Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. 56 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome/Athens|AI-assisted
I know for certain that you are eager both to know what is happening here and to learn it from me in particular - not that events carried on before everyone's eyes are any more reliable if I write them than when they are written or reported to you by others, but so that you may discern from my letters with what spirit I bear the things that are going on, and what at this moment is the state of my feelings, or indeed the whole condition of my life.
[2] On the third day before the Nones of November [November 3], the workmen were driven by armed men from our building plot; the Portico of Catulus, which was being rebuilt under the consuls' contract pursuant to a decree of the Senate and had nearly reached its roof, was torn down; the house of my brother Quintus was first shattered by a volley of stones hurled from our plot, then set ablaze on Clodius's orders, with fire thrown while the whole city looked on, amid great complaint and groaning - I will not say of the loyalists [boni], who perhaps no longer exist at all, but plainly of every human being. That madman charges on; after this frenzy he thinks of nothing but the slaughter of his enemies, canvasses street by street, openly holds out to slaves the hope of liberty. For before, when he was trying to do away with the trial, he had indeed a difficult and self-evident case, but still a case: he could deny the charges, he could divert the blame onto others, he could even defend some of it as lawfully done; but after these demolitions, fires, and plunderings, deserted by his own people, he now scarcely retains Decimus the marshal, scarcely Gellius; he relies on the counsels of slaves; he sees that, if he openly murders everyone he wishes, his case at the trial will be no more difficult than it already is. And so on the third day before the Ides of November [November 11], as I was coming down the Sacred Way, he pursued me with his men. Shouting, stones, clubs, swords - all this unexpected. We withdrew into the entrance hall of Tettius Damio. Those who were with me easily kept his gang from entering. He himself could have been killed, but I am beginning to treat myself by diet; I am weary of surgery. When he saw himself thrust by everyone's outcry not toward a trial but toward execution on the spot, he has since made all the Catilines into Acidini by comparison. For he tried to storm and burn Milo's house - the one on the Cermalus - on the day before the Ides of November [November 12], so openly that at the fifth hour he led up men with shields and drawn swords, and others with lighted torches. He had taken P. Sulla's house for himself as a base for that assault. Then from Milo's Annian house Q. Flaccus led out fierce men; he killed men most notorious in the whole Clodian band of brigands; he longed to kill Clodius himself, but the man took refuge in the inner part of Sulla's house. Then there was a meeting of the Senate the day after the Ides. Clodius stayed at home. Marcellinus was outstanding; everyone was zealous. Metellus, by the trickery of speaking, used up the time, with the help of Appius - and indeed, by Hercules, of that intimate friend of yours, about whose firmness and virtue you wrote me a most truthful letter. Sestius was furious. Clodius afterward threatened the city, if his own elections were not held. Milo, after Marcellinus's motion was put forward - which he delivered from a written text in such a way that it embraced our whole case concerning the plot, the fires, and the danger to me in a single judicial proceeding, and ranked all these ahead of the elections - posted a notice that he would watch the heavens for omens on every comitial day.
[4] The public meetings were turbulent under Metellus, reckless under Appius, utterly raging under Publius; yet the upshot was this: unless Milo had announced ill omens in the Campus, the elections would have been held. On the twelfth day before the Kalends of December [November 20], Milo came into the Campus before midnight with a large body of men. Clodius, although he had picked forces of runaway slaves, did not dare to go into the Campus. Milo stayed until noon, to people's wonderful delight and with the greatest glory. The contest of the three brothers was disgraceful; their violence was broken, their frenzy held in contempt. Metellus nevertheless demanded that the obstruction be announced to him the next day in the Forum; there was no need to come into the Campus by night; he would be in the Comitium at the first hour. And so on the eleventh day before the Kalends [November 21], Milo came into the Comitium by night. Metellus at first light was racing stealthily into the Campus by almost out-of-the-way routes; Milo overtakes the man among the groves and announces the omens. He withdrew amid the loud and shameful abuse of Q. Flaccus. The tenth day before the Kalends [November 22] was a market day. For two days there was no assembly. The eighth day before the Kalends [November 24] - I was writing this at the ninth hour of the night. Milo already held the Campus. Marcellus the candidate was snoring so loudly that I, his neighbor, could hear it. Clodius's entrance hall, I was told, was quite empty - a few ragged fellows, a canvas lantern. They were complaining that everything there was being done on my advice, ignorant of how much spirit there is in that hero, and how much judgment too. His courage is marvelous. I pass over certain new and god-like deeds; but this is the sum of it. I do not think the elections will be held; I think Publius will be made a defendant by Milo, unless he is killed first; if he offers himself to Milo in a crowd, I see that he will be killed by Milo's own hand. He does not hesitate to do it, he carries it openly; he does not dread that calamity of mine. For he will never make use of the counsel of anyone envious and treacherous, nor will he trust an indolent nobleman.
[6] As for me, in spirit at least I am as vigorous as ever - even more so than when I was flourishing - but in my household estate I have been broken. Nevertheless, in proportion to our means I am responding to my brother Quintus's generosity - so as not to be utterly drained, and with him refusing - by the support of friends. What plan to adopt about my whole situation I do not know with you away. Therefore hurry.
I am sure you are wanting to know what is going on here and to know it from me too, not that there is any more certainty about events which take place before the eyes of the whole world, if I write to you about them, than if others either write or tell you of them: but that you may see from my letters how I am taking events and what are my feelings and my general state of existence.
On the 3rd of November the workmen were driven out of my building-ground by armed assault: the porch of Catulus, which was being repaired on a contract made by the consuls in accordance with a decree of
the Senate, and had nearly got as high as the roof, was knocked down: my brother Quintus’ house was first smashed by a discharge of stones from my plot, and then set on fire under Clodius’ orders by firebrands hurled before the eyes of the whole city, amidst the groans and growls—I will not say of the loyal party, which seems to have vanished out of existence—but simply of every human creature. He was rushing about in a frenzy, thinking of nothing but the slaughter of his enemies after this mad freak, and canvassing the city quarter by quarter, openly promising liberation to slaves. Before this, when he was trying to shirk his trial, he had a case hard indeed to support and obviously wrongful, but still it was a case: he could deny things, he could put the blame on others, he could even plead that he had the right on his side in some respects. But after this wreckage, arson and pillage, his own supporters have left him in the lurch and he hardly has a hold now even on Decimus the marshal, or Gellius: he has to take slaves into his confidence and sees, that if he openly commits all the murders he wishes to commit, his case before the court will not be one whit worse than it is now. So, on the 11th of November, as I was going down the Sacred Way, he followed me with his gang. There were shouts, stones, clubs, swords, all without a moment’s warning. We stepped aside into Tettius Damio’s hall: and those who were with me easily prevented his roughs from entering. He might have been killed himself: but I have got tired of surgery and am beginning a regime cure. He realized that there was a universal outcry not for his prosecution but for his execution, and has since behaved in such a way that a Catiline looks ultraconservative
beside him. For on the 12th of November he attempted to storm and burn Milo’s house—the one on the Cermalus—openly bringing men with shields and drawn swords and others with lighted torches to the spot at eleven o’clock in the morning. His own headquarters during the assault were P. Sulla’s house. Then Q. Flaccus led forth a gallant band from Milo’s family house and slew the most notorious of Clodius’ troop of ruffians. He wanted to slay Clodius himself: but he was skulking in the recesses of Sulla’s house. There followed a meeting of the Senate on the 14th: Clodius stayed at home: Marcellinus behaved splendidly: and everybody was enthusiastic. Metellus with the assistance of Appius and, mark you, your great friend of whose constancy you sent me such a veracious account, tried the ruse of talking the time away. Sestius was furious, Clodius afterwards vowed vengeance on the city, if his election did not take place. Marcellinus posted up his resolution which he had in writing when he delivered it—it provided that my entire case should be included in the trial, the attack on my building ground, the arson and the assault on my person, and that all these should precede the election—and Milo gave notice that he intended to watch the sky for omens on all the election days.
Disorderly meetings were held by Metellus, wild meetings by Appius and raging mad meetings by Publius. But the end of it all was that the elections would have taken place, if Milo had not reported evil omens in the Campus Martius. On the 19th of November Milo took up his position in the Campus before midnight with a large force; while Clodius in spite of
his picked gangs of runaway slaves did not venture to show himself. Milo to the huge delight of everybody and to his own great credit stayed there till midday: and the three brethren’s struggle ended in disgrace, their strength broken and their mad pride humbled. Metellus; however, demands that the prohibition should be repeated in the forum on the next day. There was no necessity, he said, for Milo to come to the Campus at night; he would be in the Comitium at six in the morning. So on the 20th Milo went to the Comitium in the early hours of the morning. At daybreak Metellus came sneaking into the Campus by something like byepaths. Milo catches the fellow up “between the groves” and serves his notice: and he retired amid loud jeers and insults from Q. Flaccus. The 21st was a market-day, and for two days there were no meetings.
It is now three o’clock on the morning of the 23rd as I am writing. Milo has already taken possession of the Campus. Marcellus, the candidate, is snoring loud enough for me to hear him next door. I have just had news that Clodius’ hall is utterly deserted, save for a few rag and bob tails with a canvas lantern. His side are complaining that I am at the bottom of it all: but they little know the courage and wisdom of that hero. His valour is marvellous. I can’t stop to mention some of his new strokes of genius. But this is the upshot: I believe the elections will not be held, and Milo will bring Publius before the bar, unless he kills him first. If he gives him a chance in a riot, I can see Milo will kill him with his own hands. He has got no scruples
about it and avows his intentions, undeterred by my downfall: for he has never followed the advice of a jealous and treacherous friend, nor trusted in a weak aristocrat.
So far as my mind is concerned, I am as strong as ever I was even in my most palmy days, if not stronger; but my circumstances are straitened. My brother Quintus’ liberality I shall repay, in spite of his protests, as the state of my finances compels me—by the aid of friends, so as not entirely to beggar myself. What general course of action to adopt I cannot make up my mind without your assistance; so make haste.
avere te certo scio cum scire quid hic agatur tum mea a me scire, non quo certiora sint ea quae in oculis omnium geruntur si a me scribantur quam cum ab aliis aut scribantur tibi aut nuntientur, sed ut perspicias ex meis litteris quo animo ea feram quae geruntur et qui sit hoc tempore aut mentis meae sensus aut omnino vitae status. [2] armatis hominibus ante diem tertium Nonas Novembris expulsi sunt fabri de area nostra, disturbata porticus Catuli quae ex senatus consulto consulum locatione reficiebatur et ad tectum paene pervenerat, Quinti fratris domus primo fracta coniectu lapidum ex area nostra, deinde inflammata iussu Clodi, inspectante urbe coniectis ignibus, magna querela et gemitu non dicam bonorum, qui nescio an nulli sint, sed plane hominum omnium. ille demens ruere, post hunc vero furorem nihil nisi caedem inimicorum cogitare, vicatim ambire, servis aperte spem libertatis ostendere. etenim antea cum iudicium tollebat, habebat ille quidem difficilem manifestamque causam sed tamen causam; poterat infitiari, poterat in alios derivare, poterat etiam aliquid iure factum defendere; post has ruinas, incendia, rapinas desertus a suis vix iam Decimum designatorem, vix Gellium retinet, servorum consiliis utitur, videt, si omnis quos vult palam occiderit, nihilo suam causam difficiliorem quam adhuc sit in iudicio futuram. itaque ante diem tertium Idus Novembris, cum sacra via descenderem, insecutus est me cum suis. clamor, lapides, fustes, gladii, haec improvisa omnia. discessimus in vestibulum Tetti Damionis. qui erant mecum facile operas aditu prohibuerunt. ipse occidi potuit, sed ego diaeta curare incipio, chirurgiae taedet. ille omnium vocibus cum se non ad iudicium sed ad supplicium praesens trudi videret, omnis Catilinas Acidinos postea reddidit. nam Milonis domum, eam quae (est in) Cermalo, pr. Idus Novembr. expugnare et incendere ita conatus est ut palam hora quinta cum scutis homines eductis gladiis, alios cum accensis facibus adduxerit. ipse domum P. Sullae pro castris sibi ad eam impugnationem sumpserat. tum ex Anniana Milonis domo Q. Flaccus eduxit viros acris; occidit homines ex omni latrocinio Clodiano notissimos, ipsum cupivit, sed ille se in interiora aedium Sullae. exin senatus postridie Idus. domi Clodius. Egregius Marcellinus, omnes acres. Metellus calumnia dicendi tempus exemit adiuvante Appio, etiam hercule familiari tuo, de cuius constantia virtute (tuae) verissimae litterae. Sestius furere. ille postea, si comitia sua non fierent, urbi minari. (Milo) proposita Marcellini sententia, quam ille de scripto ita dixerat ut totam nostram causam areae, incendiorum, periculi mei iudicio complecteretur eaque omnia comitiis anteferret, proscripsit se per omnis dies comitialis de caelo servaturum. [4] contiones turbulentae Metelli, temerariae Appi, furiosissimae Publi haec tamen summa, nisi Milo in campo obnuntiasset, comitia futura. ante diem xii Kal. Decembr. Milo ante mediam noctem cum, magna manu in campum venit. Clodius cum haberet fugitivorum delectas copias, in campum ire non est ausus. Milo permansit ad meridiem mirifica hominum laetitia summa cum gloria. contentio fratrum trium turpis, fracta vis, contemptus furor. Metellus tamen postulat ut sibi postero die in foro obnuntietur; nihil esse quod in campum nocte veniretur; se hora prima in comitio fore. itaque ante diem xi Kal. in comitium Milo de nocte venit. Metellus cum prima luce furtim in campum itineribus prope deviis currebat; adsequitur inter lucos hominem Milo, obnuntiat. ille se recepit magno et turpi Q. Flacci convicio. ante diem x Kal. nundinae. contio biduo nulla. ante diem viii Kal. haec ego scribebam hora noctis nona. Milo campum iam tenebat. Marcellus candidatus ita stertebat ut ego vicinus audirem. Clodi vestibulum vacuum sane mihi nuntiabatur, pauci pannosi, linea lanterna. meo consilio omnia illi fieri querebantur ignari quantum in illo heroe esset animi, quantum etiam consili. miranda virtus est. nova quaedam divina mitto; sed haec summa est. comitia fore non arbitror; reum Publium, nisi ante occisus erit, fore a Milone puto; si se in turba ei iam obtulerit, occisum iri ab ipso Milone video. non dubitat facere, prae se fert; casum illum nostrum non extimescit. numquam enim cuiusquam invidi et perfidi consilio est usurus nec inerti nobili crediturus. [6] nos animo dumtaxat vigemus etiam magis (quam) cum florebamus, re familiari comminuti sumus. Quinti fratris tamen liberalitati pro facultatibus nostris, ne omnino exhaustus essem, illo recusante subsidiis amicorum respondemus. quid consili de omni nostro statu capiamus te absente nescimus. qua re adpropera.
◆
I know for certain that you are eager both to know what is happening here and to learn it from me in particular - not that events carried on before everyone's eyes are any more reliable if I write them than when they are written or reported to you by others, but so that you may discern from my letters with what spirit I bear the things that are going on, and what at this moment is the state of my feelings, or indeed the whole condition of my life.
[2] On the third day before the Nones of November [November 3], the workmen were driven by armed men from our building plot; the Portico of Catulus, which was being rebuilt under the consuls' contract pursuant to a decree of the Senate and had nearly reached its roof, was torn down; the house of my brother Quintus was first shattered by a volley of stones hurled from our plot, then set ablaze on Clodius's orders, with fire thrown while the whole city looked on, amid great complaint and groaning - I will not say of the loyalists [boni], who perhaps no longer exist at all, but plainly of every human being. That madman charges on; after this frenzy he thinks of nothing but the slaughter of his enemies, canvasses street by street, openly holds out to slaves the hope of liberty. For before, when he was trying to do away with the trial, he had indeed a difficult and self-evident case, but still a case: he could deny the charges, he could divert the blame onto others, he could even defend some of it as lawfully done; but after these demolitions, fires, and plunderings, deserted by his own people, he now scarcely retains Decimus the marshal, scarcely Gellius; he relies on the counsels of slaves; he sees that, if he openly murders everyone he wishes, his case at the trial will be no more difficult than it already is. And so on the third day before the Ides of November [November 11], as I was coming down the Sacred Way, he pursued me with his men. Shouting, stones, clubs, swords - all this unexpected. We withdrew into the entrance hall of Tettius Damio. Those who were with me easily kept his gang from entering. He himself could have been killed, but I am beginning to treat myself by diet; I am weary of surgery. When he saw himself thrust by everyone's outcry not toward a trial but toward execution on the spot, he has since made all the Catilines into Acidini by comparison. For he tried to storm and burn Milo's house - the one on the Cermalus - on the day before the Ides of November [November 12], so openly that at the fifth hour he led up men with shields and drawn swords, and others with lighted torches. He had taken P. Sulla's house for himself as a base for that assault. Then from Milo's Annian house Q. Flaccus led out fierce men; he killed men most notorious in the whole Clodian band of brigands; he longed to kill Clodius himself, but the man took refuge in the inner part of Sulla's house. Then there was a meeting of the Senate the day after the Ides. Clodius stayed at home. Marcellinus was outstanding; everyone was zealous. Metellus, by the trickery of speaking, used up the time, with the help of Appius - and indeed, by Hercules, of that intimate friend of yours, about whose firmness and virtue you wrote me a most truthful letter. Sestius was furious. Clodius afterward threatened the city, if his own elections were not held. Milo, after Marcellinus's motion was put forward - which he delivered from a written text in such a way that it embraced our whole case concerning the plot, the fires, and the danger to me in a single judicial proceeding, and ranked all these ahead of the elections - posted a notice that he would watch the heavens for omens on every comitial day.
[4] The public meetings were turbulent under Metellus, reckless under Appius, utterly raging under Publius; yet the upshot was this: unless Milo had announced ill omens in the Campus, the elections would have been held. On the twelfth day before the Kalends of December [November 20], Milo came into the Campus before midnight with a large body of men. Clodius, although he had picked forces of runaway slaves, did not dare to go into the Campus. Milo stayed until noon, to people's wonderful delight and with the greatest glory. The contest of the three brothers was disgraceful; their violence was broken, their frenzy held in contempt. Metellus nevertheless demanded that the obstruction be announced to him the next day in the Forum; there was no need to come into the Campus by night; he would be in the Comitium at the first hour. And so on the eleventh day before the Kalends [November 21], Milo came into the Comitium by night. Metellus at first light was racing stealthily into the Campus by almost out-of-the-way routes; Milo overtakes the man among the groves and announces the omens. He withdrew amid the loud and shameful abuse of Q. Flaccus. The tenth day before the Kalends [November 22] was a market day. For two days there was no assembly. The eighth day before the Kalends [November 24] - I was writing this at the ninth hour of the night. Milo already held the Campus. Marcellus the candidate was snoring so loudly that I, his neighbor, could hear it. Clodius's entrance hall, I was told, was quite empty - a few ragged fellows, a canvas lantern. They were complaining that everything there was being done on my advice, ignorant of how much spirit there is in that hero, and how much judgment too. His courage is marvelous. I pass over certain new and god-like deeds; but this is the sum of it. I do not think the elections will be held; I think Publius will be made a defendant by Milo, unless he is killed first; if he offers himself to Milo in a crowd, I see that he will be killed by Milo's own hand. He does not hesitate to do it, he carries it openly; he does not dread that calamity of mine. For he will never make use of the counsel of anyone envious and treacherous, nor will he trust an indolent nobleman.
[6] As for me, in spirit at least I am as vigorous as ever - even more so than when I was flourishing - but in my household estate I have been broken. Nevertheless, in proportion to our means I am responding to my brother Quintus's generosity - so as not to be utterly drained, and with him refusing - by the support of friends. What plan to adopt about my whole situation I do not know with you away. Therefore hurry.
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
avere te certo scio cum scire quid hic agatur tum mea a me scire, non quo certiora sint ea quae in oculis omnium geruntur si a me scribantur quam cum ab aliis aut scribantur tibi aut nuntientur, sed ut perspicias ex meis litteris quo animo ea feram quae geruntur et qui sit hoc tempore aut mentis meae sensus aut omnino vitae status. [2] armatis hominibus ante diem tertium Nonas Novembris expulsi sunt fabri de area nostra, disturbata porticus Catuli quae ex senatus consulto consulum locatione reficiebatur et ad tectum paene pervenerat, Quinti fratris domus primo fracta coniectu lapidum ex area nostra, deinde inflammata iussu Clodi, inspectante urbe coniectis ignibus, magna querela et gemitu non dicam bonorum, qui nescio an nulli sint, sed plane hominum omnium. ille demens ruere, post hunc vero furorem nihil nisi caedem inimicorum cogitare, vicatim ambire, servis aperte spem libertatis ostendere. etenim antea cum iudicium tollebat, habebat ille quidem difficilem manifestamque causam sed tamen causam; poterat infitiari, poterat in alios derivare, poterat etiam aliquid iure factum defendere; post has ruinas, incendia, rapinas desertus a suis vix iam Decimum designatorem, vix Gellium retinet, servorum consiliis utitur, videt, si omnis quos vult palam occiderit, nihilo suam causam difficiliorem quam adhuc sit in iudicio futuram. itaque ante diem tertium Idus Novembris, cum sacra via descenderem, insecutus est me cum suis. clamor, lapides, fustes, gladii, haec improvisa omnia. discessimus in vestibulum Tetti Damionis. qui erant mecum facile operas aditu prohibuerunt. ipse occidi potuit, sed ego diaeta curare incipio, chirurgiae taedet. ille omnium vocibus cum se non ad iudicium sed ad supplicium praesens trudi videret, omnis Catilinas Acidinos postea reddidit. nam Milonis domum, eam quae (est in) Cermalo, pr. Idus Novembr. expugnare et incendere ita conatus est ut palam hora quinta cum scutis homines eductis gladiis, alios cum accensis facibus adduxerit. ipse domum P. Sullae pro castris sibi ad eam impugnationem sumpserat. tum ex Anniana Milonis domo Q. Flaccus eduxit viros acris; occidit homines ex omni latrocinio Clodiano notissimos, ipsum cupivit, sed ille se in interiora aedium Sullae. exin senatus postridie Idus. domi Clodius. Egregius Marcellinus, omnes acres. Metellus calumnia dicendi tempus exemit adiuvante Appio, etiam hercule familiari tuo, de cuius constantia virtute (tuae) verissimae litterae. Sestius furere. ille postea, si comitia sua non fierent, urbi minari. (Milo) proposita Marcellini sententia, quam ille de scripto ita dixerat ut totam nostram causam areae, incendiorum, periculi mei iudicio complecteretur eaque omnia comitiis anteferret, proscripsit se per omnis dies comitialis de caelo servaturum. [4] contiones turbulentae Metelli, temerariae Appi, furiosissimae Publi haec tamen summa, nisi Milo in campo obnuntiasset, comitia futura. ante diem xii Kal. Decembr. Milo ante mediam noctem cum, magna manu in campum venit. Clodius cum haberet fugitivorum delectas copias, in campum ire non est ausus. Milo permansit ad meridiem mirifica hominum laetitia summa cum gloria. contentio fratrum trium turpis, fracta vis, contemptus furor. Metellus tamen postulat ut sibi postero die in foro obnuntietur; nihil esse quod in campum nocte veniretur; se hora prima in comitio fore. itaque ante diem xi Kal. in comitium Milo de nocte venit. Metellus cum prima luce furtim in campum itineribus prope deviis currebat; adsequitur inter lucos hominem Milo, obnuntiat. ille se recepit magno et turpi Q. Flacci convicio. ante diem x Kal. nundinae. contio biduo nulla. ante diem viii Kal. haec ego scribebam hora noctis nona. Milo campum iam tenebat. Marcellus candidatus ita stertebat ut ego vicinus audirem. Clodi vestibulum vacuum sane mihi nuntiabatur, pauci pannosi, linea lanterna. meo consilio omnia illi fieri querebantur ignari quantum in illo heroe esset animi, quantum etiam consili. miranda virtus est. nova quaedam divina mitto; sed haec summa est. comitia fore non arbitror; reum Publium, nisi ante occisus erit, fore a Milone puto; si se in turba ei iam obtulerit, occisum iri ab ipso Milone video. non dubitat facere, prae se fert; casum illum nostrum non extimescit. numquam enim cuiusquam invidi et perfidi consilio est usurus nec inerti nobili crediturus. [6] nos animo dumtaxat vigemus etiam magis (quam) cum florebamus, re familiari comminuti sumus. Quinti fratris tamen liberalitati pro facultatibus nostris, ne omnino exhaustus essem, illo recusante subsidiis amicorum respondemus. quid consili de omni nostro statu capiamus te absente nescimus. qua re adpropera.