§10.8.6et tamen, mi Attice, auguria quoque me incitant quadam spe non dubia nec haec collegi nostri ab Atto sed illa Platonis de tyrannis.
And yet, my dear Atticus, auguries also urge me on with a certain hope that is not doubtful—and not these of our college, derived from Attus, but those of Plato concerning tyrants.
nullo enim modo posse video stare istum diutius quin ipse per se etiam languentibus nobis concidat, quippe qui florentissimus ac novus vi, vii diebus ipsi illi egenti ac perditae multitudini in odium acerbissimum venerit, qui duarum rerum simulationem tam cito amiserit, mansuetudinis in Metello, divitiarum in aerario.
For I see that it is in no way possible for that fellow to stand any longer without falling of himself, even if we remain inactive, seeing that he, at the very height of his power and newly established, within six or seven days fell into the bitterest hatred of that very needy and desperate multitude itself, and so quickly lost the pretence of two things: of clemency in the case of Metellus, and of riches in the case of the treasury.
iam quibus utatur vel sociis vel ministris? ii provincias, ii rem publicam regent quorum nemo duo menses potuit patrimonium suum gubernare?
Now what allies or agents does he employ? Shall those men rule provinces, those men rule the republic, of whom not one could manage his own patrimony for two months?
§10.8.7non sunt omnia conligenda quae tu acutissime perspicis, sed tamen ea pone ante oculos; iam intelleges id regnum vix semenstre esse posse.
I need not collect all the details which you perceive most acutely, but yet place them before your eyes; you will soon understand that that tyranny can scarcely last six months.
quod si me fefellerit, feram, sicut multi clarissimi homines in re publica excellentes tulerunt, nisi forte me Sardanapalli vicem mori malle censueris quam in exsilio Themistocleo.
But if this deceives me, I will bear it, as many most illustrious men eminent in the republic have borne it, unless perchance you think I would prefer to die in the manner of Sardanapallus rather than in the exile of Themistocles.
qui cum fuisset, ut ait Thucydides, τῶν μὲν παρόντων δι', tamen incidit in eos casus quos vitasset si eum nihil fefellisset.
For he, although he had been, as Thucydides says, 'of present things [the ablest judge]', yet fell into those misfortunes which he would have avoided if nothing had deceived him.
etsi is erat ut ait idem, qui τὸ ἄμεινον καὶ τὸ χεῖρον ἐν τῷ ἀφανεῖ ἔτι ἑώρα μάλιστα, tamen non vidit nec quo modo Lacedaemoniorum nec quo modo suorum civium invidiam effugeret nec quid Artaxerxi polliceretur.
Although he was such a man, as the same writer says, who 'most of all foresaw the better and the worse in what was still unseen', yet he did not see how to escape the hatred of either the Lacedaemonians or his own fellow-citizens, nor what he should promise to Artaxerxes.
non fuisset illa nox tam acerba Africano sapientissimo viro, non tam dirus ille dies Sullanus callidissimo viro C. Mario, si nihil utrumque eorum fefellisset.
That night would not have been so bitter to Africanus, that most wise man, nor that dire Sullan day to C. Marius, that most shrewd man, if nothing had deceived either of them.
nos tamen hoc confirmamus illo augurio quo diximus, nec nos fallit nec aliter accidet. ccorruat iste necesse est aut per adversarios aut ipse per se qui quidem sibi est adversarius unus acerrimus.
We, however, confirm this by that augury of which we spoke, and it does not deceive us, nor will it happen otherwise.That fellow must fall, either by his adversaries or by himself, who indeed is his own single fiercest adversary.
id spero vivis nobis fore; quamquam tempus est nos de illa perpetua iam, non de hac exigua vita cogitare.
I hope that this will happen while we are alive; although it is time for us to think now of that everlasting life, not of this brief one.
sin quid acciderit maturius, haud sane mea multum interfuerit utrum factum videam an futurum esse multo ante viderim.
But if anything should happen prematurely, it will indeed not matter much to me whether I see it done or saw long beforehand that it would be.
quae cum ita sint, non est committendum ut iis paream quos contra me senatus, ne quid res publica detrimenti acciperet, armavit
Since these things are so, I must not commit the error of obeying those against whom the senate armed me, 'lest the republic should receive any harm'.
§10.8.9tibi sunt omnia commendata, quae commendationis meae pro tuo in nos amore non indigent.
Everything is entrusted to you, which indeed, on account of your love for us, does not need my commendation.
nec hercule ego quidem reperio quid scribam; sedeo enim πλουδοκῶν.
And indeed, by Hercules, I do not find what to write; for I sit waiting for a voyage.
etsi nihil umquam tam fuit scribendum quam nihil mihi umquam ex plurimis tuis iucunditatibus gratius accidisse quam quod meam Tulliam suavissime diligentissimeque coluisti.
Although nothing was ever so necessary to write as this: that nothing has ever happened to me, out of your very many kindnesses, more pleasing than that you have cared for my Tullia most sweetly and most diligently.
valde eo ipsa delectata est, ego autem non minus.
She herself was greatly delighted by it, and I no less so.
cuius quidem virtus mirifica.
Indeed, her courage is wonderful.
quo modo illa fert publicam cladem, quo modo domesticas tricas! quantus autem animus in discessu nostro! est στοργή, est summa σύντηξισ.
How she bears the public ruin, how the domestic troubles! And what a spirit she shows in our departure! There is natural affection, there is the greatest sympathy.
tamen nos recte facere et bene audire vult.
Yet she wishes us to do what is right and to be well spoken of.
§10.8.10sed hac super re ne nimis, ne meam ipse συμπάθειαν iam evocem.
But no more on this subject, lest I should now evoke my own emotion.
tu si quid de Hispaniis certius et si quid aliud, dum adsumus, scribes, et ego fortasse discedens dabo ad te aliquid eo etiam magis quod Tullia te non putabat hoc tempore ex Italia.
You, if there is anything more certain about the Spains, and if anything else, while I am still here, will write; and I perhaps, as I depart, will send something to you, all the more because Tullia did not think you were away from Italy at this time.
cum Antonio item est agendum ut cum Curione Melitae me velle esse, huic civili bello nolle interesse.
I must deal with Antonius in the same way as with Curio, to the effect that I wish to be at Malta, and do not wish to take part in this civil war.
eo velim tam facili uti posse et tam bono in me quam Curione.
I could wish to find him as easy and as well-disposed towards me as Curio was.
is ad Misenum vi Nonas venturus aicebatur, id est hodie.
He was said to be coming to Misenum on the 2nd of May, that is, today.
sed praemisit mihi odiosas litteras hoc exemplo:
But he sent on before to me an offensive letter of the following tenor: