Letter 25: Cicero writes to Quintus in Gaul from Tusculum in November 54 BC.
Marcus Tullius Cicero→Quintus Tullius Cicero|c. 54 BC|Cicero|From Tusculum|To Gaul|AI-assisted
familypoliticsadministration
Imported from the public-domain Shuckburgh translation with Latin text paired from The Latin Library.
Written at the Tusculan villa in the month of November, 700 from the founding of the City [54 BC].
Marcus to his brother Quintus, greetings.
1. At Rome, and most of all along the Appian Way as far as the temple of Mars, there has been an extraordinary flood. The promenade of Crassipes has been swept away, the pleasure-gardens, very many shops; a great mass of water reaching right up to the public fish-pond. That line of Homer's holds good:
[originally in Greek] On an autumn day, when Zeus pours down his most torrential rain, enraged and bearing hard upon men;
for it bears upon the acquittal of Gabinius:
who by violence pronounce crooked judgments in the assembly, and drive out justice, taking no heed of the vengeance of the gods.
2. But I have resolved not to trouble myself about these matters. When I come to Rome, I will write to you whatever I observe, and above all about the dictatorship, and I will send letters both to Labienus and to Ligurius. I have written this before daybreak by the little wooden lamp-stand, which was most delightful to me, because they told me that you had seen to its making when you were at Samos. Farewell, my sweetest and best of brothers.
At Rome, and especially on the Appian road as far as the temple of Mars, there is a remarkable flood. The promenade of Crassipes has been washed away, pleasure grounds, a great number of shops. There is a great sheet of water right up to the public fish-pond. That doctrine of Homer's is in full play:
:The days in autumn when in violent flood<br>Zeus pours his waters, wroth at sinful men
—for it falls in with the acquittal of Gabinius—
:Who wrench the law to suit their crooked ends<br>And drive out justice, recking naught of Gods.
But I have made up my mind not to care about such things. When I get back to Rome I will write and tell you my observations, and especially about the dictatorship, and I will also send a letter to Labienus and one to Ligurius. I write this before daybreak by the carved wood lamp-stand, in which I take great delight, because they tell me that you had it made when you were at Samos. Good-bye, dearest and best of brothers.
VII. Scr. in Tusculano mense Novembri a.u.c. 700.
MARCUS QUINTO FRATRI SALUTEM.
1. Romae et maxime et Appia ad Martis mira luvies: Crassipedis ambulatio ablata, horti, tabernae plurimae; magna vis aquae usque ad piscinam publicam. Viget illud Homeri:
êmat' opôrinôi, hote labrotaton cheei hudôr
Zeus, hote dê rh' andressi kotessamenos chalepênêi.
cadit enim in abolutionem Gabinii:
hoi biêi ein agorêi skolias krinôsi themistas,
ek de dikên elasôsi, theôn opin ouk alegontes.
2. Sed haec non curare decrevi. Romam cum venero, quae perspexero, scribam ad te et maxime de dictatura, et ad Labienum et ad Ligurium litteras dabo. Hanc scripsi ante lucem ad lychnuchum ligneolum, qui mihi erat periucundus, quod eum te aiebant, cum esses Sami, curasse faciendum. Vale mi suavissime et optime frater.
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Written at the Tusculan villa in the month of November, 700 from the founding of the City [54 BC].
Marcus to his brother Quintus, greetings.
1. At Rome, and most of all along the Appian Way as far as the temple of Mars, there has been an extraordinary flood. The promenade of Crassipes has been swept away, the pleasure-gardens, very many shops; a great mass of water reaching right up to the public fish-pond. That line of Homer's holds good:
[originally in Greek] On an autumn day, when Zeus pours down his most torrential rain, enraged and bearing hard upon men;
for it bears upon the acquittal of Gabinius:
who by violence pronounce crooked judgments in the assembly, and drive out justice, taking no heed of the vengeance of the gods.
2. But I have resolved not to trouble myself about these matters. When I come to Rome, I will write to you whatever I observe, and above all about the dictatorship, and I will send letters both to Labienus and to Ligurius. I have written this before daybreak by the little wooden lamp-stand, which was most delightful to me, because they told me that you had seen to its making when you were at Samos. Farewell, my sweetest and best of brothers.
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
VII. Scr. in Tusculano mense Novembri a.u.c. 700. MARCUS QUINTO FRATRI SALUTEM.
1. Romae et maxime et Appia ad Martis mira luvies: Crassipedis ambulatio ablata, horti, tabernae plurimae; magna vis aquae usque ad piscinam publicam. Viget illud Homeri: êmat' opôrinôi, hote labrotaton cheei hudôr Zeus, hote dê rh' andressi kotessamenos chalepênêi. cadit enim in abolutionem Gabinii: hoi biêi ein agorêi skolias krinôsi themistas, ek de dikên elasôsi, theôn opin ouk alegontes. 2. Sed haec non curare decrevi. Romam cum venero, quae perspexero, scribam ad te et maxime de dictatura, et ad Labienum et ad Ligurium litteras dabo. Hanc scripsi ante lucem ad lychnuchum ligneolum, qui mihi erat periucundus, quod eum te aiebant, cum esses Sami, curasse faciendum. Vale mi suavissime et optime frater.