§8.12.1mihi molestior lippitudo erat etiam quam ante fuerat.
My eye trouble was even more troublesome to me than it had been before.
dictare tamen hanc epistulam malui quam Gallo Fadio amantissimo utriusque nostrum nihil ad te litterarum dare.
Yet I preferred to dictate this letter rather than to give no letter for you to Gallus Fadius, who is most affectionate toward both of us.
nam pridie quidem, quoquo modo potueram, scripseram ipse eas litteras quarum vaticinationem falsam esse cupio.
For indeed on the previous day, in whatever way I had been able, I myself had written that letter, the prediction of which I desire to be false.
huius autem epistulae non solum ea causa est ut ne quis a me dies intermittatur quin dem ad te litteras sed etiam haec iustior, ut a te impetrarem ut sumeres aliquid temporis †quod tibi et quia† perexiguo opus est, explicari mihi tuum consilium plane volo, ut penitus intellegam.
Moreover, the cause of this letter is not only that no day should be allowed by me to pass without sending a letter to you, but also this more justifiable one, that I might obtain from you that you would take some time, of which there is need of a very small amount, since I plainly wish your plan to be explained to me, so that I may understand it thoroughly.
§8.12.2omnia sunt integra nobis; nihil praetermissum est quod non habeat sapientem excusationem, non modo probabilem.
All things are untouched for us; nothing has been omitted which does not have a wise excuse, not merely a plausible one.
nam certe neque tum peccavi cum imperatam iam Capuam non solum ignaviae delictum sed etiam perfidiae suspicionem fugiens accipere nolui, neque cum post condiciones pacis per L. Caesarem et L. Fabatum adlatas cavi ne animum eius offenderem cui Pompeius iam armatus armato consulatum triumphumque deferret.
For certainly I neither erred then when, fleeing not only the fault of cowardice but also the suspicion of treachery, I refused to accept Capua which had already been commanded, nor when, after the terms of peace had been brought by Lucius Caesar and Lucius Fabatus, I took care lest I should offend the mind of him to whom Pompeius, himself already armed, was offering a consulship and a triumph while the other was in arms.
§8.12.3nec vero haec extrema quisquam potest iure reprehendere quod mare non transierim.
Nor indeed can anyone justly blame these latest events, namely that I did not cross the sea.
id enim, etsi erat deliberationis, tamen obire non potui.
For that, although it was a matter for deliberation, I was nevertheless unable to undertake.
neque enim suspicari debui, praesertim cum ex ipsius Pompei litteris, idem quod video te existimasse, non dubitarim quin is Domitio subventurus esset, et plane quid rectum et quid faciendum mihi esset diutius cogitare malui.
For indeed I ought not to have suspected, especially since from Pompeius's own letter—the very same thing which I see you thought—I did not doubt but that he was going to help Domitius, and I plainly preferred to think longer about what was right and what was to be done by me.
§8.12.4primum igitur, haec qualia tibi esse videantur, etsi significata sunt a te, tamen accuratius mihi perscribas velim, deinde aliquid etiam in posterum prospicias fingasque quem me esse deceat et ubi me plurimum prodesse rei publicae sentias, ecquae pacifica persona desideretur an in bellatore sint omnia.
Therefore, first, although they have been indicated by you, I would nevertheless wish you to write to me more accurately how these things seem to you; then that you would also look forward into the future and imagine what sort of person it becomes me to be, and where you feel I can be of most service to the republic, whether any peaceful role is desired, or whether all things lie in the hands of the warrior.
§8.12.5atque ego qui omnia officio metior recordor tamen tua consilia; quibus si paruissem, tristitiam illorum temporum non subissem.
And I, who measure all things by duty, nevertheless remember your counsels; if I had obeyed them, I would not have undergone the sadness of those times.
memini quid mihi tum suaseris per Theophanem, per Culleonem, idque saepe ingemiscens sum recordatus.
I remember what you then advised me through Theophanes and through Culleo, and I have remembered it, often groaning.
qua re nunc saltem ad illos calculos revertamur quos tum abiecimus, ut non solum gloriosis consiliis utamur sed etiam paulo salubrioribus.
Therefore, now at least, let us return to those calculations which we threw away then, so that we may use not only glorious plans but also somewhat safer ones.
sed nihil praescribo accurate velim perscribas tuam ad me sententiam.
But I prescribe nothing; I would wish you to write your opinion to me accurately.
§8.12.6volo etiam exquiras quam diligentissime poteris (habebis autem per quos possis) quid Lentulus noster, quid Domitius agat, quid acturus sit, quem ad modum nunc se gerant, num quem accusent, num quoi suscenseant—quid dico num quoi? num Pompeio.
I also wish you to inquire as diligently as you can (and you will have those through whom you can) what our Lentulus, what Domitius is doing, what he is going to do, how they are behaving now, whether they accuse anyone, whether they are angry with anyone—why do I say "with anyone"? whether with Pompeius.
omnino culpam omnem Pompeius in Domitium confert, quod ipsius litteris cognosci potest quarum exemplum ad te misi.
Altogether, Pompeius is transferring all the blame to Domitius, which can be known from his own letter, a copy of which I have sent to you.
haec igitur videbis et, quod ad te ante scripsi, Demetri Magnetis librum quem ad te misit de concordia velim mihi mittas.
Therefore you will see to these things and, what I wrote to you before, I would wish you to send to me Demetrius of Magnesia's book which he sent to you "On Harmony."