Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. 60 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome/Athens|AI-assisted
Do those people deny that Publius has been made a plebeian? This is downright tyranny and can in no way be endured. Let Publius send men to me to seal the document; I will swear that our friend Gnaeus, Balbus's colleague [in the augurate], told me at Antium that he was present at the taking of the auspices. Oh, the delightful letters of yours, two delivered to me at one time! For which I do not know what glad tidings to return; I plainly admit that I am in your debt. But look at the coincidence. [2] I had just emerged from the Antian road onto the Appian, at Three Taverns, on the very day of the Cerialia, when my friend Curio runs into me coming from Rome. At that very spot, on the spot, came a slave-boy from you with your letters. He asked me whether I had heard any news. I said no. "Publius," he said, "is seeking the tribunate of the plebs." "What are you saying?" "And as Caesar's bitterest enemy too," he said, "and intending to rescind all those measures of his." "And Caesar?" I asked. "He denies that he carried any law about that man's adoption." Then he poured out his own hatred, and that of Memmius, and of Metellus Nepos. I embraced the young man and dismissed him, hurrying to your letters. Where are those who say that the living voice is worth more? How much more clearly did I see from your letter than from his conversation what was going on: about the daily ruminating, about Publius's scheming, about the war-trumpets of the cow-eyed lady [Clodia], about that standard-bearer Athenio, about the letters sent to Gnaeus, about the talk of Theophanes and Memmius! Moreover, what great anticipation you have given me of that licentious banquet! I am sharp-set with curiosity, yet all the same I bear it easily that you do not write that drinking-party of yours to me; I prefer to hear it in person. [3] As for your urging me to write something, my material indeed grows, as you say, but the whole situation even now is in flux, harsh as the season of autumn. And if it settles down, what I write will be more clarified. And if you cannot have it from me at once, you will nevertheless be the first to have it, and for some while you alone. [4] You are right to love Dicaearchus; he is a brilliant man and a far better citizen than these unjust-archs of ours. I have written this letter at the tenth hour on the Cerialia, immediately after I had read yours, but I was going to give it, as I had thought, on the next day to the first person who should meet me. Terentia is delighted with your letter; she sends you many greetings, and Cicero the philosopher greets Titus the statesman.
So they deny that Publius has been made a plebeian, do they? This is certainly sheer tyranny and not to be borne. Let Publius send some one to witness my affidavit. I will take my oath that my friend Gnaeus, Balbus’ colleague, told me at Antium that he had himself assisted at taking the auspices.
Fancy two such delightful letters of yours being delivered at one and the same time! I don’t know how to pay you back for your good news, though I candidly confess my debt. Here’s a coincidence. I had just taken the turn off the road to Antium on to the Appian Way at the Three Taverns on the very day of the Cerealia, when my friend Curio met me, fresh from Rome: and at the very same moment your man with a letter. Curio inquired whether I hadn’t heard the news. “No,” said I. “Publius is standing for the tribuneship,” says he. “You don’t say so!” “And he is at deadly enmity with Caesar,” he replies, “and wants to annul all those laws of his.” “And what is Caesar doing?” I inquired. “He is denying that he ever proposed Clodius’ adoption.” Then he emptied the vials of his own wrath and that of Memmius and Metellus Nepos. I embraced the youth and said good-bye, being in a hurry to get to your letters. What a lot of nonsense is talked about “viva vox”? Why, I learned a dozen times as much about affairs from your letter as from his talk—the daily chit-chat, the designs of Publius, Juno’s war-cries, how Athenio is raising the standard, his letter
to Gnaeus, the conversation with Theophanes and Memmius: and you have made me wild with inquisitiveness about that “fast” dinner. My curiosity is insatiable: but I have no grievance at your omitting to write an account of the dinner. I would much rather hear it by word of mouth.
As for your exhortations to write something, my material certainly is increasing, as you say; but everything is still in a state of ferment, like must in autumn. When things have settled down, my writing will be more clarified. Though you may not get anything from me at once, you shall be the first to have it however, and no one else for a long time. You are right in admiring Dicaearchus. He is a splendid fellow and a far better patriot than any of these great men of ours to whom his name would certainly not apply. I write this on the day of the Cerealia at four o’clock, as soon as I read yours: but I am thinking of giving it to the first person I meet to-morrow. Terentia is delighted with your letters. She sends you her warmest greetings, and Cicero in his new rôle of philosopher salutes Titus the politician.
negent illi Publium plebeium factum esse? hoc vero regnum est et ferri nullo pacto potest. emittat ad me Publius qui obsignent; iurabo Gnaeum nostrum, conlegam Balbi, Anti mihi narrasse se in auspicio fuisse. O suavis epistulas tuas uno tempore mihi datas duas! quibus euangelia quae reddam nescio; deberi quidem plane fateor. sed vide sunkurema. [2] emerseram commodum ex Antiati in Appiam ad tris tabernas ipsis Cerialibus, cum in me incurrit Roma veniens Curio meus. ibidem ilico puer abs te cum epistulis. ille ex me, nihilne audissem novi. ego negare. 'Publius' inquit 'tribunatum pl. petit.' 'quid ais?' 'et inimicissimus quidem Caesaris, et ut omnia' inquit 'ista rescindat.' 'quid Caesar?' inquam 'negat se quicquam de illius adoptione tulisse.' deinde suum, Memmi, Metelli Nepotis exprompsit odium. complexus iuvenem dimisi properans ad epistulas. Vbi sunt qui aiunt zoses phones? quanto magis vidi ex tuis litteris quam ex illius sermone quid ageretur, de ruminatione cotidiana, de cogitatione Publi, de lituis boopidos, de signifero Athenione, de litteris missis ad Gnaeum, de Theophanis Memmique sermone; quantam porro mihi exspectationem dedisti convivi istius aselgous! sum in curiositate oxupeinos, sed tamen facile patior te id ad me sumposion non scribere; praesentem audire malo. [3] quod me ut scribam aliquid hortaris, crescit mihi quidem materies, ut dicis, sed tota res etiam nunc fluctuat, kat' oporen trux. quae si desederit, magis erunt liquata quae scribam. quae si statim a me ferre non potueris, primus habebis tamen et aliquamdiu solus. [4] Dicaearchum recte amas; luculentus homo est et civis haud paulo melior quam isti nostri adikaiarchoi. Litteras scripsi hora decima Cerialibus statim ut tuas legeram, sed eas eram daturus, ut putaram, postridie ei qui mihi primus obviam venisset. Terentia delectata est tuis litteris; impertit tibi multam salutem, kai Kikeron ho philosophos ton politikon Titon aspazetai.
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Do those people deny that Publius has been made a plebeian? This is downright tyranny and can in no way be endured. Let Publius send men to me to seal the document; I will swear that our friend Gnaeus, Balbus's colleague [in the augurate], told me at Antium that he was present at the taking of the auspices. Oh, the delightful letters of yours, two delivered to me at one time! For which I do not know what glad tidings to return; I plainly admit that I am in your debt. But look at the coincidence. [2] I had just emerged from the Antian road onto the Appian, at Three Taverns, on the very day of the Cerialia, when my friend Curio runs into me coming from Rome. At that very spot, on the spot, came a slave-boy from you with your letters. He asked me whether I had heard any news. I said no. "Publius," he said, "is seeking the tribunate of the plebs." "What are you saying?" "And as Caesar's bitterest enemy too," he said, "and intending to rescind all those measures of his." "And Caesar?" I asked. "He denies that he carried any law about that man's adoption." Then he poured out his own hatred, and that of Memmius, and of Metellus Nepos. I embraced the young man and dismissed him, hurrying to your letters. Where are those who say that the living voice is worth more? How much more clearly did I see from your letter than from his conversation what was going on: about the daily ruminating, about Publius's scheming, about the war-trumpets of the cow-eyed lady [Clodia], about that standard-bearer Athenio, about the letters sent to Gnaeus, about the talk of Theophanes and Memmius! Moreover, what great anticipation you have given me of that licentious banquet! I am sharp-set with curiosity, yet all the same I bear it easily that you do not write that drinking-party of yours to me; I prefer to hear it in person. [3] As for your urging me to write something, my material indeed grows, as you say, but the whole situation even now is in flux, harsh as the season of autumn. And if it settles down, what I write will be more clarified. And if you cannot have it from me at once, you will nevertheless be the first to have it, and for some while you alone. [4] You are right to love Dicaearchus; he is a brilliant man and a far better citizen than these unjust-archs of ours. I have written this letter at the tenth hour on the Cerialia, immediately after I had read yours, but I was going to give it, as I had thought, on the next day to the first person who should meet me. Terentia is delighted with your letter; she sends you many greetings, and Cicero the philosopher greets Titus the statesman.
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
negent illi Publium plebeium factum esse? hoc vero regnum est et ferri nullo pacto potest. emittat ad me Publius qui obsignent; iurabo Gnaeum nostrum, conlegam Balbi, Anti mihi narrasse se in auspicio fuisse. O suavis epistulas tuas uno tempore mihi datas duas! quibus euangelia quae reddam nescio; deberi quidem plane fateor. sed vide sunkurema. [2] emerseram commodum ex Antiati in Appiam ad tris tabernas ipsis Cerialibus, cum in me incurrit Roma veniens Curio meus. ibidem ilico puer abs te cum epistulis. ille ex me, nihilne audissem novi. ego negare. 'Publius' inquit 'tribunatum pl. petit.' 'quid ais?' 'et inimicissimus quidem Caesaris, et ut omnia' inquit 'ista rescindat.' 'quid Caesar?' inquam 'negat se quicquam de illius adoptione tulisse.' deinde suum, Memmi, Metelli Nepotis exprompsit odium. complexus iuvenem dimisi properans ad epistulas. Vbi sunt qui aiunt zoses phones? quanto magis vidi ex tuis litteris quam ex illius sermone quid ageretur, de ruminatione cotidiana, de cogitatione Publi, de lituis boopidos, de signifero Athenione, de litteris missis ad Gnaeum, de Theophanis Memmique sermone; quantam porro mihi exspectationem dedisti convivi istius aselgous! sum in curiositate oxupeinos, sed tamen facile patior te id ad me sumposion non scribere; praesentem audire malo. [3] quod me ut scribam aliquid hortaris, crescit mihi quidem materies, ut dicis, sed tota res etiam nunc fluctuat, kat' oporen trux. quae si desederit, magis erunt liquata quae scribam. quae si statim a me ferre non potueris, primus habebis tamen et aliquamdiu solus. [4] Dicaearchum recte amas; luculentus homo est et civis haud paulo melior quam isti nostri adikaiarchoi. Litteras scripsi hora decima Cerialibus statim ut tuas legeram, sed eas eram daturus, ut putaram, postridie ei qui mihi primus obviam venisset. Terentia delectata est tuis litteris; impertit tibi multam salutem, kai Kikeron ho philosophos ton politikon Titon aspazetai.