§11.24.1quae dudum ad me et quae etiam †ad me visat† Tulliam de me scripsisti, ea sentio esse vera.
Those things which you wrote to me some time ago, and also what you wrote to me †...† about Tullia concerning myself, I feel to be true.
eo sum miserior, etsi nihil videbatur addi posse, quod mihi non modo irasci gravissima iniuria accepta sed ne dolere quidem impune licet.
On this account I am the more wretched—although it seemed that nothing could be added to my misery—because I am not permitted, without being punished, not only to be angry at receiving a most grievous injury, but not even to grieve.
qua re istuc feramus.
Therefore, let us bear this.
quod cum tulerimus, tamen eadem erunt perpetienda quae tu ne accidant ut caveamus mones.
And when we have borne this, yet we shall have to endure those very same things which you warn us to take care lest they happen.
ea enim est a nobis contracta culpa ut omni statu omnique populo exitum habitura videatur.
For such is the guilt contracted by us that in every state of affairs and with every people it seems destined to have a ruinous end.
§11.24.2sed ad meam manum redeo, erunt enim haec occultius agenda.
But I return to my own handwriting, for these matters will have to be conducted more secretly.
vide, quaeso, etiam nunc de testamento, quod tum factum cum illa †querere† coeperat.
Please look, even now, into the matter of the will, which was made at the time when she began to †complain†.
non, credo, te commovit; neque enim rogavit ne me quidem.
It did not, I believe, trouble you; for indeed she did not make any request, not even of me.
sed quasi ita sit, quoniam in sermonem iam venisti, poteris eam monere ut aliquoi committat cuius extra periculum huius belli fortuna sit.
But as if it were so, since you have already entered into conversation with her, you will be able to advise her to entrust it to someone whose fortune is out of danger of this war.
equidem tibi potissimum velim, si idem illa vellet.
For my part, I should wish it to be you above all, if she were of the same mind.
quam quidem celo miseram me hoc timere.
Indeed, I conceal from that poor woman that I fear this.
de illo altero scio equidem venire nunc nil posse sed seponi et occultari possunt ut extra ruinam sint eam quae impendet.
As to that other matter, I indeed know that nothing can be sold now, but things can be set aside and concealed so that they are clear of the impending ruin.
§11.24.3nam quod scribis nobis nostra et tua et Terentiae fore parata, tua credo, nostra quae poterunt esse? de Terentia autem (mitto cetera quae sunt innumerabilia) quid ad hoc addi potest? scripseras ut HS X_I_I_ permutarem; tantum esse reliquum de argento.
For as to your writing that our resources, yours, and Terentia's will be ready for us: yours I believe; but what can ours be? But as for Terentia (I pass over other things which are innumerable), what can be added to this? You had written that I should arrange a bill of exchange for 12,000 sesterces; that that much was left of the money.
misit illa CCIↃↃ mihi et adscripsit tantum esse reliquum.
She sent me 10,000 sesterces and wrote in addition that this was all that was left.
cum hoc tam parvum de parvo detraxerit, perspicis quid in maxima re fecerit.
Since she has deducted this tiny sum from so small an amount, you can clearly see what she must have done in the matter of the greatest importance.
§11.24.4Philotimus non modo nullus venit sed ne per litteras quidem aut per nuntium certiorem facit me quid egerit.
Philotimus not only does not arrive at all, but does not even by letter or messenger inform me of what he has done.
Epheso qui veniunt ibi se eum de suis controversiis in ius adeuntem vidisse nuntiant; quae quidem (ita enim veri simile est) in adventum Caesaris fortasse reiciuntur.
Those who come from Ephesus report that they saw him going to court there over his own disputes; which indeed—for so it is likely—are perhaps being postponed until the arrival of Caesar.
ita aut nihil puto eum habere quod putet ad me celerius perferendum aut adeo me in malis esse despectum ut, etiam si quid habet, id nisi omnibus suis negotiis confectis ad me referre non curet.
Thus I think either that he has nothing which he considers should be brought to me more quickly, or that I am so despised in my misfortunes that, even if he has something, he does not care to bring it to me until all his own business is finished.
ex quo magnum equidem capio dolorem sed non tantum quantum videor debere.
From which indeed I feel great pain, but not so much as I seem to ought to feel.
nihil enim mea minus interesse puto quam quid illinc adferatur.
For I think nothing concerns me less than what is brought from that quarter.
id quam ob rem te intellegere certo scio.
Why this is so, I know for certain that you understand.
§11.24.5quod me mones de vultu et oratione ad tempus accommodanda, etsi difficile est, tamen imperarem mihi, si mea quicquam interesse putarem.
As to your advising me to adapt my expression and speech to the occasion, although it is difficult, yet I would command myself to do so, if I thought it mattered to me at all.
quod scribis litteris putare Africanum negotium confici posse, vellem scriberes cur ita putares; mihi quidem nihil in mentem venit qua re id putem fieri posse.
As to your writing that you think the African business can be settled by letters, I wish you would write why you think so; to me indeed nothing comes to mind why I should think it can be done.
tu tamen velim, si quid erit quod consolationis aliquid habeat, scribas ad me; sin, ut perspicio, nihil erit, scribas id ipsum.
Yet I would like you, if there is anything that has some consolation, to write to me; but if, as I perceive, there is nothing, write that very fact.
ego ad te, si quid audiero citius, scribam.
I will write to you if I hear anything sooner.
vale.
Farewell.
viii Idus Sextil.
August 6th.