§13.8.1Cum et mihi conscius essem quanti te facerem et tuam erga me benevolentiam expertus essem, non dubitavi a te petere, quod mihi petendum esset.
Since I was conscious within myself of how highly I valued you and had experienced your goodwill toward me, I did not hesitate to ask of you what I had to ask.
P. Sestium quanti faciam ipse optime scio, quanti autem facere debeam et tu et omnes homines sciunt.
How highly I value Publius Sestius, I myself know best; but how highly I ought to value him, both you and all men know.
is cum ex aliis te mei studiosissimum esse cognosset, petivit a me ut ad te quam accuratissime scriberem de re C. Albini senatoris, cuius ex filia natus est L. Sestius, optimus adulescens, filius P. Sesti.
When he had learned from others that you were most supportive of me, he asked of me that I write to you as detailedly as possible concerning the matter of Gaius Albinius, a senator, from whose daughter was born Lucius Sestius, a most excellent young man, the son of Publius Sestius.
hoc idcirco scripsi, ut intellegeres non solum me pro P. Sestio laborare debere, sed Sestium etiam pro Albinio.
I wrote this for this reason, so that you might understand that not only ought I to work for Publius Sestius, but Sestius also for Albinius.
§13.8.2res 'autem est haec: A M. Laberio C. Albinius praedia in aestimationem accepit, quae praedia Laberius emerat a Caesare de bonis Plotianis.
Now the matter is this: Gaius Albinius received from Marcus Laberius estates in legal valuation, which estates Laberius had bought from Caesar from the Plautian property.
ea si dicam non esse e re p. dividi, docere te videar, non rogare.
If I should say that it is not to the interest of the state for those estates to be divided, I would seem to be instructing you, not asking.
sed tamen cum Caesar Sullanas venditiones et adsignationes ratas esse velit, quo firmiores existimentur suae, si ea praedia dividentur quae ipse Caesar vendidit, quae tandem in eius venditionibus esse poterit auctoritas? sed hoc quale sit tu pro tua prudentia considerabis.
But yet, since Caesar wishes the Sullan sales and assignments to be valid, in order that his own may be thought more secure, if those estates which Caesar himself sold are divided, what authority, pray, can there be in his sales? But what kind of thing this is, you will consider in accordance with your wisdom.
§13.8.3ego te plane rogo atque ita, ut maiore studio, iustiore de causa, magis ex animo rogare nihil possim, ut Albinio parcas, praedia Laberiana ne attingas.
I plainly ask you, and in such a way that I could ask for nothing with greater zeal, for a more just cause, or more from the heart, that you spare Albinius, and do not touch the Laberian estates.
Magna me adfeceris non modo laetitia, sed etiam quodam modo gloria, si P. Sestius homini maxime necessario satis fecerit per me, ut ego illi uni plurimum debeo.
You will have affected me not only with great joy, but also in some way with glory, if Publius Sestius satisfies a man most closely connected to him through me, just as I owe very much to that one man.
quod ut facias te vehementer etiam atque etiam rogo.
That you do this, I strongly ask you again and again.
Maius mihi dare beneficium nullum potes; id mihi intelleges esse gratissimum.
You can grant me no greater favor; you will understand that this is most pleasing to me.