Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. 45 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome/Athens|AI-assisted
Prompted by certain of your letters to set about sending fuller letters to Caesar, and since Balbus told me recently at my Lanuvian villa that he and Oppius had written to Caesar that I had read the books against Cato [Caesar's Anticato, attacking the recently deceased Cato the Younger] and had warmly approved of them, I composed a letter to Caesar about those very books, to be delivered to him through Dolabella. But I sent a copy of it to Oppius and Balbus, and I wrote to them that they should order my letter to be delivered to Dolabella only if they themselves approved of the copy. They wrote back to me that they had never read anything better, and they ordered my letter to be given to Dolabella.
[2] Vestorius has written to me asking that I order the Brinnian estate to be formally conveyed [by mancipatio, the Roman legal ceremony of transfer] to his slave, for my share, to a certain Hetereius, so that he himself may properly convey it to him by mancipatio at Puteoli. Send that slave to me, if you think it right; for I believe Vestorius has written to you as well.
[3] About Caesar's arrival I have the same news from Oppius and Balbus as you wrote to me. I am surprised that you have nothing yet from Tigellius, such as this very point: how much he received. I am positively itching to know, and yet I do not care a straw.
[4] You ask what I am thinking about going out to meet him. What do you suppose, except Alsium? And indeed I had written to Murena about lodging, but I think he has set off with Matius. So Sallustius will be pressed into service.
[5] When I had already written the line above, Eros told me that Murena had replied to him most generously. So let us make use of that, then. For Silius has no mattresses, and Dida, I think, has given over his whole villa to guests.
Prompted by certain of your letters to begin sending fuller letters to Caesar, when Balbus recently told me at Lanuvium that he and Oppius had written to Caesar saying that I had read the books against Cato and was pleased with them — you know that is not true, but still, I thought I should write something, since Balbus asked me to. I have drafted a letter to Caesar that is, I think, appropriately flattering without being servile. I shall send you a copy. Tell me what you think.
admonitus quibusdam tuis litteris ut ad Caesarem uberiores litteras mittere instituerem, cum mihi Balbus nuper in Lanuvino dixisset se et Oppium scripsisse ad Caesarem me legisse libros contra Catonem et vehementer probasse, conscripsi de iis ipsis libris epistulam Caesari quae deferretur ad Dolabellam; sed eius exemplum misi ad Oppium et Balbum scripsique ad eos ut tum deferri ad Dolabellam iuberent meas litteras si ipsi exemplum probassent. ita mihi rescripserunt nihil umquam se legisse melius epistulamque meam iusserunt dari Dolabellae. [2] Vestorius ad me scripsit ut iuberem mancipio dari servo suo pro mea parte Hetereio cuidam fundum Brinnianum ut ipse ei Puteolis recte mancipio dare posset. Eum servum, si tibi videbitur, ad me mittes; opinor enim ad te etiam scripsisse Vestorium. [3] de adventu Caesaris idem quod a te mihi scriptum est ab Oppio et Balbo. miror te nihildum cum Tigellio, velut hoc ipsum, quantum acceperit: prorsus aveo scire nec tamen flocci facio. [4] quaeris quid cogitem de obviam itione. quid censes nisi Alsium? et quidem ad Murenam de hospitio scripseram, sed opinor cum Matio profectum. Sallustius igitur urgebitur. [5] scripto iam superiore versiculo Eros mihi dixit sibi Murenam liberalissime respondisse. eo igitur utamur. nam Silius culcitas non habet. dida autem, opinor, hospitibus totam villam concessit.
◆
Prompted by certain of your letters to set about sending fuller letters to Caesar, and since Balbus told me recently at my Lanuvian villa that he and Oppius had written to Caesar that I had read the books against Cato [Caesar's Anticato, attacking the recently deceased Cato the Younger] and had warmly approved of them, I composed a letter to Caesar about those very books, to be delivered to him through Dolabella. But I sent a copy of it to Oppius and Balbus, and I wrote to them that they should order my letter to be delivered to Dolabella only if they themselves approved of the copy. They wrote back to me that they had never read anything better, and they ordered my letter to be given to Dolabella.
[2] Vestorius has written to me asking that I order the Brinnian estate to be formally conveyed [by mancipatio, the Roman legal ceremony of transfer] to his slave, for my share, to a certain Hetereius, so that he himself may properly convey it to him by mancipatio at Puteoli. Send that slave to me, if you think it right; for I believe Vestorius has written to you as well.
[3] About Caesar's arrival I have the same news from Oppius and Balbus as you wrote to me. I am surprised that you have nothing yet from Tigellius, such as this very point: how much he received. I am positively itching to know, and yet I do not care a straw.
[4] You ask what I am thinking about going out to meet him. What do you suppose, except Alsium? And indeed I had written to Murena about lodging, but I think he has set off with Matius. So Sallustius will be pressed into service.
[5] When I had already written the line above, Eros told me that Murena had replied to him most generously. So let us make use of that, then. For Silius has no mattresses, and Dida, I think, has given over his whole villa to guests.
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
admonitus quibusdam tuis litteris ut ad Caesarem uberiores litteras mittere instituerem, cum mihi Balbus nuper in Lanuvino dixisset se et Oppium scripsisse ad Caesarem me legisse libros contra Catonem et vehementer probasse, conscripsi de iis ipsis libris epistulam Caesari quae deferretur ad Dolabellam; sed eius exemplum misi ad Oppium et Balbum scripsique ad eos ut tum deferri ad Dolabellam iuberent meas litteras si ipsi exemplum probassent. ita mihi rescripserunt nihil umquam se legisse melius epistulamque meam iusserunt dari Dolabellae. [2] Vestorius ad me scripsit ut iuberem mancipio dari servo suo pro mea parte Hetereio cuidam fundum Brinnianum ut ipse ei Puteolis recte mancipio dare posset. Eum servum, si tibi videbitur, ad me mittes; opinor enim ad te etiam scripsisse Vestorium. [3] de adventu Caesaris idem quod a te mihi scriptum est ab Oppio et Balbo. miror te nihildum cum Tigellio, velut hoc ipsum, quantum acceperit: prorsus aveo scire nec tamen flocci facio. [4] quaeris quid cogitem de obviam itione. quid censes nisi Alsium? et quidem ad Murenam de hospitio scripseram, sed opinor cum Matio profectum. Sallustius igitur urgebitur. [5] scripto iam superiore versiculo Eros mihi dixit sibi Murenam liberalissime respondisse. eo igitur utamur. nam Silius culcitas non habet. dida autem, opinor, hospitibus totam villam concessit.