Marcus Tullius Cicero→Marcus Tullius Tiro|c. 47 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Patrae|AI-assisted
Do finish the tax declaration if you can, though this money is of a kind that does not really need a declaration. Still, let it be done.
Balbus has written to me that he is so overwhelmed by catarrh that he cannot speak. What Antony has done about the law does not matter, provided only I am allowed to live in the country. I have written to Bithynicus.
As for Servilius, you will decide for yourself, since you are not one to despise old age. Our Atticus, because he once saw me upset by a panic, always thinks I am the same way. He does not see what defenses of philosophy now surround me, and, because he himself is timid, he spreads alarm.
Still, I very much want to preserve my old friendship with Antony without any break, and I will write to him, but not before I have seen you. I am not, however, calling you away from the bond; the knee is closer than the shin, as the saying goes.
Tomorrow I expect Lepta and our friend. To sweeten the bitter rue of his conversation, I will need the marjoram of yours. Goodbye.
DCCLI (Fam. XVI, 23) TO TIRO (AT ROME) TUSCULUM (21 JUNE) WELL, settle about the tax-return if you can: though this particular money is not properly liable to such a return. However — no matter! Balbus writes to say that he has such a violent catarrh that he has lost his voice. As to Antonius and his law-it's all one. Let them only leave me my country life. I have written to Bithynicus . I must leave you to make your own reflexions on Servilius — for you rather want to live to be an old man. As for me, our dear Atticus , having once noticed that I was in a panic, thinks that it is always so with me, and does not see with what a panoply of philosophy I am now armed. In fact he creates alarm by being frightened himself. After all I really do wish to keep up my friendship with Antony , which has now lasted a long time without a quarrel, and I will write to him, but not till I have seen you. Yet I don't want to call you off from looking after your bond-every man for himself! I am expecting Lepta ...tomorrow. To qualify the bitter rue of his talk I shall want the sweet marjoram of yours. Good-bye.
XXIII. Scr. Puteolia exeunte mense Aprili a.u.c. 710. CICERO TIRONI SAL.
Tu vero confice professionem, si potes; etsi haec pecunia ex eo genere est, ut professione non egeat; verumtamen—. Balbus ad me scripsit tanta se epifora oppressum, ut loqui non posset. Antonius de legem quid egerit. Liceat modo rusticari. Ad Bithynicum scripsi. De Servilio tu videris, qui senectutem non contemnis; etsi Atticus noster, quia quondam me commoveri panixoiw intellexit, idem semper putat nec videt, quibus praesidiis philosophiae saeptus sim, et hercle, quod timidus ipse est, yorubopoiei . Ego tamen Antonii inveteratam sine ulla offensione amicitiam retinere sane volo scribamque ad eum, sed non ante, quam te videro; nec tamen te avoco a syngrapha: eggion gonu xnhmhw . Cras exspecto Leptam et n<ostrum> ad cuius rutam puleio mihi tui sermonis utendum est. Vale.
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Do finish the tax declaration if you can, though this money is of a kind that does not really need a declaration. Still, let it be done.
Balbus has written to me that he is so overwhelmed by catarrh that he cannot speak. What Antony has done about the law does not matter, provided only I am allowed to live in the country. I have written to Bithynicus.
As for Servilius, you will decide for yourself, since you are not one to despise old age. Our Atticus, because he once saw me upset by a panic, always thinks I am the same way. He does not see what defenses of philosophy now surround me, and, because he himself is timid, he spreads alarm.
Still, I very much want to preserve my old friendship with Antony without any break, and I will write to him, but not before I have seen you. I am not, however, calling you away from the bond; the knee is closer than the shin, as the saying goes.
Tomorrow I expect Lepta and our friend. To sweeten the bitter rue of his conversation, I will need the marjoram of yours. Goodbye.
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
XXIII. Scr. Puteolia exeunte mense Aprili a.u.c. 710. CICERO TIRONI SAL.
Tu vero confice professionem, si potes; etsi haec pecunia ex eo genere est, ut professione non egeat; verumtamen—. Balbus ad me scripsit tanta se epifora oppressum, ut loqui non posset. Antonius de legem quid egerit. Liceat modo rusticari. Ad Bithynicum scripsi. De Servilio tu videris, qui senectutem non contemnis; etsi Atticus noster, quia quondam me commoveri panixoiw intellexit, idem semper putat nec videt, quibus praesidiis philosophiae saeptus sim, et hercle, quod timidus ipse est, yorubopoiei . Ego tamen Antonii inveteratam sine ulla offensione amicitiam retinere sane volo scribamque ad eum, sed non ante, quam te videro; nec tamen te avoco a syngrapha: eggion gonu xnhmhw . Cras exspecto Leptam et n<ostrum> ad cuius rutam puleio mihi tui sermonis utendum est. Vale.