Humanitext Reader

Cicero · Letters to Friends §13.57.1-13.57.2

Request for Anneius's Quick Return and Resolution of Sardis Dispute

Passage 344 of 413 · Latin

Summary

In light of the impending war in Syria, Cicero requests the speedy return of his legate Marcus Anneius and entreats the recipient to help resolve Anneius's private dispute with the people of Sardis.

§13.57.1quo magis cotidie ex litteris nuntiisque bellum magnum esse in Syria cognosco, eo vehementius a te pro nostra necessitudine contendo ut mihi M. Anneium legatum primo quoque tempore remittas;
The more I learn daily from letters and messages that there is a great war in Syria, the more earnestly do I request of you, in view of our close friendship, to send back my legate Marcus Anneius to me at the very first opportunity.
na m eius opera, consilio, scientia rei militaris vel maxime intellego me et rem p. adiuvari posse.
For I understand that both I and the state can be assisted in the highest degree by his service, counsel, and military skill.
quod nisi tanta res eius ageretur, nec ipse adduci potuisset ut a me discederet, neque ego ut eum a me dimitterem.
But if such a great matter of his were not at stake, neither could he himself have been induced to depart from me, nor I to dismiss him from me.
ego in Ciliciam proficisci cogito circiter K. Mai.
I intend to set out for Cilicia around the Kalends of May.
ante eam diem M. Anneius ad me redeat oportet.
Before that day, Marcus Anneius must return to me.
§13.57.2illud quod tecum et coram et per litteras diligentissime egi, id et nunc etiam atque etiam rogo curae tibi sit, ut suum negotium, quod habet cum populo Sardiano, pro causae veritate et pro sua dignitate conficiat.
As for that matter which I pursued with you most carefully both in person and by letter, I now also ask you again and again to take care that he may settle his business, which he has with the people of Sardis, in accordance with the truth of the cause and his own dignity.
intellexi ex tua oratione, cum tecum Ephesi locutus sum, te ipsius M. Annei causa omnia velle; sed tamen sic velim existimes, te mihi nihil gratius facere posse quam si intellexero per te illum ipsum negotium ex sententia confecisse, idque quam primum ut efficias te etiam atque etiam rogo.
I understood from your speech, when I spoke with you at Ephesus, that you wished all good things for the sake of Marcus Anneius himself; nevertheless, I would like you to think that you can do nothing more pleasing to me than if I perceive that he has settled that business to his satisfaction through your help, and I ask you again and again to bring this about as soon as possible.

Notes

  1. §13.57.1quod nisi tanta res eius ageretur, nec ipse adduci potuisset ut a me discederet, neque ego ut eum a me dimitterem. — A contrary-to-fact conditional sentence. The verb in the protasis (`ageretur`, imperfect subjunctive) expresses a condition contrary to present fact, while the verb in the apodosis (`potuisset`, pluperfect subjunctive) expresses a result contrary to past fact. In the second clause `neque ego ut eum a me dimitterem`, the verb phrase `adduci potuissem` is omitted by ellipsis in analogy to `nec ipse adduci potuisset` in the first clause.
  2. §13.57.2curae tibi sit — A double dative construction consisting of the dative of purpose/effect `curae` (care) and the dative of person interested `tibi` (to you). It is governed by `rogo` without the conjunction `ut`.
  3. §13.57.2te ipsius M. Annei causa omnia velle — The phrase `alicuius causa omnia velle` (or `cupere`) is an idiomatic expression meaning "to wish all good things for someone" or "to be highly well-disposed toward someone." Here it is used in an accusative with infinitive construction depending on `intellexi`.

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Friends §13.57.1-13.57.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi056.humanitext-lat1:13.57.1-13.57.2

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