§13.10.1minime miror te et graviter ferre de Marcello et plura vereri periculi genera.
I am not at all surprised that you take the death of Marcellus so heavily and fear more kinds of danger.
quis enim hoc timeret quod neque acciderat antea nec videbatur natura ferre ut accidere posset? omnia igitur metuenda.
For who would have feared this, which had neither happened before nor seemed possible for nature to allow to happen? Everything, therefore, is to be feared.
sed illud παρὰ τὴν ἱστορίαν, tu praesertim, me reliquum consularem.
But that point is contrary to history—especially from you—that I am the only consular left.
quid? tibi Servius quid videtur? quamquam hoc nullam ad partem valet scilicet, mihi praesertim qui non minus bene actum cum illis putem.
What? How does Servius appear to you? Although this is of no account in any direction, of course, especially to me, who think that it has gone no less well with them.
quid enim sumus aut quid esse possumus? domin an foris? quod nisi mihi hoc venisset in mentem scribere ista nescio quae, quo verterem me non haberem.
For what are we, or what can we be? At home or abroad? But if it had not come into my mind to write those whatever-they-are of mine, I should not have known where to turn.
§13.10.2ad Dolabellam, ut scribis, ita puto faciendum, κοινότερα quaedam et πολιτικώτερα.
As to Dolabella, as you write, I think we should do so, writing something of a more general and political nature.
faciendum certe aliquid est; valde enim desiderat.
Something must certainly be done; for he strongly desires it.
§13.10.3Brutus si quid egerit, curabis ut sciam; cui quidem quam primum agendum puto, praesertim si statuit.
If Brutus does anything, you will take care that I know; indeed, I think he ought to act as soon as possible, especially if he has decided.
sermunculum enim omnem aut restinxerit aut sedarit.
For he will have either extinguished or calmed all the gossip.
sunt enim qui loquantur etiam mecum.
For there are some who speak even with me.
sed haec ipse optime, praesertim si etiam tecum loquetur.
But he himself will manage these things best, especially if he also speaks with you.
mihi est in animo proficisci xi Kal.
I intend to set out on the eleventh day before the Kalends.
hic enim nihil habeo quod agam, ne hercule illic quidem nec usquam sed tamen aliquid illic.
For I have nothing to do here—indeed, by Hercules, not there either, nor anywhere, but yet something there.
hodie Spintherem exspecto.
Today I expect Spinther.
misit enim Brutus ad me.
For Brutus has sent to me.
per litteras purgat Caesarem de interitu Marcelli; in quem ne si insidiis quidem ille interfectus esset caderet ulla suspicio.
In his letter he clears Caesar of the death of Marcellus, against whom no suspicion would have fallen even if he had been killed by treachery.
nunc vero cum de Magio constet, nonne furor eius causam omnem sustinet? plane quid sit non intellego.
But now, since the fact about Magius is clear, does not his madness bear the whole blame? I plainly do not understand what it is.
explanabis igitur.
You will therefore explain it.
quamquam nihil habeo quod dubitem nisi ipsi Magio quae fuerit causa amentiae; pro quo quidem etiam sponsor sum factus.
Although I have nothing to doubt except what was the cause of madness to Magius himself, for whom indeed I even became a surety.
et nimirum id fuit.
And no doubt that was it.
solvendo enim non erat.
For he was not solvent.
credo eum petisse a Marcello aliquid et illum, †aut erat†, constantius respondisse.
I believe that he asked something of Marcellus, and that the latter, †aut erat†, answered him somewhat firmly.