Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. 47 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome/Athens|AI-assisted
What you wrote to me some time ago, and to Tullia too with the intention that it should be passed on to me, I feel to be true. It adds to my misery, though I thought nothing could be added, that after receiving the deepest injury I cannot show anger or even annoyance without danger. So I must put up with that. And after I have borne that blow, I shall still have to suffer what you warn me to guard against. I have brought myself into such trouble that, whatever the state of affairs or the feelings of people may be, the result for me apparently will be the same.
But here I take the pen myself, because I must deal with confidential matters. Please see to the will even now, since it was made when she had begun to get into difficulties. She did not trouble you, I think; she did not even ask me about it. But since you have already raised the subject, you will be able to advise her to deposit it with someone whose position is not affected by this war. I would rather you were that person, if she agrees. The fact is, I am keeping the poor woman in the dark about that fear of mine.
As for the other matter, I know of course that nothing can be put up for sale now. But things could be put away and hidden so that they escape the collapse that is threatening. When you write that my fortune and yours are at Tullia's disposal, I believe you about yours; but what can there be of mine? As for Terentia, I leave out many other things, for what can be added to this? You wrote to her to remit one hundred to me by bill of exchange, saying that this was the balance. She sent me eighty, adding that this was the whole balance. If she steals so trifling an amount from so small a total, you can see what she has been doing with larger sums.
There is still no trace of Philotimus. He has not even told me by letter or messenger what he has done. People who come from Ephesus say they saw him there going to court over some lawsuits of his own, which possibly, indeed probably, are postponed until Caesar's arrival. So I suppose either he has nothing he thinks he needs to hurry and bring me, or I have sunk so low in my misfortunes that even if he has something, he does not bother to bring it until he has finished all his own business. That causes me considerable annoyance, though not as much as I think it ought. I do not think anything matters much less to me than what answer he brings back from that quarter. You know very well why.
You advise me to shape my face and words according to circumstances. It is difficult, but I would put a rein on myself if I thought it mattered to me at all. You say you think the African business can be arranged by an exchange of letters. I wish you would say why you think so, for I cannot imagine any reason for thinking it possible. Still, please write to me if there is anything that would give me a crumb of comfort; but if, as I see, there is nothing, write and tell me that. If I hear anything first, I will write to you. Farewell. August 6.
What you wrote to me some time ago and to Tullia too about me, with the intention that it should be passed on to me, I feel to be true. It adds to my misery, though I thought nothing could be added, that, when I have received the deepest injury, I cannot show anger or even annoyance with impunity. So I must put up with that. And when I have borne that blow, I shall still have to suffer what you warn me to guard against. For I have got myself into such trouble, that, whatever the state of affairs or the feelings of the people may be, the result for me apparently will be the same.
But here I take the pen myself; for I shall have to deal with confidential matters. Please see to the will even now, as it was made when she had begun to get into difficulties. She did not bother you, I think; for she did not even ask me about it. But, supposing that is so, since you have broached the subject already, you will be able to advise her to deposit it with some one whose position is not affected by this war. Myself I would rather you were the person, if she agrees to that. The fact is I am keeping the poor woman in the dark as to that fear of mine.
For that other matter, I know of course that nothing can be put up for sale now, but things could be put away and hidden, so that they escape the crash which is threatening. For, when you
write that my fortune and yours are at Tullia's service, I believe you as to yours, but what can there be of mine? Now as to Terentia, I omit lots of other things, for what can one add to this? You wrote to her to remit me by bill of exchange £100, saying that was the balance. She sent me 80 guineas, adding that that was all the balance. If she purloins so trifling an amount from so small a total, you can see what she has been doing in the case of larger sums.
Not a trace of Philotimus as yet: nay, he has not even informed me by letter or messenger what he has done. Those who come from Ephesus say they saw him there going into court about some lawsuits of his own, which possibly—indeed in all probability—are deferred till Caesar's arrival. So I suppose he either has nothing which he thinks he need hurry to bring to me, or I have sunk so low in my misfortunes that, even if he has, he does not take the trouble to bring it until he has finished all his own business. And that causes me considerable annoyance, but not so much as I think it ought. For I don't think anything matters much less to me than what answer he brings back from that quarter. Why, I am quite sure you know.
You advise me to mould my looks and words according to circumstances. It is difficult, but I would put a rein on myself, if I thought it mattered to me at all. You say you think the African business can be arranged by an interchange of letters: I wish you would say, why you think so: for I can't imagine any reason for thinking it possible. However please write to me, if there is anything that would give me
a crumb of comfort: but, if, as I see is the case, there is nothing, write and tell me that. If I hear anything first I will write to you. Farewell.
August 6.
[1] quae dudum ad me et quae etiam ad me visat Tulliam de me scripsisti, ea sentio esse vera. eo sum miserior, etsi nihil videbatur addi posse, quod mihi non modo irasci gravissima iniuria accepta sed ne dolere quidem impune licet. qua re istuc feramus. quod cum tulerimus, tamen eadem erunt perpetienda quae tu ne accidant ut caveamus mones. ea enim est a nobis contracta culpa (ut) omni statu omnique populo exitum habitura videatur. [2] sed ad meam manum redeo, erunt enim haec occultius agenda. vide, quaeso, etiam nunc de testamento, quod tum factum cum illa querere coeperat. non, credo, te commovit; neque enim rogavit ne me quidem. sed quasi ita sit, quoniam in sermonem iam venisti, poteris eam monere ut aliquoi committat cuius extra periculum huius belli fortuna sit. equidem tibi potissimum velim, si idem illa vellet. quam quidem celo miseram me hoc timere. de illo altero scio equidem venire nunc nil posse sed seponi et occultari possunt ut extra ruinam sint eam quae impendet. [3] nam quod scribis nobis nostra et tua et Terentiae fore parata, tua credo, nostra quae poterunt esse? de Terentia autem (mitto cetera quae sunt innumerabilia) quid ad hoc addi potest? scripseras ut HS X_I_I_ permutarem; tantum esse reliquum de argento. misit illa CCI[c][c] mihi et adscripsit tantum esse reliquum. Cum hoc tam parvum de parvo detraxerit, perspicis quid in maxima re fecerit. [4] Philotimus non modo nullus venit sed ne per litteras quidem aut per nuntium certiorem facit me quid egerit. Epheso qui veniunt ibi se eum de suis controversiis in ius adeuntem vidisse nuntiant; quae quidem (ita enim veri simile est) in adventum Caesaris fortasse reiciuntur. ita aut nihil puto eum habere quod putet ad me celerius perferendum aut adeo me (in) malis esse despectum ut, etiam si quid habet, id nisi omnibus suis negotiis confectis ad me referre non curet. ex quo magnum equidem capio dolorem sed non tantum quantum videor debere. nihil enim mea minus interesse puto quam quid illinc adferatur. id quam ob rem te intellegere certo scio. [5] quod me mones de vultu et oratione ad tempus accommodanda, etsi difficile est, tamen imperarem mihi, si mea quicquam interesse putarem. quod scribis litteris putare Africanum negotium confici posse, vellem scriberes cur ita putares; mihi quidem nihil in mentem venit qua re id putem fieri posse. tu tamen velim, si quid erit quod consolationis aliquid habeat, scribas ad me; sin, ut perspicio, nihil erit, scribas id ipsum. ego ad te, si quid audiero citius, scribam. vale. viii Idus Sextil.
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What you wrote to me some time ago, and to Tullia too with the intention that it should be passed on to me, I feel to be true. It adds to my misery, though I thought nothing could be added, that after receiving the deepest injury I cannot show anger or even annoyance without danger. So I must put up with that. And after I have borne that blow, I shall still have to suffer what you warn me to guard against. I have brought myself into such trouble that, whatever the state of affairs or the feelings of people may be, the result for me apparently will be the same.
But here I take the pen myself, because I must deal with confidential matters. Please see to the will even now, since it was made when she had begun to get into difficulties. She did not trouble you, I think; she did not even ask me about it. But since you have already raised the subject, you will be able to advise her to deposit it with someone whose position is not affected by this war. I would rather you were that person, if she agrees. The fact is, I am keeping the poor woman in the dark about that fear of mine.
As for the other matter, I know of course that nothing can be put up for sale now. But things could be put away and hidden so that they escape the collapse that is threatening. When you write that my fortune and yours are at Tullia's disposal, I believe you about yours; but what can there be of mine? As for Terentia, I leave out many other things, for what can be added to this? You wrote to her to remit one hundred to me by bill of exchange, saying that this was the balance. She sent me eighty, adding that this was the whole balance. If she steals so trifling an amount from so small a total, you can see what she has been doing with larger sums.
There is still no trace of Philotimus. He has not even told me by letter or messenger what he has done. People who come from Ephesus say they saw him there going to court over some lawsuits of his own, which possibly, indeed probably, are postponed until Caesar's arrival. So I suppose either he has nothing he thinks he needs to hurry and bring me, or I have sunk so low in my misfortunes that even if he has something, he does not bother to bring it until he has finished all his own business. That causes me considerable annoyance, though not as much as I think it ought. I do not think anything matters much less to me than what answer he brings back from that quarter. You know very well why.
You advise me to shape my face and words according to circumstances. It is difficult, but I would put a rein on myself if I thought it mattered to me at all. You say you think the African business can be arranged by an exchange of letters. I wish you would say why you think so, for I cannot imagine any reason for thinking it possible. Still, please write to me if there is anything that would give me a crumb of comfort; but if, as I see, there is nothing, write and tell me that. If I hear anything first, I will write to you. Farewell. August 6.
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] quae dudum ad me et quae etiam ad me visat Tulliam de me scripsisti, ea sentio esse vera. eo sum miserior, etsi nihil videbatur addi posse, quod mihi non modo irasci gravissima iniuria accepta sed ne dolere quidem impune licet. qua re istuc feramus. quod cum tulerimus, tamen eadem erunt perpetienda quae tu ne accidant ut caveamus mones. ea enim est a nobis contracta culpa (ut) omni statu omnique populo exitum habitura videatur. [2] sed ad meam manum redeo, erunt enim haec occultius agenda. vide, quaeso, etiam nunc de testamento, quod tum factum cum illa querere coeperat. non, credo, te commovit; neque enim rogavit ne me quidem. sed quasi ita sit, quoniam in sermonem iam venisti, poteris eam monere ut aliquoi committat cuius extra periculum huius belli fortuna sit. equidem tibi potissimum velim, si idem illa vellet. quam quidem celo miseram me hoc timere. de illo altero scio equidem venire nunc nil posse sed seponi et occultari possunt ut extra ruinam sint eam quae impendet. [3] nam quod scribis nobis nostra et tua et Terentiae fore parata, tua credo, nostra quae poterunt esse? de Terentia autem (mitto cetera quae sunt innumerabilia) quid ad hoc addi potest? scripseras ut HS X_I_I_ permutarem; tantum esse reliquum de argento. misit illa CCI[c][c] mihi et adscripsit tantum esse reliquum. Cum hoc tam parvum de parvo detraxerit, perspicis quid in maxima re fecerit. [4] Philotimus non modo nullus venit sed ne per litteras quidem aut per nuntium certiorem facit me quid egerit. Epheso qui veniunt ibi se eum de suis controversiis in ius adeuntem vidisse nuntiant; quae quidem (ita enim veri simile est) in adventum Caesaris fortasse reiciuntur. ita aut nihil puto eum habere quod putet ad me celerius perferendum aut adeo me (in) malis esse despectum ut, etiam si quid habet, id nisi omnibus suis negotiis confectis ad me referre non curet. ex quo magnum equidem capio dolorem sed non tantum quantum videor debere. nihil enim mea minus interesse puto quam quid illinc adferatur. id quam ob rem te intellegere certo scio. [5] quod me mones de vultu et oratione ad tempus accommodanda, etsi difficile est, tamen imperarem mihi, si mea quicquam interesse putarem. quod scribis litteris putare Africanum negotium confici posse, vellem scriberes cur ita putares; mihi quidem nihil in mentem venit qua re id putem fieri posse. tu tamen velim, si quid erit quod consolationis aliquid habeat, scribas ad me; sin, ut perspicio, nihil erit, scribas id ipsum. ego ad te, si quid audiero citius, scribam. vale. viii Idus Sextil.