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Cicero · Letters to Atticus §14.17.1-14.17.6

Arrival at Pompeii and News on Current Affairs

Passage 402 of 461 · Latin

Summary

Cicero arrives at his Pompeian villa, receives Atticus's letter, and reports on his plans, the possibility of meeting Antony, the situations of young Quintus and his own son Cicero, and the progress of his unpublished book.

§14.17.1in Pompeianum veni v Nonas Maias, cum pridie, ut antea ad te scripsi, Piliam in Cumano conlocavissem.
I arrived at my Pompeian villa on the third of May, having the day before, as I wrote to you previously, settled Pilia in my Cuman villa.
ibi mihi cenanti litterae tuae sunt redditae quas dederas Demetrio liberto pr. Kal. ;
There, while I was dining, your letter was delivered to me, which you had given to the freedman Demetrius on the day before the Kalends.
in quibus multa sapienter, sed tamen talia, quem ad modum tute scribebas, ut omne consilium in fortuna positum videretur.
In it there were many wise remarks, but yet of such a kind, as you yourself wrote, that all counsel seemed to depend on fortune.
itaque his de rebus ex tempore et coram.
Therefore, we shall discuss these matters as the occasion arises and in person.
§14.17.2de Buthrotio negotio utinam quidem Antonium conveniam! multum profecto proficiam.
As to the Buthrotian business, would that I might meet Antonius! I should certainly make great progress.
sed non arbitrantur eum a Capua declinaturum; quo quidem metuo ne magno rei publicae malo venerit.
But people do not think that he will turn aside from Capua; and indeed I fear that his going there may turn out to be a great evil for the republic.
quod idem L. Caesari videbatur quem pridie Neapoli adfectum graviter videram.
The same seemed true to Lucius Caesar, whom I had seen the day before in Naples, seriously ill.
quam ob rem ista nobis ad Kal. Iunias tractanda et perficienda sunt.
Therefore, we must handle and finish those matters before the Kalends of June.
sed hactenus.
But so far on this.
§14.17.3Quintus filius ad patrem acerbissimas litteras misit quae sunt ei redditae cum venissemus in Pompeianum.
Young Quintus has sent a most bitter letter to his father, which was delivered to him when we arrived at the Pompeian villa.
quarum tamen erat caput Aquiliam novercam non esse laturum.
The main point of it, however, was that he would not tolerate his stepmother Aquilia.
sed hoc tolerabile fortasse, illud vero, se a Caesare habuisse omnia, nihil a patre, reliqua sperare ab Antonio—o perditum hominem! sed μελήσει.
But this is perhaps tolerable; that other thing, however—that he had everything from Caesar, nothing from his father, and expected the rest from Antonius—oh, what a ruined man! But this will be cared for.
§14.17.4ad Brutum nostrum, ad Cassium, ad Dolabellam epistulas scripsi.
I have written letters to our Brutus, to Cassius, and to Dolabella.
earum exempla tibi misi, non ut deliberarem reddendaene essent.
I have sent copies of them to you, not for the purpose of deliberating whether they should be delivered.
plane enim iudico esse reddendas, quod non dubito quin tu idem existimaturus sis.
For I clearly judge that they should be delivered, because I do not doubt that you will think the same.
§14.17.5Ciceroni meo, mi Attice, suppeditabis quantum videbitur meque hoc tibi onus imponere patiere.
My dear Atticus, you will supply my Cicero with as much as shall seem fit, and you will allow me to impose this burden upon you.
quae adhuc fecisti mihi sunt gratissima.
What you have done so far is most pleasing to me.
§14.17.6librum meum illum ἀνέκδοτον nondum, ut volui, perpolivi; ista vero quae tu contexi vis aliud quoddam separatum volumen exspectant.
I have not yet, as I wished, polished that unpublished book of mine; indeed, those things which you wish me to weave into it await some other separate volume.
ego autem, credas mihi velim, minore periculo existimo contra illas nefarias partis vivo tyranno dici potuisse quam mortuo.
But I—and I would have you believe me—think that those nefarious parties could have been spoken against with less danger while the tyrant was alive than now that he is dead.
ille enim nescio quo pacto ferebat me quidem mirabiliter; nunc quacumque nos commovimus, ad Caesaris non modo acta verum etiam cogitata revocamur.
For he, somehow or other, bore with me in a wonderful manner; now, whichever way we move, we are recalled not only to Caesar's acts but even to his thoughts.
de Montano, quoniam Flamma venit, videbis.
As for Montanus, since Flamma has arrived, you will see to it.
puto rem meliore loco esse debere.
I think the matter ought to be in a better position.

Notes

  1. §14.17.1v Nonas Maias — Abbreviation for ante diem quintum Nonas Maias (the fifth day before the Nonae of May, counting inclusively, which corresponds to May 3rd).
  2. §14.17.1talia... ut omne consilium in fortuna positum videretur — A consecutive clause introduced by ut depending on the demonstrative adjective talia ("such... that all counsel seemed...").
  3. §14.17.2ne magno rei publicae malo venerit — A fear clause introduced by ne after the verb of fearing metuo. venerit is the perfect subjunctive of venio with Antonius as the implied subject. magno malo (to the great detriment) functions as a dative of purpose/result (or ablative of manner/accompaniment).
  4. §14.17.6vivo tyranno — Ablative absolute of the noun-adjective type ("while the tyrant was alive"). The subsequent mortuo is an elliptical expression for mortuo tyranno ("when the tyrant was dead").

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Atticus §14.17.1-14.17.6. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi057.humanitext-lat1:14.17.1-14.17.6

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