Humanitext Reader

Cicero · Letters to Friends §14.18.1-14.18.2

Deliberations on Staying in Rome or Evacuating

Passage 366 of 413 · Latin

Summary

Cicero urges his wife and daughter to carefully consider whether to stay in Rome or evacuate, describing the surrounding situation, the safety of his current region near Formiae, and instructions for securing their home.

§14.18.1considerandum vobis etiam atque etiam, animae meae, diligenter puto quid faciatis, Romaene sitis an mecum an aliquo tuto loco; id non solum meum consilium est sed etiam vestrum.
My dearest souls, I think you must consider again and again, and diligently, what you should do—whether you should be in Rome, or with me, or in some safe place; this is not only my decision but also yours.
mihi veniunt in mentem haec, Romae vos esse tuto posse per Dolabellam, eamque rem posse nobis adiumento esse, si quae vis aut si quae rapinae fieri coeperint.
The following thoughts occur to me: that you can be in Rome safely through Dolabella, and that this circumstance can be of help to us, if any violence or if any plundering should begin to take place.
sed rursus illud me movet, quod video omnis bonos abesse Roma et eos mulieres suas secum habere.
But on the other hand, I am moved by the fact that I see all the good men are absent from Rome and have their women with them.
haec autem regio, in qua ego sum, nostrorum est cum oppidorum tum etiam praediorum, ut et multum esse mecum et, cum abieritis, commode et in nostris esse possitis.
Moreover, this region in which I am consists both of our towns and also of our estates, so that you can be with me a great deal and, when you depart, you can stay comfortably on our properties.
§14.18.2mihi plane non satis constat adhuc utrum sit melius.
It is still not at all clear to me which is better.
vos videte quid aliae faciant isto loco feminae et ne, cum velitis, exire non liceat.
See to it what other women in your position are doing, and take care lest, when you wish to leave, it may not be permitted.
id velim, diligenter etiam atque etiam vobiscum et cum amicis consideretis.
I should like you to consider this diligently, again and again, with yourselves and with your friends.
domus ut propugnacula et praesidium habeat Philotimo dicetis; et velim tabellarios instituatis certos, ut cotidie aliquas a vobis litteras accipiam; maxime autem date operam ut valeatis, si nos vultis valere.
You will tell Philotimus that the house should have barricades and a guard; and I should like you to establish reliable couriers, so that I may receive some letter from you every day; above all, take the greatest care to keep well, if you wish us to be well.
viiii K. Formiis.
January 24, at Formiae.

Notes

  1. §14.18.1considerandum vobis — An impersonal gerundive construction, serving as the predicate of an accusative with infinitive clause (with esse omitted) dependent on puto, expressing necessity. The agent is expressed by the dative vobis.
  2. §14.18.1nostrorum est cum oppidorum tum etiam praediorum — The genitives nostrorum, oppidorum, and praediorum function predicatively with est as a genitive of possession or characteristic ('belongs to...' or 'consists of...'), indicating that the region consists of their own towns and estates.
  3. §14.18.2ne, cum velitis, exire non liceat — A subordinate clause introduced by videte. The double negation ne... non expresses a fear 'lest it should not be permitted (i.e., that you may be prevented from leaving).' Cum velitis is in the subjunctive, denoting a general condition or time 'when you should wish to.'
  4. §14.18.2dicetis — The second-person plural of the future indicative, used here to express a mild command or instruction ('you will tell / please tell'). It governs the subjunctive clause ut... habeat expressing the content of the instruction.

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Friends §14.18.1-14.18.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi056.humanitext-lat1:14.18.1-14.18.2

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