§16.8.1cum sciam quo die venturus sim, faciam ut scias.
When I know on what day I shall arrive, I will let you know.
impedimenta exspectanda sunt quae Anagnia veniunt et familia aegra est.
I have to wait for my baggage, which is coming from Anagnia, and my household is sick.
Kal. vesperi litterae mihi ab Octaviano.
On the evening of the Kalends, a letter came to me from Octavian.
magna molitur.
He is planning great things.
veteranos qui sunt Casilini et Calatiae perduxit ad suam sententiam.
He has won over to his side the veterans who are at Casilinum and Calatia.
nec mirum, quingenos denarios dat.
And no wonder, since he is giving them five hundred denarii apiece.
cogitat reliquas colonias obire.
He intends to visit the rest of the colonies.
plane hoc spectat ut se duce bellum geratur cum Antonio.
Clearly his aim is that war should be waged with Antony under his leadership.
itaque video paucis diebus nos in armis fore.
And so I see that in a few days we shall be in arms.
quem autem sequamur? vide nomen, vide aetatem.
But whom are we to follow? Look at his name, look at his age.
atque a me postulat primum ut clam conloquatur mecum vel Capuae vel non longe a Capua.
And he demands of me, first, that he should have a secret conference with me, either at Capua or not far from Capua.
puerile hoc quidem, si id putat clam fieri posse.
This is indeed childish, if he thinks it can be done secretly.
docui per litteras id nec opus esse nec fieri posse.
I have pointed out to him by letter that this is neither necessary nor possible.
§16.8.2misit ad me Caecinam quendam Volaterranum familiarem suum; qui haec pertulit, Antonium cum legione Alaudarum ad urbem pergere, pecunias municipiis imperare, legionem sub signis ducere.
He sent to me a certain Caecina of Volaterrae, an intimate of his, who brought this news: that Antony is marching toward the city with the legion of the Alaudae, requisitioning money from the municipalities, and leading the legion under its standards.
consultabat utrum Romam cum ciↃ ciↃ ciↃ veteranorum proficisceretur an Capuam teneret et Antonium venientem excluderet an iret ad tris legiones Macedonicas quae iter secundum mare superum faciunt; quas sperat suas esse.
Octavian was consulting whether he should set out for Rome with three thousand veterans, or hold Capua and exclude Antony as he comes, or go to the three Macedonian legions which are marching along the Upper Sea; these he hopes are his.
eae congiarium ab Antonio accipere noluerunt, ut hic quidem narrat, et ei convicium grave fecerunt contionantemque reliquerunt.
They refused to receive a bounty from Antony, as this man at least relates, and heaped heavy abuse on him and left him while he was haranguing them.
quid quaeris? ducem se profitetur nec nos sibi putat deesse oportere.
What more do you want? He professes himself a leader, and does not think we ought to fail him.
equidem suasi ut Romam pergeret.
I indeed advised him to proceed to Rome.
videtur enim mihi et plebeculam urbanam et, si fidem fecerit, etiam bonos viros secum habiturus.
For it seems to me that he will have both the city populace and, if he inspires confidence, even the good citizens with him.
o Brute, ubi es? quantam εὐκαιρίαν amittis! non equidem hoc divinavi sed aliquid tale putavi fore.
O Brutus, where are you? What an opportunity (εὐκαιρίαν) you are losing! I did not indeed foresee this, but I thought something of the kind would happen.
nunc tuum consilium exquiro.
Now I ask for your advice.
Romamne venio an hic maneo an Arpinum (ἀσφάλειαν habet is locus) fugiam? Romam, ne desideremur si quid actum videbitur.
Shall I come to Rome, or remain here, or flee to Arpinum (that place offers safety, ἀσφάλειαν)? To Rome, lest we be missed if any action seems to have been taken.
hoc igitur explica.
Untangle this for me, then.
numquam in maiore ἀπορίᾳ fui.
I was never in greater perplexity (ἀπορίᾳ).