Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. 47 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome/Athens|AI-assisted
Worn out by the torment of my deepest sorrows, I would not find it easy to write to you even if there were something I ought to write. It is far less easy when I have nothing worth writing, especially since there is not even a glimmer of hope for better days. I am so hopeless now that I no longer even look forward to your letters, though they always bring me something I like to hear. So please write whenever you have a messenger.
I have no answer to give to your last letter, though it has been a long time since I received it, because I see no change after all this interval. The right cause is strong, and I am paying very heavily for my folly.
The two hundred fifty I had from Gnaeus Sallustius must be paid to Publius Sallustius. Please see that it is done without delay. I have written to Terentia about it. Now nearly all my money is spent, so I would like you to arrange with her for some money to support me. I may be able to get some here if I know I have a balance at Rome, but before I know that, I dare not try. You see the state of all my affairs. There is no kind of misfortune I am not enduring and expecting. I feel the greater sorrow for this state of affairs because my fault is greater. My brother in Achaia does not stop slandering me. Your letter, of course, has had no effect. Farewell. March 8.
Worn out as I am by the agony of my grievous sorrows I should not find it an easy task to write to you, even if there were anything I ought to write; and it is far less easy, when I have nothing worth writing, especially as there is not even a gleam of hope for better days. So hopeless am I that now I do not look forward even to your letters, though they always bring me something I like to hear. So pray write, whenever you have a messenger. I have no answer to give to your last letter, though it is a long time since I received it, for I see no change in the long interval: the right cause is strong, and I am paying very heavily for my folly.
The £250 which I had from Cn. Sallustius are to be paid to P. Sallustius. Please see that it is done without delay. I have written to Terentia about it. And now it is nearly all spent: so I wish you would arrange with her for some money for me to go on with. I shall possibly be able to get some here, if I know I have a balance at Rome; but, before I know that, I dare not try. You see the position of all my affairs. There is no sort of misfortune which I am not enduring and expecting. For this state of affairs
I feel the greater sorrow, because my fault is greater. My brother in Achaia does not cease slandering me. Your letter has of course had no effect. Farewell.
March 8.
[1] confectus iam cruciatu maximorum dolorum ne si sit quidem quod ad te debeam scribere facile id exsequi possim, hoc minus, quod res nulla est quae scribenda sit cum praesertim ne spes quidem ulla ostendatur fore melius. ita iam ne tuas quidem litteras exspecto, quamquam semper aliud adferunt quod velim. qua re tu quidem scribito, cum erit quoi des. ego tuis proximis, quas tamen iam pridem accepi, nihil habeo quod rescribam; longo enim intervallo video immutata esse omnia; illa esse firma quae debeant, nos stultitiae nostrae gravissimas poenas pendere. [2] P. Sallustio curanda sunt HS. x_x_x_ quae accepi a Cn. Sallustio. velim videas ut sine mora curentur. de ea re scripsi ad Terentiam. atque hoc ipsum iam prope consumptum est. qua re id quoque velim cum illa videas, ut sit qui utamur. hic fortasse potero sumere, si sciam istic paratum fore; sed, prius quam id scirem, nihil sum ausus sumere. qui sit omnium rerum status noster vides. nihil est mali quod non et sustineam et exspectem. quarum rerum eo gravior est dolor quo culpa maior. ille in Achaia non cessat de nobis detrahere. nihil videlicet tuae litterae profecerunt. vale. viii Idus Mart.
◆
Worn out by the torment of my deepest sorrows, I would not find it easy to write to you even if there were something I ought to write. It is far less easy when I have nothing worth writing, especially since there is not even a glimmer of hope for better days. I am so hopeless now that I no longer even look forward to your letters, though they always bring me something I like to hear. So please write whenever you have a messenger.
I have no answer to give to your last letter, though it has been a long time since I received it, because I see no change after all this interval. The right cause is strong, and I am paying very heavily for my folly.
The two hundred fifty I had from Gnaeus Sallustius must be paid to Publius Sallustius. Please see that it is done without delay. I have written to Terentia about it. Now nearly all my money is spent, so I would like you to arrange with her for some money to support me. I may be able to get some here if I know I have a balance at Rome, but before I know that, I dare not try. You see the state of all my affairs. There is no kind of misfortune I am not enduring and expecting. I feel the greater sorrow for this state of affairs because my fault is greater. My brother in Achaia does not stop slandering me. Your letter, of course, has had no effect. Farewell. March 8.
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
[1] confectus iam cruciatu maximorum dolorum ne si sit quidem quod ad te debeam scribere facile id exsequi possim, hoc minus, quod res nulla est quae scribenda sit cum praesertim ne spes quidem ulla ostendatur fore melius. ita iam ne tuas quidem litteras exspecto, quamquam semper aliud adferunt quod velim. qua re tu quidem scribito, cum erit quoi des. ego tuis proximis, quas tamen iam pridem accepi, nihil habeo quod rescribam; longo enim intervallo video immutata esse omnia; illa esse firma quae debeant, nos stultitiae nostrae gravissimas poenas pendere. [2] P. Sallustio curanda sunt HS. x_x_x_ quae accepi a Cn. Sallustio. velim videas ut sine mora curentur. de ea re scripsi ad Terentiam. atque hoc ipsum iam prope consumptum est. qua re id quoque velim cum illa videas, ut sit qui utamur. hic fortasse potero sumere, si sciam istic paratum fore; sed, prius quam id scirem, nihil sum ausus sumere. qui sit omnium rerum status noster vides. nihil est mali quod non et sustineam et exspectem. quarum rerum eo gravior est dolor quo culpa maior. ille in Achaia non cessat de nobis detrahere. nihil videlicet tuae litterae profecerunt. vale. viii Idus Mart.