Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. 43 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome/Athens|AI-assisted
I have come to know that you are very devoted to our friend Atticus, and indeed so attached to me that, by Hercules, I reckon I have few people who are as attentive and as fond of me as you are. For to the great, longstanding, and well-founded ties of duty I inherited from your father, your goodwill toward me, and mine toward you, equal and reciprocal, have added a great increase.
[2] The affair of the Buthrotians [the people of Buthrotum, a town in Epirus] is not unknown to you, for I have often discussed the matter with you and laid the whole business out for you; it has unfolded in this way. As soon as we saw that the territory of Buthrotum had been put up for confiscation, Atticus, much disturbed, drew up a memorandum. He gave it to me to deliver to Caesar, since I was to dine with him that day. I handed that memorandum to Caesar. He approved the case and wrote back to Atticus that his demand was fair, but he warned that they should pay the balance of the Buthrotian money by the appointed day.
[3] Atticus, wishing to see the community preserved, paid out the money from his own funds. When this had been done, we went to Caesar, spoke on behalf of the Buthrotians, and obtained a most generous decree, which was sealed by men of the highest rank. After all this had been done, I used to be amazed that Caesar tolerated the men who had set their hearts on the Buthrotian land coming to an arrangement, and not only tolerated it but even put you in charge of the matter. And so I both spoke with him -- indeed more than once, so much so that I was even taken to task by him for having too little faith in his own steadfastness -- and he told both Marcus Messalla and Atticus himself not to worry, and he openly showed that he did not wish to offend the feelings of those then present (for he was, as you knew, a man who courted popular favor); but once they had crossed the sea, he would see to it that they were resettled onto other land.
[4] This was while he was alive. But after Caesar's death, as soon as the consuls, in accordance with the decree of the Senate, began to examine the cases, the matters I have written of above were laid before them. They approved the case without any hesitation and said they would send a letter to you. But I, my dear Plancus, though I did not doubt that the decree of the Senate, the law, the consuls' decree, and their letter would carry the greatest weight with you, and though I had understood that you yourself wished it for Atticus's own sake, nonetheless, in view of our bond and mutual goodwill, took it upon myself to ask of you the very thing that your singular kindness and most agreeable character would have granted of their own accord. And that is this: that what I know for certain you will do of your own accord, you should do, for the sake of the honor it does me, gladly, generously, and quickly.
[5] No one is dearer to me than Atticus, none more delightful, none more cherished. Previously only his property was at stake -- and a great property it is -- but now his reputation has also come into play, so that what he has achieved by great effort and influence, both while Caesar was alive and after his death, he may now secure with your help. If this is obtained from you, I should like you to understand that I shall interpret your generosity in such a way that I judge myself bound by the greatest of favors from you. As for what I shall judge to be your wish and to be in your interest, I shall attend to it eagerly and carefully. Take care to keep well.
I have learned that our friend Atticus holds you in great esteem, and that you for your part have such regard for me that, by Hercules, I consider few people to be as attentive and affectionate toward me as you. For to the great and longstanding ties of duty between your father and me, you have added your own goodwill, which I value highly. [2] I therefore ask you most earnestly to take up the cause of the Buthrotians, which is also the cause of Atticus. You know the situation; you know what justice requires. I need not lay out the details, for your own good judgment will tell you what is right. I shall consider it a personal favor of the greatest kind.
Attici nostri te valde studiosum esse cognovi, mei vero ita cupidum ut me hercule paucos aeque observantis atque amantis me habere existimem. ad paternas enim magnas et veteres et iustas necessitudines magnam attulit accessionem tua voluntas erga me meaque erga te par atque mutua. [2] Buthrotia tibi causa ignota non est. egi enim saepe de ea re tecum tibique totam rem demonstravi, quae est acta hoc modo. ut primum Buthrotium agrum proscriptum vidimus, commotus Atticus libellum composuit. Eum mihi dedit ut darem Caesari; eram enim cenaturus apud eum illo die. Eum libellum Caesari dedi. probavit causam, rescripsit Attico aequa eum postulare, admonuit tamen ut pecuniam reliquam Buthrotii ad diem solverent. [3] Atticus qui civitatem conservatam cuperet pecuniam numeravit de suo. quod cum esset factum, adiimus ad Caesarem, verba fecimus pro Buthrotiis, liberalissimum decretum abstulimus; quod est obsignatum ab amplissimis viris. quae cum essent acta, mirari e quidem solebam pati Caesarem convenire eos qui agrum Buthrotium concupissent, neque solum pati sed etiam ei negotio te praeficere. itaque et ego cum illo locutus sum et saepius quidem, ut etiam accusarer ab eo quod parum constantiae suae confiderem, et M. Messallae et ipsi Attico dixit ut sine cura essent aperteque ostendebat se praesentium animos (erat enim popularis, ut noras) offendere nolle; cum autem mare transissent, curaturum se ut in alium agrum deducerentur. [4] haec illo vivo. post interitum autem Caesaris, ut primum ex senatus consulto causas consules cognoscere instituerunt, haec quae supra scripsi ad eos delata sunt. probaverunt causam sine ulla dubitatione seque ad te litteras daturos esse dixerunt. ego autem, mi Plance, etsi non dubitabam quin et senatus consultum et lex et consulum decretum ac litterae apud te plurimum auctoritatis haberent teque ipsius Attici causa velle intellexeram, tamen hoc pro coniunctione et benevolentia nostra mihi sumpsi ut id a te peterem quod tua singularis humanitas suavissimique mores a te essent impetraturi. id autem est ut hoc quod te tua sponte facturum esse certo scio honoris nostri causa libenter, prolixe, celeriter facias. [5] mihi nemo est amicior nec iucundior nec carior Attico; cuius antea res solum familiaris agebatur eaque magna, nunc accessit etiam existimatio, ut quod consecutus est magna et industria et gratia et vivo Caesare et mortuo id te adiuvante obtineat. quod si a te erit impetratum, sic velim existimes me de tua liberalitate ita interpretaturum ut tuo summo beneficio me adfectum iudicem. ego quae te velle quaeque ad. te pertinere arbitrabor studiose diligenterque curabo. da operam ut valeas.
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I have come to know that you are very devoted to our friend Atticus, and indeed so attached to me that, by Hercules, I reckon I have few people who are as attentive and as fond of me as you are. For to the great, longstanding, and well-founded ties of duty I inherited from your father, your goodwill toward me, and mine toward you, equal and reciprocal, have added a great increase.
[2] The affair of the Buthrotians [the people of Buthrotum, a town in Epirus] is not unknown to you, for I have often discussed the matter with you and laid the whole business out for you; it has unfolded in this way. As soon as we saw that the territory of Buthrotum had been put up for confiscation, Atticus, much disturbed, drew up a memorandum. He gave it to me to deliver to Caesar, since I was to dine with him that day. I handed that memorandum to Caesar. He approved the case and wrote back to Atticus that his demand was fair, but he warned that they should pay the balance of the Buthrotian money by the appointed day.
[3] Atticus, wishing to see the community preserved, paid out the money from his own funds. When this had been done, we went to Caesar, spoke on behalf of the Buthrotians, and obtained a most generous decree, which was sealed by men of the highest rank. After all this had been done, I used to be amazed that Caesar tolerated the men who had set their hearts on the Buthrotian land coming to an arrangement, and not only tolerated it but even put you in charge of the matter. And so I both spoke with him -- indeed more than once, so much so that I was even taken to task by him for having too little faith in his own steadfastness -- and he told both Marcus Messalla and Atticus himself not to worry, and he openly showed that he did not wish to offend the feelings of those then present (for he was, as you knew, a man who courted popular favor); but once they had crossed the sea, he would see to it that they were resettled onto other land.
[4] This was while he was alive. But after Caesar's death, as soon as the consuls, in accordance with the decree of the Senate, began to examine the cases, the matters I have written of above were laid before them. They approved the case without any hesitation and said they would send a letter to you. But I, my dear Plancus, though I did not doubt that the decree of the Senate, the law, the consuls' decree, and their letter would carry the greatest weight with you, and though I had understood that you yourself wished it for Atticus's own sake, nonetheless, in view of our bond and mutual goodwill, took it upon myself to ask of you the very thing that your singular kindness and most agreeable character would have granted of their own accord. And that is this: that what I know for certain you will do of your own accord, you should do, for the sake of the honor it does me, gladly, generously, and quickly.
[5] No one is dearer to me than Atticus, none more delightful, none more cherished. Previously only his property was at stake -- and a great property it is -- but now his reputation has also come into play, so that what he has achieved by great effort and influence, both while Caesar was alive and after his death, he may now secure with your help. If this is obtained from you, I should like you to understand that I shall interpret your generosity in such a way that I judge myself bound by the greatest of favors from you. As for what I shall judge to be your wish and to be in your interest, I shall attend to it eagerly and carefully. Take care to keep well.
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
Attici nostri te valde studiosum esse cognovi, mei vero ita cupidum ut me hercule paucos aeque observantis atque amantis me habere existimem. ad paternas enim magnas et veteres et iustas necessitudines magnam attulit accessionem tua voluntas erga me meaque erga te par atque mutua. [2] Buthrotia tibi causa ignota non est. egi enim saepe de ea re tecum tibique totam rem demonstravi, quae est acta hoc modo. ut primum Buthrotium agrum proscriptum vidimus, commotus Atticus libellum composuit. Eum mihi dedit ut darem Caesari; eram enim cenaturus apud eum illo die. Eum libellum Caesari dedi. probavit causam, rescripsit Attico aequa eum postulare, admonuit tamen ut pecuniam reliquam Buthrotii ad diem solverent. [3] Atticus qui civitatem conservatam cuperet pecuniam numeravit de suo. quod cum esset factum, adiimus ad Caesarem, verba fecimus pro Buthrotiis, liberalissimum decretum abstulimus; quod est obsignatum ab amplissimis viris. quae cum essent acta, mirari e quidem solebam pati Caesarem convenire eos qui agrum Buthrotium concupissent, neque solum pati sed etiam ei negotio te praeficere. itaque et ego cum illo locutus sum et saepius quidem, ut etiam accusarer ab eo quod parum constantiae suae confiderem, et M. Messallae et ipsi Attico dixit ut sine cura essent aperteque ostendebat se praesentium animos (erat enim popularis, ut noras) offendere nolle; cum autem mare transissent, curaturum se ut in alium agrum deducerentur. [4] haec illo vivo. post interitum autem Caesaris, ut primum ex senatus consulto causas consules cognoscere instituerunt, haec quae supra scripsi ad eos delata sunt. probaverunt causam sine ulla dubitatione seque ad te litteras daturos esse dixerunt. ego autem, mi Plance, etsi non dubitabam quin et senatus consultum et lex et consulum decretum ac litterae apud te plurimum auctoritatis haberent teque ipsius Attici causa velle intellexeram, tamen hoc pro coniunctione et benevolentia nostra mihi sumpsi ut id a te peterem quod tua singularis humanitas suavissimique mores a te essent impetraturi. id autem est ut hoc quod te tua sponte facturum esse certo scio honoris nostri causa libenter, prolixe, celeriter facias. [5] mihi nemo est amicior nec iucundior nec carior Attico; cuius antea res solum familiaris agebatur eaque magna, nunc accessit etiam existimatio, ut quod consecutus est magna et industria et gratia et vivo Caesare et mortuo id te adiuvante obtineat. quod si a te erit impetratum, sic velim existimes me de tua liberalitate ita interpretaturum ut tuo summo beneficio me adfectum iudicem. ego quae te velle quaeque ad. te pertinere arbitrabor studiose diligenterque curabo. da operam ut valeas.