Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. 46 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome/Athens|AI-assisted
Tiro has arrived sooner than I feared. Nicias has come too, and I was hearing today that Valerius is going to arrive. However many of them there are, I shall nonetheless be more alone than if you alone were here. But I am waiting for you, in any case after your business with Peducaeus, though you hint at something even before that. Well, do that as you are able.
About Vergilius, as you write. This, however, I should like to know: when is the auction? I see that you approve of the letter to Caesar being sent. Why ask? It pleased me very much too, all the more because there is nothing in it but what befits the best sort of citizen, yet best in such a way as the times allow, times to which all the politikoi [the political men, the statesmen] instruct us to submit. But you know it was our decision that those people should read it first. So you will see to that. But unless you clearly understand that it pleases them, it must not be sent. Whether they genuinely feel that way or only pretend, you will be able to tell. To me, pretense will count as outright rejection. Touto de mēlōsē [look into this, probe it carefully].
About Caerellia, Tiro told me what your view was: that it is not consistent with my dignity to be in her debt, and that you favor a formal entry of repayment. This [you tell me] to fear, the other [you tell me] not to set down among my fears. But all this, and much else, in person. The settlement of the Caerellian debt should, however, be held off, if it seems right to you, until we know both about Meto and about Faberius.
Tiro has arrived sooner than I feared. Nicias has come too, and I hear that Valerius will arrive today. However many they are, I shall be more alone without you than if you were my only companion. But I am expecting you — certainly after Peducaeus's business. In the meantime, take care of whatever you think needs attending to, and write to me about everything.
Tironem habeo citius quam verebar. venit etiam Nicias, et Valerium hodie audiebam esse venturum. quamvis multi sint, magis tamen ero solus quam si unus esses. sed exspecto te, a Peducaeo utique, tu autem significas aliquid etiam ante. verum id quidem ut poteris. [2] de Vergilio, ut scribis. hoc tamen velim scire quando auctio. epistulam ad Caesarem mitti video tibi placere. quid quaeris? mihi quoque hoc idem maxime placuit et eo magis quod nihil est in ea nisi optimi civis, sed ita optimi ut tempora; quibus parere omnes politikoi\ praecipiunt. sed scis ita nobis esse visum ut isti ante legerent. tu igitur id curabis. sed nisi plane iis intelleges placere, mittenda non est. id autem utrum illi sentiant anne simulent tu intelleges. mihi simulatio pro repudiatione fuerit. Tou=to de\ mhlw/sh?. [3] de Caerellia quid tibi placeret Tiro mihi narravit; debere non esse dignitatis meae, perscriptionem tibi placere: hoc me/tuere, alterum i/n metu non po/nere. sed et haec et multa alia coram. sustinenda tamen, si tibi videbitur, solutio est nominis Caerelliani dum et de Metone et de Faberio sciamus.
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Tiro has arrived sooner than I feared. Nicias has come too, and I was hearing today that Valerius is going to arrive. However many of them there are, I shall nonetheless be more alone than if you alone were here. But I am waiting for you, in any case after your business with Peducaeus, though you hint at something even before that. Well, do that as you are able.
About Vergilius, as you write. This, however, I should like to know: when is the auction? I see that you approve of the letter to Caesar being sent. Why ask? It pleased me very much too, all the more because there is nothing in it but what befits the best sort of citizen, yet best in such a way as the times allow, times to which all the politikoi [the political men, the statesmen] instruct us to submit. But you know it was our decision that those people should read it first. So you will see to that. But unless you clearly understand that it pleases them, it must not be sent. Whether they genuinely feel that way or only pretend, you will be able to tell. To me, pretense will count as outright rejection. Touto de mēlōsē [look into this, probe it carefully].
About Caerellia, Tiro told me what your view was: that it is not consistent with my dignity to be in her debt, and that you favor a formal entry of repayment. This [you tell me] to fear, the other [you tell me] not to set down among my fears. But all this, and much else, in person. The settlement of the Caerellian debt should, however, be held off, if it seems right to you, until we know both about Meto and about Faberius.
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
Tironem habeo citius quam verebar. venit etiam Nicias, et Valerium hodie audiebam esse venturum. quamvis multi sint, magis tamen ero solus quam si unus esses. sed exspecto te, a Peducaeo utique, tu autem significas aliquid etiam ante. verum id quidem ut poteris. [2] de Vergilio, ut scribis. hoc tamen velim scire quando auctio. epistulam ad Caesarem mitti video tibi placere. quid quaeris? mihi quoque hoc idem maxime placuit et eo magis quod nihil est in ea nisi optimi civis, sed ita optimi ut tempora; quibus parere omnes politikoi\ praecipiunt. sed scis ita nobis esse visum ut isti ante legerent. tu igitur id curabis. sed nisi plane iis intelleges placere, mittenda non est. id autem utrum illi sentiant anne simulent tu intelleges. mihi simulatio pro repudiatione fuerit. Tou=to de\ mhlw/sh?. [3] de Caerellia quid tibi placeret Tiro mihi narravit; debere non esse dignitatis meae, perscriptionem tibi placere: hoc me/tuere, alterum i/n metu non po/nere. sed et haec et multa alia coram. sustinenda tamen, si tibi videbitur, solutio est nominis Caerelliani dum et de Metone et de Faberio sciamus.