Letters to Atticus Passage 2

quod optas, Caelianum illud maturescit. itaque torqueor utrum ventum exspectem. vexillo opus est; convolabunt. quod suades ut palam, prorsus adsentior itaque me profecturum puto. tuas tamen interim litteras exspecto. Servi consilio nihil expeditur. omnes captiones in omni sententia occurrunt. unum C. Marcellum cognovi timidiorem; quem consulem fuisse paenitet. ὢ πολλῆσ ἀγεννείασ ! qui etiam Antonium confirmasse dicitur ut me impediret, quo ipse, credo, honestius.

The Caelian plan you desire is ripening. Consequently I am tormented over whether to wait for a favorable wind. We need a standard; people will flock to it. I entirely agree with your advice that it should be done openly, and therefore think that I shall depart. Meanwhile, however, I await your letter. Servius' counsel resolves nothing. Every position presents its traps. I found Gaius Marcellus alone still more timid; it makes me ashamed that he was consul. What utter want of spirit! He is even said to have encouraged Antonius to prevent me, so that he himself, I suppose, might appear more honorable.

Ce que tu souhaites, ce projet de Caelius, mûrit. Aussi suis-je tourmenté de savoir si je dois attendre le vent. Il faut un étendard: ils accourront tous. Quant à ton conseil d’agir ouvertement, je l’approuve entièrement; je crois donc que je partirai. J’attends pourtant ta lettre entre-temps. Le conseil de Servius ne résout rien. Dans chaque parti se présentent toutes sortes de pièges. Je n’ai trouvé qu’un seul homme plus timide encore, Caius Marcellus; je regrette qu’il ait été consul. ὢ πολλῆσ ἀγεννείασ! On dit même qu’il a encouragé Antoine à m’empêcher de partir, afin d’agir lui-même, je suppose, avec plus d’honneur.