Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. 44 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome/Athens|AI-assisted
A little before this I had given Cassius' messenger a letter for you. Then on May 11 our own messenger arrived, and, something like a portent, without a letter from you. But I quickly guessed you had been at Lanuvium. Eros, however, had hurried so that Dolabella's letter could be brought to me. It was not about my business, since he had not yet received my letter, but it was a very lucid answer to the letters whose copy I sent you.
After I had dismissed Cassius' messenger, Balbus immediately came to me. Good gods, how easily one could see that he fears peace. And you know how guarded the man is. Still, he was telling me Antony's plans: that Antony is canvassing the veterans to ratify Caesar's acts and swear they will do it, that they should all have camps, and that two officials should inspect them every month. He also complained about his own unpopularity, and the whole drift of his talk was to make it seem that he loves Antony. What more do you want? There is nothing sincere.
I have no doubt that the matter is looking toward military camps. That act was done with a man's courage and a child's planning. Who failed to see that an heir to the monarchy had been left behind? What could be more absurd than "fear this man, but do not place the other among your fears"? Even now there are many absurdities. The mother of a tyrant-killer is occupying Pontius' house at Naples. I must read more often the Cato the Elder I sent to you, for old age is making me harsher. Everything irritates me. But my life is lived; let the young men see to it. You will look after my affairs, as you are doing.
I wrote this, or rather dictated it, at dessert at Vestorius' house. The next day I was thinking of visiting Hirtius, the one man left from the five. That is how I plan to lead the man over to the party of the best citizens. A lot of nonsense. There is not one of those people who does not fear peace. So let us think about winged sandals. Anything is better than a camp.
Please give Attica my warmest greetings. I am waiting for Octavius' public speech and any other news, but above all whether Dolabella's money makes any sound or whether he has cancelled debts in my name.
Just after I had given Cassius' messenger a letter for you on the 11th, came my messenger, and, to my extraordinary surprise, without a letter from you. But I quickly conjectured you had been at Lanuvium. Eros however had hastened to let me have a letter from Dolabella, not about my debt (for he had not got my letter yet), but an answer, and a very good answer too, to the one of which I sent you a copy. No sooner had I got rid of Cassius' messenger than Balbus came to see me. Good God, how easy it is to see that he is afraid of peace! And you know how secretive the man is. Yet he told me Antony's plans. He is canvassing all the veterans, asking them to support Caesar's acts and to take an oath to that effect, to keep in camps, which are to be inspected every month by two officials. He grumbled too about the prejudice against himself, and everything he said seemed to show affection for Antony. In fact there is no reliability in him. To me
there seems no doubt that things are tending towards war. For the deed was done with the courage of men, but with the blind policy of a child. For who did not see that the tyrant left an heir? And what could be more absurd than "to fear the one, and reck not of his friend"? Nay even now there are many absurdities. Think of the mother of the tyrannicide occupying Pontius' house at Naples! I must keep on reading my Cato Major which is dedicated to you: for old age is beginning to make me ill-tempered. Everything puts me in a rage. However, my life is over: the young people must look out for themselves. Take care of my affairs for me, as you are doing.
This I have written or rather dictated when at dessert with Vestorius. To-morrow I am thinking of paying a visit to Hirtius, the only survivor of the band of five. That is my way of trying to make him join the conservative party. It is all nonsense: there is none of Caesar's party who does not fear peace. So let us look for our sevenleague boots. Anything is better than a camp.
Please pay my best respects to Attica. I am looking for Octavius' speech and any other news there may be, but especially whether we shall hear the ring of Dolabella's money or whether he repudiated his debts in my case.
cum paulo ante dedissem ad te Cassi tabellario litteras, v Idus venit noster tabellarius et quidem, portenti simile, sine tuis litteris. sed cito conieci Lanuvi te fuisse. Eros autem festinavit, ut ad me litterae Dolabellae perferrentur non de re mea (nondum enim meas acceperat) sed rescripsit ad eas quarum exemplum tibi miseram sane luculente. [2] ad me autem, cum Cassi tabellarium dimisissem, statim Balbus. O dei boni, quam facile perspiceres timere otium! et nosti virum quam tectus. sed tamen Antoni consilia narrabat; illum circumire veteranos ut acta Caesaris sancirent idque se facturos es1e iurarent, ut castra omnes haberent eaque duoviri omnibus mensibus inspicerent. questus est etiam de sua invidia eaque omnis eius oratio fuit ut amare videretur Antonium. quid quaeris? nihil sinceri. [3] mihi autem non est dubium quin res spectet ad castra. Acta enim illa res est animo virili, consilio puerili. quis enim hoc non vidit, regni heredem relictum? quid autem absurdius? hoc me/tuere, alterum i/n metu non po/nere! quin etiam hoc ipso tempore multa u(poso/loika . Ponti Neapolitanum a matre tyrannoctoni possideri! legendus mihi saepius est 'Cato maior' ad te missus. amariorem enim me senectus facit. stomachor omnia. sed mihi quidem bebi/wtai ; viderint iuvenes. tu mea curabis, ut curas. [4] haec scripsi seu dictavi apposita secunda mensa apud Vestorium. postridie apud Hirtium cogitabam et quidem pente/loipon . sic hominem traducere ad optimatis paro. Lh=roj polu/j . nemo est istorum qui otium non timeat. qua re talaria videamus. quidvis enim potius quam castra. Atticae salutem plurimam velim dicas. exspecto Octavi contionem et si quid aliud, maxime autem ecquid Dolabella tinniat an in meo nomine tabulas novas fecerit.
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A little before this I had given Cassius' messenger a letter for you. Then on May 11 our own messenger arrived, and, something like a portent, without a letter from you. But I quickly guessed you had been at Lanuvium. Eros, however, had hurried so that Dolabella's letter could be brought to me. It was not about my business, since he had not yet received my letter, but it was a very lucid answer to the letters whose copy I sent you.
After I had dismissed Cassius' messenger, Balbus immediately came to me. Good gods, how easily one could see that he fears peace. And you know how guarded the man is. Still, he was telling me Antony's plans: that Antony is canvassing the veterans to ratify Caesar's acts and swear they will do it, that they should all have camps, and that two officials should inspect them every month. He also complained about his own unpopularity, and the whole drift of his talk was to make it seem that he loves Antony. What more do you want? There is nothing sincere.
I have no doubt that the matter is looking toward military camps. That act was done with a man's courage and a child's planning. Who failed to see that an heir to the monarchy had been left behind? What could be more absurd than "fear this man, but do not place the other among your fears"? Even now there are many absurdities. The mother of a tyrant-killer is occupying Pontius' house at Naples. I must read more often the Cato the Elder I sent to you, for old age is making me harsher. Everything irritates me. But my life is lived; let the young men see to it. You will look after my affairs, as you are doing.
I wrote this, or rather dictated it, at dessert at Vestorius' house. The next day I was thinking of visiting Hirtius, the one man left from the five. That is how I plan to lead the man over to the party of the best citizens. A lot of nonsense. There is not one of those people who does not fear peace. So let us think about winged sandals. Anything is better than a camp.
Please give Attica my warmest greetings. I am waiting for Octavius' public speech and any other news, but above all whether Dolabella's money makes any sound or whether he has cancelled debts in my name.
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
cum paulo ante dedissem ad te Cassi tabellario litteras, v Idus venit noster tabellarius et quidem, portenti simile, sine tuis litteris. sed cito conieci Lanuvi te fuisse. Eros autem festinavit, ut ad me litterae Dolabellae perferrentur non de re mea (nondum enim meas acceperat) sed rescripsit ad eas quarum exemplum tibi miseram sane luculente. [2] ad me autem, cum Cassi tabellarium dimisissem, statim Balbus. O dei boni, quam facile perspiceres timere otium! et nosti virum quam tectus. sed tamen Antoni consilia narrabat; illum circumire veteranos ut acta Caesaris sancirent idque se facturos es1e iurarent, ut castra omnes haberent eaque duoviri omnibus mensibus inspicerent. questus est etiam de sua invidia eaque omnis eius oratio fuit ut amare videretur Antonium. quid quaeris? nihil sinceri. [3] mihi autem non est dubium quin res spectet ad castra. Acta enim illa res est animo virili, consilio puerili. quis enim hoc non vidit, regni heredem relictum? quid autem absurdius? hoc me/tuere, alterum i/n metu non po/nere! quin etiam hoc ipso tempore multa u(poso/loika . Ponti Neapolitanum a matre tyrannoctoni possideri! legendus mihi saepius est 'Cato maior' ad te missus. amariorem enim me senectus facit. stomachor omnia. sed mihi quidem bebi/wtai ; viderint iuvenes. tu mea curabis, ut curas. [4] haec scripsi seu dictavi apposita secunda mensa apud Vestorium. postridie apud Hirtium cogitabam et quidem pente/loipon . sic hominem traducere ad optimatis paro. Lh=roj polu/j . nemo est istorum qui otium non timeat. qua re talaria videamus. quidvis enim potius quam castra. Atticae salutem plurimam velim dicas. exspecto Octavi contionem et si quid aliud, maxime autem ecquid Dolabella tinniat an in meo nomine tabulas novas fecerit.