Humanitext Reader

Cicero · Letters to Friends §13.33.1

Recommendation of Otacilius Naso and His Business

Passage 330 of 413 · Latin

Summary

Cicero highly recommends his close friend Gnaeus Otacilius Naso, along with his business affairs in the province and the freedmen who manage them.

§13.33.1Cn. Otacilio Nasone utor familiarissime, ita prorsus ut illius ordinis nullo familiarius; nam et humanitate eius et probitate in consuetudine cotidiana magno opere delector.
I am on extremely friendly terms with Gnaeus Otacilius Naso, indeed so much so that I am more intimate with no one of that order; for I am greatly delighted in our daily intercourse both by his refinement and by his integrity.
nihil iam opus est exspectare te quibus eum verbis tibi commendem, quo sic utar ut scripsi.
Since I am on such terms with him as I have written, there is no need now for you to wait to see in what words I recommend him to you.
habet is in provincia tua negotia, quae procurant liberti, Hilarus,. Antigonus, Demostratus; quos tibi negotiaque omnia Nasonis non secus commendo ac si mea essent.
He has business affairs in your province, which his freedmen, Hilarus, Antigonus, and Demostratus, manage; these men and all the business of Naso I recommend to you no otherwise than if they were my own.
gratissimum mihi feceris, si intellexero hanc commendationem magnum apud te pondus habuisse.
You will do me a most agreeable favor, if I perceive that this recommendation has had great weight with you.
vale.
Farewell.

Notes

  1. §13.33.1illius ordinis nullo familiarius — nullo is an ablative of comparison depending on the comparative familiarius, with the governing verb utor (or its implied participle) understood. It means "more intimately with no one of that class." ordinis is a partitive genitive.
  2. §13.33.1quo sic utar ut scripsi — quo is a relative connection referring back to Nasone, acting as the ablative object governed by utar (present subjunctive in a relative clause of cause or restriction). It introduces the reason: "since I am on such terms with him as I have written."
  3. §13.33.1non secus ac si mea essent — ac si (as if) introduces a contrary-to-fact conditional clause, taking the imperfect subjunctive essent. The subject of essent is the neuter plural negotia from the preceding clause, making the possessive adjective mea a neuter plural nominative.

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Friends §13.33.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi056.humanitext-lat1:13.33.1

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