Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. 43 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome/Athens|AI-assisted
Forgive me, since I have written to you most carefully about the Buthrotians before, for writing to you on the same matter so repeatedly. By Hercules, my dear Plancus, I do not do this because I have too little confidence in your generosity or in our friendship; but since so great a matter of our friend Atticus is at stake, and now indeed his reputation as well, so that what Caesar approved may seem to have been able to hold good, with us as witnesses and sealers, we who had been present at Caesar's decrees and responses, and especially since the entire power over this matter is yours, I beg you that those things which the consuls decreed in accordance with Caesar's decrees and responses you would not say merely confirm, but confirm eagerly and willingly. [2] This will be so welcome to me that nothing could be more welcome. And although by now I was already hoping that, once you had received this letter, the things we had asked of you in our earlier letter would have been obtained, nevertheless I shall not make an end of asking until it shall have been reported to us that you have done that which we await with great hope. For then I am confident that we shall use another kind of letter and shall give you thanks for your most outstanding kindness. And if this comes to pass, I should like you to consider it thus: that not so much Atticus, whose very great interest is at stake, as I myself, who labor no less than he does, will be put under obligation to you.
Forgive me for writing to you again about the Buthrotians, having already written most carefully on the same subject before. I do not do so, by Hercules, my dear Plancus, because I lack confidence either in your generosity or in our friendship, but because the matter is of such importance to Atticus, who is the closest friend I have in the world. I beg you to settle it favorably. You will be doing a service to a most worthy man and laying me under the deepest obligation.
ignosce mihi quod, cum antea accuratissime de Buthrotiis ad te scripserim, eadem de re saepius scribam. non me hercule, mi Plance, facio quo parum confidam aut liberalitati tuae aut nostrae amicitiae sed, cum tanta res agatur Attici nostri, nunc vero etiam existimatio, ut id quod probavit Caesar nobis testibus et obsignatoribus qui et decretis et responsis Caesaris interfueramus videatur obtinere potuisse, praesertim cum tota potestas eius rei tua sit, ut ea quae consules decreverunt secundum Caesaris decreta et responsa non dicam comprobes sed studiose libenterque comprobes. [2] id mihi sic erit gratum ut nulla res gratior esse possit. etsi iam sperabam, cum has litteras accepisses, fore ut ea quae superioribus litteris a te petissemus impetrata essent, tamen non faciam finem rogandi quoad nobis nuntiatum erit te id fecisse quod magna cum spe exspectamus. deinde enim confido fore ut alio genere litterarum utamur tibique pro tuo summo beneficio gratias agamus. quod si acciderit, velim sic existimes, non tibi tam Atticum cuius permagna res agitur quam me qui non minus laboro quam ille obligatum fore.
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Forgive me, since I have written to you most carefully about the Buthrotians before, for writing to you on the same matter so repeatedly. By Hercules, my dear Plancus, I do not do this because I have too little confidence in your generosity or in our friendship; but since so great a matter of our friend Atticus is at stake, and now indeed his reputation as well, so that what Caesar approved may seem to have been able to hold good, with us as witnesses and sealers, we who had been present at Caesar's decrees and responses, and especially since the entire power over this matter is yours, I beg you that those things which the consuls decreed in accordance with Caesar's decrees and responses you would not say merely confirm, but confirm eagerly and willingly. [2] This will be so welcome to me that nothing could be more welcome. And although by now I was already hoping that, once you had received this letter, the things we had asked of you in our earlier letter would have been obtained, nevertheless I shall not make an end of asking until it shall have been reported to us that you have done that which we await with great hope. For then I am confident that we shall use another kind of letter and shall give you thanks for your most outstanding kindness. And if this comes to pass, I should like you to consider it thus: that not so much Atticus, whose very great interest is at stake, as I myself, who labor no less than he does, will be put under obligation to you.
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
ignosce mihi quod, cum antea accuratissime de Buthrotiis ad te scripserim, eadem de re saepius scribam. non me hercule, mi Plance, facio quo parum confidam aut liberalitati tuae aut nostrae amicitiae sed, cum tanta res agatur Attici nostri, nunc vero etiam existimatio, ut id quod probavit Caesar nobis testibus et obsignatoribus qui et decretis et responsis Caesaris interfueramus videatur obtinere potuisse, praesertim cum tota potestas eius rei tua sit, ut ea quae consules decreverunt secundum Caesaris decreta et responsa non dicam comprobes sed studiose libenterque comprobes. [2] id mihi sic erit gratum ut nulla res gratior esse possit. etsi iam sperabam, cum has litteras accepisses, fore ut ea quae superioribus litteris a te petissemus impetrata essent, tamen non faciam finem rogandi quoad nobis nuntiatum erit te id fecisse quod magna cum spe exspectamus. deinde enim confido fore ut alio genere litterarum utamur tibique pro tuo summo beneficio gratias agamus. quod si acciderit, velim sic existimes, non tibi tam Atticum cuius permagna res agitur quam me qui non minus laboro quam ille obligatum fore.