Humanitext Reader

Cicero · Letters to Friends §10.27.1-10.27.2

Warning to Lepidus against Mediating a False Peace

Passage 227 of 413 · Latin

Summary

Cicero expresses regret that Lepidus did not thank the senate and strongly advises him against participating in peace negotiations that would lead to servitude.

§10.27.1quod mihi pro summa erga te benevolentia magnae curae est, ut quam amplissima dignitate sis, moleste tuli te senatui gratias non egisse, cum esses ab eo ordine ornatus summis honoribus.
Because, out of my supreme goodwill toward you, it is a matter of great concern to me that you should remain in the highest possible position of dignity, I was grieved that you did not return thanks to the senate, although you had been decorated with the highest honors by that order.
pacis inter civis conciliandae te cupidum esse laetor.
I am glad that you are desirous of establishing peace among the citizens.
eam si a servitute seiungis, consules et rei p. et dignitati tuae; sin ista pax perditum hominem in possessionem impotentissimi dominatus restitutura est, hoc animo scito omnis sanos, ut mortem servituti anteponant.
If you separate it from servitude, you will consult the interest both of the republic and of your own dignity; but if that peace of yours is to restore a ruined man to the possession of a most uncontrolled dominion, know that all sane men are of such a mind that they prefer death to servitude.
§10.27.2itaque sapientius meo quidem iudicio facies, si te in istam pacificationem non interpones, quae neque senatui neque populo nec cuiquam bono probatur.
Therefore, in my judgment at least, you will act more wisely if you do not interpose yourself in that pacification, which is approved neither by the senate, nor by the people, nor by any good man.
sed haec audies ex aliis aut certior fies litteris; tu pro tua prudentia quid optimum factu sit videbis.
But you will hear of these things from others, or you will be informed of them by letters; you, in accordance with your prudence, will see what is best to be done.

Notes

  1. 10.27.1quod mihi pro summa erga te benevolentia magnae curae est — The conjunction quod introduces a causal clause modifying the main verb moleste tuli ('it is because... that I took it ill'). The clause ut quam amplissima dignitate sis serves as an explicative noun clause explaining the content of magnae curae.
  2. 10.27.1cum esses ab eo ordine ornatus summis honoribus — The conjunction cum with the subjunctive (esses ornatus) expresses concession ('although you had been decorated'). The phrase eo ordine ('that order') refers to the senate (senatus).
  3. 10.27.1hoc animo scito omnis sanos, ut mortem servituti anteponant — An accusative with infinitive construction acting as the object of the imperative scito ('know!'), with the infinitive esse omitted. omnis sanos is the subject accusative, and the ablative of quality hoc animo serves as the predicate, which is further defined by the consecutive ut-clause ('of such a mind that...').
  4. 10.27.2quid optimum factu sit — An indirect question serving as the object of videbis, hence the subjunctive verb sit. factu is the ablative of the supine of facio, modifying the adjective optimum ('best in the doing' / 'best to be done').

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Friends §10.27.1-10.27.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi056.humanitext-lat1:10.27.1-10.27.2

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