Lettres à Atticus Passage 3

mea mandata, scribis, explica. quamquam ista retentione omnis ait uti Trebatius; quid tu istos putas? nosti domum. qua re confice εὐγαγώγωσ . incredibile est quam ego ista non curem. omni tibi adseveratione adfirmo, quod mihi credas velim, mihi maiori offensioni esse quam delectationi possessiunculas meas. magis enim doleo me non habere quoi tradam quam habere qui utar laetor . atque illud Trebatius se tibi dixisse narrabat; tu autem veritus es fortasse ne ego invitus audirem. fuit id quidem humanitatis, sed, mihi crede, iam ista non curo. qua re da te in sermonem et perseca et confice et ita cum Polla loquere ut te cum illo Scaeva loqui putes nec existimes eos qui non debita consectari soleant quod debeatur remissuros. de die tantum videto et id ipsum bono modo.

You write, ‘Carry out my instructions.’ Yet Trebatius says everyone employs that withholding. What do you think those people do? You know the household. Therefore settle it tactfully. It is incredible how little I care about these things. I solemnly assure you, and want you to believe me, that my little properties cause me more vexation than pleasure. I grieve more that I have no one to whom I may hand them on than rejoice that I possess them for my use. Trebatius told me he had said this to you, while you perhaps feared I would hear it unwillingly. That was considerate, but believe me, I no longer care about such things. Therefore enter into discussion, pursue it, and settle it. Speak with Polla as if you were speaking with that Scaeva, and do not suppose that people accustomed to pursuing what is not owed will remit what is owed. Only mind the date, and even that with tact.

«Exécute mes instructions», écris-tu. Trebatius dit pourtant que tous ces gens pratiquent cette retenue; que penses-tu donc des nôtres? Tu connais la maison. Achève donc l’affaire avec tact. Il est incroyable combien je me soucie peu de ces choses. Je t’affirme avec toute la solennité possible, et je voudrais que tu me croies, que mes petites propriétés me causent plus de contrariété que de plaisir. Je souffre davantage de n’avoir personne à qui les transmettre que je ne me réjouis d’avoir de quoi jouir. Trebatius racontait aussi t’avoir dit cela; mais tu as peut-être craint que je ne l’entende contre mon gré. Cette crainte témoignait certes de ton humanité; toutefois, crois-moi, je ne me soucie plus de ces choses. Engage donc la conversation, tranche, achève et parle à Polla comme si tu parlais à ce Scaeva; ne pense pas que des gens habitués à poursuivre des créances indues remettront ce qui leur est dû. Veille seulement au délai, et fais-le avec mesure.