§15.2.1xv Kal. e Sinuessano proficiscens cum dedissem ad te litteras devertissemque †acutius† in Vescino accepi a tabellario tuas litteras; in quibus nimis multa de Buthroto.
On the fifteenth day before the Kalends, as I was setting out from my Sinuessan villa, having dispatched a letter to you, and when I had turned aside †acutius† in the Vescinum, I received your letter from the tabellarius; in which there was too much about Buthrotum.
non enim tibi ea res maiori curae aut est aut erit quam mihi.
For that matter is not, nor will be, of greater concern to you than to me.
sic enim decet te mea curare, tua me.
For it is fitting that you care for my affairs, and I for yours.
quam ob rem id quidem sic susceptum est mihi ut nihil sim habiturus antiquius.
Therefore, that matter has been so taken up by me that I shall hold nothing more important.
§15.2.2L. Antonium contionatum esse cognovi tuis litteris et aliis sordide; sed id quale fuerit nescio; nihil enim scripti.
I learned from your letter and others' that Lucius Antonius made a speech in a disgraceful manner; but what kind of speech it was, I do not know, for there is no copy of it.
de Menedemo probe.
Excellent about Menedemus.
Quintus certe ea dictitat quae scribis.
Quintus certainly keeps saying those things which you write.
consilium meum a te probari quod ea non scribam quae tu a me postularis facile patior, multoque magis id probabis, si orationem eam de qua hodie ad te scripsi legeris.
I am well pleased that my decision is approved by you, because I do not write those things which you demanded of me, and you will approve of it much more if you read that speech of which I wrote to you today.
quae de legionibus scribis, ea vera sunt.
What you write about the legions is true.
sed non satis hoc mihi videris tibi persuasisse qui de Buthrotiis nostris per senatum speres confici posse † quod puto.
But you do not seem to me to have sufficiently persuaded yourself of this, since you hope that a settlement can be accomplished for our Buthrotians through the senate. †As far as I think.
tantum† enim video, non videmur esse victuri, sed, ut iam nos hoc fallat, de Buthroto te non fallet.
For I see only this†, that we do not seem likely to survive. But, even if this expectation should deceive us now, you will not be deceived about Buthrotum.
§15.2.3de Octavi contione idem sentio quod tu, ludorumque eius apparatus et Matius ac Postumus mihi procuratores non placent; Saserna conlega dignus.
Regarding the speech of Octavius, I feel the same as you do, and the preparation of his games and their managers, Matius and Postumus, do not please me; Saserna is a worthy colleague for them.
sed isti omnes, quem ad modum sentis, non minus otium timent quam nos arma.
But all those men, just as you feel, fear peace no less than we fear war.
Balbum levari invidia per nos velim, sed ne ipse quidem id fieri posse confidit.
I should wish Balbus to be relieved of unpopularity through us, but not even he himself is confident that this can be done.
itaque alia cogitat.
Therefore, he is thinking of other things.
§15.2.4quod prima disputatio Tusculana te confirmat sane gaudeo; neque enim ullum est perfugium aut melius aut paratius.
I am indeed glad that the first Tusculan disputation strengthens you; for there is no refuge either better or more ready.
Flamma quod bene loquitur non moleste fero.
I do not take it amiss that Flamma speaks promisingly.
Tyndaritanorum causa, de qua causa laborat, quae sit ignoro.
What the cause of the Tyndaritans is, for which cause he is working, I do not know.
hos tamen πεντέλοιπον movere ista videntur in primis erogatio pecuniae.
Yet, it seems that what most disturbs them, †the remaining ones†, is especially the paying out of money.
de Alexione doleo, sed quoniam inciderat in tam gravem morbum, bene actum cum illo arbitror.
I grieve about Alexio, but since he had fallen into so severe an illness, I think it went well with him.
quos tamen secundos heredes scire velim et diem testamenti.
Still, I should like to know who the second heirs are, and the date of the testament.