§2.5.1cupio equidem et iam pridem cupio Alexandream reliquamque Aegyptum visere et simul ab hac hominum satietate nostri discedere et cum aliquo desiderio reverti; sed hoc tempore et his mittentibus
"
αἰδέομαι Τρῶασ καὶ Τρῳάδασ ἑλκεσιπέπλους.
I do indeed desire, and have long desired, to visit Alexandria and the rest of Egypt, and at the same time to get away from this satiety of me on the part of the people, and to return with some feeling of being missed; but at this time and with these men sending me, "I fear the Trojan men and the Trojan women with trailing robes.
"
quid enim nostri optimates, si qui reliqui sunt, loquentur? an me aliquo praemio de sententia esse deductum? Πουλυδάμασ μοι πρῶτοσ ἐλεγχείην ἀναθήσει, Cato ille noster qui mihi unus est pro centum milibus.
"For what will our Optimates, if any are left, say? That I have been drawn away from my opinion by some bribe? "Polydamas will be the first to heap reproach upon me," that Cato of ours, who alone is worth a hundred thousand to me.
quid vero historiae de nobis ad annos DC praedicabunt? quas quidem ego multo magis vereor quam eorum hominum qui hodie vivunt rumusculos.
And what will history declare of us six hundred years hence? Indeed, I fear its judgment much more than the petty gossip of those who are alive today.
sed, opinor, excipiamus et exspectemus.
But, I think, let us decline and wait.
si enim deferetur, erit quaedam nostra potestas et tum deliberabimus.
For if the offer is made, it will be in our power to decide, and then we shall deliberate.
etiam hercule est in non accipiendo non nulla gloria.
By Hercules, there is even no small glory in not accepting.
qua re si quid Θεοφάνησ tecum forte contulerit ne omnino repudiaris.
Therefore, if Theophanes should happen to confer with you at all, do not reject him altogether.
§2.5.2de istis rebus exspecto tuas litteras, quid Arrius narret, quo animo se destitutum ferat, et qui consules parentur, utrum, ut populi sermo, Pompeius et Crassus an, ut mihi scribitur, cum Gabinio Servius Sulpicius, et num quae novae leges et num quid novi omnino, et quoniam Nepos proficiscitur, cuinam auguratus deferatur; quo quidem uno ego ab istis capi possum.
Concerning those matters, I expect your letter—what Arrius says, how he bears being left in the lurch, and what consuls are being prepared: whether, as the popular talk goes, Pompey and Crassus, or, as is written to me, Servius Sulpicius with Gabinius; and whether there are any new laws, and whether there is any news at all; and since Nepos is departing, to whom the augurship is being offered—which indeed is the only thing by which I could be caught by those men.
vide levitatem meam.
See my levity.
sed quid ego haec quae cupio deponere et toto animo atque omni cura φιλοσοφεῖν? sic inquam in animo est; vellem ab initio, nunc vero, quoniam quae putavi esse praeclara expertus sum quam essent inania, cum omnibus Musis rationem habere cogito.
But why do I mention these things, which I desire to lay aside, and to philosophize with my whole heart and all my care? Yes, I say, it is in my mind; I could wish it had been so from the beginning, but now indeed, since I have found by experience how empty were the things I thought excellent, I intend to have dealings with all the Muses.
§2.5.3tu tamen de Curtio ad me rescribe certius, et nunc quis in eius locum paretur, et quid de P. Clodio fiat, et omnia, quem ad modum polliceris, ἐπὶ σχολῆσ scribe, et quo die Roma te exiturum putes velim ad me scribas, ut certiorem te faciam quibus in locis futurus sim, epistulamque statim des de iis rebus de quibus ad te scripsi.
But do write back to me more definitely about Curtius, and who is now being prepared for his place, and what is being done about Publius Clodius, and write everything at leisure, as you promise. And I should like you to write to me on what day you think you will leave Rome, so that I may let you know in what places I shall be, and send a letter at once about those things of which I have written to you.
valde enim exspecto tuas litteras.
For I am eagerly expecting your letter.