§15.4.1ix K. H. x fere a Q. Fufio venit tabellarius.
On May 24th, at about the tenth hour, a messenger came from Quintus Fufius.
nescio quid ab eo litterularum, uti me sibi restituerem; sane insulse, ut solet, nisi forte, quae non ames omnia videntur insulse fieri.
He brought some brief letter or other from him, asking that I would restore myself to his favor; in a very silly manner indeed, as is his wont—unless perhaps everything that one does not like seems silly.
scripsi ita ut te probaturum existimo.
I replied in such a way as I think you will approve.
mihi duas a te epistulas reddidit, unam xi, alteram x.
He delivered two letters to me from you, one dated the twenty-second, the other the twenty-third.
ad recentiorem prius †et leniorem† laudo;
First, to the more recent letter.
si vero etiam Carfulenus,
"ἄνω. "
Antoni consilia narras turbulenta.
I praise you; but if indeed Carfulenus also is on his side, then things are "upside down." You describe Antony's turbulent plans.
atque utinam potius per populum agat quam per senatum! quod quidem ita credo.
And would that he would act through the people rather than through the senate! Which indeed is what I believe.
sed mihi totum eius consilium ad bellum spectare videtur, si quidem D. Bruto provincia eripitur.
But his entire plan seems to me to aim at war, if indeed the province is being snatched from Decimus Brutus.
quoquo modo ego de illius nervis existimo, non videtur fieri posse sine bello.
In whatever way I judge his resources, it does not seem possible to happen without war.
sed non cupio, quoniam cavetur Buthrotiis.
But I do not desire it, since the interests of the Buthrotians are secured.
rides? †aps condoleo† non mea potius adsiduitate, diligentia, gratia perfici.
Are you laughing? †But I am grieved† that this is not being accomplished rather by my persistence, diligence, and influence.
§15.4.2quod scribis te nescire quid nostris faciendum sit, iam pridem me illa ἀπορία sollicitat.
As to your writing that you do not know what our friends should do, that same difficulty has long been troubling me.
itaque stulta iam Iduum Martiarum est consolatio.
Therefore, the consolation of the Ides of March is by now a foolish one.
animis enim usi sumus virilibus, consiliis, mihi crede, puerilibus.
For we showed the courage of men, but, believe me, the planning of children.
excisa enim est arbor, non evulsa.
For the tree has been cut down, not torn up by the roots.
itaque quam fruticetur vides.
And so you see how it is sprouting.
redeamus igitur, quoniam saepe usurpas, ad Tusculanas disputationes.
Let us return then, since you often quote them, to the Tusculan Disputations.
Saufeium de te celemus; ego numquam indicabo.
Let us keep Saufeius in the dark about you; I shall never betray you.
quod te a Bruto scribis, ut certior fieret quo die in Tusculanum essem venturus, ut ad te ante scripsi, vi Kal. , et quidem ibi te quam primum per videre velim.
As to your writing that you were asked by Brutus to let him know on which day I would be coming to my Tusculan villa, as I wrote to you before, it will be on May 27th, and indeed I should like very much to see you there as soon as possible.
puto enim nobis Lanuvium eundum et quidem non sine multo sermone.
For I think we must go to Lanuvium, and indeed not without much discussion.
sed μελήσει. §15.4.3redeo ad superiorem.
But "that will be cared for." I return to your earlier letter.
ex qua praetereo illa prima de Buthrotiis; quae
"mihi sunt inclusa medullis,"
sit modo, ut scribis, locus agendi.
From which I pass over those first points about the Buthrotians; which "are deep in my marrow," if only, as you write, there is an opportunity to act.
de oratione Bruti prorsus contendis quom iterum tam multis verbis agis.
Concerning the speech of Brutus, you are absolutely persistent when you discuss it again with so many words.
egone ut eam causam quam is scripsit? ego scribam non rogatus ab eo? nulla παρεγχείρησισ fieri potest contumeliosior.
Am I to write on the same cause that he has already written? Am I to write without being asked by him? No "interference" could be more insulting.
"at"
inquis
"Ἡρακλείδειον aliquod. "
non recuso id quidem, sed et componendum argumentum est et scribendi exspectandum tempus maturius.
"But," you say, "some Heraclidian work." I do not refuse that indeed, but a plot must be composed, and a riper time for writing must be waited for.
licet enim de me ut libet existimes (velim quidem quam optime), si haec ita manant ut videntur (feres quod dicam), me Idus Martiae non delectant.
For you may think of me as you please (though I would wish it to be as favorably as possible), if things are flowing in this direction as they seem to be (you will bear what I am going to say), the Ides of March do not delight me.
ille enim numquam revertisset, nos timor confirmare eius acta non coegisset, aut, ut in Saufei eam relinquamque Tusculanas disputationes ad quas tu etiam Vestorium hortaris, ita gratiosi eramus apud illum (quem di mortuum perduint!) ut nostrae aetati, quoniam interfecto domino liberi non sumus, non fuerit dominus ille fugiendus.
For he would never have returned, nor would fear have forced us to confirm his acts; or, to side with Saufeius and leave the Tusculan Disputations to which you also exhort Vestorius, we were in such favor with him (whom may the gods ruin even in death!) that for one of my age, since we are not free even after our master has been slain, that master was not one to be fled from.
rubeo, mihi crede, sed iam scripseram; delere nolui.
I blush, believe me, but I had already written it; I did not want to erase it.
§15.4.4de Menedemo vellem verum fuisset, de regina velim verum sit.
Concerning Menedemus, I wish it had been true; concerning the Queen, I hope it is true.
cetera coram, et maxime quid nostris faciendum sit, quid etiam nobis, si Antonius militibus obsessurus est senatum.
The rest in person, and especially what our friends must do, and indeed what we must do, if Antony is going to blockade the senate with soldiers.
hanc epistulam si illius tabellario dedissem, veritus sum ne solveret.
If I had given this letter to his messenger, I was afraid he might open it.
itaque misi dedita.
Therefore I sent it by a special messenger.
erat enim rescribendum tuis.
For I had to reply to yours.