§13.21.1ad Hirtium dederam epistulam sane grandem quam scripseram proxime in Tusculano.
I have sent a very long letter to Hirtius which I wrote recently in my Tusculan villa.
huic quam tu mihi misisti rescribam alias.
To this one which you sent me, I will reply at another time.
§13.21.2nunc alia malo.
Now I prefer other matters.
quid possum de Torquato, nisi aliquid a Dolabella? quod simul ac, continuo scietis.
What can I do about Torquatus, unless something comes from Dolabella? As soon as that happens, you shall know immediately.
exspectabam hodie aut summum cras ab eo tabellarios; qui simul ac venerint, mittentur ad te.
I am expecting letter-carriers from him today or at the latest tomorrow; as soon as they arrive, they will be sent to you.
a Quinto exspecto.
I am expecting news from Quintus.
proficiscens enim e Tusculano viii Kal. , ut scis, misi ad eum tabellarios.
For when departing from my Tusculan villa on the eighth day before the Kalends, as you know, I sent letter-carriers to him.
§13.21.3nunc ad rem ut redeam,
"inhibere"
illud tuum, quod valde mihi adriserat, vehementer displicet.
Now to return to the matter, that "inhibere" of yours, which had pleased me very much, displeases me vehemently.
est enim verbum totum nauticum.
For it is an entirely nautical word.
quamquam id quidem sciebam sed arbitrabar sustineri remos cum inhibere essent remiges iussi. id non esse eius modi didici heri cum ad villam nostram navis appelleretur.
Although indeed I knew that, I thought that the oars were held still when the rowers were ordered "inhibere." I learned yesterday that it is not of this kind, when a ship was bringing to at my villa.
non enim sustinent sed alio modo remigant.
For they do not hold still, but row in another way.
id ab ἐποχῇ remotissimum est. qua re facies ut ita sit in libro quem ad modum fuit.
This is very far removed from "ἐποχή." Therefore, you will see to it that it remains in the book just as it was.
dices hoc idem Varroni, si forte mutavit.
You will say this same thing to Varro, if by chance he has changed it.
nec est melius quicquam quam ut Lucilius,
"sustineas currum ut bonus saepe agitator equosque. "
semperque Carneades προβολὴν pugilis et retentionem aurigae similem facit ἐποχῇ. inhibitio autem remigum motum habet et vehementiorem quidem remigationis navem convertentis ad puppim.
Nor is there anything better than Lucilius' "as a good driver often holds back his chariot and horses." And Carneades always makes the guard of a boxer and the holding back of a charioteer similar to "ἐποχή." But the "inhibitio" of rowers involves motion, and indeed a more violent motion of rowing to turn the ship to the stern.
vides quanto haec diligentius curem quam aut de rumore aut de Pollione.
You see how much more diligently I care about these things than either about rumor or about Pollio.
§13.21.4de Pansa etiam si quid certius (credo enim palam factum esse), de Critonio, si quid †esset certe ne† de Metello et Balbino.
Also about Pansa, if there is anything more certain (for I believe it has been made public), about Critonius, if there is anything, and certainly about Metellus and Balbinus.