Humanitext Reader

Cicero · Letters to Friends §13.43.1-13.43.2

Recommendation of Oppius and Support for Egnatius's Affairs

Passage 338 of 413 · Latin

Summary

Cicero recommends his close friend L. Oppius, requests support for the business of L. Egnatius Rufus managed by Oppius, and asks for a written reminder of this recommendation.

§13.43.1etsi plurimis rebus spero fore ut perspiciam, quod tamen iam pridem perspicio, me a te amari, tamen ea causa tibi datur, in qua facile declarare possis tuam erga me benevolentiam.
Although I hope to perceive through very many things that I am loved by you—which indeed I have already perceived for a long time—yet an opportunity is given to you in which you can easily declare your goodwill toward me.
L. Oppius M. f.
L.
Philomeli negotiatur, homo mihi familiaris.
Oppius, son of Marcus, is doing business in Philomelium, a man friendly to me.
Eum tibi unice commendo eoque magis, quod cum ipsum diligo, tum quod negotia procurat L. Egnati Rufi, quo ego uno equite R. familiarissime utor et qui cum consuetudine cotidiana tum officiis plurimis maximisque mihi coniunctus est.
I recommend him to you singularly, and all the more because, while I esteem him personally, he also manages the business of L. Egnatius Rufus, a Roman knight with whom alone I am on the most familiar terms, and who is bound to me both by daily social intercourse and by very many and very great services.
§13.43.2Oppium igitur praesentem ut diligas, Egnati absentis rem ut tueare aeque a te peto ac si mea negotia essent.
Therefore, I ask of you that you favor Oppius who is present, and protect the property of the absent Egnatius, just as if they were my own affairs.
velim memoriae tuae causa des litterarum aliquid, quae tibi in provincia reddantur, sed ita conscribas, ut tum, cum eas leges, facile recordari possis huius meae commendationis diligentiam.
For the sake of your memory, I should like you to give me some letter which may be delivered to you in your province, but to write it in such a way that when you read it, you can easily recall the earnestness of this recommendation of mine.
hoc te vehementer etiam atque etiam rogo.
I ask this of you earnestly, again and again.

Notes

  1. §13.43.1fore ut perspiciam — Instead of the future infinitive (perspecturum esse), the construction fore ut with the present subjunctive (perspiciam) is used as the object clause of the verb spero (I hope).
  2. §13.43.1Philomeli — Genitive singular of the town Philomelium in Asia Minor, serving a locative function. Although it can be construed as a genitive qualifying L. Oppius, it is here interpreted as a locative modifying negotiatur (does business).
  3. §13.43.2aeque ... ac si ... essent — A comparative conditional clause meaning "just as if." The verb essent in the clause introduced by ac si is in the imperfect subjunctive, indicating a condition contrary to fact in the present.
  4. §13.43.2velim ... des — The present subjunctive velim expresses a polite or cautious wish ("I should like"). The following subjunctive des, acting as its object, has the subordinating conjunction ut omitted before it.

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Friends §13.43.1-13.43.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi056.humanitext-lat1:13.43.1-13.43.2

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.