Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. 46 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome/Athens|AI-assisted
Silius today, as you write. So tomorrow, or rather whenever you can, you will write, if there is anything to report once you have seen him. I am not avoiding Brutus, nor yet do I expect any relief from him; but there were reasons why I did not want to be there at this particular time. If those reasons persist, an excuse will have to be devised for Brutus, and, as things stand now, they seem likely to persist.
About the gardens, please, sort it out. The crucial point is the one you know. It follows that I too have need of something for myself; for I can neither be in the crowd nor be away from you. For this plan of mine I can find nothing more suitable than that location, and on this matter [I want to know] what your own judgment is. I am convinced of it, and all the more because I gathered that you too think the same, that I am held in high regard by Oppius and Balbus. Take care to communicate to both of them how greatly, and for what reason, I want the gardens; but [say] that this can only be done if that business with Faberius is unraveled. So [find out] whether they will back it. If some sacrifice must also be made in paying cash down, bring them along as far as they can be brought; for that whole sum is given up as lost. In short, you will discover whether they incline at all toward supporting this plan of mine. If there is anything in it, it is a great help; if not, let us strive by whatever method we can. Consider it either an 'engerama' [a comfort for my old age], as you wrote, or an 'entaphion' [a provision for my burial]. As for that property at Ostia, it is not to be thought of. If we do not achieve this (from Lamia I do not think it possible), Damasippus's must be tried.
Sicca is surprised that Silius has changed his mind. For my part I am more surprised that, when he makes his son the excuse—and it seems to me a good enough excuse, as his son is all he could wish—you say you think he will sell, if we add one other thing, which he shrinks from mentioning, though he has set his heart on it. You ask me to fix my
outside price and say how much I prefer them to Drusus' gardens. I have never been in them; I know Coponius' country house is old and not very large and the wood a fine one; but I don't know what either brings in, and that I think we ought to know. But for me either of them should be reckoned rather by my need than by the market value. However please consider whether I can get them or not. If I were to sell my claim on Faberius, I should have no doubt about settling for Silius' gardens even with ready money, if only he could be induced to sell. If his are not for sale, I should have recourse to Drusus, even at the price Egnatius said he asked. Hermogenes too can be a great assistance to me in getting ready money. You must not mind my being eager, one ought to be when one is wanting to make a purchase. However I won't give way to my wishes and my grief so far as not to be ruled by you.
Silius, ut scribis, hodie. cras igitur vel potius cum poteris scribes, si quid erit cum videris. nec ego Brutum vito nec tamen ab eo levationem ullam exspecto; sed erant causae cur hoc tempore istic esse nollem. quae si manebunt, quaerenda erit excusatio ad Brutum et, ut nunc est, mansurae videntur. [2] de hortis, quaeso, explica. caput illud est quod scis. sequitur ut etiam mihi ipsi quiddam opus sit; nec enim esse in turba possum nec a vobis abesse. huic meo consilio nihil reperio isto loco aptius et de hac re quid tui consili sit. mihi persuasum est et eo magis quod idem intellexi tibi videri me ab Oppio et Balbo valde diligi. cum bis communices quanto opere et qua re velim hortos; sed id ita posse, si expediatur illud Faberianum; sint ne igitur auctores futuri. si qua etiam iactura facienda sit in repraesentando, quoad possunt adducito; totum enim illud desperatum. denique intelleges ecquid inclinent ad hoc meum consilium adiuvandum. si quid erit, magnum est adiumentum; si minus, quacumque ratione contendamus. vel tu illud ' e)ggh/rama ,' quem ad modum scripsisti, vel e)nta/fion putato. de illo Ostiensi nihil est cogitandum. si hoc non adsequimur (a Lamia non puto posse), Damasippi experiendum est.
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Silius today, as you write. So tomorrow, or rather whenever you can, you will write, if there is anything to report once you have seen him. I am not avoiding Brutus, nor yet do I expect any relief from him; but there were reasons why I did not want to be there at this particular time. If those reasons persist, an excuse will have to be devised for Brutus, and, as things stand now, they seem likely to persist.
About the gardens, please, sort it out. The crucial point is the one you know. It follows that I too have need of something for myself; for I can neither be in the crowd nor be away from you. For this plan of mine I can find nothing more suitable than that location, and on this matter [I want to know] what your own judgment is. I am convinced of it, and all the more because I gathered that you too think the same, that I am held in high regard by Oppius and Balbus. Take care to communicate to both of them how greatly, and for what reason, I want the gardens; but [say] that this can only be done if that business with Faberius is unraveled. So [find out] whether they will back it. If some sacrifice must also be made in paying cash down, bring them along as far as they can be brought; for that whole sum is given up as lost. In short, you will discover whether they incline at all toward supporting this plan of mine. If there is anything in it, it is a great help; if not, let us strive by whatever method we can. Consider it either an 'engerama' [a comfort for my old age], as you wrote, or an 'entaphion' [a provision for my burial]. As for that property at Ostia, it is not to be thought of. If we do not achieve this (from Lamia I do not think it possible), Damasippus's must be tried.
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
Silius, ut scribis, hodie. cras igitur vel potius cum poteris scribes, si quid erit cum videris. nec ego Brutum vito nec tamen ab eo levationem ullam exspecto; sed erant causae cur hoc tempore istic esse nollem. quae si manebunt, quaerenda erit excusatio ad Brutum et, ut nunc est, mansurae videntur. [2] de hortis, quaeso, explica. caput illud est quod scis. sequitur ut etiam mihi ipsi quiddam opus sit; nec enim esse in turba possum nec a vobis abesse. huic meo consilio nihil reperio isto loco aptius et de hac re quid tui consili sit. mihi persuasum est et eo magis quod idem intellexi tibi videri me ab Oppio et Balbo valde diligi. cum bis communices quanto opere et qua re velim hortos; sed id ita posse, si expediatur illud Faberianum; sint ne igitur auctores futuri. si qua etiam iactura facienda sit in repraesentando, quoad possunt adducito; totum enim illud desperatum. denique intelleges ecquid inclinent ad hoc meum consilium adiuvandum. si quid erit, magnum est adiumentum; si minus, quacumque ratione contendamus. vel tu illud ' e)ggh/rama ,' quem ad modum scripsisti, vel e)nta/fion putato. de illo Ostiensi nihil est cogitandum. si hoc non adsequimur (a Lamia non puto posse), Damasippi experiendum est.