Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. 66 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome/Athens|AI-assisted
You keep stirring up frequent expectations of your arrival in us. Lately, indeed, when we were already supposing that you were approaching, we were suddenly put off by you until the month of July [Quintilis]. Now, however, I feel that, at whatever suits your convenience, you should come at that time which you write of; you will be present for the elections of my brother Quintus, you will visit us after a long interval, and you will settle the Acutilian dispute. Peducaeus too has urged me to write to you about this. For we think it is to your advantage to settle that matter at last. My intervention is ready, and always has been. Here we have, by the incredible and singular goodwill of the people, settled the case of Gaius Macer. Although we had been fair to him, nevertheless we reaped a far greater reward from the people's esteem by his condemnation than we should have reaped from his own gratitude, had he been acquitted. As for what you write to me about the Hermathena [a herm combining Hermes and Athena], it is most welcome to me. It is an ornament especially suited to my Academy, since Hermes is the common emblem of all such places, while Minerva is the particular emblem of that gymnasium. For this reason I should like you, as you write, to adorn that spot with as many other things as possible. The statues you sent me before I have not yet seen; they are at my villa at Formiae, whither I was now thinking of setting out. I shall convey all of them to my Tusculan villa. Caieta I shall adorn, if ever I begin to have a surplus. Keep your books, and do not despair of my being able to make them my own. If I achieve this, I surpass Crassus in riches, and I scorn the estates and meadows of every man.
You keep on raising our hopes of seeing you: and just the other day, when we thought you were nearly here, we find ourselves suddenly put off till July. Now I really do think you ought to keep your promise
and come if you possibly can manage it. You will be in time for my brother Quintus’ election: you will see me after all this long while; and you will settle the bother with Acutilius. The latter point Peducaeus too suggested that I should mention to you: we think it would be much better for you to get the thing settled at last. I am and have long been ready to use my influence for you. You would never believe how pleased every one is with my conduct of Macer’s case. I might certainly have shown more partiality to him: but the popularity I have gained from his condemnation is far more important to me than his gratitude at an acquittal would have been.
I am delighted at your news about the Hermathena. It is a most suitable ornament for my Academy, since no class-room is complete without a Hermes, and Minerva has a special appropriateness in mine. So please do as you suggest and send as many ornaments as possible for the place. The statues you sent before I have not seen yet. They are in my house at Formiae, where I am just thinking of going. I’ll have them all brought to my place at Tusculum, and, if that ever gets too full, I’ll begin decorating Caieta. Keep your books and don’t despair of my making them mine some day. If I ever do, I shall be the richest of millionaires and shan’t envy any man his manors and meadows.
Crebras exspectationes nobis tui commoves. Nuper quidem, cum iam te adventare arbitraremur, repente abs te in mensem Quintilem reiecti sumus. Nunc vero sentio, quod commodo tuo facere poteris, venias ad id tempus, quod scribis; obieris Quinti fratris comitia, nos longo intervallo viseris, Acutilianam controversiam transegeris. Hoc me etiam Peducaeus ut ad te scriberem admonuit. Putamus enim utile esse te aliquando eam rem transigere. Mea intercessio parata et est et fuit. Nos hic incredibili ac singulari populi voluntate de C. Macro transegimus. Cui cum aequi fuissemus, tamen multo maiorem fructum ex populi existimatione illo damnato cepimus quam ex ipsius, si absolutus esset, gratia cepissemus. Quod ad me de Hermathena scribis, per mihi gratum est. Est ornamentum Academiae proprium meae, quod et Hermes commune omnium et Minerva singulare est insigne eius gymnasii. Quare velim, ut scribis, ceteris quoque rebus quam plurimis eum locum ornes. Quae mihi antea signa misisti, ea non dum vidi; in Formiano sunt, quo ego nunc proficisci cogitabam. Illa omnia in Tusculanum deportabo. Caietam, si quando abundare coepero, ornabo. Libros tuos conserva et noli desperare eos me meos facere posse. Quod si adsequor, supero Crassum divitiis atque omnium vicos et prata contemno.
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You keep stirring up frequent expectations of your arrival in us. Lately, indeed, when we were already supposing that you were approaching, we were suddenly put off by you until the month of July [Quintilis]. Now, however, I feel that, at whatever suits your convenience, you should come at that time which you write of; you will be present for the elections of my brother Quintus, you will visit us after a long interval, and you will settle the Acutilian dispute. Peducaeus too has urged me to write to you about this. For we think it is to your advantage to settle that matter at last. My intervention is ready, and always has been. Here we have, by the incredible and singular goodwill of the people, settled the case of Gaius Macer. Although we had been fair to him, nevertheless we reaped a far greater reward from the people's esteem by his condemnation than we should have reaped from his own gratitude, had he been acquitted. As for what you write to me about the Hermathena [a herm combining Hermes and Athena], it is most welcome to me. It is an ornament especially suited to my Academy, since Hermes is the common emblem of all such places, while Minerva is the particular emblem of that gymnasium. For this reason I should like you, as you write, to adorn that spot with as many other things as possible. The statues you sent me before I have not yet seen; they are at my villa at Formiae, whither I was now thinking of setting out. I shall convey all of them to my Tusculan villa. Caieta I shall adorn, if ever I begin to have a surplus. Keep your books, and do not despair of my being able to make them my own. If I achieve this, I surpass Crassus in riches, and I scorn the estates and meadows of every man.
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
Crebras exspectationes nobis tui commoves. Nuper quidem, cum iam te adventare arbitraremur, repente abs te in mensem Quintilem reiecti sumus. Nunc vero sentio, quod commodo tuo facere poteris, venias ad id tempus, quod scribis; obieris Quinti fratris comitia, nos longo intervallo viseris, Acutilianam controversiam transegeris. Hoc me etiam Peducaeus ut ad te scriberem admonuit. Putamus enim utile esse te aliquando eam rem transigere. Mea intercessio parata et est et fuit. Nos hic incredibili ac singulari populi voluntate de C. Macro transegimus. Cui cum aequi fuissemus, tamen multo maiorem fructum ex populi existimatione illo damnato cepimus quam ex ipsius, si absolutus esset, gratia cepissemus. Quod ad me de Hermathena scribis, per mihi gratum est. Est ornamentum Academiae proprium meae, quod et Hermes commune omnium et Minerva singulare est insigne eius gymnasii. Quare velim, ut scribis, ceteris quoque rebus quam plurimis eum locum ornes. Quae mihi antea signa misisti, ea non dum vidi; in Formiano sunt, quo ego nunc proficisci cogitabam. Illa omnia in Tusculanum deportabo. Caietam, si quando abundare coepero, ornabo. Libros tuos conserva et noli desperare eos me meos facere posse. Quod si adsequor, supero Crassum divitiis atque omnium vicos et prata contemno.