§16.15.1noli putare pigritia me facere quod non mea manu scribam, sed me hercule pigritia.
Do not think that it is because of laziness that I do not write with my own hand, but by Hercules, it is because of laziness!
nihil enim habeo aliud quod dicam.
For I have nothing else to say.
et tamen in tuis quoque epistulis Alexim videor agnoscere.
And yet in your letters too I seem to recognize Alexis.
sed ad rem venio.
But I come to the matter.
ego si me non improbissime Dolabella tractasset, dubitassem fortasse utrum remissior essem an summo iure contenderem.
If Dolabella had not treated me most dishonorably, I would perhaps have hesitated whether to be more lenient or to contend to the full extent of the law.
nunc vero etiam gaudeo mihi causam oblatam in qua et ipse sentiat et reliqui omnes me ab illo abalienatum, idque prae me feram †et quidem me causa facere et rei publicae cui† illum oderim, quod, cum eam me auctore defendere coepisset, non modo deseruerit emptus pecunia sed etiam, quantum in ipso fuerit, everterit.
But now indeed I even rejoice that an opportunity has been offered to me, in which both he himself may feel and all others may see that I am alienated from him, and I shall make no secret of this, †and indeed that I do this for a reason and for the sake of the republic, which† I hate him, because, although he had begun to defend it at my instigation, he not only deserted it, bought with money, but also, as far as was in his power, overthrew it.
quod autem quaeris quo modo agi placeat, cum dies venerit, primum velim eius modi sit ut non alienum sit me Romae esse; de quo ut de ceteris faciam ut tu censueris.
As to what you ask, how it is pleased to proceed when the day comes, first I would wish it to be of such a kind that it would not be out of place for me to be in Rome; concerning which, as concerning other things, I shall act as you advise.
de summa autem agi prorsus vehementer et severe volo.
As for the sum, however, I want it to be proceeded against absolutely vigorously and strictly.
etsi sponsores appellare videtur habere quandam δυσωπίαν, tamen hoc quale sit consideres velim.
Although calling upon the guarantors seems to have a certain embarrassment, yet I would like you to consider what kind of thing this is.
possumus enim, ut sponsores appellemus, procuratorem introducere; neque enim illi litem contestabuntur.
For we can, so as to call upon the guarantors, introduce an agent; for they will not contest the suit.
quo facto non sum nescius sponsores liberari.
By doing which, I am not unaware that the guarantors are released.
sed et illi turpe arbitror eo nomine quod satis dato debeat procuratores eius non dissolvere, et nostrae gravitatis ius nostrum sine summa illius ignominia persequi.
But I think it is both disgraceful to him on that account, because he owes on a secured debt, that his agents do not discharge it, and it belongs to our dignity to pursue our right without his extreme ignominy.
de hoc quid placeat rescribas velim; nec dubito quin hoc totum lenius administraturus sis.
I would like you to write back what you please about this; nor do I doubt that you will administer this whole thing more gently.
§16.15.3redeo ad rem publicam.
I return to the republic.
multa me hercule a te saepe in πολιτικῷ genere prudenter sed his litteris nihil prudentius:
"quamquam enim †postea† in praesentia belle iste puer retundit Antonium, tamen exitum exspectare debemus. "
at quae contio! nam est missa mihi.
By Hercules, many things have often been said by you wisely in the political genre, but nothing wiser than in this letter: "For although at present that boy beautifully checks Antony, yet we must wait for the end." But what a public speech! For it has been sent to me.
iurat ita sibi parentis honores consequi liceat et simul dextram intendit ad statuam.
He swears "so may it be permitted to me to attain my parent's honors" and at the same time stretches out his right hand towards the statue.
μηδὲ σωθείην ὑπό γε τοιούτου! sed, ut scribis, certissimum esse video discrimen Cascae nostri tribunatum, de quo quidem ipso dixi Oppio, cum me hortaretur ut adulescentem totamque causam manumque veteranorum complecterer, me nullo modo facere posse, ni mihi exploratum esset eum non modo non inimicum tyrannoctonis verum etiam amicum fore.
May I not even be saved by such a man! But, as you write, I see that the most certain test will be the tribuneship of our friend Casca, concerning which very thing indeed I told Oppius, when he urged me to embrace the young man and the whole cause and the band of veterans, that I could in no way do so unless it was proven to me that he would be not only not an enemy to the tyrannicides but even a friend.
cum ille diceret ita futurum,
"quid igitur festinamus?"
inquam.
When he said it would be so, I said: "Why then are we hurrying?
"illi enim mea opera ante Kal. Ian. nihil opus est, nos autem eius voluntatem ante Idus Decembr. perspiciemus in Casca. "
valde mihi adsensus est.
For he has no need of my assistance before the Kalends of January, and we shall perceive his goodwill in the case of Casca before the Ides of December." He strongly agreed with me.
quam ob rem haec quidem hactenus.
Therefore, so much for this.
quod reliquum est, cotidie tabellarios habebis et, ut ego arbitror, etiam quod scribas habebis cotidie.
As for what remains, you will have messengers daily, and, as I think, you will also have something to write daily.
Leptae litterarum exemplum tibi misi ex quo mihi videtur Στρατύλλαξ ille deiectus de gradu.
I have sent you a copy of Lepta's letter, from which it seems to me that that Stratyllax has been thrown off his stride.
sed tu, cum legeris, existimabis.
But you, when you have read it, will judge.
§16.15.4obsignata iam epistula litteras a te et a Sexto accepi.
When the letter was already sealed, I received letters from you and from Sextus.
nihil iucundius litteris Sexti, nihil amabilius.
Nothing is more delightful than Sextus's letter, nothing more amiable.
nam tuae breves, priores erant uberrimae.
For yours were brief, though the previous ones were most abundant.
tu quidem et prudenter et amice suades ut in his locis potissimum sim, quoad audiamus haec quae commota sunt quorsus evadant.
You indeed advise both wisely and amiably that I should remain in these places by preference, until we hear what direction these disturbances will take.
§16.15.5sed me, mi Attice, non sane hoc quidem tempore movet res publica, non quo aut sit mihi quicquam carius aut esse debeat sed desperatis etiam Hippocrates vetat adhibere medicinam.
But, my dear Atticus, the republic does not really move me, at least at this time; not because anything is or ought to be dearer to me, but Hippocrates forbids applying medicine to desperate cases.
qua re ista valeant; me res familiaris movet.
Therefore let those things bid farewell; my private affairs move me.
rem dico? immo vero existimatio.
Do I say affairs? Nay, rather my reputation.
cum enim tanta reliqua sint mihi, ne Terentiae quidem adhuc quod solvam expeditum est.
For though I have such large arrears, not even what I should pay to Terentia has yet been procured.
Terentiam dico? scis nos pridem iam constituisse Montani nomine HS x_x_v_ dissolvere.
Do I say Terentia? You know that we decided long ago to pay 25,000 sesterces on account of Montanus.
pudentissime hoc Cicero petierat ut fide sua.
My son had most modestly asked for this, as on his own credit.
liberalissime, ut tibi quoque placuerat, promiseram Erotique dixeram ut sepositum haberet.
I had promised most generously, as you also had approved, and had told Eros to keep it set aside.
non †modo† sed iniquissimo faenore versuram facere Aurelius coactus est.
But not only was it not done, but Aurelius was forced to make a loan at a most disadvantageous rate of interest.
nam de Terentiae nomine Tiro ad me scripsit te dicere nummos a Dolabella fore.
For regarding Terentia's debt, Tiro wrote to me that you said the money would come from Dolabella.
male eum credo intellexisse, si quisquam male intellegit, potius nihil intellexisse.
I believe he understood poorly—if indeed anyone understands poorly, or rather, he understood nothing at all.
tu enim ad me scripsisti Coccei responsum et isdem paene verbis Eros.
For you wrote to me Cocceius's reply, and Eros wrote in almost the same words.
veniendum est igitur vel in ipsam flammam.
I must therefore come even into the very flame.
turpius est enim privatim cadere quam publice.
For it is more disgraceful to fall in private than in public.
itaque ceteris de rebus quas ad me suavissime scripsisti perturbato animo non potui, ut consueram, rescribere. †consenti in hac cura, ubi sum†, ut me expediam; quibus autem rebus venit quidem mihi in mentem sed certi constituere nihil possum prius quam te videro.
And so, with my mind disturbed, I could not write back, as I was accustomed, about the other matters which you wrote so sweetly to me. †Assist me in this care, where I am, so that I may extricate myself†; by what means, indeed, it comes to my mind, but I can resolve nothing for certain before I see you.
qui minus autem ego istic recte esse possim quam est Marcellus? sed non id agitur neque id maxime curo;
But how could I be less safely there than Marcellus is?
quid curem vides.
But that is not the point, nor do I care most about that; you see what I am caring about.
adsum igitur.
I am therefore coming.