Marcus Tullius Cicero→Lucius Papirius Paetus|c. 45 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome|Human translated
Yesterday I came to Cumae; tomorrow I shall come to you, perhaps, but when I know for certain, I shall give you a little advance notice. Although Marcus Caeparius, when he met me in the Gallinarian forest and I asked what you were doing, told me you were in bed because you were suffering from your feet. I was sorry to hear it, naturally, as I should be, but I have nevertheless decided to come to you, both to see you and to visit you and even to dine with you; for I do not suppose your cook also has arthritis. So expect a guest who is both a very light eater and an enemy of expensive dinners.
DII (Fam. IX, 23) TO L. PAPIRIUS PAETUS (AT NAPLES) CUMAE, 17 NOVEMBER: I ARRIVED yesterday at my Cuman villa, tomorrow I shall perhaps come to see you. But as soon as I know for certain, I will send you word a little beforehand. However, M. Caeparius, who met me on the road at the Gallinarian wood, told me you were in bed with the gout. I was sorry to hear it, as in duty bound; nevertheless, I resolved to come to you, for the sake not only of seeing you and paying you a visit, but even of dining with you: for I don't suppose you have a cook who is gouty also. Expect therefore a guest, who is far from being a gourmet, and is a foe to extravagant dinners.
XXIII. Scr. in Cumano post V. Kal. Intercal. priores a.u.c. 708. CICERO PAETO.
Heri veni in Cumanum; cras ad te fortasse, sed, cum certum sciam, faciam te paullo ante certiorem; etsi M. Caeparius, cum mihi in silva Gallinaria obviam venisset quaesissemque, quid ageres, dixit te in lecto esse, quod ex pedibus laborares; tuli scilicet moleste, ut debui, sed tamen constitui ad te venire, ut et viderem te et viserem et coenarem etiam; non enim arbitror cocum etiam te arthriticum habere. Exspecta igitur hospitem cum minime edacem, tum inimicum coenis sumptuosis.
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Yesterday I came to Cumae; tomorrow I shall come to you, perhaps, but when I know for certain, I shall give you a little advance notice. Although Marcus Caeparius, when he met me in the Gallinarian forest and I asked what you were doing, told me you were in bed because you were suffering from your feet. I was sorry to hear it, naturally, as I should be, but I have nevertheless decided to come to you, both to see you and to visit you and even to dine with you; for I do not suppose your cook also has arthritis. So expect a guest who is both a very light eater and an enemy of expensive dinners.
Human translation - ToposText / Shuckburgh
Latin / Greek Original
XXIII. Scr. in Cumano post V. Kal. Intercal. priores a.u.c. 708. CICERO PAETO.
Heri veni in Cumanum; cras ad te fortasse, sed, cum certum sciam, faciam te paullo ante certiorem; etsi M. Caeparius, cum mihi in silva Gallinaria obviam venisset quaesissemque, quid ageres, dixit te in lecto esse, quod ex pedibus laborares; tuli scilicet moleste, ut debui, sed tamen constitui ad te venire, ut et viderem te et viserem et coenarem etiam; non enim arbitror cocum etiam te arthriticum habere. Exspecta igitur hospitem cum minime edacem, tum inimicum coenis sumptuosis.