§16.11.1etsi opportunitatem operae tuae omnibus locis desidero, tamen non tam mea quam tua causa doleo te non valere; sed quoniam in quartanam conversa vis est morbi (sic enim scribit Curius), spero te diligentia adhibita iam firmiorem fore;
Although I feel the need of your services on every occasion, yet I am grieved that you are unwell, not so much for my sake as for yours; but since the violence of the disease has turned into a quartan ague (for so Curius writes), I hope that with proper care you will soon be stronger.
modo fac, id quod est humanitatis tuae, ne quid aliud cures hoc tempore nisi ut quam commodissime convalescas.
Only see to it, in keeping with your kindly nature, that you care for nothing else at this time except to recover as comfortably as possible.
non ignoro quantum ex desiderio labores; sed erunt omnia facilia si valebis.
I am not ignorant of how much you suffer from longing for us; but everything will be easy if you are well.
festinare te nolo, ne nauseae molestiam suscipias aeger et periculose hieme naviges.
I do not want you to hurry, lest you suffer the distress of sea-sickness while ill and sail dangerously in winter.
ego ad urbem accessi pr. Non. Ian.
I arrived near the city on January 4 (the day before the Nones of January).
§16.11.2obviam mihi sic est proditum, ut nihil possit fieri ornatius; sed incidi in ipsam flammam civilis discordiae vel potius belli.
I was met by a crowd of people in so honorable a manner that nothing could be more splendid; but I fell into the very flame of civil discord, or rather of war.
cui cum cuperem mederi et, ut arbitror, possem, cupiditates certorum hominum (nam ex utraque parte sunt qui pugnare cupiant) impedimento mihi fuerunt.
Although I wished to heal this and, as I think, was able to do so, the passions of certain men (for on both sides there are those who desire to fight) became an obstacle to me.
omnino et ipse Caesar, amicus noster, minacis ad senatum et acerbas litteras miserat et erat adhuc impudens qui exercitum et provinciam invito senatu teneret, et Curio meus illum incitabat; Antonius quidem noster et Q. Cassius nulla vi expulsi ad Caesarem cum Curione profecti erant, postea quam senatus consulibus, pr. , tr. pl. et nobis, qui pro coss. sumus, negotium dederat ut curaremus ne quid res p. detrimenti caperet.
On the whole, Caesar himself, our friend, had sent threatening and harsh letters to the senate, and was still shameless in holding onto his army and province against the will of the senate, and my dear Curio was egging him on; our friend Antonius indeed and Quintus Cassius, though expelled by no violence, had set out with Curio to Caesar, after the senate had given the charge to the consuls, praetors, tribunes of the plebs, and to us who are proconsuls, to see to it that the republic should suffer no harm.
§16.11.3numquam maiore in periculo civitas fuit, numquam improbi cives habuerunt paratiorem ducem.
Never was the state in greater danger; never did wicked citizens have a leader better prepared.
omnino ex hac quoque parte diligentissime comparatur.
On the whole, most diligent preparations are being made on this side too.
id fit auctoritate et studio Pompei nostri, qui Caesarem sero coepit timere.
This is being done by the authority and zeal of our Pompeius, who began to fear Caesar too late.
nobis inter has turbas senatus tamen frequens flagitavit triumphum; sed Lentulus consul, quo maius suum beneficium faceret, simul atque expedisset quae essent necessaria de re p. dixit se relaturum.
In the midst of these disturbances, the senate, in a crowded house, nevertheless demanded a triumph for us; but the consul Lentulus, in order to make his own favor appear greater, said that as soon as he had dispatched the necessary business concerning the republic, he would bring forward the motion.
nos agimus nihil cupide eoque est nostra pluris auctoritas.
We act in no greedy manner, and for that reason our authority is valued more highly.
Italiae regiones discriptae sunt, quam quisque partem tueretur.
The regions of Italy have been apportioned, as to which part each one should protect.
nos Capuam sumpsimus.
We have taken Capua.
haec te scire volui.
I wanted you to know these things.
tu etiam atque etiam cura ut valeas litterasque ad me mittas, quotienscumque habebis cui des.
Do you, again and again, take care of your health, and send letters to me whenever you have someone to give them to.
etiam atque etiam vale.
Again and again, farewell.
D. pr. Idus Ian.
Given on January 12 (the day before the Ides of January).