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Cicero · Letters to Friends §12.11.1-12.11.2

Report on Forces in Syria and Call to Defend the State

Passage 277 of 413 · Latin

Summary

Cassius informs Cicero that he has successfully secured the military forces of Murcus, Crispus, Bassus, and Allienus in Syria, and urges Cicero to defend the republic in their absence.

§12.11.1S. v. b. e. e. q. v.
If you are well, it is well; I also am well.
in Syriam me profectum esse scito ad L. Murcum et Q. Crispum imp.
Know that I have set out for Syria to join the imperatores L. Murcus and Q. Crispus.
viri fortes optimique cives, postea quam audierunt quae Romae gererentur, exercitus mihi tradiderunt ipsique mecum una fortissimo animo rem p. administrant.
These brave men and most excellent citizens, after they heard what was being done in Rome, delivered their armies to me, and they themselves, together with me, are administering the republic with the greatest courage.
item legionem quam Q. Caecilius Bassus habuit ad me venisse scito, quattuorque legiones quas A. Allienus ex Aegypto eduxit traditas ab eo mihi esse scito.
Likewise, know that the legion which Q. Caecilius Bassus had has come to me, and know that the four legions which A. Allienus led out of Egypt have been delivered by him to me.
§12.11.2nunc te cohortatione non puto indigere ut nos absentis remque p. , quantum est in te, defendas.
Now I do not think you need any exhortation to defend us in our absence and the republic, as far as lies in you.
scire te volo firma praesidia vobis senatuique non deesse, ut optima spe et maximo animo rem p. defendas.
I want you to know that strong protection is not lacking to you and the senate, so that you may defend the republic with the best hope and the greatest courage.
reliqua tecum aget L. Carteius, familiaris meus.
My friend L. Carteius will discuss the remaining matters with you.
vale.
Farewell.
D. Nonis Martiis ex castris taricheis.
Dispatched on the Nones of March, from the camp at Taricheae.

Notes

  1. §12.11.1S. v. b. e. e. q. v. — Abbreviation for 'Si vales, bene est; ego quoque valeo' (If you are well, it is well; I also am well). A standard opening formula in Roman epistolary style.
  2. §12.11.1scito — The second-person singular future active imperative of the verb scio (to know). It is repeated three times in this paragraph to strongly emphasize the importance of the reported news to the reader.
  3. §12.11.2absentis — An archaic form of the accusative plural absentes. It agrees with the personal pronoun nos (accusative plural) as an attributive adjective.
  4. §12.11.2quantum est in te — An idiomatic expression meaning 'as far as lies in you' or 'to the best of your ability'.

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Friends §12.11.1-12.11.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi056.humanitext-lat1:12.11.1-12.11.2

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