§6.10.1ego quanti te faciam semperque fecerim quantique me a te fieri intellexerim, sum mihi ipse testis.
I myself am my own witness of how highly I value you and have always valued you, and how highly I have understood I am valued by you.
nam et consilium tuum vel casus potius diutius in armis civilibus commorandi semper mihi magno dolori fuit, et hic eventus, quod tardius quam est aequum et quam ego vellem reciperas fortunam et dignitatem tuam, mihi non minori curae est quam tibi semper fuerunt casus mei.
For both your decision, or rather misfortune, of remaining longer in the civil war was always a source of great pain to me, and this outcome, in that you recover your fortune and dignity more slowly than is fair and than I could wish, is no less a concern to me than my misfortunes always were to you.
itaque et Postumuleno et Sestio et saepissime Attico nostro proximeque Theudae, liberto tuo, totum me patefeci et haec iis singulis saepe dixi, quacumque re possem, me tibi et liberis tuis satis facere cupere, idque tu ad tuos velim scribas, haec quidem certe, quae in potestate mea sunt, ut operam, consilium, rem, fidem meam sibi ad omnis res paratam putent.
Therefore, both to Postumulenus and to Sestius, and very frequently to our dear Atticus, and most recently to Theudas, your freedman, I have fully revealed myself and have often said to each of them that I desire to satisfy you and your children by whatever means I can, and I would wish you to write this to your family—at least these things, which are in my power—so that they may consider my effort, counsel, resources, and fidelity ready for them in all matters.
§6.10.2si auctoritate et gratia tantum possem quantum in ea re p. , de qua ita meritus sum, posse deberem, tu quoque is esses, qui fuisti, cum omni gradu amplissimo dignissimus tum certe ordinis tui facile princeps.
If I had as much influence and favor as I ought to have in that republic, which I have served so well, you too would be who you were, both most worthy of every highest rank and certainly easily the first of your class.
sed quoniam eodem tempore eademque de causa nostrum uterque cecidit, tibi et illa polliceor quae supra scripsi, quae sunt adhuc mea, et ea quae praeterea videor mihi ex aliqua parte retinere tamquam ex reliquiis pristinae dignitatis.
But since at the same time and for the same cause both of us fell, I promise you both those things which I have written above, which are still mine, and those which, besides, I seem to myself to retain in some part as if from the ruins of my former dignity.
neque enim ipse Caesar, ut multis rebus intellegere potui, est alienus a nobis et omnes fere familiarissimi eius casu devincti magnis meis veteribus officiis me diligenter observant et colunt.
For Caesar himself, as I have been able to understand from many things, is not estranged from us, and almost all of his closest friends, bound to me by chance through my great past services, diligently observe and respect me.
itaque, si qui mihi erit aditus de tuis fortunis, id est de tua incolumitate, in qua sunt omnia, agendi, quod quidem cotidie magis ex eorum sermonibus adducor ut sperem, agam per me ipse et moliar.
Therefore, if there is any opportunity for me to act regarding your fortunes, that is, regarding your safety, in which everything is contained—and indeed I am daily more led to hope this from their conversations—I will act and strive by myself.
§6.10.3singula persequi non est necesse; universum studium meum et benevolentiam ad te defero.
There is no need to pursue details; I offer my entire devotion and goodwill to you.
sed magni mea interest hoc tuos omnis scire, quod tuis litteris fieri potest ut intellegant, omnia Ciceronis patere Trebiano.
But it is of great importance to me that all of your family should know this, which through your letters can be done so that they understand that everything of Cicero is open to Trebianus.
hoc eo pertinet, ut nihil existiment esse tam difficile quod non pro te mihi susceptum iucundum sit futurum.
This is intended to ensure that they think nothing is so difficult that, undertaken for you by me, it will not be pleasant.
§6.10.4antea misissem ad te litteras si genus scribendi invenirem; tali enim tempore aut consolari amicorum est aut polliceri.
I would have sent letters to you before if I could find a kind of writing; for at such a time it is the part of friends either to console or to promise.
consolatione non utebar, quod ex multis audiebam quam fortiter sapienterque ferres iniuriam temporum quamque te vehementer consolaretur conscientia factorum et consiliorum tuorum.
I did not use consolation, because I heard from many how bravely and wisely you were bearing the injustice of the times, and how strongly the consciousness of your deeds and decisions was consoling you.
quod quidem si facis, magnum fructum studiorum optimorum capis, in quibus te semper scio esse versatum, idque ut facias etiam atque etiam te hortor.
If indeed you are doing this, you are reaping a great harvest of the best studies, in which I know you have always been engaged, and I exhort you again and again to do so.
§6.10.5simul et illud tibi, homini peritissimo rerum et exemplorum et omnis vetustatis, ne ipse quidem rudis, sed in studio minus fortasse quam vellem, in rebus atque usu plus etiam quam vellem versatus spondeo, tibi istam acerbitatem et iniuriam non diuturnam fore.
At the same time, to you, a man most experienced in affairs, in examples, and in all antiquity—I myself being indeed not unversed, but perhaps less engaged in study than I could wish, and even more engaged in affairs and experience than I could wish—I promise that that bitterness and injustice of yours will not be long-lasting.
nam et ipse, qui plurimum potest, cotidie mihi delabi ad aequitatem et ad rerum naturam videtur, et ipsa causa ea est, ut iam simul cum re p. quae in perpetuum iacere non potest, necessario revivescat atque recreetur cotidieque aliquid fit lenius et liberalius quam timebamus.
For both he himself, who has the most power, seems to me daily to be sliding toward equity and toward the nature of things, and the cause itself is such that now, together with the republic, which cannot lie prostrate forever, it must necessarily revive and be restored, and daily something is done more mildly and more generously than we feared.
quae quoniam in temporum inclinationibus saepe parvis posita sunt, omnia momenta observabimus neque ullum praetermittemus tui iuvandi et levandi locum.
Since these things are often dependent on small inclinations of the times, we shall watch every moment and omit no opportunity of helping and relieving you.
§6.10.6itaque illud alterum, quod dixi, litterarum genus cotidie mihi, ut spero, fiet proclivius, ut etiam polliceri possim.
Therefore, that second kind of writing, which I mentioned, will daily, as I hope, become easier for me, so that I may even be able to promise.
id re quam verbis faciam libentius.
I will do this more gladly in deed than in words.
tu velim existimes et pluris te amicos habere quam qui in isto casu sint ac fuerint, quantum quidem ego intellegere potuerim, et me concedere eorum nemini.
I would wish you to think both that you have more friends than those who are and have been in that misfortune (at least as far as I have been able to understand), and that I yield to none of them.
fortem fac animum habeas et magnum, quod est in uno te; quae sunt in fortuna, temporibus regentur et consiliis nostris providebuntur.
See that you keep a brave and great spirit, which is in you alone; things which are in fortune will be ruled by the times and will be provided for by our counsels.