Letters to Atticus Passage 2

Sulla, ut opinor, cras erit hic cum Messalla. currunt ad illum pulsi a militibus qui se negant usquam, nisi acceperint. ergo ille huc veniet, quod non putabant, tarde quidem. itinera enim ita facit ut multos dies in †oppidum† ponat. Pharnaces autem, quoquo modo aget, adferet moram. quid mihi igitur censes? iam enim corpore vix sustineo gravitatem huius caeli quae mihi languorem adfert in dolore. an his illuc euntibus mandem ut me excusent, ipse accedam propius? quaeso , attende et me, quod adhuc saepe rogatus non fecisti, consilio iuva. scio rem difficilem esse, sed ut in malis etiam illud mea magni interest te ut videam. profecto aliquid profecero, si id acciderit. de testamento, ut scribis, animadvertes.

Sulla, I think, will be here tomorrow with Messalla. Men driven away by the soldiers are hurrying to him, since the soldiers say they will go nowhere unless they receive their pay. So he will come here, contrary to what people thought, though late. For he travels in such a way that he spends many days in †a town†. Pharnaces, however he acts, will cause delay. What, then, do you advise me to do? Physically I can now scarcely endure the oppressive climate here, which brings me exhaustion amid my grief. Should I commission these men, when they go there, to make my excuses, while I myself move nearer? Please consider carefully and help me with your advice, as you have not yet done despite my frequent requests. I know the matter is difficult, but amid my troubles it is also of great importance to me that I see you. I shall certainly have made some progress if that happens. As for the will, you will attend to it as you write.

Sulla sera ici demain, je pense, avec Messalla. Ceux que les soldats ont chassés courent auprès de cet homme ; les soldats déclarent qu’ils n’iront nulle part avant d’avoir reçu leur dû. Il viendra donc ici, contrairement à ce qu’on pensait, mais tardivement. Il règle en effet ses étapes de façon à passer de nombreux jours dans †une ville†. Pharnace, quoi qu’il fasse, causera encore du retard. Que me conseilles-tu donc ? Mon corps supporte à peine désormais le poids de ce climat, qui m’accable de langueur au milieu de ma douleur. Dois-je charger ceux qui partent là-bas de présenter mes excuses et m’approcher moi-même davantage ? Je t’en prie, applique-toi et aide-moi de tes conseils, ce que tu n’as pas encore fait malgré mes fréquentes prières. Je sais que la question est difficile ; mais, même au milieu des malheurs, il m’importe beaucoup de te voir. Si cela arrive, j’aurai certainement obtenu quelque progrès. Pour le testament, tu y veilleras comme tu l’écris.