§12.1His igitur rebus effecit ut M. Vipsanius Agrippa, intima familiaritate coniunctus adulescenti Caesari, cum propter suam gratiam et Caesaris potentiam nullius condicionis non haberet potestatem, potissimum eius deligeret affinitatem praeoptaretque equitis Romani filiam generosarum nuptiis. §12.2atque harum nuptiarum conciliator fuit (non est enim celandum) M. Antonius, triumvirum rei publicae constituendae.
By these means, therefore, he brought it about that Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, who was joined in the closest intimacy with the young Caesar, although by reason of his own influence and Caesar's power there was no marriage alliance that he could not have obtained, chose above all an alliance with him, and preferred the daughter of a Roman knight to a marriage with women of noble birth.\n And the promoter of this marriage was (for it is not to be concealed) Marcus Antonius, one of the triumvirs for organizing the state.
cuius gratia cum augere possessiones posset suas, tantum afuit a cupiditate pecuniae, ut nulla in re usus sit ea nisi in deprecandis amicorum aut periculis aut incommodis. §12.3quod quidem sub ipsa proscriptione perillustre fuit.
Although Atticus could have increased his own possessions through Antonius's favor, he was so far removed from the desire for money that he used that influence in no matter except in averting either the dangers or the misfortunes of his friends.\n This, indeed, became extremely illustrious during the proscription itself.
nam cum L. Saufei equitis Romani, aequalis sui, qui complures annos studio ductus philosophiae habitabat Athenis habebatque in Italia pretiosas possessiones, tresviri bona vendidissent consuetudine ea, qua tum res gerebantur, Attici labore atque industria factum est ut eodem nuntio Saufeius fieret certior se patrimonium amisisse et recuperasse. §12.4idem L. Iulium Calidum, quem post Lucretii Catullique mortem multo elegantissimum poetam nostram tulisse aetatem vere videor posse contendere, neque minus virum bonum optimisque artibus eruditum, post proscriptionem equitum propter magnas eius Africanas possessiones in proscriptorum numerum a P. Volumnio, praefecto fabrum Antonii, absentem relatum expedivit. §12.5quod in praesenti utrum ei laboriosius an gloriosius fuerit, difficile est iudicare, quod in eorum periculis non secus absentes quam praesentes amicos Attico esse curae cognitum est.
For when the triumvirs, according to the custom by which affairs were then conducted, had sold the property of Lucius Saufeius, a Roman knight of his own age, who, led by a passion for philosophy, had lived for several years in Athens and had valuable possessions in Italy, it was brought about by the labor and industry of Atticus that Saufeius was informed by the very same messenger both that he had lost his patrimony and that he had recovered it.\n He likewise rescued Lucius Julius Calidus—whom I think I can truly assert to be by far the most elegant poet our age has produced since the death of Lucretius and Catullus, and no less a good man and one learned in the highest arts—who, after the proscription of the knights, because of his vast African possessions, had been entered in the list of the proscribed during his absence by Publius Volumnius, Antony’s prefect of engineers.\n Whether this was more laborious or more glorious for him at that time is difficult to judge, because it became known that in their times of danger, friends who were absent were no less a care to Atticus than those who were present.