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Cicero · Letters to Friends §13.12.1-13.12.2

Special Recommendation for the Envoy Fufidius

Passage 310 of 413 · Latin

Summary

Cicero commends Q. Fufidius individually and more earnestly among the envoys of Arpinum, emphasizing his stepson relationship with Caesius, his past exemplary military service, and his affinity for intellectual pursuits to win his correspondent's favor.

§13.12.1Alia epistula communiter commendavi tibi legatos Arpinatium, ut potui diligentissime, hac separatim Q. Fufidium, quocum mihi omnes necessitudines sunt, diligentius commendo, non ut aliquid de illa commendatione deminuam, sed ut ad hanc addam.
By another letter I commended to you collectively the envoys of the Arpinates, as diligently as I could; by this one I commend to you separately Q. Fufidius, with whom I have all kinds of close ties, even more diligently, not that I may detract anything from that recommendation, but that I may add to this one.
nam et privignus est M. Caesi, mei maxime et familiaris et necessari, et fuit in Cilicia mecum tribunus militum; quo in munere ita se tractavit, ut accepisse ab eo beneficium viderer, non dedisse.
For he is both the stepson of M. Caesius, my very close friend and intimate, and was with me in Cilicia as a military tribune; in which office he conducted himself in such a way that I seemed to have received a favor from him, not to have bestowed one.
§13.12.2est praeterea, quod apud te valet plurimum, a nostris studiis non abhorrens.
He is besides, which has the greatest weight with you, not averse to our studies.
qua re velim eum quam liberalissime complectare operamque des ut in ea legatione, quam suscepit contra suum commodum secutus auctoritatem meam, quam maxime eius excellat industria.
Therefore I would wish that you welcome him as generously as possible and take pains that in that embassy, which he undertook against his own interest, following my authority, his industry may shine forth as much as possible.
vult enim, id quod optimo cuique natura tributum est, quam maximam laudem cum a nobis, qui eum impulimus, tum a municipio consequi; quod ei continget, si hac mea commendatione tuum erga se studium erit consecutus.
For he wishes, which is by nature granted to every best man, to attain the greatest praise both from us, who urged him on, and from the municipium; which will happen to him, if through this recommendation of mine he shall have secured your goodwill toward him.

Notes

  1. 13.12.1hac — By contrast with the preceding 'Alia epistula' (by another letter), the feminine singular ablative noun 'epistula' (letter) is understood after the demonstrative 'hac'.
  2. 13.12.1accepisse ab eo beneficium viderer — In the consecutive subjunctive clause 'ut... viderer' (that I seemed), since the main verb is first person singular, the implicit subject of the dependent infinitives 'accepisse' (to have received) and 'dedisse' (to have given) is also the first person singular (Cicero himself).
  3. 13.12.2quod — A neuter singular nominative relative pronoun. Its antecedent is the subsequent clause 'a nostris studiis non abhorrens' (his not being averse to our studies), or the general fact, forming a parenthetical clause meaning 'which [fact] has the greatest weight with you.'

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Friends §13.12.1-13.12.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi056.humanitext-lat1:13.12.1-13.12.2

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