Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. 56 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome/Athens|AI-assisted
Your letter could not have come at a better moment. It greatly relieved my anxiety about dear young Quintus. Chaerippus had arrived two hours earlier with nothing but monstrous rumors.
As for what you write about Apollonius, may the gods confound him. A Greek goes bankrupt and thinks he has the same privileges as Roman knights. Terentius, of course, was within his rights. About Metellus, let us not speak ill of the dead; still, for many years no citizen has died who... As for your money, I will take the risk myself. Why be afraid? Whoever he made his heir, unless it was Publius, he chose a real man, and not a bad one, though Metellus himself was bad enough. So you will not have to unlock your cashbox over this, and in other cases you will be more cautious.
Please see to my instructions about the house, hire guards, and warn Milo. The outcry at Arpinum over Laterium is unbelievable. What can I say? I was distressed, but he paid no attention to my advice. For the rest, keep looking after young Cicero, and love him as you do.
Nothing could be more à propos than your letter, which has relieved me about the dear child Quintus very greatly. Chaerippus had come two hours earlier with the wildest tales. As to your news about Apollonius, confound him! A Greek to go bankrupt and
think he has the same privilege as a Roman knight! For of course Terentius was within his rights. As to Metellus “de mortuis nil nisi bonum,” still for years no citizen has died who——For your money I will go bail. Why should you fear, whoever he has appointed his heir, unless it were Publius? However, he has chosen an heir no worse than himself: so you won’t have to open your coffers over this business, and you will be more careful another time.
You will attend to my instructions about the house, hire some guards and give Milo a hint. There is a tremendous outcry here at Arpinum about Laterium. Of course I am much distressed about it: but “little he recked my rede.” For the rest, look after little Quintus with the affection you always show towards him.
nihil eukairoteron epistula tua quae me sollicitum de Quinto nostro, puero optimo, valde levavit. venerat horis duabus ante Chaerippus, mera monstra nuntiarat. de Apollonio quod scribis, qui illi di irati! homini Graeco qui conturbat atque idem putat sibi licere quod equitibus Romanis. nam Terentius suo iure. de Metello ouch hosie phthimenoisin, sed tamen multis annis civis nemo erat mortuus qui quidem . . . tibi nummi meo periculo sint. quid enim vereris? quemcumque heredem fecit, nisi Publium fecit, virum fecit, non improbe, quamquam fuit ipse. qua re in hoc thecam nummariam non retexeris, in aliis eris cautior. [3] mea mandata de domo curabis, praesidia locabis, Milonem admonebis. Arpinatium fremitus est incredibilis de Laterio. quid quaeris? equidem dolui; ho de ouk empazeto muthon quod superest, etiam puerum Ciceronem curabis et amabis, ut facis.
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Your letter could not have come at a better moment. It greatly relieved my anxiety about dear young Quintus. Chaerippus had arrived two hours earlier with nothing but monstrous rumors.
As for what you write about Apollonius, may the gods confound him. A Greek goes bankrupt and thinks he has the same privileges as Roman knights. Terentius, of course, was within his rights. About Metellus, let us not speak ill of the dead; still, for many years no citizen has died who... As for your money, I will take the risk myself. Why be afraid? Whoever he made his heir, unless it was Publius, he chose a real man, and not a bad one, though Metellus himself was bad enough. So you will not have to unlock your cashbox over this, and in other cases you will be more cautious.
Please see to my instructions about the house, hire guards, and warn Milo. The outcry at Arpinum over Laterium is unbelievable. What can I say? I was distressed, but he paid no attention to my advice. For the rest, keep looking after young Cicero, and love him as you do.
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
nihil eukairoteron epistula tua quae me sollicitum de Quinto nostro, puero optimo, valde levavit. venerat horis duabus ante Chaerippus, mera monstra nuntiarat. de Apollonio quod scribis, qui illi di irati! homini Graeco qui conturbat atque idem putat sibi licere quod equitibus Romanis. nam Terentius suo iure. de Metello ouch hosie phthimenoisin, sed tamen multis annis civis nemo erat mortuus qui quidem . . . tibi nummi meo periculo sint. quid enim vereris? quemcumque heredem fecit, nisi Publium fecit, virum fecit, non improbe, quamquam fuit ipse. qua re in hoc thecam nummariam non retexeris, in aliis eris cautior. [3] mea mandata de domo curabis, praesidia locabis, Milonem admonebis. Arpinatium fremitus est incredibilis de Laterio. quid quaeris? equidem dolui; ho de ouk empazeto muthon quod superest, etiam puerum Ciceronem curabis et amabis, ut facis.