Lettres à Atticus Passage 25

et heus tu! †genuarios† a Caesare per Herodem talenta Attica L extorsistis? in quo, ut audio, magnum odium Pompei suscepistis. putat enim suos nummos vos comedisse, Caesarem in Nemore aedificando diligentiorem fore. haec ego ex P. Vedio, magno nebulone sed Pompei tamen familiari, audivi. hic Vedius mihi obviam venit cum duobus essedis et raeda equis iuncta et lectica et familia magna pro qua, si Curio legem pertulerit, HS centenos pendat necesse est. erat praeterea cynocephalus in essedo nec deerant onagri. numquam vidi hominem nequiorem. sed extremum audi. deversatus est Laodiceae apud Pompeium Vindullum. lbi sua deposuit cum ad me profectus est. moritur interim Vindullus; quae res ad Magnum Pompeium pertinere putabatur. C. Vennonius domum Vindulli venit. cum omnia obsignaret, in Vedianas res incidit. in his inventae sunt quinque imagunculae matronarum in quibus una sororis amici tui hominis bruti qui hoc utatur et illius lepidi qui haec tam neglegenter ferat. haec te volui παριστορῆσαι . sumus enim ambo belle curiosi.

And look here! Did you †men born in January† extort fifty Attic talents from Caesar through Herodes? In doing so, as I hear, you have incurred Pompey's bitter hatred. He thinks that you have consumed his money, and that Caesar will be more diligent in building at the Grove. I heard this from Publius Vedius, a great scoundrel, though nevertheless an intimate of Pompey. This Vedius met me with two war chariots, a carriage with horses harnessed to it, a litter, and a large household, for which, if Curio carries his law, he will have to pay one hundred thousand sesterces apiece. There was also a dog-headed ape in one chariot, and there was no lack of wild asses. I have never seen a more worthless man. But hear the conclusion. At Laodicea he lodged with Pompeius Vindullus. He deposited his belongings there when he set out to visit me. Meanwhile Vindullus died, and his property was believed to pass to Pompey the Great. Gaius Vennonius came to Vindullus's house. While sealing up everything, he came upon Vedius's property. Among it were found five little portraits of married women, including one of the sister of your friend. What stupidity in the man who uses such things, and what charming indifference in her husband, who takes them so carelessly! I wished to give you this incidental piece of history, for we are both admirably curious.

Mais dis donc! Avez-vous extorqué à César, par l’entremise d’Hérode, cinquante talents attiques pour les †Genuarii†? J’apprends que cette affaire vous a valu une grande hostilité de Pompée. Il pense que vous avez dévoré son argent et que César se montrera plus empressé à bâtir dans le Bois sacré. Je tiens cela de P. Vedius, grand vaurien, mais pourtant familier de Pompée. Ce Vedius est venu à ma rencontre avec deux chars, une voiture attelée, une litière et une nombreuse domesticité, pour laquelle, si Curion fait adopter sa loi, il devra payer cent mille sesterces par tête. Il y avait en outre un cynocéphale sur un char, sans compter les ânes sauvages. Je n’ai jamais vu homme plus dépravé. Mais écoute la fin. À Laodicée, il logea chez Pompeius Vindullus et y déposa ses affaires avant de venir chez moi. Entre-temps, Vindullus meurt, et l’on pensait que sa succession revenait à Pompée le Grand. C. Vennonius se rend chez Vindullus. En apposant les scellés partout, il tombe sur les affaires de Vedius. On y trouva cinq petits portraits de femmes mariées, dont l’un représentait la sœur de ton ami. Quelle grossièreté chez l’homme qui possède ces images, et quelle désinvolture plaisante chez l’autre qui le supporte avec tant d’indifférence! Je voulais te raconter cette petite histoire annexe, car nous sommes tous deux joliment curieux.