§2.9.1primum tibi, ut debeo, gratulor laetorque cum praesenti tum etiam sperata tua dignitate, serius non neglegentia mea, sed ignoratione rerum omnium; in iis enim sum locis, quo et propter longinquitatem et propter latrocinia tardissime omnia perferuntur.
First of all, as I ought, I congratulate you and rejoice in your dignity, both present and also hoped-for, later not from my negligence, but from my ignorance of all affairs; for I am in those places where, both because of the distance and because of the robberies, everything is brought most slowly.
et cum gratulor tum vero quibus verbis tibi gratias agam non reperio, quod ita factus sis, ut dederis nobis, quem ad modum scripseras ad me, quem semper ridere possemus.
And while I congratulate you, I really do not find with what words to thank you, because you have been so made (elected) that you have given to us, just as you had written to me, someone whom we could always laugh at.
itaque, cum primum audivi, ego ille ipse factus sum (scis quem dicam) egique omnis illos adulescentis, quos ille iactitat.
Therefore, as soon as I heard it, I became that very man (you know whom I mean) and played all those young men whom he boasts of.
§2.9.2difficile est loqui; te autem contemplans absentem et quasi tecum coram loquerer:
"
non édepol, quantam rem égeris neque quántum facinus féceris; "
quod quia praeter opinionem mihi acciderat, referebam me ad illud:
"
Íncredibile hoc fáctu obicitur; "
repente vero
"incessi omnibus laetitiis laetus. "
in quo cum obiurgarer, quod nimio gaudio paene desiperem, ita me defendebam
"
Égo voluptatem ánimi nimiam—. "
It is difficult to speak; but contemplating you in your absence and as if I were speaking with you face to face: "By Edepol, what a great thing you have done, and what a great deed you have accomplished!" Because this had happened to me contrary to my expectation, I referred myself to that: "An incredible thing to be done is presented;" but suddenly "I walked on, joyful with all joys." When I was reproved in this, because I almost lost my mind with excessive joy, I defended myself thus: "I, the excessive pleasure of the mind—" What more?
§2.9.3quid quaeris? dum illum rideo, paene sum factus ille.
While I laugh at him, I have almost become him.
sed haec pluribus multaque alia et de te et ad te, quom primum ero aliquid nactus oti.
But of these things more at length, and many other things both about you and to you, as soon as I have found some leisure.
te vero, mi Rufe, diligo, quem mihi fortuna dedit amplificatorem dignitatis meae, ultorem non modo inimicorum sed etiam invidorum meorum, ut eos partim scelerum suorum, partim etiam ineptiarum paeniteret.
But indeed, my Rufus, I love you, whom fortune has given to me as the promoter of my dignity, the avenger not only of my enemies but also of those who envy me, so that they might repent, partly of their crimes, partly also of their follies.