Marcus Tullius Cicero→Unknown|c. 56 BC|Cicero|From Rome|AI-assisted
I never doubted that I was very dear to you, but I perceive it more clearly every day. I never forget what you once wrote: that you would be even more zealous in showing me attention than you had been in the province, though in my judgment nothing could exceed your loyalty there, because your judgment was now able to act more independently.
Your earlier letter therefore gave me great pleasure. It showed that you had been looking forward to my arrival with affection, and that when events turned out differently from what you expected, you were very glad about the course I took. Your latest letter too is extremely valuable to me, both for the judgment and for the affection it expresses. It shows judgment because I see that, as all brave and good men must, you think nothing expedient except what is right and honorable. It shows affection because you promise to stand by me whatever political course I adopt. Nothing could be more gratifying to me, nor, I think, more honorable to you.
My own course has long been decided. I did not write to tell you earlier, not because you were a man to be kept in the dark, but because announcing a policy at such a moment can seem like an exhortation to duty, or rather a summons to share danger and labor. Since your goodwill, kindness, and affection toward me are what they are, I gladly embrace such a heart.
But I do so on this condition, for I will not abandon my usual restraint in asking favors: if you do what you promise, I will be grateful; if not, I will pardon you, and think that you could not deny the latter to your fears or the former to me. It is, in sober truth, an extremely difficult case. The right thing to do is clear. What is expedient is obscure. Yet if we are the men we ought to be, that is, worthy of our philosophical studies, we cannot doubt that the most advantageous course is the one of strictest honor.
So if you decide to join me, come at once. But if you want to act with me and go to the same place, yet cannot do so immediately, I will keep you fully informed on every point. Whichever way you decide, I will regard you as my friend; but as the closest possible friend if you choose the course I desire.
CCCLXXXIX (Fam. V, 19) TO L. MESCINIUS RUFUS CUMAE, APRIL (END) Though I never doubted your great affection for me, yet I learn it better every day of my life, and I never forget what you once said in a letter, that you would be more zealous in showing me attention than you had been in the province (though, to my mind, nothing could exceed your loyalty in the province), in proportion as your judgment could now be more independent. Accordingly, your former letter gave me great pleasure, because it showed me that my arrival was affectionately looked forward to by you, and that, when things turned out differently from what you had expected, you were greatly rejoiced at the line I took. So, also, this last letter is extremely valuable to me from the expression at once of your judgment and your affection: of your judgment, because I learn that, as all gallant and good men are bound to do, you hold nothing to be expedient except what is right and virtuous; of your affection, because you promise to stand by me, whatever course of policy I shall adopt. Nothing could be more gratifying to me, nor, as I think, more honourable to yourself. My own course has long been decided. I have not written to tell you of it before, not because you were one to be kept in the dark, but because the communication of a policy at such a time seems in a certain sense to be an exhortation to duty, or rather a summons to share in either danger or labour. Seeing, however, that your goodwill, kindness, and affection for me are what they are, I gladly embrace such a heart. But I do so on this condition, for I will not abandon my habitual modesty in asking favours: if you do what you profess, I shall be grateful; if not, I shall pardon you, and consider that you were unable to deny the latter to your fears, the former to me. For it is in sober earnest an extremely difficult case. The right thing to do is clear: as to the expedient thing, though it is obscure, yet, if we are the men we ought to be, that is, worthy of our philosophical studies, we cannot entertain a doubt that the most advantageous course is the course of strictest honour. Wherefore, if you determine to join me, come at once. But if you wish to act with me and to go to the same place, but cannot do so just yet, I will keep you fully informed on every point. Whichever way you decide I shall look upon you as my friend, but as the closest possible friend if you decide on the course which I desire.
XIX. Scr. in Cumano inter III. Kal. Maias et VI. Non. Maias a.u.c. 705. CICERO RUFO.
Etsi mihi numquam dubium fuit, quin tibi essem carissimus, tamen quotidie magis id perspicio, exstatque id, quod mihi ostenderas quibusdam litteris, hoc te studiosiorem in me colendo fore, quam in provincia fuisses—etsi meo iudicio nihil ad tuum provinciale officium addi potest—, quo liberius iudicium esse posset tuum. Itaque me et superiores litterae tuae admodum delectaverunt, quibus et exspectatum meum adventum abs te amanter videbam et, cum aliter res cecidisset ac putasses, te meo consilio magno opere esse laetatum, et his proximis litteris magnum cepi fructum et iudicii et officii tui: iudicii, quod intelligo te, id quod omnes fortes ac boni viri facere debent, nihil putare utile esse, nisi quod rectum honestumque sit; officii, quod te mecum, quodcumque cepissem consilii, polliceris fore, quo neque mihi gratius neque, ut ego arbitror, tibi honestius esse quidquam potest. Mihi consilium captum iamdiu est, de quo ad te, non quo celandus esses, nihil scripsi antea, sed quia communicatio consilii tali tempore quasi quaedam admonitio videtur esse officii vel potius efflagitatio ad coeundam societatem vel periculi vel laboris; cum vero ea tua sit voluntas, humanitas, benevolentia erga me, libenter amplector talem animum, sed ita—non enim dimittam pudorem in rogando meum—: si feceris id, quod ostendis, magnam habebo gratiam, si non feceris, ignoscam, et alterum timori, alterum mihi te negare non potuisse arbitrabor; est enim res profecto maxima: quid rectum sit, apparet; quid expediat, obscurum est, ita tamen, ut, si nos ii sumus, qui esse debemus, id est, studio digni ac litteris nostris, dubitare non possimus, quin ea maxime conducant, quae sint rectissima. Quare tu, si simul placebit, statim ad me venies; sin idem placebit atque eodem nec continuo poteris, omnia tibi ut nota sint, faciam. Quidquid statueris, te mihi amicum, sin id, quod opto, etiam amicissimum iudicabo.
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I never doubted that I was very dear to you, but I perceive it more clearly every day. I never forget what you once wrote: that you would be even more zealous in showing me attention than you had been in the province, though in my judgment nothing could exceed your loyalty there, because your judgment was now able to act more independently.
Your earlier letter therefore gave me great pleasure. It showed that you had been looking forward to my arrival with affection, and that when events turned out differently from what you expected, you were very glad about the course I took. Your latest letter too is extremely valuable to me, both for the judgment and for the affection it expresses. It shows judgment because I see that, as all brave and good men must, you think nothing expedient except what is right and honorable. It shows affection because you promise to stand by me whatever political course I adopt. Nothing could be more gratifying to me, nor, I think, more honorable to you.
My own course has long been decided. I did not write to tell you earlier, not because you were a man to be kept in the dark, but because announcing a policy at such a moment can seem like an exhortation to duty, or rather a summons to share danger and labor. Since your goodwill, kindness, and affection toward me are what they are, I gladly embrace such a heart.
But I do so on this condition, for I will not abandon my usual restraint in asking favors: if you do what you promise, I will be grateful; if not, I will pardon you, and think that you could not deny the latter to your fears or the former to me. It is, in sober truth, an extremely difficult case. The right thing to do is clear. What is expedient is obscure. Yet if we are the men we ought to be, that is, worthy of our philosophical studies, we cannot doubt that the most advantageous course is the one of strictest honor.
So if you decide to join me, come at once. But if you want to act with me and go to the same place, yet cannot do so immediately, I will keep you fully informed on every point. Whichever way you decide, I will regard you as my friend; but as the closest possible friend if you choose the course I desire.
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
XIX. Scr. in Cumano inter III. Kal. Maias et VI. Non. Maias a.u.c. 705. CICERO RUFO.
Etsi mihi numquam dubium fuit, quin tibi essem carissimus, tamen quotidie magis id perspicio, exstatque id, quod mihi ostenderas quibusdam litteris, hoc te studiosiorem in me colendo fore, quam in provincia fuisses—etsi meo iudicio nihil ad tuum provinciale officium addi potest—, quo liberius iudicium esse posset tuum. Itaque me et superiores litterae tuae admodum delectaverunt, quibus et exspectatum meum adventum abs te amanter videbam et, cum aliter res cecidisset ac putasses, te meo consilio magno opere esse laetatum, et his proximis litteris magnum cepi fructum et iudicii et officii tui: iudicii, quod intelligo te, id quod omnes fortes ac boni viri facere debent, nihil putare utile esse, nisi quod rectum honestumque sit; officii, quod te mecum, quodcumque cepissem consilii, polliceris fore, quo neque mihi gratius neque, ut ego arbitror, tibi honestius esse quidquam potest. Mihi consilium captum iamdiu est, de quo ad te, non quo celandus esses, nihil scripsi antea, sed quia communicatio consilii tali tempore quasi quaedam admonitio videtur esse officii vel potius efflagitatio ad coeundam societatem vel periculi vel laboris; cum vero ea tua sit voluntas, humanitas, benevolentia erga me, libenter amplector talem animum, sed ita—non enim dimittam pudorem in rogando meum—: si feceris id, quod ostendis, magnam habebo gratiam, si non feceris, ignoscam, et alterum timori, alterum mihi te negare non potuisse arbitrabor; est enim res profecto maxima: quid rectum sit, apparet; quid expediat, obscurum est, ita tamen, ut, si nos ii sumus, qui esse debemus, id est, studio digni ac litteris nostris, dubitare non possimus, quin ea maxime conducant, quae sint rectissima. Quare tu, si simul placebit, statim ad me venies; sin idem placebit atque eodem nec continuo poteris, omnia tibi ut nota sint, faciam. Quidquid statueris, te mihi amicum, sin id, quod opto, etiam amicissimum iudicabo.