§14.13.1septimo denique die litterae mihi redditae sunt quae erant a te xiii Kal. datae; quibus quaeris atque etiam me ipsum nescire arbitraris utrum magis tumulis prospectuque an ambulatione ἁλιτενεῖ delecter.
At last, on the seventh day, a letter was delivered to me which had been sent by you on the thirteenth day before the Kalends; in which you ask and even think that I myself do not know whether I am more delighted by the hills and the view or by the seaside walk.
est me hercule, ut dicis, utriusque loci tanta amoenitas ut dubitem utra anteponenda sit.
By Hercules, as you say, the pleasantness of both places is so great that I doubt which is to be preferred.
"
a)ll' ou) daito\s e)phra/tou e)/rga me/mhlen,
a)lla\ li/hn me/ga ph=ma, diotrefe/s, ei)soro/wntes
dei/dimen: e)n doih=| de\ sawse/men h)\ a)pole/sqai.
"But our concern is not with the works of the delightful feast, but rather we, Zeus-nurtured one, look upon a very great ruin and are afraid; and we are in doubt whether we shall be saved or perish.
" §14.13.2quamvis enim tu magna et mihi iucunda scripseris de D. Bruti adventu ad suas legiones in quo spem maximam video, tamen si est bellum civile futurum (quod certe erit si Sextus in armis permanebit, quem permansurum esse certo scio), quid nobis faciendum sit ignoro.
"For although you have written great and pleasant things to me about D. Brutus's arrival at his legions, in which I see the greatest hope, nevertheless, if there is to be a civil war (which there certainly will be if Sextus remains in arms, as I know for certain he will), I do not know what we must do.
neque enim iam licebit quod Caesaris bello licuit neque huc neque illuc.
For it will no longer be permitted, as was permitted in Caesar's war, to go neither this way nor that.
quemcumque enim haec pars perditorum laetatum Caesaris morte putabit (laetitiam autem apertissime tulimus omnes), hunc in hostium numero habebit; quae res ad caedem maximam spectat.
For whichever person this party of destroyers thinks has rejoiced at Caesar's death (and indeed we all showed our joy most openly), they will hold him in the number of enemies; which thing points toward a very great slaughter.
restat ut in castra Sexti aut, si forte, Bruti nos conferamus.
It remains that we betake ourselves to the camp of Sextus, or, if it happens, of Brutus.
res odiosa et aliena nostris aetatibus et incerto exitu, et nescio quo pacto tibi ego possum, mihi tu dicere,
"
τέκνον ἐμόν, οὔ τοι δέδοται πολεμήια ἔργα,
ἀλλὰ σύ γ' ἱμερόεντα μετέρχεο ἔργα λόγοιο
"
An unpleasant matter, alien to our age, and of uncertain outcome, and somehow I can say to you, and you to me, "My child, the works of war have not been given to you, but do you pursue the delightful works of speech.
§14.13.3sed haec fors viderit, ea quae talibus in rebus plus quam ratio potest.
"But let chance see to this, which in such matters can do more than reason.
nos autem id videamus quod in nobis ipsis esse debet, ut quicquid accideret fortiter et sapienter feramus et accidisse hominibus meminerimus, nosque cum multum litterae tum non minimum Idus quoque Martiae consolentur.
Let us, however, see to that which ought to be in ourselves, that we may bear whatever happens bravely and wisely, and remember that it has happened to human beings; and let both literature greatly and not least the Ides of March console us.
§14.13.4suscipe nunc meam deliberationem qua sollicitor.
Now undertake my deliberation by which I am troubled.
ita multa veniunt in mentem in utramque partem.
So many things come to mind on both sides.
proficiscor, ut constitueram, legatus in Graeciam: caedis impendentis periculum non nihil vitare videor sed casurus in aliquam vituperationem quod rei publicae defuerim tam gravi tempore.
I am setting out, as I had determined, as a legate to Greece: I seem to avoid the danger of impending slaughter somewhat, but I shall fall into some censure because I failed the republic at so grave a time.
sin autem mansero, fore me quidem video in discrimine sed accidere posse suspicor ut prodesse possim rei publicae.
But if I remain, I see indeed that I shall be in danger, but I suspect it can happen that I may be of use to the republic.
iam illa consilia privata sunt, quod sentio valde esse utile ad confirmationem Ciceronis me illuc venire; nec alia causa profectionis mihi ulla fuit tum cum consilium cepi legari a Caesare.
Now those plans are private: I feel that it is very useful for the confirmation of Cicero that I come there; nor was there any other cause for my departure at the time when I took the counsel to be made a legate by Caesar.
tota igitur hac de re, ut soles, si quid ad me pertinere putas, cogitabis.
Therefore, on this whole matter, as you are accustomed, if you think anything pertains to me, you will reflect.
§14.13.5redeo nunc ad epistulam tuam.
I return now to your letter.
scribis enim esse rumores me ad lacum quod habeo venditurum, minusculam vero villam Quinto traditurum vel impenso pretio, quo introducatur, ut tibi Quintus filius dixerit, dotata Aquilia.
For you write that there are rumors that I am going to sell what I have near the lake, and indeed transfer the tiny villa to Quintus, even at a high price, so that, as young Quintus told you, Aquilia, well-endowed, may be introduced.
ego vero de venditione nihil cogito nisi quid quod magis me delectet invenero.
But I think nothing of selling unless I find something that delights me more.
Quintus autem de emendo nihil curat hoc tempore.
Quintus, however, cares nothing about buying at this time.
satis enim torquetur debitione dotis in qua mirificas Q. Egnatio gratias agit;
For he is sufficiently tortured by the debt of the dowry, in which he gives wonderful thanks to Q.
a ducenda autem uxore sic abhorret ut libero lectulo neget esse quicquam iucundius.
Egnatius; and he is so averse to taking a wife that he says nothing is more pleasant than an empty bed.
sed haec quoque hactenus.
But these things also thus far.
§14.13.6redeo enim ad miseram seu nullam potius rem publicam.
For I return to the wretched, or rather nonexistent, republic.
M. Antonius ad me scripsit de restitutione Sex.
M.
Clodi;
Antonius wrote to me about the restoration of Sex.
quam honorifice, quod ad me attinet, ex ipsius litteris cognosces (misi enim tibi exemplum), quam dissolute, quam turpiter quamque ita perniciose ut non numquam Caesar desiderandus esse videatur facile existimabis.
Clodius; how honorably, as far as it pertains to me, you will know from his own letter (for I have sent you a copy), and how dissolutely, how shamefully, and how ruinously, so that sometimes Caesar seems to be missed, you will easily judge.
quae enim Caesar numquam neque fecisset neque passus esset, ea nunc ex falsis eius commentariis proferuntur.
For those things which Caesar would never have done nor permitted are now brought forward from his false memorandum-books.
ego autem Antonio facillimum me praebui.
But I showed myself very easy to Antonius.
etenim ille, quoniam semel induxit animum sibi licere quod vellet, fecisset nihilo minus me invito.
For indeed, since he once persuaded himself that whatever he wanted was permitted to him, he would have done it nonetheless against my will.
itaque mearum quoque litterarum misi tibi exemplum.
Therefore, I have sent you a copy of my letter too.