§12.23.1putaram te aliquid novi, quod eius modi fuerat initium litterarum,
"quamvis non curarem quid in Hispania fieret,"
tamen te scripturum; sed videlicet meis litteris respondisti ut de foro et de curia.
I had thought you would write something new, since the beginning of your letter was of such a kind: "although I did not care what happened in Spain"; yet you wrote, but apparently you replied to my letter as if about the forum and the senate-house.
sed domus est, ut ais, forum. quid ipsa domo mihi opus est carenti foro? occidimus, occidimus Attice, iam pridem nos quidem, sed nunc fatemur, postea quam unum quo tenebamur amisimus.
But "home is," as you say, "the forum." What need have I of the home itself, when I am deprived of the forum? We have perished, we have perished, Atticus, indeed long ago, but now we confess it, after we lost the single thing by which we were held.
itaque solitudinem sequor et tamen, si qua me res isto adduxerit, enitar, si quo modo potero (potero autem), ut praeter te nemo dolorem meum sentiat, si ullo modo poterit, ne tu quidem.
And so I seek solitude; and yet, if any matter brings me there, I shall strive, if I can in any way (and I shall be able to), so that no one except you perceives my grief, and if it can be done in any way, not even you.
atque etiam illa causa est non veniendi.
And also that is a reason for not coming.
meministi quid ex te Aledius quaesierit.
You remember what Aledius asked you.
qui etiam nunc molesti sunt, quid existimas, si venero?
If they are troublesome even now, what do you think will happen if I come?
§12.23.2de Terentia ita cura ut scribis meque hac ad maximas aegritudines accessione non maxima libera.
As for Terentia, take care of it as you write, and free me from this not greatest addition to my greatest anxieties.
et ut scias me ita dolere ut non iaceam, quibus consulibus Carneades et ea legatio Romam venerit scriptum est in tuo annali.
And so that you may know that I grieve in such a way that I do not lie down prostrate, it is written in your annals in whose consulship Carneades and that embassy came to Rome.
haec nunc quaero quae causa fuerit (de Oropo, opinor, sed certum nescio) et, si ita est, quae controversiae.
I am now inquiring what the cause was (concerning Oropus, I think, but I do not know for certain), and, if it is so, what the controversies were.
praeterea, qui eo tempore nobilis Epicureus fuerit Athenisque praefuerit hortis, qui etiam Athenis πολιτικοὶ fuerint inlustres.
Furthermore, who was the famous Epicurean at that time and was in charge of the Gardens at Athens, and who also were the illustrious politicians at Athens.
quae etiam ex Apollodori puto posse inveniri.
I think these can be found even from the books of Apollodorus.
§12.23.3de Attica molestum, sed quoniam leviter, recte esse confido.
Concerning Attica, it is distressing, but since it is slight, I trust she is doing well.
de Gamala dubium non mihi erat.
Concerning Gamala, I had no doubt.
unde enim tam felix Ligus pater? nam quid de me dicam, cui ut omnia contingant quae volo, levari non possum? de Drusi hortis, quanti licuisse tu scribis, id ego quoque audieram et, ut opinor, heri ad te scripseram; sed quanti quanti bene emitur quod necesse est.
For how could his father Ligus be so fortunate? For what shall I say of myself, who cannot be relieved even if everything I wish should happen to me? Concerning Drusus's gardens, what price you write they were offered for, I too had heard, and, as I think, had written to you yesterday; but whatever the price, that which is necessary is bought well.
mihi, quoquo modo tu existimas scio enim ego ipse quid de me existimem), levatio quaedam est, si minus doloris at offici debiti.
For me, in whatever way you think (for I myself know what I think of myself), there is some relief, if not of grief, yet of a duty owed.
ad Siccam scripsi, quod utitur L. Cotta.
I wrote to Sicca, because he is intimate with L. Cotta.
si nihil conficietur de Transtiberinis, habet in Ostiensi Cotta celeberrimo loco sed pusillum loci, ad hanc rem tamen plus etiam quam satis.
If nothing is settled about the land across the Tiber, Cotta has in the territory of Ostia, in a very busy place, a tiny piece of land, but even more than enough for this purpose.
id velim cogites.
I would like you to think about that.
nec tamen ista pretia hortorum pertimueris.
And yet, do not dread those prices of gardens.
nec mihi iam argento nec veste opus est nec quibusdam amoenis locis; hoc opus est.
I no longer need silver plate, nor clothing, nor certain pleasant places; I need this.
video etiam a quibus adiuvari possim.
I see also by whom I can be helped.
sed loquere cum Silio; nihil enim est melius.
But speak with Silius; for nothing is better.
mandavi etiam Siccae.
I have also commissioned Sicca.
rescripsit constitutum se cum eo habere.
He wrote back that he has an appointment with him.
scribet igitur ad me quid egerit, et tu videbis.
He will therefore write to me what he has done, and you will see to it.