§13.13.1commotus tuis litteris, quod ad me de Varrone scripseras, totam Academiam ab hominibus nobilissimis abstuli, transtuli ad nostrum sodalem et ex duobus libris contuli in quattuor.
Moved by your letter, what you wrote to me about Varro, I have taken the whole 'Academia' away from those most noble men and transferred it to our comrade, and from two books I have rearranged it into four.
grandiores sunt omnino quam erant illi sed tamen multa detracta.
They are on the whole larger than those were, but nevertheless many things have been removed.
tu autem mihi pervelim scribas qui intellexeris illum velle; illud vero utique scire cupio quem intellexeris ab eo ζηλοτυπεῖσθαι nisi forte Brutum.
But I would very much like you to write to me how you understood that he wishes it; and indeed I especially desire to know whom you understood to be envied by him, unless perchance it is Brutus.
id hercle restabat! sed tamen scire pervelim.
By Hercules, that was indeed what was left! But still, I would very much like to know.
libri quidem ita exierunt nisi forte me communis φιλαυτία decipit, ut in tali genere ne apud Graecos quidem simile quicquam.
These books have indeed turned out so well, unless perchance the common self-love deceives me, that in such a genre there is nothing like them even among the Greeks.
tu illam iacturam feres aequo animo quod illa quae habes frustra descripta sunt.
You will bear that loss with an equal mind, that those copies you have were transcribed in vain.
multo tamen haec erunt splendidiora, breviora, meliora.
Yet these will be much more splendid, shorter, and better.
§13.13.2nunc autem ἀπορῶ quo me vertam.
But now I am at a loss which way to turn.
volo Dolabellae valde desideranti; non reperio quid, et simul
"αἰδέομαι Τρῶασ"
neque, si aliquid, potero μέμψιν effugere.
I wish to give something to Dolabella, who desires it greatly; I do not find what, and at the same time 'I fear the Trojans', nor, if I do write something, shall I be able to escape blame.
aut cessandum igitur aut aliquid excogitandum.
Therefore, I must either remain quiet or think of something.
sed quid haec levia curamus?
But why do we trouble ourselves with these trifles?
§13.13.3Attica mea, obsecro te, quid agit? quae me valde angit.
My Attica, I beseech you, how is she doing? She causes me great anxiety.
sed crebro regusto tuas litteras; in his acquiesco.
But I repeatedly reread your letters; in these I find rest.
tamen exspecto novas.
Yet I await new ones.
§13.13.4Brinni libertus coheres noster scripsit ad me velle, si mihi placeret, coheredes se et Sabinum Albium ad me venire.
The freedman of Brinnius, our co-heir, wrote to me that he wishes, if it should please me, for himself and Sabinus Albius, his co-heirs, to come to me.
id ego plane nolo.
I plainly do not want that.
hereditas tanti non est.
The inheritance is not worth so much.
et tamen obire auctionis diem facile poterunt (est enim iii Idus), si me in Tusculano postridie Nonas mane convenerint.
And yet, they will easily be able to meet the day of the auction (for it is three days before the Ides), if they meet me in the Tusculan villa on the morning after the Nones.
quod si laxius volent proferre diem, poterunt vel biduum vel triduum vel ut videbitur; nihil enim interest.
But if they wish to postpone the day further, they will be able to do so for either two or three days, or as it shall seem best; for it makes no difference.
qua re nisi iam profecti sunt, retinebis homines.
Therefore, unless they have already set out, you will detain the men.
de Bruto, si quid egerit, de Caesare, si quid scies, si quid erit praeterea scribes.
About Brutus, if he has done anything, about Caesar, if you know anything, and if there is anything else, you will write.