§12.40.1qualis futura sit Caesaris vituperatio contra laudationem meam perspexi ex eo libro quem Hirtius ad me misit; in quo conligit vitia Catonis sed cum maximis laudibus meis.
I have clearly seen what kind of thing Caesar's censure will be against my panegyric from that book which Hirtius sent to me; in which he collects the faults of Cato, but with the highest praises of me.
itaque misi librum ad Muscam ut tuis librariis daret.
Therefore, I sent the book to Musca so that he might give it to your copyists.
volo enim eum divulgari; quod quo facilius fiat imperabis tuis.
For I want it to be published; and in order that this may be done more easily, you will give orders to your people.
§12.40.2συμβουλευτικὸν saepe conor.
I often try a piece of advisory writing.
nihil reperio et quidem mecum habeo et Ἀριστοτέλουσ et Θεοπόμπου libros πρὸς Ἀλέξανδρον.
I find nothing, and indeed I have with me the books of both Aristotle and Theopompus addressed to Alexander.
sed quid simile? illi et quae ipsis honesta essent scribebant et grata Alexandro.
But what is there similar? They wrote both what was honorable for themselves and what was pleasing to Alexander.
ecquid tu eius modi reperis? mihi quidem nihil in mentem venit.
Do you find anything of that kind? To me indeed nothing comes to mind.
quod scribis te vereri ne et gratia et auctoritas nostra hoc meo maerore minuatur, ego quid homines aut reprehendant aut postulent nescio.
As for your writing that you fear lest our popularity and influence should be diminished by this grief of mine, I do not know what men either find fault with or demand.
ne doleam? qui potest? ne iaceam? quis umquam minus? dum tua me domus levabat, quis a me exclusus? quis venit qui offenderet? Asturam sum a te profectus.
Am I not to grieve? How is that possible? Am I not to be despondent? Who was ever less so? While your house was comforting me, who was excluded by me? Who came who took offense? From you I set out for Astura.
legere isti laeti qui me reprehendunt tam multa non possunt quam ego scripsi.
Those cheerful people who find fault with me cannot read as many things as I have written.
quam bene, nihil ad rem, sed genus scribendi id fuit quod nemo abiecto animo facere posset.
How well, is not to the point, but the kind of writing was such as no one with a dejected mind could produce.
triginta dies in hortis fui.
I was thirty days in my suburban estate.
quis aut congressum meum aut facilitatem sermonis desideravit? nunc ipsum ea lego, ea scribo ut ii qui mecum sunt difficilius otium ferant quam ego laborem.
Who missed either my company or the ease of my conversation? At this very moment, I am reading and writing such things that those who are with me find their leisure harder to bear than I do my labor.
§12.40.3si quis requirit cur Romae non sim: quia discessus est; cur non sim in iis meis praediolis quae sunt huius temporis: quia frequentiam illam non facile ferrem.
If anyone asks why I am not in Rome: because there is a departure; why I am not in those little estates of mine which belong to this season: because I would not easily bear that crowd.
ibi sum igitur ubi is qui optimas Baias habebat quotannis hoc tempus consumere solebat.
I am therefore where he who possessed the finest villas at Baiae was accustomed to spend this season every year.
cum Romam venero, nec vultu nec oratione reprehendar.
When I come to Rome, I shall not be blamed either in look or in speech.
hilaritatem illam qua hanc tristitiam temporum condiebam in perpetuum amisi, constantia et firmitas nec animi nec orationis requiretur.
That cheerfulness with which I used to season this sadness of the times I have lost forever, but constancy and firmness will not be found wanting either in my mind or in my speech.
§12.40.4de hortis Scapulanis hoc videtur effici posse, aliud tua gratia, aliud nostra, ut praeconi subiciantur.
Regarding the gardens of Scapula, it seems that this can be brought about, partly by your influence, partly by ours, that they be put up to auction.
id nisi fit, excludemur.
Unless that is done, we shall be excluded.
sin ad tabulam venimus, vincemus facultates Othonis nostra cupiditate.
But if we come to the auction table, we shall conquer the resources of Otho by our eagerness.
nam quod ad me de Lentulo scribis, non †est in eo†.
For as to what you write to me about Lentulus, it †is not in him†.
Faberiana modo res certa sit tuque enitare, quod facis, quod volumus consequemur.
Provided only the Faberían matter is certain, and you exert yourself, as you are doing, we shall attain what we want.
§12.40.5quod quaeris quam diu hic: paucos dies.
As to your asking how long I shall be here: a few days.
sed certum non habeo.
But I do not hold it for certain.
simul ac constituero, ad te scribam, et tu ad me quam diu in suburbano sis futurus.
As soon as I have decided, I will write to you, and you to me how long you are going to be in your suburban estate.
quo die ego ad te haec misi, de Pilia et Attica mihi quoque eadem quae scribis et scribuntur et nuntiantur.
On the day I sent this to you, the very same things that you write regarding Pilia and Attica are both being written and reported to me as well.