§9.7.1scripseram ad te epistulam quam darem iiii Idus.
I had written a letter to you to be sent on the 12th of March.
sed eo die is cui dare volueram non est profectus.
But on that day the person to whom I had wished to give it did not set out.
venit autem eo ipso die ille
"celeripes"
quem Salvius dixerat.
However, on that very day that "celeripes" arrived whom Salvius had mentioned.
attulit uberrimas tuas litteras; quae mihi quiddam quasi animulae instillarunt; recreatum enim me non queo dicere.
He brought your very rich letter, which instilled into me something like a tiny breath of life; for I cannot say that I have been fully restored.
sed plane τὸ συνέχον effecisti.
But you have plainly achieved τὸ συνέχον.
ego enim non iam id ago, mihi crede, ut prosperos exitus consequar.
For believe me, I am no longer striving for successful outcomes.
sic enim video, nec duobus his vivis nec hoc uno nos umquam rem publicam habituros.
For I see that, as long as these two are alive, or as long as this one is, we shall never have a republic.
ita neque de otio nostro spero iam nec ullam acerbitatem recuso.
Therefore, I no longer hope for any ease of ours, nor do I refuse any bitterness.
unum illud extimescebam, ne quid turpiter facerem vel dicam iam ne fecissem.
I dreaded only that one thing, lest I should do anything basely, or indeed I should say, lest I had already done it.
§9.7.2sic ergo habeto, salutaris te mihi litteras misisse neque solum has longiores quibus nihil potest esse explicatius, nihil perfectius, sed etiam illas breviores in quibus hoc mihi iucundissimum fuit, consilium factumque nostrum a Sexto probari, pergratumque mihi tu fecisti;
So then, rest assured that you have sent me a saving letter, and not only this longer one than which nothing can be more explanatory, nothing more perfect, but also those shorter ones, in which this was most delightful to me, that our plan and conduct are approved by Sextus, and you have done me a very great favor; by whom I know that I am loved and that what is right is understood.
a quo et diligi me et quid rectum sit intellegi scio. longior vero tua epistula non me solum sed meos omnis aegritudine levavit.
Indeed, your longer letter relieved not only me but all my family from grief.
itaque utar tuo consilio et ero in Formiano, ne aut ad urbem ἀπάντησισ mea animadvertatur aut, si nec hic nec illic eum videro, devitatum se a me putet.
Therefore I shall follow your advice and remain in my Formian villa, so that my meeting (ἀπάντησισ) toward the city may not be noticed, or, if I see him neither here nor there, he may not think he has been avoided by me.
§9.7.3quod autem suades ut ab eo petam ut mihi concedat ut idem tribuam Pompeio quod ipsi tribuerim, id me iam pridem agere intelleges ex litteris Balbi et Oppi quarum exempla tibi misi.
As to your advice that I should ask him to grant me that I may pay the same regard to Pompey as I have paid to himself, you will understand from the letters of Balbus and Oppius, of which I have sent you copies, that I have already been doing this for a long time.
misi etiam Caesaris ad eos sana mente scriptas quo modo in tanta insania.
I have also sent Caesar's letters to them, written with a sane mind, so far as is possible in such madness.
sin mihi Caesar hoc non concedat, video tibi placere illud, me πολίτευμα de pace suscipere; in quo non extimesco periculum (cum enim tot impendeant, cur non honestissimo depecisci velim?) sed vereor ne Pompeio quid oneris imponam,
"μή μοι"
intorqueat.
But if Caesar does not grant me this, I see that you would have me undertake a πολίτευμα concerning peace; in which I do not dread danger (for since so many impend, why should I not wish to bargain with the most honorable?), but I fear lest I should impose some burden on Pompey, lest he should hurl "μή μοι" at me.
mirandum enim in modum Gnaeus noster Sullani regni similitudinem concupivit.
For our Gnaeus has in a wonderful manner coveted a likeness of Sulla's reign.
εἰδώσ σοι λέγω.
I speak as one who knows (εἰδώσ σοι).
nihil ille umquam minus obscure tulit.
He has never made a secret of it.
"cum hocne igitur"
inquies
"esse vis?"
beneficium sequor, mihi crede, non causam, ut in Milone, ut in. . . sed hactenus.
"Will you then wish to be with this man?" you will say. I follow a benefit, believe me, not a cause, as in the case of Milo, as in... but so far.
"causa igitur non bona est?" §9.7.4immo optima, sed agetur, memento, foedissime.
"Is the cause then not good?" On the contrary, it is excellent; but it will be managed, remember, most foully.
primum consilium est suffocare urbem et Italiam fame, deinde agros vastare, urere, pecuniis locupletum non abstinere.
The first plan is to choke the city and Italy with famine, then to lay waste the fields, to burn, and not to abstain from the money of the wealthy.
sed cum eadem metuam ab hac parte, si illim beneficium non sit, rectius putem quidvis domi perpeti.
But since I fear the same from this side, if there were no benefit from that other, I should think it more right to endure anything at home.
sed ita meruisse illum de me puto ut ἀχαριστίασ crimen subire non audeam, quamquam a te eius quoque rei iusta defensio est explicata.
But I think he has so deserved of me that I do not dare to incur the charge of ἀχαριστίασ, although a just defense of that matter also has been explained by you.
§9.7.5de triumpho tibi adsentior quem quidem totum facile et libenter abiecero.
Regarding the triumph, I agree with you, which indeed I shall easily and willingly cast aside altogether.
Egregie probo fore ut, dum vagamur, πλόος ὡραῖοσ obrepat.
I highly approve of the idea that, while we wander, a πλόος ὡραῖοσ may steal upon us.
"si modo"
inquis
"satis ille erit firmus.
"If only," you say, "he will be firm enough." He is even firmer than we thought.
"
est firmior etiam quam putabamus. de isto licet bene speres.
You may have good hope about that.
promitto tibi, si valebit, tegulam illum in Italia nullam relicturum.
I promise you, if he is able, he will not leave a single roof-tile in Italy.
"Tene igitur socio?"
contra me hercule meum iudicium et contra omnium antiquorum auctoritatem, nec tam ut illa adiuvem quam ut haec ne videam cupio discedere.
"You as an ally then?" By Hercules, contrary to my own judgment and contrary to the authority of all the ancients, and not so much to help those plans as to avoid seeing these things, I desire to depart.
noli enim putare tolerabilis horum insanias nec unius modi fore.
For do not think that the madness of these men will be tolerable or of only one kind.
etsi quid te horum fugit, legibus, iudiciis, senatu sublato libidines, audacias, sumptus, egestates tot egentissimorum hominum nec privatas posse res nec rem publicam sustinere? abeamus igitur inde qualibet navigatione; etsi id quidem ut tibi videbitur, sed certe abeamus.
Yet has any of these things escaped you, that with laws, courts, and the senate removed, the lusts, audacities, expenses, and poverty of so many destitute men can support neither private fortunes nor the republic? Let us depart thence, then, by any voyage whatever; although that indeed shall be as you think fit, but let us certainly depart.
sciemus enim, id quod exspectas, quid Brundisi actum sit.
For we shall know, what you are waiting for, what has been done at Brundisium.
§9.7.6bonis viris quod ais probari quae adhuc fecerimus scirique ab iis nos non profectos valde gaudeo, si est nunc ullus gaudendi locus.
I am very glad, if there is now any room for gladness, that you say good men approve of what we have done so far, and that they know we have not set out.
de Lentulo investigabo diligentius.
I will investigate more diligently about Lentulus.
id mandavi Philotimo, homini forti ac nimium optimati.
I have entrusted that to Philotimus, a brave man and an extreme aristocrat.
§9.7.7extremum est ut tibi argumentum ad scribendum fortasse iam desit.
The last thing is that perhaps you are now lacking a subject for writing.
nec enim alia de re nunc ulla scribi potest, et de hac quid iam amplius inveniri potest? sed quoniam et ingenium suppeditat (dico me hercule ut sentio) et amor quo et meum ingenium incitatur, perge, ut facis, et scribe quantum potes.
For nothing else can be written about now, and what more can be found on this subject? But since both talent is abundant (I speak, by Hercules, as I feel) and love by which my talent also is incited, go on, as you do, and write as much as you can.
in Epirum quod me non invitas, comitem non molestum, subirascor.
I am a little angry that you do not invite me to Epirus as a companion who is not troublesome.
sed vale.
But farewell.
nam ut tibi ambulandum, ungendum, sic mihi dormiendum.
For as you must walk and be anointed, so I must sleep.
etenim litterae tuae mihi somnum attulerunt
For indeed your letter has brought me sleep.