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Cicero · Letters to Friends §10.19.1-10.19.2

Senate's Welcome and an Urging to End the War

Passage 218 of 413 · Latin

Summary

Cicero expresses his delight at Plancus's affectionate letter and informs him that his report was warmly received by the senate, while strongly urging him to finish the war by crushing Antony.

§10.19.1quamquam gratiarum actionem a te non desiderabam, cum te re ipsa atque animo scirem esse gratissimum, tamen (fatendum est enim) fuit ea mihi periucunda; sic enim vidi, quasi ea quae oculis cernuntur, me a te amari.
Although I did not require an expression of gratitude from you, since I knew that you were most grateful in reality and in mind, yet (for it must be confessed) it was extremely pleasing to me; for I saw that I was loved by you, just as clearly as things which are discerned by the eyes.
dices: 'quid antea?' semper equidem sed numquam inlustrius.
You will say: 'What about before?' Always indeed, but never more illustriously.
Litterae tuae mirabiliter gratae sunt senatui cum rebus ipsis, quae erant gravissimae et maximae, fortissimi animi summique consili, tum etiam gravitate sententiarum atque verborum.
Your letter was wonderfully pleasing to the senate, both on account of the matters themselves, which were most weighty and important, showing a most brave spirit and supreme wisdom, and also on account of the dignity of your sentiments and words.
§10.19.2sed, mi Plance, incumbe ut belli extrema perficias.
But, my Plancus, strive to bring the last stages of the war to completion.
in hoc erit summa et gratia et gloria.
In this will lie the greatest gratitude and glory.
cupio omnia rei p. causa; sed me hercules in ea conservanda iam defetigatus non multo plus patriae faveo quam tuae gloriae, cuius maximam facultatem tibi di immortales, ut spero, dedere; quam complectere obsecro.
I desire all things for the sake of the republic; but, by Hercules, already exhausted in preserving it, I do not favor my fatherland much more than your glory, the greatest opportunity for which, as I hope, the immortal gods have given to you; embrace it, I beseech you.
qui enim Antonium oppresserit, is hoc bellum taeterrimum periculosissimumque confecerit.
For he who shall have crushed Antony will have finished this most foul and dangerous war.

Notes

  1. 10.19.1me a te amari — An accusative with infinitive clause functioning as the direct object of the verb 'vidi'. It is modified by 'sic ... quasi' (so ... as if) to illustrate that this affection was as clearly perceivable as physical objects.
  2. 10.19.1fortissimi animi summique consili — Genitive of quality (genitivus qualitatis), describing either 'rebus ipsis' or modifying the relative pronoun 'quae'. It expresses the character of the actions as showing a most brave spirit and supreme wisdom.
  3. 10.19.2non multo plus patriae faveo quam tuae gloriae — A comparative construction with 'multo', an ablative of measure of difference. Literally meaning 'I do not favor my country much more than your glory,' it emphasizes that Cicero values Plancus's personal glory almost as much as, or even alongside, the safety of the state.
  4. 10.19.2complectere — The second-person singular present imperative of the deponent verb 'complector'. Although homomorphous with an active present infinitive, it has an active meaning ('embrace', 'seize'). Its object is the connecting relative pronoun 'quam', referring back to 'facultas'.

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Friends §10.19.1-10.19.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi056.humanitext-lat1:10.19.1-10.19.2

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