Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. 47 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome/Athens|AI-assisted
I have given this letter to other people's messengers, who are in a hurry. That is why it is short, and also because I am just about to send my own messengers. Tullia came to me on June 12, told me of all your attention and kindness to her, and delivered three letters. Yet I have not received from her goodness, kindness, and affection the pleasure I should receive from a matchless daughter. No, my grief exceeds all bounds when I think that such a fine character is caught in such a wretched fate, and that this has happened through no fault of hers, but through my own grave mistake. So I now expect neither consolation from you, though I see you are ready to offer it, nor advice, since none can be taken. I realize that in your earlier letters and in these last ones you have tried every possible way.
I have given this letter to some one else's messengers, who are in a hurry. That is why it is short; also because I am just going to send my own. Tullia came to me on the 12th of June and told me of all your attention and kindness to her and delivered three letters. I however have not derived the pleasure from her goodness, kindness and affection, which I ought to derive from a matchless daughter, nay, my grief exceeds all bounds when I think that such a fine character should be involved in such a
distressful fate, and that this should happen through no fault of hers, but through my own grave error. So I do not expect any consolation from you now, though I see you are ready to offer it, nor any counsel, since none can be taken: and I realize that you have tried every way in your former letters and in these last.
[1] properantibus tabellariis alienis hanc epistulam dedi. eo brevior est et quod eram missurus nostros. Tullia mea venit ad me pr. Idus Iunias deque tua erga se observantia benevolentiaque mihi plurima exposuit litterasque reddidit trinas. ego autem ex ipsius virtute, humanitate, pietate non modo eam voluptatem non cepi quam capere ex singulari filia debui sed etiam incredibili sum dolore adfectus tale ingenium in tam misera fortuna versari idque accidere nullo ipsius delicto summa culpa mea. itaque a te neque consolationem iam qua cupere te uti video nec consilium quod capi nullum potest exspecto teque omnia cum superioribus saepe litteris tum proximis temptasse intellego.
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I have given this letter to other people's messengers, who are in a hurry. That is why it is short, and also because I am just about to send my own messengers. Tullia came to me on June 12, told me of all your attention and kindness to her, and delivered three letters. Yet I have not received from her goodness, kindness, and affection the pleasure I should receive from a matchless daughter. No, my grief exceeds all bounds when I think that such a fine character is caught in such a wretched fate, and that this has happened through no fault of hers, but through my own grave mistake. So I now expect neither consolation from you, though I see you are ready to offer it, nor advice, since none can be taken. I realize that in your earlier letters and in these last ones you have tried every possible way.
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] properantibus tabellariis alienis hanc epistulam dedi. eo brevior est et quod eram missurus nostros. Tullia mea venit ad me pr. Idus Iunias deque tua erga se observantia benevolentiaque mihi plurima exposuit litterasque reddidit trinas. ego autem ex ipsius virtute, humanitate, pietate non modo eam voluptatem non cepi quam capere ex singulari filia debui sed etiam incredibili sum dolore adfectus tale ingenium in tam misera fortuna versari idque accidere nullo ipsius delicto summa culpa mea. itaque a te neque consolationem iam qua cupere te uti video nec consilium quod capi nullum potest exspecto teque omnia cum superioribus saepe litteris tum proximis temptasse intellego.