Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. 51 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome/Athens|AI-assisted
I reached Beneventum on May 11. There I received the letter which you had said, in your previous letter, that you had sent. I had already answered that same day from Pontius' place at Trebula. In fact, I received two letters from you at Beneventum: one Funisulanus handed me very early in the morning, and the other came through my secretary Tullius.
I am very grateful for your care over that first and most important commission of mine, but your departure weakens my hope. As for the man you mention, I am being drawn toward your view, not because he is ideal, but because a lack of alternatives forces us to be content. As for the other man, the one you say did not seem unsuitable, I fear my daughter cannot be brought round to him, and you yourself say the matter is hard to read. I am easy enough myself, but you will be away, and with me absent the affair will stick. You will keep my interests in mind. If either of us were present, something plausible might be arranged with Servius through Servilia's help. As things stand, even if I favored the match, I do not see a way to bring it about.
Now I turn to the letter I received from Tullius. You acted diligently about Marcellus. If a senatorial decree has been passed, write to me; if not, still get the business done. A grant will have to be assigned to me, and likewise to Bibulus. I do not doubt that the decree can be carried, especially since it saves the people's money. Good about Torquatus. As for Maso and Ligur, we can deal with them when they arrive.
About the matter Chaerippus raised, since you have removed even that hint from me: what a province! Must I deal with this man too? I must deal with him only so far as to prevent any cry in the Senate of "Consult!" or "Count the house!" As for the rest - still, it was useful that you spoke with Scrofa. You are right about Pomptinus. If he will be at Brundisium before June 1, Manius Anneius and Lucius Tullius need not be pressed so hard.
What you heard from Sicinius pleases me, provided the exception does not catch someone who has deserved well of me. I will think it over, for I approve the plan. Once I know from Pompey himself what I shall do about my route and what he will do about the five prefects, I will let you know.
You managed Oppius well by explaining the matter of the 800,000 sesterces to him. Since you have Philotimus with you, please finish it, examine the account, and, to speak more plainly, if you love me, settle it before you leave. You will relieve me of a great anxiety.
There is your answer to everything, though I almost forgot that you lack paper. That is my loss, if a shortage of paper makes you write less to me. Take two hundred sheets. Still, the cramped state of this page shows my own thrift with paper. In return I am waiting for public proceedings, rumors, and any reliable news you have about Caesar. Write carefully to Pomptinus and to others about everything.
I reached Beneventum on the 11th of May. There I received the note which you said in your last letter had been despatched. I answered that letter on the day I received it from Pontius’ villa at Trebula. And indeed two letters of yours reached me at Beneventum, one of them handed to me by Funisulanus in the early morning, and the other by my secretary Tullius. I am very grateful to you for your trouble about my first and most important commission. But your departure from Rome lessens my
hope. As regards the man you mention, I am slipping into your view, not that——but for want of a better we are compelled to be satisfied with him. As for the other man who, you say, appears a not unlikely candidate, I fear my daughter could not be persuaded, and, as you add, there is not a pin to choose between them. For myself I am reasonable; but you will be away, and will any account be taken of me in my absence? For, if either of us were on the spot, a good face might be put on the matter with Servius through the agency of Servilia. Now, even if it were a thing I favoured, I see no way of bringing it to pass.
Now I come to that letter which I received from Tullius. You have been very energetic about Marcellus: so, if a decree should be passed, please inform me: but, if not, try to carry the matter through: a grant ought to be made to me and to Bibulus. But I am confident that the decree will be passed especially as it saves the people’s pocket. That is fine about Torquatus. As for Maso and Ligur, we can wait till they come. As to Chaerippus’ request, since you have given me no tip on the matter——hang the province! Must I trouble about him too? Well, I must take enough trouble to prevent any debate on the matter or count out in the House. As for others——however you do well to have spoken with Scrofa. As to Pomptinus you are right. It comes to this, if Pomptinus will be at Brundisium before June, M. Anneius and L. Tullius need not hurry out of Rome. As to your news from Sicinius, I am satisfied, provided this restriction does not apply to anyone who has obliged me. But I will think it over, as the plan pleases me. I will let you know
what course I have determined to adopt as regards my route, and also as to Pompey’s policy about the five prefects, when I have heard from him. As for Oppius you have done well to explain to him the matter of the £7,000. Please arrange the business since Philotimus is with you. Examine the account and, to go further in my request, if you love me, settle the debt before you leave town. You will relieve me of great anxiety.
I have replied to all your points. But your want of paper I had almost forgotten. It is my loss, if for lack of it your letter is shorter. Take a couple of hundred sheets, though the shortness of this page betokens my stinginess in paper. In return I look for information and gossip and any certain news of Caesar. You will write a letter to Pomptinus, as well as others, about everything.
Beneventum veni a. d. v Idus Majas. ibi accepi eas litteras quas tu superioribus litteris significaveras te dedisse; ad quas ego eo ipso die dederam ex Trebulano a Pontio. ac binas quidem tuas Beneventi accepi quarum alteras Funisulanus multo mane mihi dedit, alteras scriba Tullius. gratissima est mihi tua cura de illo meo primo et maximo mandato; sed tua profectio spem meam debilitat. ac +me ille illud labat+, non quo —, sed inopia cogimur eo contenti esse. de illo altero quem scribis tibi visum esse non alienum, vereor adduci ut nostra possit, et tu ais dusdiagnoston esse. equidem sum facilis, sed tu aberis et me absente res (haerebit). habebis mei rationem. nam posset aliquid, si utervis nostrum adesset, agente Servilia Servio fieri probabile. nunc si iam res placeat, agendi tamen viam non video. [2] nunc venio ad eam epistulam quam accepi a Tullio. de Marcello fecisti diligenter. igitur senatus consultum si erit factum, scribes ad me; si minus, rem tamen conficies; mihi enim attribui oportebit, item Bibulo. sed non dubito quin senatus consultum expeditum sit in quo praesertim sit compendium populi. de Torquato probe. de Masone et Ligure, cum venerint. de illo quod Chaerippus (quoniam hic quoque 'prosneusin sustulisti), o provincia! etiamne hic mihi curandus est? curandus autem hactenus ne qutd ad senatum 'consule!' aut 'numera!' nam de ceteris — sed tamen commode, quod cum Scrofa. de Pomptino recte scribis. est enim ita ut, si ante Kal. Iunias Brundisi futurus sit, minus urgendi fuerint M'. Anneius et (L. )Tullius. [3] quae de Sicinio audisti ea mihi probantur, modo ne illa exceptio in aliquem incurrat bene de nobis meritum sed considerabimus, rem enim probo. de nostro itinere quod statuero, de quinque praefectis quid Pompeius facturus sit cum ex ipso cognoro faciam ut scias. de Oppio bene curasti quod ei de d_c_c_c_ exposuisti idque, quoniam Philotimum habes, perfice et cognosce rationem et ut agam planius, si me amas, prius quam proficiscaris effice. Magna me cura levaris. [4] habes ad omnia. etsi paene praeterii chartam tibi deesse. mea captio est, si quidem eius inopia minus multa ad me scribis. tu vero aufer ducentos; etsi meam in eo parsimoniam huius paginae contractio significat. dum acta et rumores vel etiam si qua certa babes de Caesare exspecto. Litteras et aliis et Pomptino de omnibus rebus diligenter dabis.
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I reached Beneventum on May 11. There I received the letter which you had said, in your previous letter, that you had sent. I had already answered that same day from Pontius' place at Trebula. In fact, I received two letters from you at Beneventum: one Funisulanus handed me very early in the morning, and the other came through my secretary Tullius.
I am very grateful for your care over that first and most important commission of mine, but your departure weakens my hope. As for the man you mention, I am being drawn toward your view, not because he is ideal, but because a lack of alternatives forces us to be content. As for the other man, the one you say did not seem unsuitable, I fear my daughter cannot be brought round to him, and you yourself say the matter is hard to read. I am easy enough myself, but you will be away, and with me absent the affair will stick. You will keep my interests in mind. If either of us were present, something plausible might be arranged with Servius through Servilia's help. As things stand, even if I favored the match, I do not see a way to bring it about.
Now I turn to the letter I received from Tullius. You acted diligently about Marcellus. If a senatorial decree has been passed, write to me; if not, still get the business done. A grant will have to be assigned to me, and likewise to Bibulus. I do not doubt that the decree can be carried, especially since it saves the people's money. Good about Torquatus. As for Maso and Ligur, we can deal with them when they arrive.
About the matter Chaerippus raised, since you have removed even that hint from me: what a province! Must I deal with this man too? I must deal with him only so far as to prevent any cry in the Senate of "Consult!" or "Count the house!" As for the rest - still, it was useful that you spoke with Scrofa. You are right about Pomptinus. If he will be at Brundisium before June 1, Manius Anneius and Lucius Tullius need not be pressed so hard.
What you heard from Sicinius pleases me, provided the exception does not catch someone who has deserved well of me. I will think it over, for I approve the plan. Once I know from Pompey himself what I shall do about my route and what he will do about the five prefects, I will let you know.
You managed Oppius well by explaining the matter of the 800,000 sesterces to him. Since you have Philotimus with you, please finish it, examine the account, and, to speak more plainly, if you love me, settle it before you leave. You will relieve me of a great anxiety.
There is your answer to everything, though I almost forgot that you lack paper. That is my loss, if a shortage of paper makes you write less to me. Take two hundred sheets. Still, the cramped state of this page shows my own thrift with paper. In return I am waiting for public proceedings, rumors, and any reliable news you have about Caesar. Write carefully to Pomptinus and to others about everything.
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
Beneventum veni a. d. v Idus Majas. ibi accepi eas litteras quas tu superioribus litteris significaveras te dedisse; ad quas ego eo ipso die dederam ex Trebulano a Pontio. ac binas quidem tuas Beneventi accepi quarum alteras Funisulanus multo mane mihi dedit, alteras scriba Tullius. gratissima est mihi tua cura de illo meo primo et maximo mandato; sed tua profectio spem meam debilitat. ac +me ille illud labat+, non quo —, sed inopia cogimur eo contenti esse. de illo altero quem scribis tibi visum esse non alienum, vereor adduci ut nostra possit, et tu ais dusdiagnoston esse. equidem sum facilis, sed tu aberis et me absente res (haerebit). habebis mei rationem. nam posset aliquid, si utervis nostrum adesset, agente Servilia Servio fieri probabile. nunc si iam res placeat, agendi tamen viam non video. [2] nunc venio ad eam epistulam quam accepi a Tullio. de Marcello fecisti diligenter. igitur senatus consultum si erit factum, scribes ad me; si minus, rem tamen conficies; mihi enim attribui oportebit, item Bibulo. sed non dubito quin senatus consultum expeditum sit in quo praesertim sit compendium populi. de Torquato probe. de Masone et Ligure, cum venerint. de illo quod Chaerippus (quoniam hic quoque 'prosneusin sustulisti), o provincia! etiamne hic mihi curandus est? curandus autem hactenus ne qutd ad senatum 'consule!' aut 'numera!' nam de ceteris — sed tamen commode, quod cum Scrofa. de Pomptino recte scribis. est enim ita ut, si ante Kal. Iunias Brundisi futurus sit, minus urgendi fuerint M'. Anneius et (L. )Tullius. [3] quae de Sicinio audisti ea mihi probantur, modo ne illa exceptio in aliquem incurrat bene de nobis meritum sed considerabimus, rem enim probo. de nostro itinere quod statuero, de quinque praefectis quid Pompeius facturus sit cum ex ipso cognoro faciam ut scias. de Oppio bene curasti quod ei de d_c_c_c_ exposuisti idque, quoniam Philotimum habes, perfice et cognosce rationem et ut agam planius, si me amas, prius quam proficiscaris effice. Magna me cura levaris. [4] habes ad omnia. etsi paene praeterii chartam tibi deesse. mea captio est, si quidem eius inopia minus multa ad me scribis. tu vero aufer ducentos; etsi meam in eo parsimoniam huius paginae contractio significat. dum acta et rumores vel etiam si qua certa babes de Caesare exspecto. Litteras et aliis et Pomptino de omnibus rebus diligenter dabis.