Humanitext Reader

Cicero · Letters to Friends §15.10.1-15.10.2

Gratitude to Marcellus and Request for a Thanksgiving Decree

Passage 379 of 413 · Latin

Summary

Cicero expresses deep gratitude for the consistent affection shown to him by the entire Marcellus family, and entreats the consul Marcellus to ensure that a senatorial decree for a thanksgiving in his honor is passed in the most prestigious manner.

§15.10.1quoniam id accidit, quod mihi maxime fuit optatum, ut omnium Marcellorum, Marcellinorum etiam (mirificus enim generis ac nominis vestri fuit erga me semper animus) quoniam ergo ita accidit, ut omnium vestrum studio tuus consulatus satis facere posset, in quem meae res gestae lausque et honos earum potissimum incideret, peto a te, id quod facillimum factu est non aspernante, ut confido, senatu, ut quam honorificentissime senatus consultum haeris meis recitatis faciendum cures.
Since that has happened which was most desired by me, namely, that the devotion of all the Marcelli, and of the Marcellini too (for the affection of your family and name toward me was always wonderful)—since, therefore, it has so happened that your consulship could satisfy the zeal of all of you, into which consulship my achievements and their praise and honor chiefly fell, I ask of you, a thing which is very easy to do, with the senate not refusing, as I trust, that you take care that a decree of the senate is made in the most honorable manner possible after my letter has been read out.
§15.10.2si mihi tecum minus esset quam est cum tuis omnibus, adlegarem ad te illos a quibus intellegis me praecipue diligi.
If my relation with you were less than it is with all of your family, I would depute to you those by whom you understand me to be especially loved.
Patris tui beneficia in me sunt amplissima; neque enim saluti meae neque honori amicior quisquam dici potest; frater tuus quanti me faciat semperque fecerit esse hominem qui ignoret arbitror neminem; domus tua denique tota me semper omnibus summis officiis prosecuta est; neque vero tu in me diligendo cuiquam concessisti tuorum.
Your father's services to me are most ample; for no one can be said to be more friendly either to my safety or to my honor; as to how much your brother values me and has always valued me, I think there is no one who is ignorant; finally, your whole house has always honored me with all the highest services; nor indeed have you, in loving me, yielded to any of your family.
qua re a te peto in maiorem modum ut me per te quam ornatissimum velis esse meamque et in supplicatione decernenda et in ceteris rebus existimationem satis tibi esse commendatam putes.
For which reason, I ask of you more earnestly that you wish me to be as highly honored as possible through you, and that you think my reputation, both in decreeing the thanksgiving and in all other matters, is sufficiently commended to you.

Notes

  1. 15.10.1quoniam id accidit — Due to a long parenthesis and intervening elements (from 'ut omnium Marcellorum...' through the parenthesized sentence), the syntax of the initial 'quoniam' clause is disrupted (anacoluthon). The author restarts the construction with 'quoniam ergo ita accidit, ut...' to connect back to the main clause.
  2. 15.10.1non aspernante ... senatu — An ablative absolute construction formed by the present participle 'aspernante' and the noun 'senatu', functioning adverbially to mean 'with the senate not refusing' or 'since the senate will not refuse'.
  3. 15.10.1haeris meis — The reading 'haeris meis' in the manuscript tradition is corrupt and is commonly emended to 'litteris meis' ('my letter'). Together with the following participle 'recitatis', it forms an ablative absolute phrase ('my letter having been read out').
  4. 15.10.2adlegarem — Imperfect subjunctive, forming the apodosis of a present counterfactual conditional sentence (si... esset..., adlegarem...). The verb 'adlegare' means to commission or send someone as a deputy or intercessor.
  5. 15.10.2in maiorem modum — An idiomatic adverbial phrase meaning 'in a greater measure', 'more earnestly', or 'especially', modifying the main verb 'peto'.

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Friends §15.10.1-15.10.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi056.humanitext-lat1:15.10.1-15.10.2

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