Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. 51 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome/Athens|AI-assisted
When I reached Athens on June 25, I waited there for Pomptinus for three days and had no certain news of his arrival. Believe me, I was wholly with you. Even though I needed no reminders to think of you, walking in your footsteps made me think of you more sharply. What can I say? By Hercules, no one spoke of anything but you.
But perhaps you would rather know something about me. Here it is. So far, neither public bodies nor private individuals have spent anything on me or on anyone in my staff. I have accepted nothing under the Julian law, not even the bare necessities, and nothing from a host. Everyone with me has been persuaded that my reputation must be served. So far, excellent. The Greeks have noticed it, and are celebrating it with praise and much talk. For what remains, I am working hard in the way I understood would please you. But let us praise these things only when the case has been fully argued.
The rest is such that I often criticize my decision not to find some way out of this business. What an occupation, and how unsuited to my temperament. How true the saying is: let each man do his own work. You will say, "What, already? You have not even begun the business yet." I know it perfectly well, and I think worse things remain. Even these I bear, I believe, with a very fine face and expression, but deep inside I am in anguish. Every day so many things are said or left unsaid in anger, insolence, stupidity, absurdity, arrogance, and every other style of foolishness. I do not leave them out because I want to hide them from you, but because they are hard to explain. You will marvel at my depth of feeling when I return safe. I am getting enormous practice in that virtue.
Enough of this too. I had really no subject for writing, because I had no idea what you were doing or where on earth you were. By Hercules, I have never been ignorant of my own affairs for so long: what has been done about Caesar's account, what about Milo's; and not only has no one come from my house, no one has come even from Rome, so that I might know what was happening in public affairs. So if you know anything you think I would want to know, I will be extremely grateful if you see that it reaches me.
What else is there? Nothing really, except this. Athens has greatly pleased me, at least as a city, in its adornment, in people's love for you, and in a certain goodwill toward me. But the philosophy there is completely upside down, if it is represented by Aristus, with whom I was staying. I had given your Xeno - or rather our Xeno - to Quintus, and yet because we were neighbors we spent whole days together. Please write me your plans as soon as you can, so that I may know what you are doing, where you will be at each time, and above all when you will be in Rome.
I came to Athens on the 25th of June, and I have waited three days for Pomptinus, but have heard nothing certain of his coming. Believe me, you are with me all the time, and, though it did not need associations to turn my thoughts towards you, still I was reminded of you more than ever by treading in your footsteps. Indeed we talk of nothing else but you; but perhaps you prefer to have news about myself. So far no public body or private person has spent money on me or on my staff. I have not even taken the barest necessities allowed by the law of Julius, nor have I billeted myself on anyone. My staff have made up their minds that they must uphold my good name. So far everything has gone well: the Greeks have noted it and are full of outspoken praise. For the rest I am endeavouring to act as I know you would like. But let us reserve our praise for the end of the story. In other respects I often blame my mistake in not having found some method of escape from this flood of affairs. The business is little suited to my tastes. It is a true saying, “Cobbler, stick to your last.” You will say: “What, already? You have not yet begun your work.” Too true, and I fear worse is to come. I put up with things with cheerful brow and smiling face; but I suffer in my heart of hearts. There is so much ill temper and insolence, such stupid folly of every kind, such arrogant talk and such sullen silence to be put up with every day. I pass over this, not because I wish to conceal it, but
because to explain is difficult. You shall marvel at my self-restraint, when I return home safe. I have so much practice in the virtue.
Enough of this topic too. Though indeed I have nothing to make me write to you at all, because I have no idea of what you are doing or where you are, and I have never been so long ignorant about my own concerns—as to what has been done about the debt to Caesar and Milo’s money matters: and there has come no messenger from Rome much less from my house to inform me of political affairs. So, if you have information you may think I should like to know, I shall be delighted if you will take care to send it to me.
I have only one thing to add. Athens pleases me greatly, that is the material city, its embellishments, your popularity and the kind feeling shown to me: but its philosophy is topsy-turvy, that is, if it is represented by Aristus with whom I am staying: for I gave up Xeno your friend and mine to Quintus. Still we are close neighbours and meet every day. Please write me as soon as possible of your plans, and tell me what you are doing, where you are from time to time, and especially when you will be in town.
Vt Athenas a. d. vi Kal. Quintilis veneram, exspectabam ibi iam quartum diem Pomptinum neque de eius adventu certi quicquam habebam. eram autem totus, crede mihi, tecum et, quamquam sine iis per me ipse, tamen acrius vestigiis tuis monitus de te cogitabam. quid quaeris? non me hercule alius ullus sermo nisi de te. [2] sed tu de me ipso aliquid scire fortasse mavis. haec sunt. adhuc sumptus nec in me aut publice aut privatim nec in quemquam comitum. nihil accipitur lege Iulia, nihil ab hospite. persuasum est omnibus meis serviendum esse famae meae. belle adhuc. hoc animadversum Graecorum laude et multo sermone celebratur. quod superest, elaboratur in hoc a me, sicut tibi sensi placere. sed haec tum laudemus cum erunt perorata. [3] reliqua sunt eius modi ut meum consilium saepe reprehendam quod non aliqua ratione ex hoc negotio emerserim. O rem minime aptam meis moribus! o illud verum erdoi tis! dices 'quid adhuc? nondum enim in negotio versaris?' sane scio et puto molestiora restare. etsi haec ipsa fero equidem fronte, ut puto, et vultu bellissime sed angor intimis sensibus; ita multa vel iracunde vel insolenter vel in omni genere stulte insulse adroganter et dicuntur et tacentur cotidie; quae non quo te celem non perscribo sed quia dusexeileta sunt. itaque admirabere meam bathuteta cum salvi redierimus; tanta mihi melete huius virtutis datur. [4] ergo haec quoque hactenus; etsi mihi nihil erat propositum ad scribendum, quia quid ageres, ubi terrarum esses, ne suspicabar quidem. nec hercule umquam tam diu ignarus rerum mearum fui, quid de Caesaris, quid de Milonis nominibus actum sit; ac non modo nemo domo (sed) ne Roma quidem quisquam, ut sciremus in re publica quid ageretur. qua re si quid erit quod scias de iis rebus quas putabis scire me velle, per mihi gratum erit si id curaris ad me perferendum. [5] quid est praeterea? nihil sane nisi illud. valde me Athenae delectarunt urbe dumtaxat et urbis ornamento et hominum amore in te et in nos quadam benevolentia; +sed multum ea philosophia sursum deorsum+, si quidem est in Aristo, apud quem eram. nam Xenonem tuum vel nostrum potius Quinto concesseram, et tamen propter vicinitatem totos dies simul eramus. tu velim cum primum poteris tua consilia ad me scribas, ut sciam quid agas, ubi quoque (tempore), maxime quando Romae futurus sis.
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When I reached Athens on June 25, I waited there for Pomptinus for three days and had no certain news of his arrival. Believe me, I was wholly with you. Even though I needed no reminders to think of you, walking in your footsteps made me think of you more sharply. What can I say? By Hercules, no one spoke of anything but you.
But perhaps you would rather know something about me. Here it is. So far, neither public bodies nor private individuals have spent anything on me or on anyone in my staff. I have accepted nothing under the Julian law, not even the bare necessities, and nothing from a host. Everyone with me has been persuaded that my reputation must be served. So far, excellent. The Greeks have noticed it, and are celebrating it with praise and much talk. For what remains, I am working hard in the way I understood would please you. But let us praise these things only when the case has been fully argued.
The rest is such that I often criticize my decision not to find some way out of this business. What an occupation, and how unsuited to my temperament. How true the saying is: let each man do his own work. You will say, "What, already? You have not even begun the business yet." I know it perfectly well, and I think worse things remain. Even these I bear, I believe, with a very fine face and expression, but deep inside I am in anguish. Every day so many things are said or left unsaid in anger, insolence, stupidity, absurdity, arrogance, and every other style of foolishness. I do not leave them out because I want to hide them from you, but because they are hard to explain. You will marvel at my depth of feeling when I return safe. I am getting enormous practice in that virtue.
Enough of this too. I had really no subject for writing, because I had no idea what you were doing or where on earth you were. By Hercules, I have never been ignorant of my own affairs for so long: what has been done about Caesar's account, what about Milo's; and not only has no one come from my house, no one has come even from Rome, so that I might know what was happening in public affairs. So if you know anything you think I would want to know, I will be extremely grateful if you see that it reaches me.
What else is there? Nothing really, except this. Athens has greatly pleased me, at least as a city, in its adornment, in people's love for you, and in a certain goodwill toward me. But the philosophy there is completely upside down, if it is represented by Aristus, with whom I was staying. I had given your Xeno - or rather our Xeno - to Quintus, and yet because we were neighbors we spent whole days together. Please write me your plans as soon as you can, so that I may know what you are doing, where you will be at each time, and above all when you will be in Rome.
AI-assisted translation - This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.
Latin / Greek Original
Vt Athenas a. d. vi Kal. Quintilis veneram, exspectabam ibi iam quartum diem Pomptinum neque de eius adventu certi quicquam habebam. eram autem totus, crede mihi, tecum et, quamquam sine iis per me ipse, tamen acrius vestigiis tuis monitus de te cogitabam. quid quaeris? non me hercule alius ullus sermo nisi de te. [2] sed tu de me ipso aliquid scire fortasse mavis. haec sunt. adhuc sumptus nec in me aut publice aut privatim nec in quemquam comitum. nihil accipitur lege Iulia, nihil ab hospite. persuasum est omnibus meis serviendum esse famae meae. belle adhuc. hoc animadversum Graecorum laude et multo sermone celebratur. quod superest, elaboratur in hoc a me, sicut tibi sensi placere. sed haec tum laudemus cum erunt perorata. [3] reliqua sunt eius modi ut meum consilium saepe reprehendam quod non aliqua ratione ex hoc negotio emerserim. O rem minime aptam meis moribus! o illud verum erdoi tis! dices 'quid adhuc? nondum enim in negotio versaris?' sane scio et puto molestiora restare. etsi haec ipsa fero equidem fronte, ut puto, et vultu bellissime sed angor intimis sensibus; ita multa vel iracunde vel insolenter vel in omni genere stulte insulse adroganter et dicuntur et tacentur cotidie; quae non quo te celem non perscribo sed quia dusexeileta sunt. itaque admirabere meam bathuteta cum salvi redierimus; tanta mihi melete huius virtutis datur. [4] ergo haec quoque hactenus; etsi mihi nihil erat propositum ad scribendum, quia quid ageres, ubi terrarum esses, ne suspicabar quidem. nec hercule umquam tam diu ignarus rerum mearum fui, quid de Caesaris, quid de Milonis nominibus actum sit; ac non modo nemo domo (sed) ne Roma quidem quisquam, ut sciremus in re publica quid ageretur. qua re si quid erit quod scias de iis rebus quas putabis scire me velle, per mihi gratum erit si id curaris ad me perferendum. [5] quid est praeterea? nihil sane nisi illud. valde me Athenae delectarunt urbe dumtaxat et urbis ornamento et hominum amore in te et in nos quadam benevolentia; +sed multum ea philosophia sursum deorsum+, si quidem est in Aristo, apud quem eram. nam Xenonem tuum vel nostrum potius Quinto concesseram, et tamen propter vicinitatem totos dies simul eramus. tu velim cum primum poteris tua consilia ad me scribas, ut sciam quid agas, ubi quoque (tempore), maxime quando Romae futurus sis.