Humanitext Reader

Cicero · Letters to Friends §11.15.1-11.15.2

Praise for Concord with Plancus and Encouragement

Passage 252 of 413 · Latin

Summary

Cicero expresses gratitude for Brutus's thoughtfulness, notes that the harmony between Brutus and Plancus was well received in Rome, and encourages Brutus to continue striving to surpass himself.

§11.15.1etsi mihi tuae litterae iucundissimae sunt, tamen iucundius fuit, quod in summa occupatione tua Planco conlegae mandasti ut te mihi per litteras excusaret; quod fecit ille diligenter.
Although your letters are most pleasant to me, yet it was more pleasant that, in your extreme busyness, you charged your colleague Plancus to excuse you to me by letter; which he did diligently.
mihi autem nihil amabilius officio tuo et diligentia.
But to me nothing is more lovable than your kindness and attentiveness.
coniunctio tua cum conlega concordiaque vestra, quae litteris communibus declarata est, senatui populoque Romano gratissima accidit.
Your union with your colleague and your harmony, which was declared in your joint letter, happened to be most welcome to the senate and the Roman people.
§11.15.2quod superest, perge, mi Brute, et iam non cum aliis sed tecum ipse certa.
For the rest, go on, my dear Brutus, and strive now not with others but with yourself.
plura scribere non debeo, praesertim ad te, quo magistro brevitatis uti cogito.
I ought not to write more, especially to you, whom I intend to use as a teacher of brevity.
Litteras tuas vehementer exspecto, et quidem talis qualis maxime opto.
I eagerly await your letters, and indeed of such a kind as I most especially desire.
vale. .
Farewell.

Notes

  1. §11.15.1quod ... excusaret — The noun clause introduced by quod serves as the subject or explanatory appositive to the comparative iucundius (more pleasant). The clause ut ... excusaret is a subjunctive clause acting as the object of mandasti (you commissioned).
  2. §11.15.2quo magistro ... uti — The ablative relative pronoun quo is used as the object of the verb utor (to use), which governs the ablative, with magistro (as a teacher) in apposition. Literally, 'whom to use as a teacher (of brevity)'.
  3. §11.15.2talis qualis — Archaic or alternative spelling for the accusative plural tales quales, agreeing with the preceding noun litteras (letter, accusative plural).

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Friends §11.15.1-11.15.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi056.humanitext-lat1:11.15.1-11.15.2

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.