Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. 44 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome/Athens|AI-assisted
Young Quintus' departure is a blessing for us; he will not be a nuisance. I believe Pansa is speaking pleasantly. I know he is always hand in glove with Hirtius. I think he will be quite friendly to Brutus and Cassius if it is useful to him - but will he ever see them? - and that he will oppose Antony. But when, and how? How long are we to be played with?
I said Sextus was coming, not because he is already near, but because he certainly has it in mind and shows no sign at all of laying down his arms. If he persists, war must come. But our fine lover of Cytheris thinks no one is secure in life unless he wins a victory. What does Pansa say to this? Which side will he take if there is war? As far as I can see, there will be one. More about this and everything else when we meet, today according to your letter, or tomorrow.
Young Quintus' absence is a blessing; he won't be a nuisance to us. I believe Pansa is talking amiably. I know he is always hand in glove with Hirtius; I think he will be quite friendly with Brutus and Cassius, if it is expedient—but will he ever see them?—and that he will oppose Antony: but when and how? How long are we to be fooled? I said Sextus was coming, not because he was already near, but because he certainly has it in mind, and does not show the least sign of laying down his arms. Certainly, if he goes on, war must come. But our good lover of Cytheris thinks no one sure of his life unless he gains a victory. What has Pansa to say to this? And which side will he take if there is war? So far as I can see, there will be. But more of this and other things when we meet—to-day, according to your letter, or to-morrow.
gratulor nobis Quintum filium exisse. molestus non erit. Pansam bene loqui credo. semper enim coniunctum esse cum Hirtio scio; amicissimum Bruto et Cassio puto, si expediet (sed quando illos videbit?), inimicum Antonio, quando aut cur? quousque ludemur? ego autem scripsi Sextum adventare, non quo iam adesset sed quia certe id ageret ab armisque nullus discederet. certe si pergit, bellum paratum est. hic autem noster Cytherius nisi victorem neminem victurum. quid ad haec Pansa? utrobi erit, si bellum erit? quod videtur fore. sed et haec et alia coram hodie quidem, ut scribis, aut cras.
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Young Quintus' departure is a blessing for us; he will not be a nuisance. I believe Pansa is speaking pleasantly. I know he is always hand in glove with Hirtius. I think he will be quite friendly to Brutus and Cassius if it is useful to him - but will he ever see them? - and that he will oppose Antony. But when, and how? How long are we to be played with?
I said Sextus was coming, not because he is already near, but because he certainly has it in mind and shows no sign at all of laying down his arms. If he persists, war must come. But our fine lover of Cytheris thinks no one is secure in life unless he wins a victory. What does Pansa say to this? Which side will he take if there is war? As far as I can see, there will be one. More about this and everything else when we meet, today according to your letter, or tomorrow.
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
gratulor nobis Quintum filium exisse. molestus non erit. Pansam bene loqui credo. semper enim coniunctum esse cum Hirtio scio; amicissimum Bruto et Cassio puto, si expediet (sed quando illos videbit?), inimicum Antonio, quando aut cur? quousque ludemur? ego autem scripsi Sextum adventare, non quo iam adesset sed quia certe id ageret ab armisque nullus discederet. certe si pergit, bellum paratum est. hic autem noster Cytherius nisi victorem neminem victurum. quid ad haec Pansa? utrobi erit, si bellum erit? quod videtur fore. sed et haec et alia coram hodie quidem, ut scribis, aut cras.