Cicero · Letters to Friends §1.3.1-1.3.2

Commendation of Aulus Trebonius to Lentulus

Passage 3 of 413 · Latin

Summary

Cicero strongly recommends to Lentulus his close friend Aulus Trebonius, who has extensive business in Lentulus's province, entreating him to protect Trebonius's interests and approve the previous governor's decisions.

§1.3.1A. Trebonio, qui in tua provincia magna negotia et ampla I et expedita habet, multos annos utor valde familiariter.

I have been on terms of very close intimacy for many years with Aulus Trebonius, who has large, extensive, I and unimpeded business in your province.

is cum antea semper et suo splendore et nostra ceterorumque amicorum commendatione gratiosissimus in provincia fuit, tum hoc tempore propter tuum in me amorem nostramque necessitudinem vehementer confidit his meis litteris se apud te gratiosum fore;

While he has always before this been highly favored in the province both by his own high standing and by our recommendation and that of his other friends, at this time, owing to your affection for me and our close relationship, he is exceedingly confident that he will find favor with you through this letter of mine.

§1.3.2quae ne spes eum fallat, vehementer rogo te commendoque tibi eius omnia negotia, libertos, procuratores, familiam, in primisque ut, quae T. Ampius de eius re decrevit, ea comprobes omnibusque rebus eum ita tractes, ut intellegat meam commendationem non vulgarem fuisse.

Lest this hope should fail him, I earnestly entreat you and recommend to you all his business affairs, his freedmen, his agents, and his household, and especially that you should approve what T. Ampius decreed concerning his affairs, and in all matters treat him in such a manner that he may understand that my recommendation was of no ordinary kind.

Notes

1.3.1A. Trebonio ... utor — The verb `utor` governs the ablative case, which is why `A. Trebonio` is in the ablative.
1.3.2quae ne spes — `quae` is a connecting relative pronoun in the feminine singular nominative modifying the noun `spes`. It is immediately followed by the negative purpose clause introduced by `ne`.
1.3.2ut ... comprobes — The `ut` clause is an indirect command (clause of effort or petition) depending on `rogo` or `commendo`, in which the pronoun `ea`, functioning as the antecedent of the relative clause `quae ... decrevit`, serves as the direct object of `comprobes`.
1.3.2ut intellegat — A consecutive `ut` clause (clause of result) corresponding to the adverb `ita` (in such a manner). The accusative with infinitive construction `meam commendationem non vulgarem fuisse` (that my recommendation was not ordinary) functions as the object of `intellegat`.

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Friends §1.3.1-1.3.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi056.humanitext-lat1:1.3.1-1.3.2

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