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Cicero · Letters to Friends §10.35.1-10.35.2

Lepidus's Defense to the Senate and Plea for Peace

Passage 236 of 413 · Latin

Summary

Lepidus declares to the Senate that his true intention has always been the safety and liberty of the state, explains that he was forced to take up the cause of the citizens due to his army's mutiny, and begs them to prioritize the welfare of the republic.

§10.35.1S. v. liberique vestri v. b. e. e. q. v.
If you and your children are well, it is well; I also am well.
deos hominesque testor, p. c. , qua mente et quo animo semper in rem p. fuerim et quam nihil antiquius communi salute ac libertate iudicarim; quod vobis brevi probassem, nisi mihi fortuna proprium consilium extorsisset.
I call gods and men to witness, conscript fathers, with what mind and what spirit I have always been toward the republic, and how I have judged nothing of higher importance than the common safety and liberty; which I would have proved to you shortly, had not fortune wrested my own plan from me.
nam exercitus cunctus consuetudinem suam in civibus conservandis communique pace seditione facta retinuit meque tantae multitudinis civium Romanorum salutis atque incolumitatis causam suscipere, ut vere dicam, coegit.
For the entire army, a mutiny having been made, retained its custom of preserving the citizens and the common peace, and forced me, to speak truly, to undertake the cause of the safety and preservation of so great a multitude of Roman citizens.
§10.35.2in qua re ego vos, p. c. , oro atque obsecro ut privatis offensionibus omissis summae rei p. consulatis neve misericordiam nostram exercitusque nostri in civili dissensione sceleris loco ponatis.
In which matter, conscript fathers, I beg and beseech you that, laying aside private grievances, you consult for the highest interest of the republic, and not regard our mercy and that of our army in civil dissension as a crime.
quod si salutis omnium ac dignitatis rationem habueritis, melius et vobis et rei p. consuletis.
But if you take account of the safety and dignity of all, you will consult better both for yourselves and for the republic.
D. iii Kal. Jun. a Ponte Argenteo.
Given on the third day before the Kalends of June, from the Argenteus Bridge.

Notes

  1. 10.35.1nihil antiquius — The comparative antiquius in nihil antiquius is followed by the ablative of comparison communi salute ac libertate, meaning 'more important' or 'of higher priority'.
  2. 10.35.1quod vobis... probassem, nisi... extorsisset — The initial quod is a relative connection referring to the preceding statement. The sentence forms a past contrary-to-fact conditional sentence with the pluperfect subjunctives probassem (for probavissem) and extorsisset.
  3. 10.35.2summae rei p. consulatis — The verb consulere, when governing the dative (summae rei p.), means 'to consult for', 'to look to the interest of' (as opposed to taking the accusative, which means 'to consult, ask advice of'). The phrase summa res publica refers to the 'highest interest' or 'general welfare of the state'.
  4. 10.35.2sceleris loco ponatis — The ablative loco used with a genitive (sceleris) forms an idiomatic expression meaning 'to put in the place of', 'to regard as', or 'to class with'.

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Friends §10.35.1-10.35.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi056.humanitext-lat1:10.35.1-10.35.2

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