§9.8.1etsi munus flagitare, quamvis quis ostenderit, ne populus quidem solet nisi concitatus, tamen ego exspectatione promissi tui moveor ut admoneam te, non ut flagitem.
Although even the public is not accustomed to demand a gift, however much one may have promised it, unless they are excited, yet I am moved by the expectation of your promise to remind you, not to demand it.
misi autem ad te quattuor admonitores non nimis verecundos; nosti enim profecto os illius adulescentioris Academiae.
But I have sent to you four reminders who are not too bashful; for you certainly know the effrontery of that rather young Academy.
ex ea igitur media excitatos misi; qui metuo ne te forte flagitent; ego autem mandavi ut rogarent.
So I have sent them, summoned from the very midst of it; I fear they may perhaps demand it of you; but I myself instructed them to ask.
exspectabam omnino iam diu meque sustinebam, ne ad te prius ipse quid scriberem quam aliquid accepissem, ut possem te remunerari quam simillimo munere; sed cum tu tardius faceres, id est, ut ego interpretor, diligentius, teneri non potui quin coniunctionem studiorum amorisque nostri quo possem litterarum genere declararem.
I was indeed waiting for a long time and restraining myself from writing anything to you myself before I had received something, so that I might be able to repay you with a gift as similar as possible; but since you were acting rather slowly—that is, as I interpret it, more carefully—I could not be restrained from declaring the union of our studies and our love in whatever kind of literature I could.
feci igitur sermonem inter nos habitum in Cumano, cum esset una Pomponius; tibi dedi partis Antiochinas, quas a te probari intellexisse mihi videbar; mihi sumpsi Philonis.
I have therefore composed a conversation held between us at Cuma, when Pomponius was with us; to you I assigned the Antiochian part, which I thought I understood was approved by you; for myself I took Philo's.
puto fore ut, cum legeris, mirere nos id locutos esse inter nos, quod numquam locuti sumus; sed nosti morem dialogorum.
I think that when you read it, you will wonder that we spoke with one another about what we never actually spoke of; but you know the custom of dialogues.
§9.8.2posthac autem, mi Varro, quam plurima, si videtur, et de nobis inter nos, sero fortasse; sed superiorum temporum Fortuna rei p. causam sustineat, haec ipsi praestare debemus.
But hereafter, my dear Varro, let us write as much as possible, if you please, and about ourselves to each other, late perhaps; but let the Fortune of the state bear the responsibility for former times, these things we ourselves must guarantee.
atque utinam quietis temporibus 'atque aliquo, si non bono, at saltem certo statu civitatis haec inter nos studia exercere possemus! quamquam tum quidem vel aliae quaepiam rationes honestas nobis et curas et actiones darent;
And would that we could pursue these studies between us in quiet times and in some state of the republic, if not good, at least stable! Though in that case indeed some other affairs also would give us honorable cares and activities; but now, without these, what reason is there why we should wish to live?
nunc autem quid est sine his cur vivere velimus? mihi vero cum his ipsis vix, his autem detractis ne vix quidem.
To me indeed, even with these very things, life is scarcely possible, but if these are taken away, not even scarcely.
sed haec coram et saepius.
But of these things in person and more often.
migrationem et emptionem feliciter evenire volo tuumque in ea re consilium probo.
I hope your removal and purchase turn out happily, and I approve of your decision in that matter.
cura ut valeas.
Take care of your health.