Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. 51 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome/Athens|AI-assisted
On May 10, as I was sending this letter, I was leaving my Pompeian villa, planning to spend the day with Pontius at his place in Trebula. After that I mean to make proper daily stages without delay.
While I was at Cumae, our friend Hortensius came to see me, which pleased me greatly. When he asked for my instructions, I gave him the general ones, and one in particular: that he should do all he could to prevent my provincial command from being extended. Please strengthen him in that resolve, and tell him how grateful I was that he came to me and promised this help, along with anything else I might need. I also secured our friend Furnius for the same cause, since I see he will be tribune of the plebs next year.
At Cumae we had a miniature Rome. So many people were in the area. Meanwhile our red-haired friend, seeing that Vestorius was watching him, struck the man with a clever maneuver: he never came to see me. Really? When Hortensius came, though ill and from so far away, and Hortensius of all people, and when a huge crowd came besides, this man did not come? No, he did not. "So you did not see him?" you will ask. How could I fail to see him when I passed through the market at Puteoli? I greeted him there, I think while he was doing some business. Later, when he came out from his villa and asked whether I wanted anything, I told him goodbye. Can anyone think such a man insufficiently grateful? Or should he not be praised precisely for not being eager to be praised?
But I return to the main point. Do not think I have any consolation in this immense nuisance except the hope that it will last no more than a year. Many people, judging from other men's habits, do not believe that I really want this. You know me, and you will apply every effort when action is needed, after you return from Epirus. Please write to me about public affairs, if there is anything you can sniff out. So far not enough news has reached me about how Caesar is taking the recorded opinion of the Senate. There is also a rumor that the Transpadani have been ordered to create boards of four officials. If that is true, I fear serious disturbances. But I shall learn something from Pompey.
On the 10th of May, the date of this letter, I set out from my villa at Pompeii, to spend the day with Pontius in his villa at Trebula. Thereafter I mean to do my day’s journey regularly without delay. While I was in my villa at Cumae, our friend Hortensius paid me a very welcome visit. He asked if I had any commissions, and I gave him commissions in general, and in particular to prevent to the best of his ability extension of my term of office in my province. Please keep him up to it, and tell him that I was much gratified at his visit, and at his promises on that particular point and of any other assistance I might need. I have bound our friend Furnius, who, I see, will be tribune next year, to help me in the same matter. My villa at Cumae was a miniature Rome; there were such a lot of people in the neighbourhood. In the middle of it all our friend Rufio, seeing that Vestorius was on his tracks, baffled the man by a ruse; for he did not come to me. You may be surprised that he did not come, seeing that Hortensius came, who is ill, lives afar off and is a great man, and crowds of other people came as well. I repeat he did not come. You may infer I did not see him. How could I fail to see him when I travelled
through the market of Puteoli? He was busy about something there I fancy, when I greeted him. On a subsequent occasion, I bade him a brief good-bye, when he came out of his villa and asked if I had any commands. Is one to reckon such a man ungrateful, or does he not rather deserve praise for not striving to get audience? But I return to my former point.
Pray don’t imagine that I have any consolation for this tremendous nuisance beyond a hope that my office will not outlast a year. A number of people do not believe in this wish of mine, judging me by others. You, who know my mind, will please use every effort, I mean when the time comes for action, on your return from Epirus. Please write me on state politics, and tell me any secrets you may scent out. For at present we have no sufficient news as to how Caesar takes the recorded opinion of the Senate on his case, and there was a report too that the Transpadani were ordered to create a board of four municipal officers. If that is the case, I fear great disturbance: but I shall learn some news from Pompey.
A. d. vi Idus Maias, cum has dabam litteras, ex Pompeiano proficiscebar ut eo die manerem in Trebulano apud Pontium. deinde cogitabam sine ulla mora iusta itinera facere. in Cumano cum essem, venit ad me, quod mihi pergratum fuit, noster Hortensius; cui deposcenti mea mandata cetera universe mandavi, illud proprie, ne pateretur quantum esset in ipso prorogari nobis provincias. in quo eum tu velim confirmes gratumque mihi fecisse dicas quod et venerit ad me et hoc mihi praetereaque si quid opus esset promiserit. confirmavi ad eam causam etiam Furnium nostrum quem ad annum tribunum pl. videbam fore. [2] habuimus in Cumano quasi pusillam Romam. tanta erat in his locis multitudo; cum interim rufio noster, quod se a Vestorio observari videbat, strategemate hominem percussit; nam ad me non accessit. itane? cum Hortensius veniret et infirmus et tam longe et Hortensius, cum maxima praeterea multitudo, ille non venit? non, inquam.'non vidisti igitur hominem?' inquies. qui potui non videre cum per emporium Puteolanorum iter facerem? in quo illum agentem aliquid credo salutavi, post etiam iussi valere cum me exiens e sua villa numquid vellem rogasset. hunc hominem parum gratum quisquam putet aut non in eo ipso laudandum quod laudari non laborarit? [3] sed redeo ad illud. noli putare mihi aliam consolationem esse huius ingentis molestiae nisi quod spero non longiorem annua fore. hoc me ita velle multi non credunt ex consuetudine aliorum; tu qui scis omnem diligentiam adhibebis tum scilicet cum id agi debebit, cum ex Epiro redieris. de re publica scribas ad me velim si quid erit quod +operare+. nondum enim satis huc erat adlatum quo modo Caesar ferret de auctoritate perscripta, eratque rumor de Transpadanis eos iussos iiii viros creare. quod si ita est, magnos motus timeo. sed aliquid ex Pompeio sciam.
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On May 10, as I was sending this letter, I was leaving my Pompeian villa, planning to spend the day with Pontius at his place in Trebula. After that I mean to make proper daily stages without delay.
While I was at Cumae, our friend Hortensius came to see me, which pleased me greatly. When he asked for my instructions, I gave him the general ones, and one in particular: that he should do all he could to prevent my provincial command from being extended. Please strengthen him in that resolve, and tell him how grateful I was that he came to me and promised this help, along with anything else I might need. I also secured our friend Furnius for the same cause, since I see he will be tribune of the plebs next year.
At Cumae we had a miniature Rome. So many people were in the area. Meanwhile our red-haired friend, seeing that Vestorius was watching him, struck the man with a clever maneuver: he never came to see me. Really? When Hortensius came, though ill and from so far away, and Hortensius of all people, and when a huge crowd came besides, this man did not come? No, he did not. "So you did not see him?" you will ask. How could I fail to see him when I passed through the market at Puteoli? I greeted him there, I think while he was doing some business. Later, when he came out from his villa and asked whether I wanted anything, I told him goodbye. Can anyone think such a man insufficiently grateful? Or should he not be praised precisely for not being eager to be praised?
But I return to the main point. Do not think I have any consolation in this immense nuisance except the hope that it will last no more than a year. Many people, judging from other men's habits, do not believe that I really want this. You know me, and you will apply every effort when action is needed, after you return from Epirus. Please write to me about public affairs, if there is anything you can sniff out. So far not enough news has reached me about how Caesar is taking the recorded opinion of the Senate. There is also a rumor that the Transpadani have been ordered to create boards of four officials. If that is true, I fear serious disturbances. But I shall learn something from Pompey.
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
A. d. vi Idus Maias, cum has dabam litteras, ex Pompeiano proficiscebar ut eo die manerem in Trebulano apud Pontium. deinde cogitabam sine ulla mora iusta itinera facere. in Cumano cum essem, venit ad me, quod mihi pergratum fuit, noster Hortensius; cui deposcenti mea mandata cetera universe mandavi, illud proprie, ne pateretur quantum esset in ipso prorogari nobis provincias. in quo eum tu velim confirmes gratumque mihi fecisse dicas quod et venerit ad me et hoc mihi praetereaque si quid opus esset promiserit. confirmavi ad eam causam etiam Furnium nostrum quem ad annum tribunum pl. videbam fore. [2] habuimus in Cumano quasi pusillam Romam. tanta erat in his locis multitudo; cum interim rufio noster, quod se a Vestorio observari videbat, strategemate hominem percussit; nam ad me non accessit. itane? cum Hortensius veniret et infirmus et tam longe et Hortensius, cum maxima praeterea multitudo, ille non venit? non, inquam.'non vidisti igitur hominem?' inquies. qui potui non videre cum per emporium Puteolanorum iter facerem? in quo illum agentem aliquid credo salutavi, post etiam iussi valere cum me exiens e sua villa numquid vellem rogasset. hunc hominem parum gratum quisquam putet aut non in eo ipso laudandum quod laudari non laborarit? [3] sed redeo ad illud. noli putare mihi aliam consolationem esse huius ingentis molestiae nisi quod spero non longiorem annua fore. hoc me ita velle multi non credunt ex consuetudine aliorum; tu qui scis omnem diligentiam adhibebis tum scilicet cum id agi debebit, cum ex Epiro redieris. de re publica scribas ad me velim si quid erit quod +operare+. nondum enim satis huc erat adlatum quo modo Caesar ferret de auctoritate perscripta, eratque rumor de Transpadanis eos iussos iiii viros creare. quod si ita est, magnos motus timeo. sed aliquid ex Pompeio sciam.