Humanitext Reader

Cicero · Letters to Friends §13.27.1-13.27.4

Gratitude to Sulpicius and the Affairs of Avianus

Passage 323 of 413 · Latin

Summary

Cicero expresses his deep gratitude to Sulpicius for diligently observing his recommendations and once again requests his assistance for the affairs of Aemilius Avianus and his agent. He also mentions his delightful and close companionship with Sulpicius' son, Servius.

§13.27.1licet eodem exemplo saepius tibi huius generis litteras mittam, cum gratias agam, quod meas commendationes tam diligenter observes (quod feci in aliis et faciam, ut video, saepius), sed tamen non parcam operae et, ut vos soletis in formulis, sic ego in epistulis 'DE EADEM RE ALIO MODO
Although I may rather often send you letters of this kind after the same pattern, in which I thank you for observing my recommendations so carefully (which I have done in other cases and will, as I see, do more often), yet I will not spare my labor, and just as you are accustomed to do in legal formulas, so I in my letters: 'ON THE SAME MATTER IN ANOTHER WAY'.
§13.27.2C. Avianius igitur Hammonius incredibilis mihi gratias per litteras egit et suo et Aemili Aviani, patroni sui, nomine; nec liberalius nec honorificentius potuisse tractari nec se praesentem nec rem familiarem absentis patroni sui.
C. Avianius Hammonius, therefore, has returned incredible thanks to me by letter, both in his own name and in that of Aemilius Avianus, his patron; saying that neither he himself in person nor the private property of his absent patron could have been treated more generously or more honorably.
id mihi cum iucundum est eorum causa, quos tibi ego summa necessitudine et summa coniunctione adductus commendaveram, quod M. Aemilius unus est ex meis familiarissimis atque intimis maxime necessarius, homo et magnis meis beneficiis devinctus et prope omnium, qui mihi debere aliquid videntur, gratissimus, tum multo iucundius te esse in me tali voluntate, ut plus prosis amicis meis quam ego praesens fortasse prodessem, credo, quod magis ego dubitarem quid illorum causa facerem, quam tu quid mea.
While this is pleasing to me on account of those whom I, led by the greatest intimacy and the greatest bond, had recommended to you—because M. Aemilius is one of my closest and most intimate friends, a most necessary person, bound to me by my great favors, and almost the most grateful of all who seem to owe me anything—it is at the same time much more pleasing that you are of such a goodwill toward me that you benefit my friends more than I, if present, perhaps would have benefited them; I suppose because I should hesitate more as to what I should do for their sake than you as to what you should do for mine.
§13.27.3sed hoc non dubito quin existimes mihi esse gratum; illud te rogo ut illos quoque gratos esse homines putes, quod ita esse tibi promitto atque confirmo.
But of this I do not doubt that you believe it is pleasing to me; that other thing I ask of you, that you also believe those men to be grateful, which I promise and confirm to you to be the case.
qua re velim, quicquid habent negoti, des operam, quod commodo tuo fiat, ut te obtinente Achaiam conficiant.
Therefore, I would wish that, whatever business they have, you should take care, so far as may be done with your convenience, that they may settle it while you are governing Achaia.
§13.27.4ego cum tuo Servio iucundissime et coniunctissime vivo magnamque cum ex ingenio eius singularique studio tum ex virtute et probitate voluptatem capio.
I live most pleasantly and intimately with your Servius, and I derive great pleasure both from his talent and remarkable application, and from his virtue and integrity.

Notes

  1. §13.27.1licet ... mittam — The conjunctional use of `licet` with the present subjunctive `mittam` introduces a concessive clause ('although I may send'). The main verb of the sentence is `non parcam`.
  2. §13.27.2potuisse tractari — An accusative with infinitive (AcI) construction in indirect speech, dependent on the reporting idea implied in `egit gratias` (returned thanks by letter). The subject accusatives are `se praesentem` and `rem familiarem`, which go with the perfect passive infinitive `potuisse tractari` ('could have been treated').
  3. §13.27.2cum iucundum est ... tum multo iucundius — A correlative structure using `cum ... tum` ('while on the one hand... on the other hand and especially...'). The subject of the first part is the pronoun `id` referring to the previous context (or the explanatory `quod` clause), while the subject of the second part is the accusative with infinitive clause `te esse...`.
  4. §13.27.3quod commodo tuo fiat — The present subjunctive `fiat` in a restrictive relative clause, meaning 'as far as may be done with your convenience.' It functions as a qualifying proviso, a variation of a formulaic expression common in correspondence with jurists.

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Friends §13.27.1-13.27.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi056.humanitext-lat1:13.27.1-13.27.4

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