§7.18.1accepi a te aliquot epistulas uno tempore, quas tu diversis temporibus dederas.
I received several letters from you at one time, which you had sent at different times.
in quibus me cetera delectarunt significabant enim te istam militiam iam firmo animo ferre et esse fortem virum et constantem;
In these, other things pleased me; for they indicated that you are now bearing that military service of yours with a firm mind and that you are a brave and steadfast man.
quae ego paulisper in te ita desideravi non imbecillitate animi tui sed magis ut desiderio nostri te aestuare putarem.
I missed these qualities in you for a little while, not because of any weakness of your mind, but rather because I thought you were burning with longing for us.
qua re perge, ut coepisti; forti animo istam tolera militiam.
Therefore, proceed as you have begun; bear that military service of yours with a firm mind.
multa, mihi crede, adsequere; ego enim renovabo commendationem, sed tempore.
Believe me, you will achieve much; for I will renew my recommendation, but at the proper time.
sic habeto, non tibi maiori esse curae ut iste tuus a me discessus quam fructuosissimus tibi sit, quam mihi.
Rest assured of this: that your departure from me should be as fruitful as possible for you is no greater concern to you than it is to me.
itaque quoniam vestrae cautiones infirmae sunt,. Graeculam tibi misi cautionem chirographi mei.
Therefore, since your guarantees are weak, [...] I have sent you a little Greek guarantee in my own handwriting.
tu me velim de ratione Gallici belli certiorem facias; ego enim ignavissimo cuique maximam fidem habeo. §7.18.2sed ut ad epistulas tuas redeam, cetera belle; illud miror: quis solet eodem exemplo pluris dare, qui sua manu scribit? nam quod in palimpsesto, laudo equidem parsimoniam;
I should like you to keep me informed about the plan of the Gallic war; for I have the greatest confidence in all the most cowardly. But to return to your letters, other things are fine; but I wonder at this: who, writing with his own hand, is accustomed to send several copies of the same letter?
sed miror quid in illa chartula fuerit quod delere malueris quam non haec scribere nisi forte tuas formulas; non enim puto te meas epistulas delere ut reponas tuas.
For as to its being on a palimpsest, I certainly praise your economy; but I wonder what was on that little sheet of paper which you preferred to erase rather than not write these things, unless perhaps it was your legal formulas; for I do not think you erase my letters to replace them with your own.
an hoc significas, nihil fieri, frigere te, ne chartam quidem tibi suppeditare? iam ista tua culpa est, qui verecundiam tecum extuleris et non hic nobiscum reliqueris. §7.18.3ego te Balbo, cum ad vos proficiscetur, more Romano commendabo.
Or do you mean by this that nothing is going on, that you are left out in the cold, and that not even paper is supplied to you? This is already your own fault, since you took your modesty away with you and did not leave it here with us. I will recommend you to Balbus, when he sets out for your place, in the Roman fashion.
tu si intervallum longius erit mearum litterarum ne sis admiratus; eram enim afuturus mense Aprili.
Do not wonder if there is a longer interval in my letters; for I am to be away in the month of April.
has litteras scripsi in Pomptino, cum ad villam M. Aemili Philemonis devertissem, ex qua iam audieram fremitum clientium meorum, quos quidem tu mihi conciliasti; nam Ulubris honoris mei causa vim maximam ranunculorum se commosse constabat.
I wrote this letter in the Pomptine territory, having turned aside to the villa of Marcus Aemilius Philemon, from which I had already heard the noise of my clients, whom you indeed won over for me; for it was well known that at Ulubrae a vast number of little frogs had stirred themselves for the sake of my honor.
cura ut valeas.
Take care of your health.
VI id. April. de Pomptino. §7.18.4epistulam tuam, quam accepi ab L. Arruntio, conscidi innocentem;
April 8, from the Pomptine territory. Your letter, which I received from Lucius Arruntius, I tore up, innocent though it was; for it contained nothing that might not have been read properly even in a public assembly.
nihil enim habebat quod non vel in contione recte legi posset. sed et Arruntius ita te mandasse aiebat et tu adscripseras.
But both Arruntius said that you had so commissioned him, and you had added it in a postscript.
verum illud esto; nihil te ad me postea scripsisse demiror, praesertim tam novis rebus.
However, let that be; I wonder that you have written nothing to me since, especially in such novel circumstances.