Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. 43 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome/Athens|AI-assisted
On the Nones of Quintilis [July 7] I arrived at my place at Puteoli. The next day, on my way to Brutus on Nesis, I wrote this. But on the very day I arrived, while I was at dinner, Eros brought me your letter. Is it really so? On the Nones of JULY [July 7]? By Hercules, the gods confound those men! But one could fume about it the whole day long. Could anything be more disgraceful than insulting Brutus with their JULY? So I fall back on my old cry, 'et' eomen?' [How long?] I have never seen the like.
But what is this, I ask you, that I hear about the land-grabbers being cut to pieces at Buthrotum? And why has Plancus been rushing about so fast (for that is the rumor I caught) day and night? I truly long to know what it is.
I am glad my departure is approved. The thing to watch is whether my staying may be approved as well. That the people of Dyme, driven from their land, are now making the sea unsafe is no wonder. 'En homoploia?' [As a fellow-voyager?] There seems to be some protection in Brutus, but, I suppose, only small vessels. But I shall soon know, and will write to you tomorrow.
About Ventidius I think it is a panic [panikon]. About Sextus it was held for certain that he was taking up arms. And if that is true, I see that we must serve as slaves even without a civil war. What then? Is there hope in Pansa by the Kalends of January [January 1]? Much nonsense [leros polys] amid the wine and the sleep of those fellows.
About the 230 [thousand sesterces], excellent. Let young Cicero's [Cicero's son, studying at Athens] accounts be sorted out. For Ovius has just arrived. He brings much that I could wish for, among it this, which is no bad news either: that if he has a sufficient 80,000 sesterces it is enough, abundantly so in fact, but that Xeno furnishes it very meagerly and stintingly [glischros] -- that is, in dribs and drabs. The surplus you transferred beyond what the rents of the apartment blocks bring in -- let that be charged to the year in which the cost of the journey was added. From the Kalends of April [April 1] onward let it be adjusted up to 80,000 sesterces. For now there is only the rental from the blocks. We must see what is needed when he is at Rome. For I do not think that mother-in-law of his is to be put up with. I had refused Pindarus over the Cumae villa.
Now hear the reason for which I have sent the letter-carrier. My son Quintus promises me he will be a Cato. Both the father and the son have urged me to pledge as much to you -- but on the understanding that you believe it only when you yourself have seen it. I shall give him a letter drawn up to his own liking. Do not let it sway you. I have written this letter to the opposite effect, so that you would not think me swayed. May the gods grant that he does what he promises! For the joy would be shared by all. But as for me -- I say nothing more. He leaves here on the seventh day before the Ides [July 9]. For he says the assignment of money falls on the Ides [July 15], but that he himself is hard pressed. From my letter you will judge how to answer. More when I have both seen Brutus and am sending Eros back. I accept my dear Attica's apology, and I love her dearly for it; my greetings to her, and to Pilia.
On the 7th of Quinctilis I arrived at Puteoli, and I am writing this on the following day as I am crossing to Brutus at Nesis. The day I arrived Eros brought me your letter as I was dining. Is it really so? The 9th of July? Heaven confound them! But I could go on cursing all day. Could they have insulted Brutus worse than with their July? So I must fall back on my old cry, "How long, O Lord?" I have never seen anything like that. But what, pray, is this I hear about the land-grabbers being cut to pieces at Buthrotum? And why has Plancus been on the run, as they tell me he has, day and night? I am very eager to know what it means. I am glad my departure is approved; I must see whether my staying may be approved too. That the people of Dyme, now they have been expelled from their land, should take to piracy is no wonder. There may be some safeguard in having Brutus as a fellow-passenger, but I think his vessels are small. I shall know soon and will tell you to-morrow. I think the report about Ventidius is a false alarm. It is held pretty certain that Sextus is laying down his arms; and, if that is so, it looks as though we should be reduced to slavery without even a civil war. What
hope have we, then? In Pansa, when he enters office? There is nothing but midsummer madness in their drunken dreams.
About the £2,000: well done! Put my son's affairs straight. For Ovius has just come, and brings much satisfactory news; among other things, what is no bad hearing, that £700 is enough, quite enough, but that Xeno treats him very sparingly and niggardly. The excess over the rental of the town houses that your bill of exchange cost, may be reckoned to the year, in which there was the additional expense of the journey. From the 1st of April on let him have up to £800, for that is the rent of the city property now. Some sort of provision must be made for him when he comes to Rome. For I don't think he could endure that woman as a mother-in-law. I refused Pindarus' offer for the villa at Cumae. Now let me tell you why I have sent a messenger. Young Quintus is promising to be as prim as a puritan: and both he and his father have begged me to go bail to you for him, but on the condition that you only believe it when you see it. I shall give him a letter according to his fancy, but don't take any notice of it. I am writing now to prevent you from thinking that I do. God grant he keeps his promise. It would be a satisfaction to everybody. But I—I won't say any more. He is leaving on the 9th. For he says there is some money to be paid over on the 15th, but that he is very hard pressed. You will judge from my letter how to answer. More when I have seen Brutus and am sending Eros back. I accept dear Attica's apology and send her my best love. Give my regards to her and Pilia.
Nonis Quintilibus veni in Puteolanum. postridie iens ad Brutum in Nesidem haec scripsi. sed eo die quo veneram cenanti Eros tuas litteras. itane? NONIS IVLIIS? di hercule istis! sed stomachari totum diem licet. quicquamne turpius quam Bruto IVLIIS? redeo ad meum igitur ' e)/t' e)w=men ;' nihil vidi. [2] sed quid est, quaeso, quod agripetas Buthroti concisos audio? quid autem Plancus tam cursim (ita enim inaudiebam) diem et noctem? sane cupio scire quid sit. [3] meam profectionem laudari gaudeo. videndum est ut mansio laudetur. Dymaeos agro pulsos mare infestum habere nil mirum. )En o(moploi/a? Bruti videtur aliquid praesidi esse, sed, opinor, minuta navigia. sed iam sciam et ad te cras. [4] de Ventidio paniko\n puto. de Sexto pro certo habebatur ad arma. quod si verum est, sine bello civili video serviendum. quid ergo? <ad> Kal. Ian. in Pansa spes? Lh=roj polu\j in vino et in somno istorum. [5] de c_c_x_ optime. Ciceronis rationes explicentur. Ovius enim recens. is multa quae vellem, in iis ne hoc quidem malum in mandatis si habunde HS L_X_X_I_I_ satis esse, adfatim prorsus, sed Xenonem perexigue et gli/sxrwj praebere [id est minutatim]. quod plus permutasti quam ad fructum insularum, id ille annus habeat in quem itineris sumptus accessit. hinc ex Kal. Apr. ad HS L_x_x_x_ accommodetur. nunc enim insulae tantum. videndum enim est quid, cum Romae erit. non enim puto socrum illam ferendam. Pindaro de Cumano negaram. [6] nunc cuius rei causa tabellarium miserim accipe. Quintus filius mihi pollicetur se Catonem. egit autem et pater et filius ut tibi sponderem sed ita ut tum crederes cum ipse cognosses. huic ego litteras ipsius arbitratu dabo. eae te ne moverint. has scripsi in eam partem ne me motum putares. di faxint ut faciat ea quae promittit! commune enim gaudium. sed ego--nihil dico amplius. is hinc vii Idus. ait enim attributionem in Idus, se autem urgeri acriter. tu ex meis litteris quo modo respondeas moderabere. plura, cum et Brutum videro et Erotem remittam. Atticae meae excusationem accipio eamque amo plurimum; cui et Piliae salutem.
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On the Nones of Quintilis [July 7] I arrived at my place at Puteoli. The next day, on my way to Brutus on Nesis, I wrote this. But on the very day I arrived, while I was at dinner, Eros brought me your letter. Is it really so? On the Nones of JULY [July 7]? By Hercules, the gods confound those men! But one could fume about it the whole day long. Could anything be more disgraceful than insulting Brutus with their JULY? So I fall back on my old cry, 'et' eomen?' [How long?] I have never seen the like.
But what is this, I ask you, that I hear about the land-grabbers being cut to pieces at Buthrotum? And why has Plancus been rushing about so fast (for that is the rumor I caught) day and night? I truly long to know what it is.
I am glad my departure is approved. The thing to watch is whether my staying may be approved as well. That the people of Dyme, driven from their land, are now making the sea unsafe is no wonder. 'En homoploia?' [As a fellow-voyager?] There seems to be some protection in Brutus, but, I suppose, only small vessels. But I shall soon know, and will write to you tomorrow.
About Ventidius I think it is a panic [panikon]. About Sextus it was held for certain that he was taking up arms. And if that is true, I see that we must serve as slaves even without a civil war. What then? Is there hope in Pansa by the Kalends of January [January 1]? Much nonsense [leros polys] amid the wine and the sleep of those fellows.
About the 230 [thousand sesterces], excellent. Let young Cicero's [Cicero's son, studying at Athens] accounts be sorted out. For Ovius has just arrived. He brings much that I could wish for, among it this, which is no bad news either: that if he has a sufficient 80,000 sesterces it is enough, abundantly so in fact, but that Xeno furnishes it very meagerly and stintingly [glischros] -- that is, in dribs and drabs. The surplus you transferred beyond what the rents of the apartment blocks bring in -- let that be charged to the year in which the cost of the journey was added. From the Kalends of April [April 1] onward let it be adjusted up to 80,000 sesterces. For now there is only the rental from the blocks. We must see what is needed when he is at Rome. For I do not think that mother-in-law of his is to be put up with. I had refused Pindarus over the Cumae villa.
Now hear the reason for which I have sent the letter-carrier. My son Quintus promises me he will be a Cato. Both the father and the son have urged me to pledge as much to you -- but on the understanding that you believe it only when you yourself have seen it. I shall give him a letter drawn up to his own liking. Do not let it sway you. I have written this letter to the opposite effect, so that you would not think me swayed. May the gods grant that he does what he promises! For the joy would be shared by all. But as for me -- I say nothing more. He leaves here on the seventh day before the Ides [July 9]. For he says the assignment of money falls on the Ides [July 15], but that he himself is hard pressed. From my letter you will judge how to answer. More when I have both seen Brutus and am sending Eros back. I accept my dear Attica's apology, and I love her dearly for it; my greetings to her, and to Pilia.
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
Nonis Quintilibus veni in Puteolanum. postridie iens ad Brutum in Nesidem haec scripsi. sed eo die quo veneram cenanti Eros tuas litteras. itane? NONIS IVLIIS? di hercule istis! sed stomachari totum diem licet. quicquamne turpius quam Bruto IVLIIS? redeo ad meum igitur ' e)/t' e)w=men ;' nihil vidi. [2] sed quid est, quaeso, quod agripetas Buthroti concisos audio? quid autem Plancus tam cursim (ita enim inaudiebam) diem et noctem? sane cupio scire quid sit. [3] meam profectionem laudari gaudeo. videndum est ut mansio laudetur. Dymaeos agro pulsos mare infestum habere nil mirum. )En o(moploi/a? Bruti videtur aliquid praesidi esse, sed, opinor, minuta navigia. sed iam sciam et ad te cras. [4] de Ventidio paniko\n puto. de Sexto pro certo habebatur ad arma. quod si verum est, sine bello civili video serviendum. quid ergo? <ad> Kal. Ian. in Pansa spes? Lh=roj polu\j in vino et in somno istorum. [5] de c_c_x_ optime. Ciceronis rationes explicentur. Ovius enim recens. is multa quae vellem, in iis ne hoc quidem malum in mandatis si habunde HS L_X_X_I_I_ satis esse, adfatim prorsus, sed Xenonem perexigue et gli/sxrwj praebere [id est minutatim]. quod plus permutasti quam ad fructum insularum, id ille annus habeat in quem itineris sumptus accessit. hinc ex Kal. Apr. ad HS L_x_x_x_ accommodetur. nunc enim insulae tantum. videndum enim est quid, cum Romae erit. non enim puto socrum illam ferendam. Pindaro de Cumano negaram. [6] nunc cuius rei causa tabellarium miserim accipe. Quintus filius mihi pollicetur se Catonem. egit autem et pater et filius ut tibi sponderem sed ita ut tum crederes cum ipse cognosses. huic ego litteras ipsius arbitratu dabo. eae te ne moverint. has scripsi in eam partem ne me motum putares. di faxint ut faciat ea quae promittit! commune enim gaudium. sed ego--nihil dico amplius. is hinc vii Idus. ait enim attributionem in Idus, se autem urgeri acriter. tu ex meis litteris quo modo respondeas moderabere. plura, cum et Brutum videro et Erotem remittam. Atticae meae excusationem accipio eamque amo plurimum; cui et Piliae salutem.