Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. 58 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome/Athens|AI-assisted
That your uncle's name is now yours, and that he has done his duty by you, has my warmest approval. I will say I am glad when circumstances allow me to use the word. Poor miserable man that I am. Everything would be as I wished, if my courage, my judgment, and the loyalty of those I trusted had not failed me. I will not gather up each sorrow one by one; that would only deepen the pain. But I know you remember what my life once was: its charm, its happiness, its dignity.
By all our fortunes, good and bad, keep pressing, as you are doing, to recover those things for me. See to it that I celebrate the birthday of my return in your lovely house, with you and my family. In hope of that return I had especially wanted to wait for the outcome with you in Epirus, but the letters sent to me make me think it is more convenient for us to stay in the same region.
What you write about my house and Curio's speech is exactly right. If my general restoration is secured, assuming it is secured at all, everything else will be included in that; and nothing in the whole matter matters more to me than my house. Still, I give you no itemized instructions. I entrust myself entirely to your affection and loyalty.
I am deeply grateful that, in taking up so large an inheritance, you have freed yourself from all entanglements. Your promise to devote your resources to my rescue is a protection I fully understand. I see that you have taken several men's parts on your shoulders for my sake, that you can bear them, and that I do not need to ask you to do it.
You tell me not to suspect that anything has entered your mind about some wrong I have done you or some duty I have neglected. I will do as you wish and free myself from that anxiety. Yet I shall owe you all the more, because your kindness to me has risen higher than mine to you. Please write to me what you see, what you understand, and what is being done, and urge all your friends to support my return.
Sestius' bill gives too little protection either to my dignity or to my security. It ought to name me specifically and speak more carefully about my property. Please pay close attention to that. Thessalonica, October 4.
that this name is now yours and that your uncle has done his duty by you meets with my heartiest approval; I will reserve the phrase “I am glad” for a time when circumstances may permit of my using the word. Poor devil that I am! Everything would be going as right as possible with me, if my own courage and judgement and the loyalty of those in whom I trusted had not failed me. But I will not piece my misfortunes together, for fear of increasing my misery. I am sure you must recollect my former life and its charm and dignity. In the name of good luck and bad, do not let the efforts you are making to recover my position relax; and let me celebrate the birthday of my return in your delightful house with you and my family. Though my hopes and expectations of return have been roused to the highest pitch, I still thought of awaiting their fulfilment at your house in Epirus: but from letters I infer it would be more convenient for me not to be in the same neighbourhood.
You are quite right about my house and Curio’s speech. If only restoration is promised in general terms, everything else is comprised in that word: and of all things I am most anxious about my house. But I won’t enter into details: I trust myself entirely to your affection and loyalty.
That you have freed yourself from all embarrassments in taking over your large inheritance is exceedingly pleasant news to me; and I fully realize
what an assistance to me is your promise to devote all your resources to my restoration, that I need not call on anyone else for help. I know too that you are taking on your shoulders several men’s burdens on my behalf, and that you are quite capable of bearing them, and will not require asking to do so. You forbid me to imagine that it has ever entered your head that I have done what I ought not or left undone what I ought to have done in my dealings with you—well, I will humour you and free my heart from that anxiety, but I shall count myself still deeper in your debt, because your kindness to me has far exceeded mine to you. Please send me news of everything you see or gather and of all that is being done; and urge all your friends to support my return.
Sestius’ bill does not pay sufficient regard to dignity or caution. The proposal should mention me by name, and contain a carefully worded clause about my property. Please pay attention to that point.
Thessalonica, Oct. 4.
quod quidem ita esse et avunculum tuum functum esse officio vehementissime probo, gaudere me tum dicam, si mihi hoc verbo licebit uti. me miserum! quam omnia essent ex sententia, si nobis animus, si consilium, si fides eorum quibus credidimus non defuisset! quae conligere nolo ne augeam maerorem; sed tibi venire in mentem certo scio quae vita esset nostra, quae suavitas, quae dignitas. ad quae reciperanda, per fortunas! incumbe, ut facis, diemque natalem reditus mei cura ut in tuis aedibus amoenissimis agam tecum et cum meis. ego huic spei et exspectationi quae nobis proponitur maxime tamen volui praestolari apud te in Epiro, sed ita ad me scribitur ut putem esse commodius nos eisdem in locis esse. [2] de domo et Curionis oratione ut scribis ita est. in universa salute, si ea modo nobis restituetur, inerunt omnia; ex quibus nihil malo quam domum. sed tibi nihil mando nominatim, totum me tuo amori fideique commendo. quod te in tanta hereditate ab omni occupatione expedisti, valde mihi gratum est. quod facultates tuas ad meam salutem polliceris ut omnibus rebus a te praeter ceteros iuver, id quantum sit praesidium video intellegoque te multas partis meae salutis et suscipere et posse sustinere neque ut ita facias rogandum esse. quod me vetas quicquam suspicari accidisse ad animum tuum quod secus a me erga te commissum aut praetermissum videretur, geram tibi morem et liberabor ista cura, tibi tamen eo plus debebo quo tua in me humanitas fuerit excelsior quam in te mea. velim quid videas, quid intellegas, quid agatur ad me scribas tuosque omnis ad nostram salutem adhortere. rogatio Sesti neque dignitatis satis habet nec cautionis. nam et nominatim ferri oportet et de bonis diligentius scribi, et id animadvertas velim. data iiii Nonas Octobris Thessalonicae.
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That your uncle's name is now yours, and that he has done his duty by you, has my warmest approval. I will say I am glad when circumstances allow me to use the word. Poor miserable man that I am. Everything would be as I wished, if my courage, my judgment, and the loyalty of those I trusted had not failed me. I will not gather up each sorrow one by one; that would only deepen the pain. But I know you remember what my life once was: its charm, its happiness, its dignity.
By all our fortunes, good and bad, keep pressing, as you are doing, to recover those things for me. See to it that I celebrate the birthday of my return in your lovely house, with you and my family. In hope of that return I had especially wanted to wait for the outcome with you in Epirus, but the letters sent to me make me think it is more convenient for us to stay in the same region.
What you write about my house and Curio's speech is exactly right. If my general restoration is secured, assuming it is secured at all, everything else will be included in that; and nothing in the whole matter matters more to me than my house. Still, I give you no itemized instructions. I entrust myself entirely to your affection and loyalty.
I am deeply grateful that, in taking up so large an inheritance, you have freed yourself from all entanglements. Your promise to devote your resources to my rescue is a protection I fully understand. I see that you have taken several men's parts on your shoulders for my sake, that you can bear them, and that I do not need to ask you to do it.
You tell me not to suspect that anything has entered your mind about some wrong I have done you or some duty I have neglected. I will do as you wish and free myself from that anxiety. Yet I shall owe you all the more, because your kindness to me has risen higher than mine to you. Please write to me what you see, what you understand, and what is being done, and urge all your friends to support my return.
Sestius' bill gives too little protection either to my dignity or to my security. It ought to name me specifically and speak more carefully about my property. Please pay close attention to that. Thessalonica, October 4.
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
quod quidem ita esse et avunculum tuum functum esse officio vehementissime probo, gaudere me tum dicam, si mihi hoc verbo licebit uti. me miserum! quam omnia essent ex sententia, si nobis animus, si consilium, si fides eorum quibus credidimus non defuisset! quae conligere nolo ne augeam maerorem; sed tibi venire in mentem certo scio quae vita esset nostra, quae suavitas, quae dignitas. ad quae reciperanda, per fortunas! incumbe, ut facis, diemque natalem reditus mei cura ut in tuis aedibus amoenissimis agam tecum et cum meis. ego huic spei et exspectationi quae nobis proponitur maxime tamen volui praestolari apud te in Epiro, sed ita ad me scribitur ut putem esse commodius nos eisdem in locis esse. [2] de domo et Curionis oratione ut scribis ita est. in universa salute, si ea modo nobis restituetur, inerunt omnia; ex quibus nihil malo quam domum. sed tibi nihil mando nominatim, totum me tuo amori fideique commendo. quod te in tanta hereditate ab omni occupatione expedisti, valde mihi gratum est. quod facultates tuas ad meam salutem polliceris ut omnibus rebus a te praeter ceteros iuver, id quantum sit praesidium video intellegoque te multas partis meae salutis et suscipere et posse sustinere neque ut ita facias rogandum esse. quod me vetas quicquam suspicari accidisse ad animum tuum quod secus a me erga te commissum aut praetermissum videretur, geram tibi morem et liberabor ista cura, tibi tamen eo plus debebo quo tua in me humanitas fuerit excelsior quam in te mea. velim quid videas, quid intellegas, quid agatur ad me scribas tuosque omnis ad nostram salutem adhortere. rogatio Sesti neque dignitatis satis habet nec cautionis. nam et nominatim ferri oportet et de bonis diligentius scribi, et id animadvertas velim. data iiii Nonas Octobris Thessalonicae.