Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. 49 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome/Athens|AI-assisted
The times themselves now make me brief. I have despaired of peace, and our people are making no preparation for war. Do not imagine that anything matters less to these consuls. Hoping to hear something from them and learn about our preparations, I came to Capua on February 4, as ordered, in the heaviest rain. They had not yet arrived, but they were expected - empty-handed and unprepared.
Gnaeus, meanwhile, was said to be at Luceria and to be visiting cohorts from Appius' legions, which are not very reliable. They report that Caesar is rushing on and is almost upon us, not to join battle - with whom, after all? - but to cut off our flight.
If the struggle is to be in Italy, then I am ready to die with her, and on that I do not ask your advice. But if it is outside Italy, what am I to do? Winter, the lictors, and the improvident and negligent commanders urge me to remain. My friendship with Gnaeus, the cause of the loyalists, and the disgrace of joining a tyrant urge me to flee. And who can say whether that tyrant means to imitate Phalaris or Pisistratus?
Please untangle this and help me with your advice, though I suppose you yourself are already in a hot corner there. Still, help as much as you can. If I learn anything new here today, you will know it; the consuls will now arrive for their appointed meeting on the 5th. I shall wait for your letters every day. Answer this one when you can. I left the women and the Ciceros at Formiae.
The occasion makes me brief. I have abandoned hope of peace: but our party takes no steps for war. Pray don't suppose that there is anything of less concern to our present consuls than the war. I came to Capua on the 4th according to instructions, in heavy rain, with the hope of hearing something from them and getting to know of our equipment. They had not yet arrived, but were expected, emptyhanded, unprepared. Pompey was reported to be at Luceria and close to some cohorts of the shaky
Appian troops. Caesar is said to be tearing along, and is nearly on us, not to join battle—there is no one to join it with—but to cut us off from flight. Now, if it is to be in Italy, I am ready to die with her—and on that I need not ask your advice: but if the struggle is beyond her borders, what am I to do? The winter, my lictors, the improvidence and neglect of the leaders prompt me to stay: my friendship with Pompey, the cause of the loyalists, the disgrace of association with a tyrant, prompt me to flee. One cannot say whether that tyrant will choose Phalaris or Pisistratus as his model. Please unravel this and assist me with your advice. Though I suppose you are in a warm corner in Rome, still help me to the best of your ability. I will advise you if anything new crops up here to-day. The consuls will arrive on the 5th as arranged. I shall look for a letter every day: but answer this one as soon as you can. I have left the ladies and the boys at Formiae.
breviloquentem iam me tempus ipsum facit. pacem enim desperavi, bellum nostri nullum administrant. cave enim putes quicquam esse minoris his consulibus; quorum ego spe audiendi aliquid et cognoscendi nostri apparatus maximo imbri Capuam veni pridie Nonas, ut eram iussus. illi autem nondum venerant sed erant venturi inanes, imparati. Gnaeus autem Luceriae dicebatur esse et adire cohortis legionum Appianarum non firmissimarum. at illum ruere nuntiant et iam iamque adesse, non ut manum conserat (quicum enim?) sed ut fugam intercludat. [2] ego autem in Italia kai sunapothanein—nec te id consulo; sin extra, quid ago? ad manendum hiems, lictores, improvidi et neglegentes duces, ad fugam hortatur amicitia Gnaei, causa bonorum, turpitudo coniungendi cum tyranno; qui quidem incertum est Phalarimne an Pisistratum sit imitaturus. haec velim explices et me iuves consilio; etsi te ipsum istic iam calere puto, sed tamen quantum poteris. ego si quid hic hodie novi cognoro, scies; iam enim aderunt consules ad suas Nonas. tuas cotidie litteras exspectabo; ad has autem cum poteris rescribes. mulieres et Cicerones in Formiano reliqui.
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The times themselves now make me brief. I have despaired of peace, and our people are making no preparation for war. Do not imagine that anything matters less to these consuls. Hoping to hear something from them and learn about our preparations, I came to Capua on February 4, as ordered, in the heaviest rain. They had not yet arrived, but they were expected - empty-handed and unprepared.
Gnaeus, meanwhile, was said to be at Luceria and to be visiting cohorts from Appius' legions, which are not very reliable. They report that Caesar is rushing on and is almost upon us, not to join battle - with whom, after all? - but to cut off our flight.
If the struggle is to be in Italy, then I am ready to die with her, and on that I do not ask your advice. But if it is outside Italy, what am I to do? Winter, the lictors, and the improvident and negligent commanders urge me to remain. My friendship with Gnaeus, the cause of the loyalists, and the disgrace of joining a tyrant urge me to flee. And who can say whether that tyrant means to imitate Phalaris or Pisistratus?
Please untangle this and help me with your advice, though I suppose you yourself are already in a hot corner there. Still, help as much as you can. If I learn anything new here today, you will know it; the consuls will now arrive for their appointed meeting on the 5th. I shall wait for your letters every day. Answer this one when you can. I left the women and the Ciceros at Formiae.
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
breviloquentem iam me tempus ipsum facit. pacem enim desperavi, bellum nostri nullum administrant. cave enim putes quicquam esse minoris his consulibus; quorum ego spe audiendi aliquid et cognoscendi nostri apparatus maximo imbri Capuam veni pridie Nonas, ut eram iussus. illi autem nondum venerant sed erant venturi inanes, imparati. Gnaeus autem Luceriae dicebatur esse et adire cohortis legionum Appianarum non firmissimarum. at illum ruere nuntiant et iam iamque adesse, non ut manum conserat (quicum enim?) sed ut fugam intercludat. [2] ego autem in Italia kai sunapothanein—nec te id consulo; sin extra, quid ago? ad manendum hiems, lictores, improvidi et neglegentes duces, ad fugam hortatur amicitia Gnaei, causa bonorum, turpitudo coniungendi cum tyranno; qui quidem incertum est Phalarimne an Pisistratum sit imitaturus. haec velim explices et me iuves consilio; etsi te ipsum istic iam calere puto, sed tamen quantum poteris. ego si quid hic hodie novi cognoro, scies; iam enim aderunt consules ad suas Nonas. tuas cotidie litteras exspectabo; ad has autem cum poteris rescribes. mulieres et Cicerones in Formiano reliqui.