Ep. 1.18.1Scrībis tē perterritum somniō verērī nē quid adversī in;You write that, terrified by a dream, you fear you may suffer some setback in Ep. 1.18.1āctiōne patiāris;your case; Ep. 1.18.1rogās ut dīlātiōnem petam, et pauculōs diēs, certē proximum, excūsem.you ask me to seek an adjournment and to excuse you for a very few days, at least for the next. Ep. 1.18.1Difficile est, sed experiar, καὶ γάρ τʼ ὄναρ ἐκδιός ἐστιν.It is difficult, but I shall try, 'for a dream too comes from Zeus'. Ep. 1.18.2Rēfert tamen, ēventūra soleās an contrāria somniāre.It matters, however, whether you usually dream of things that will happen or of their opposites. Ep. 1.18.2Mihi reputantī somnium meum istud, quod timēs tū, ēgregiam āctiōnem portendere vidētur.When I think over a dream of my own, this one which you fear seems to me to portend an excellent pleading. Ep. 1.18.3Suscēperam causam Iūnī Pāstōris, cum mihi quiēscentī vīsa est socrus mea advolūta genibus nē agerem obsecrāre;I had taken on the case of Junius Pastor, when, as I slept, my mother-in-law seemed to fall at my knees and beg me not to plead; Ep. 1.18.3et eram āctūrus adulēscentulus adhūc, eram in quadruplicī iūdiciō, eram contrā potentissimōs cīvitātis atque etiam Caesaris amīcōs, quae singula excutere mentem mihi post tam trīste somnium poterant.and I was about to plead while still a very young man, I was about to plead before the fourfold court, I was about to plead against the most powerful men of the state and even friends of Caesar, any one of which things could have shaken my resolve after so gloomy a dream.
Ep. 1.18.4Ēgī tamen illud illud εἷς οἰωνὸς ἄριστος ἀμύνεσθαι περὶ πάτρης.Yet I pleaded, reasoning that saying, 'One omen is best, to fight for one's country.' Ep. 1.18.4Nam mihi patria, et sī quid cārius patriā, fidēs vidēbātur.For my loyalty to my word seemed to me my country, and anything dearer than my country. Ep. 1.18.4Prosperē cessit, atque adeō illa āctiō mihi aurēs hominum, illa iānuam fāmae patefēcit.It turned out well, and indeed that pleading opened men's ears to me, and opened the door of fame. Ep. 1.18.5Proinde dispice an tū quoque sub hōc exemplō somnium istud in bonum vertās;So consider whether you too, following this example, can turn that dream of yours to good; Ep. 1.18.5aut sī tūtius putās illud cautissimī cuiusque praeceptum "Quod dubitēs, nē fēcerīs", id ipsum rescrībe.or if you think it safer to follow that precept of every most cautious man, 'What you are in doubt of, do not do', write back just that. Ep. 1.18.6Ego aliquam stropham inveniam agamque causam tuam, ut istam agere tū eum volēs possīs.I shall find some trick and plead your case, so that you can plead it when you wish.
Ep. 1.18.6Est enim sānē alia ratiō tua, alia mea fuit.For your situation is certainly different from what mine was. Ep. 1.18.6Nam iūdicium centumvirāle differrī nūllō modō, istuc aegrē quidem sed tamen potest.For a case before the Centumviral court can in no way be postponed, but yours can, with difficulty indeed, but still it can. Ep. 1.18.6Valē.Farewell.