nos hoc fallat, de Buthroto te non fallet. [3] de Octavi contione idem sentio quod tu, ludorumque eius apparatus et Matius ac Postumus mihi procuratores non placent; Saserna conlega dignus. sed isti omnes, quem ad modum sentis, non minus otium timent quam nos arma. Balbum levari invidia per nos velim, sed ne ipse quidem id fieri posse confidit. itaque alia cogitat. [4] quod prima disputatio Tusculana te confirmat sane gaudeo; neque enim ullum est perfugium aut melius aut paratius. Flamma quod bene loquitur non moleste fero. Tyndaritanorum causa, de qua causa laborat, quae sit ignoro. hos tamen . . . . Pente/loipon movere ista videntur in primis erogatio pecuniae. de Alexione doleo, sed quoniam inciderat in tam gravem morbum, bene actum cum illo arbitror. quos tamen secundos heredes scire velim et diem testamenti.
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On the 18th, as I was leaving Sinuessa, I sent you a letter and then stopped at Vescia. There your messenger delivered your letter, which said more than enough about Buthrotum. You cannot care more about that matter than I do, and you will not; I ought to care for your business just as you care for mine. Since I have taken it up, I will put it before everything else.
From your letters and from others I hear that Lucius Antonius' speech was poor, though you have not told me exactly what it was like. I am glad to hear about Menedemus. Quintus keeps repeating exactly what you mention. I am relieved that you approve my decision not to write the kind of piece you had asked for. You will approve it even more if you read the speech I am writing to you about today.
You are right about the legions. But if you hope we can settle Buthrotum through the Senate, I think you have not taken the point deeply enough. As far as I can see, we have no chance of winning that way. Still, even if I am wrong, you will not be disappointed about Buthrotum. I think the same as you do about Octavius' speech, and I dislike his preparations for the games, as well as Matius and Postumus as his agents. Saserna is a colleague worthy of them. But the whole party, as you realize, fears peace no less than we fear war. I would be glad if we could free Balbus from his unpopularity, but even he has no hope of that, so he is turning his mind elsewhere.
I am very glad if the first Tusculan Disputation gives you courage, since there is no better or more available refuge. I am relieved that Flamma gives a good account of himself. I do not know the case of the people of Tyndaris, which concerns him, but I am on their side. The "last of the five" seems upset by the matters you know about, especially the withdrawal of the money. I am sorry about Alexio, though given the serious illness he had contracted, I think he was fortunate. I would like to know whom he named as residuary heirs, and the last day for accepting the inheritance under his will.
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
xv Kal. e Sinuessano proficiscens cum dedissem ad te litteras devertissemque acutius in Vescino accepi a tabellario tuas litteras; in quibus nimis multa de Buthroto. non enim tibi ea res maiori curae aut est aut erit quam mihi. sic enim decet te mea curare, tua me. quam ob rem id quidem sic susceptum est mihi ut nihil sim habiturus antiquius. [2] L. Antonium contionatum esse cognovi tuis litteris et aliis sordide; sed id quale fuerit nescio; nihil enim scripti. de Menedemo probe. Quintus certe ea dictitat quae scribis. consilium meum a te probari quod ea non scribam quae tu a me postularis facile patior, multoque magis id probabis, si orationem eam de qua hodie ad te scripsi legeris. quae de legionibus scribis, ea vera sunt. sed non satis hoc mihi videris tibi persuasisse qui de Buthrotiis nostris per senatum speres confici posse quod puto. tantum enim video, non videmur esse victuri, sed, ut iam nos hoc fallat, de Buthroto te non fallet. [3] de Octavi contione idem sentio quod tu, ludorumque eius apparatus et Matius ac Postumus mihi procuratores non placent; Saserna conlega dignus. sed isti omnes, quem ad modum sentis, non minus otium timent quam nos arma. Balbum levari invidia per nos velim, sed ne ipse quidem id fieri posse confidit. itaque alia cogitat. [4] quod prima disputatio Tusculana te confirmat sane gaudeo; neque enim ullum est perfugium aut melius aut paratius. Flamma quod bene loquitur non moleste fero. Tyndaritanorum causa, de qua causa laborat, quae sit ignoro. hos tamen . . . . Pente/loipon movere ista videntur in primis erogatio pecuniae. de Alexione doleo, sed quoniam inciderat in tam gravem morbum, bene actum cum illo arbitror. quos tamen secundos heredes scire velim et diem testamenti.