Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. 44 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome/Athens|AI-assisted
On the 24th, at about four o'clock, a messenger came from Quintus Fufius bringing some little note or other from him, asking me to make peace with him. It was a very foolish letter, as usual, unless one thinks that everything one dislikes is very foolish. I sent an answer that I think you would approve.
The messenger also delivered two of your letters, one dated the 22nd and the other the 23rd. I answer the later and fuller one first. I agree. Why, if even Carfulenus deserts him, it will be the end of the world for him. Antony's plans, as you describe them, are revolutionary. I only hope he tries to get his way through the people and not through the Senate, which I think is likely. To me his whole policy points toward war, since Decimus Brutus is being robbed of his province. Whatever I may think of Brutus' resources, I do not think that can happen without war. But I do not want war, since the Buthrotians are all right as things stand. You may smile, but I am sorry that this was not achieved instead by my persistence, diligence, and influence.
You say you do not know what our friends should do. That difficulty has been troubling me for a long time. Now I see it was foolish to take comfort from the Ides of March. Although our courage was that of men, believe me, our judgment was that of children. We only cut down the tree; we did not root it out. You see how it is sending up shoots again.
Let us return, then, to the Tusculan Disputations, since you often point me back to them. I will keep your secret from Saufeius and never betray it. You send a message from Brutus asking me to let him know when I will reach Tusculum. On the 27th, as I told you before; and I would very much like to see you there as soon as possible. I think we will have to go to Lanuvium, and not without a great deal of talk. Still, I will see to it.
I turn back to your earlier letter, and I pass over the first part about the Buthrotians. That matter is carved on my deepest heart, if only, as you say, there is an opening for action. You are very insistent about Brutus' speech, since you discuss it again at such length. Am I really to plead the same case he has already written about? Am I to write without being asked by him? One could hardly thrust oneself in more rudely. "But," you say, "write something in the manner of Heracleides." I do not refuse that, but I would first have to settle on a line of argument and wait for more time to write it.
Think what you will of me - though naturally I would like you to think as well as possible, and not be offended by what I say - if affairs drift on as they seem to be doing, I can take no pleasure in the Ides of March. Caesar would never have returned, and fear would not have forced us to ratify his acts. Or, if I join Saufeius' school and abandon the Tusculan Disputations, which you would press even on Vestorius, I had such standing with Caesar, curse him though he is dead, that at my age he was not a master to run away from, since the death of that master has not set us free. I blush, believe me; but I have written it, and I will not erase it.
I wish the news about Menedemus had been true, and I hope the news about Cleopatra may be true. The rest when we meet, especially what our friends must do, and what even we must do if Antony is going to surround the Senate house with soldiers. I was afraid he might open this letter if I gave it to his messengers, so I have sent it with special care. I had to answer yours.
On the 24th, about four o'clock, came a messenger from Q. Fufius bringing some sort of a note from him, begging me to make it up with him. A very silly letter as usual, unless one thinks that everything one does not like is very silly. I sent an answer of which I think you would approve. The messenger delivered two of your letters, one of the 22nd, the other of the 23rd. I answer the later and fuller one first. I approve. Why, if even Carfulenus deserts him, it will be the end of the world for him. Antony's plans, as you describe them, are revolutionary. And I only hope he will try to get his way through the people and not through the Senate, which I think is probable. But to me his whole policy seems to point to war, since D. Brutus is being robbed of his province. Whatever I may think of Brutus' resources, I don't think that can happen without war. But I don't want war, since the Buthrotians are all right as it is. You may smile: but I am sorry it was not rather accomplished by my persistence, diligence, and influence. You say you don't know what our friends are to do: that difficulty has been bothering me for a long time. So now I see it was folly to be consoled by the Ides of March: for though our courage was that of men, believe me we had no more sense than children. We have only cut down the tree, not rooted it up. So you see how it is shooting out.
Let us return, then, to the Tusculan Disputations, since you often refer to them. Let us keep your secret from Saufeius: I will never betray it. You send a message from Brutus, asking me to let him know when I shall reach Tusculum. On the 27th, as I told you before; and I should very much like to see you there as soon as possible. For I think we shall have to go to Lanuvium, and that not without a lot of talk. However, I will see to it.
I return to your earlier letter, and I pass over the first part about the Buthrotians. For that is engraved on my heart of hearts, if only, as you say, there is an opening for action. You are very insistent about Brutus' speech, since you say so much about it again. Am I really to plead the same case as that he has written about? Am I to write without being asked by him? One could not put one's oar in more rudely. "But," you say, "write something in the style of Heracleides." That I don't refuse, but I should have to settle on a line of argument, and I should have to wait for more time to write it. For think what you will of me—though of course I should like you to think as well as possible, and not be offended at what I say—if affairs drift on as they seem to be doing, I can take no pleasure in the Ides of March. Caesar would never have come back, and fear would not have compelled us to ratify his acts; or, if I join Saufeius' school and desert the Tusculan Disputations, which you would press even on Vestorius, I was so high in his favour (heaven confound him, though he is dead!) that to a person of my age he was not a
master to run away from, since the death of a master has not set us free. I blush, believe me; but I have written it, and I won't erase it.
I wish it had been true about Menedemus, and I hope it may be true about Cleopatra. The rest when we meet, and especially what our friends must do, and what even we must do, if Antony is going to surround the House with soldiers. I was afraid he might open this letter, if I gave it to his messengers, so I have sent it with special care, for I had to answer yours.
ix K. H. x fere a Q. Fufio venit tabellarius. nescio quid ab eo litterularum, uti me sibi restituerem; sane insulse, ut solet, nisi forte, quae non ames omnia videntur insulse fieri. scripsi ita ut te probaturum existimo. mihi duas a te epistulas reddidit, unam xi, alteram x ad recentiorem prius et leniorem laudo; si vero etiam Carfulenus, ' a)/nw potamw=n .' Antoni consilia narras turbulenta. atque utinam potius per populum agat quam per senatum! quod quidem ita credo. sed mihi totum eius consilium ad bellum spectare videtur, si quidem D. Bruto provincia eripitur. quoquo modo ego de illius nervis existimo, non videtur fieri posse sine bello. sed non cupio, quoniam cavetur Buthrotiis. rides? aps condoleo non mea potius adsiduitate, diligentia, gratia perfici. [2] quod scribis te nescire quid nostris faciendum sit, iam pridem me illa a)pori/a sollicitat. itaque stulta iam Iduum Martiarum est consolatio. animis enim usi sumus virilibus, consiliis, mihi crede, puerilibus. excisa enim est arbor, non evulsa. itaque quam fruticetur vides. redeamus igitur, quoniam saepe usurpas, ad Tusculanas disputationes. Saufeium de te celemus; ego numquam indicabo. quod te a Bruto scribis, ut certior fieret quo die in Tusculanum essem venturus, ut ad te ante scripsi, vi Kal., et quidem ibi te quam primum per videre velim. puto enim nobis Lanuvium eundum et quidem non sine multo sermone. sed melh/sei . [3] redeo ad superiorem. ex qua praetereo illa prima de Buthrotiis; quae 'mihi sunt inclusa medullis,' sit modo, ut scribis, locus agendi. de oratione Bruti prorsus contendis quom iterum tam multis verbis agis. egone ut eam causam quam is scripsit? ego scribam non rogatus ab eo? nulla paregxei/rhsij fieri potest contumeliosior. 'at' inquis ' (Hraklei/deion aliquod.' non recuso id quidem, sed et componendum argumentum est et scribendi exspectandum tempus maturius. licet enim de me ut libet existimes (velim quidem quam optime), si haec ita manant ut videntur (feres quod dicam), me Idus Martiae non delectant. ille enim numquam revertisset, nos timor confirmare eius acta non coegisset, aut, ut in Saufei eam relinquamque Tusculanas disputationes ad quas tu etiam Vestorium hortaris, ita gratiosi eramus apud illum (quem di mortuum perduint!) ut nostrae aetati, quoniam interfecto domino liberi non sumus, non fuerit dominus ille fugiendus. rubeo, mihi crede, sed iam scripseram; delere nolui. [4] de Menedemo vellem verum fuisset, de regina velim verum sit. cetera coram, et maxime quid nostris faciendum sit, quid etiam nobis, si Antonius militibus obsessurus est senatum. hanc epistulam si illius tabellario dedissem, veritus sum ne solveret. itaque misi dedita. erat enim rescribendum tuis.
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On the 24th, at about four o'clock, a messenger came from Quintus Fufius bringing some little note or other from him, asking me to make peace with him. It was a very foolish letter, as usual, unless one thinks that everything one dislikes is very foolish. I sent an answer that I think you would approve.
The messenger also delivered two of your letters, one dated the 22nd and the other the 23rd. I answer the later and fuller one first. I agree. Why, if even Carfulenus deserts him, it will be the end of the world for him. Antony's plans, as you describe them, are revolutionary. I only hope he tries to get his way through the people and not through the Senate, which I think is likely. To me his whole policy points toward war, since Decimus Brutus is being robbed of his province. Whatever I may think of Brutus' resources, I do not think that can happen without war. But I do not want war, since the Buthrotians are all right as things stand. You may smile, but I am sorry that this was not achieved instead by my persistence, diligence, and influence.
You say you do not know what our friends should do. That difficulty has been troubling me for a long time. Now I see it was foolish to take comfort from the Ides of March. Although our courage was that of men, believe me, our judgment was that of children. We only cut down the tree; we did not root it out. You see how it is sending up shoots again.
Let us return, then, to the Tusculan Disputations, since you often point me back to them. I will keep your secret from Saufeius and never betray it. You send a message from Brutus asking me to let him know when I will reach Tusculum. On the 27th, as I told you before; and I would very much like to see you there as soon as possible. I think we will have to go to Lanuvium, and not without a great deal of talk. Still, I will see to it.
I turn back to your earlier letter, and I pass over the first part about the Buthrotians. That matter is carved on my deepest heart, if only, as you say, there is an opening for action. You are very insistent about Brutus' speech, since you discuss it again at such length. Am I really to plead the same case he has already written about? Am I to write without being asked by him? One could hardly thrust oneself in more rudely. "But," you say, "write something in the manner of Heracleides." I do not refuse that, but I would first have to settle on a line of argument and wait for more time to write it.
Think what you will of me - though naturally I would like you to think as well as possible, and not be offended by what I say - if affairs drift on as they seem to be doing, I can take no pleasure in the Ides of March. Caesar would never have returned, and fear would not have forced us to ratify his acts. Or, if I join Saufeius' school and abandon the Tusculan Disputations, which you would press even on Vestorius, I had such standing with Caesar, curse him though he is dead, that at my age he was not a master to run away from, since the death of that master has not set us free. I blush, believe me; but I have written it, and I will not erase it.
I wish the news about Menedemus had been true, and I hope the news about Cleopatra may be true. The rest when we meet, especially what our friends must do, and what even we must do if Antony is going to surround the Senate house with soldiers. I was afraid he might open this letter if I gave it to his messengers, so I have sent it with special care. I had to answer yours.
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
ix K. H. x fere a Q. Fufio venit tabellarius. nescio quid ab eo litterularum, uti me sibi restituerem; sane insulse, ut solet, nisi forte, quae non ames omnia videntur insulse fieri. scripsi ita ut te probaturum existimo. mihi duas a te epistulas reddidit, unam xi, alteram x ad recentiorem prius et leniorem laudo; si vero etiam Carfulenus, ' a)/nw potamw=n .' Antoni consilia narras turbulenta. atque utinam potius per populum agat quam per senatum! quod quidem ita credo. sed mihi totum eius consilium ad bellum spectare videtur, si quidem D. Bruto provincia eripitur. quoquo modo ego de illius nervis existimo, non videtur fieri posse sine bello. sed non cupio, quoniam cavetur Buthrotiis. rides? aps condoleo non mea potius adsiduitate, diligentia, gratia perfici. [2] quod scribis te nescire quid nostris faciendum sit, iam pridem me illa a)pori/a sollicitat. itaque stulta iam Iduum Martiarum est consolatio. animis enim usi sumus virilibus, consiliis, mihi crede, puerilibus. excisa enim est arbor, non evulsa. itaque quam fruticetur vides. redeamus igitur, quoniam saepe usurpas, ad Tusculanas disputationes. Saufeium de te celemus; ego numquam indicabo. quod te a Bruto scribis, ut certior fieret quo die in Tusculanum essem venturus, ut ad te ante scripsi, vi Kal., et quidem ibi te quam primum per videre velim. puto enim nobis Lanuvium eundum et quidem non sine multo sermone. sed melh/sei . [3] redeo ad superiorem. ex qua praetereo illa prima de Buthrotiis; quae 'mihi sunt inclusa medullis,' sit modo, ut scribis, locus agendi. de oratione Bruti prorsus contendis quom iterum tam multis verbis agis. egone ut eam causam quam is scripsit? ego scribam non rogatus ab eo? nulla paregxei/rhsij fieri potest contumeliosior. 'at' inquis ' (Hraklei/deion aliquod.' non recuso id quidem, sed et componendum argumentum est et scribendi exspectandum tempus maturius. licet enim de me ut libet existimes (velim quidem quam optime), si haec ita manant ut videntur (feres quod dicam), me Idus Martiae non delectant. ille enim numquam revertisset, nos timor confirmare eius acta non coegisset, aut, ut in Saufei eam relinquamque Tusculanas disputationes ad quas tu etiam Vestorium hortaris, ita gratiosi eramus apud illum (quem di mortuum perduint!) ut nostrae aetati, quoniam interfecto domino liberi non sumus, non fuerit dominus ille fugiendus. rubeo, mihi crede, sed iam scripseram; delere nolui. [4] de Menedemo vellem verum fuisset, de regina velim verum sit. cetera coram, et maxime quid nostris faciendum sit, quid etiam nobis, si Antonius militibus obsessurus est senatum. hanc epistulam si illius tabellario dedissem, veritus sum ne solveret. itaque misi dedita. erat enim rescribendum tuis.