Humanitext Reader

Cicero · Letters to Friends §11.8.1-11.8.2

Hopes for Decimus Brutus and Levies across Italy

Passage 244 of 413 · Latin

Summary

Cicero informs Decimus Brutus that although there is no specific news due to the wait for ambassadors, the Senate and the Roman people deeply trust him, and a passionate, voluntary levy for liberty is underway throughout Italy.

§11.8.1eo tempore Polla tua misit ut ad te si quid vellem darem litterarum, cum quid scriberem non habebam; omnia enim erant suspensa propter exspectationem legatorum, qui quid egissent nihildum nuntiabatur.
At that time your Polla sent a messenger asking if I wished to send any letter to you, when I had nothing to write; for everything was in suspense because of the expectation of the ambassadors, and nothing was yet reported as to what they had done.
haec tamen scribenda existimavi, primum senatum populumque R. de te laborare non solum salutis suae causa sed etiam dignitatis tuae.
Nevertheless, I thought I ought to write this: first, that the Senate and the Roman people are anxious about you, not only for the sake of their own safety but also for your dignity.
admirabilis enim est quaedam tui nominis caritas amorque in te singularis omnium civium; ita enim sperant atque confidunt, ut antea rege sic hoc tempore regno te rem p. liberaturum.
For there is a certain admirable affection for your name and a singular love for you on the part of all the citizens; indeed, they hope and trust that, just as previously from a king, so at this time you will liberate the republic from kingly rule.
§11.8.2Romae dilectus habetur totaque Italia, si hic dilectus appellandus est, cum ultro se offerunt omnes tantus ardor animos hominum occupavit desiderio libertatis odioque diutinae servitutis.
A levy is being held in Rome and throughout all Italy, if indeed this is to be called a levy, when everyone offers themselves voluntarily, so great an ardor has seized the minds of men with a longing for liberty and hatred of long servitude.
de reliquis rebus a te iam exspectare litteras debemus quid ipse agas, quid noster Hirtius, quid Caesar meus; quos spero brevi tempore societate victoriae tecum copulatos fore.
Regarding the remaining matters, we ought now to expect letters from you as to what you yourself are doing, what our Hirtius is doing, and what my Caesar is doing; whom I hope in a short time will be joined with you in the partnership of victory.
reliquum est ut de me id scribam, quod te ex tuorum litteris et spero et malo cognoscere, me neque deesse ulla in re neque umquam defuturum dignitati tuae.
It remains for me to write this about myself—which I both hope and prefer that you learn from the letters of your own family—that I have neither failed your dignity in any matter nor will ever fail it.

Notes

  1. 11.8.1qui quid egissent nihildum nuntiabatur — The indirect question clause 'quid egissent' is embedded within the relative clause introduced by 'qui' (whose antecedent is 'legatorum'). The subject of the passive verb 'nuntiabatur' is 'nihildum', meaning 'as for whom, nothing was yet reported as to what they had done.'
  2. 11.8.1ut antea rege sic hoc tempore regno — Both 'rege' and 'regno' are ablatives of separation governed by 'liberaturum'. The former refers to 'from a king' (person) and the latter to 'from kingly rule' (system), presented in contrast.
  3. 11.8.2quod te ex tuorum litteris et spero et malo cognoscere — The relative pronoun 'quod' refers back to 'id', which represents the following accusative and infinitive clause ('me neque deesse...'). 'et spero et malo cognoscere' means 'which I both hope and prefer that you learn (from others' letters rather than from me directly)'.

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Friends §11.8.1-11.8.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi056.humanitext-lat1:11.8.1-11.8.2

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.