Humanitext Reader

Cicero · Letters to Friends §15.20.1-15.20.3

Sending the Orator to Trebonius and Urging Letters

Passage 389 of 413 · Latin

Summary

Cicero informs Trebonius that he has delivered his book 'Orator' to Sabinus, requests frequent correspondence to keep their mutual affection alive, and asks for updates on Trebonius's journey and the political-military situation.

§15.20.1'oratorem' meum (sic enim inscripsi) Sabino tuo commendavi.
\nI have recommended my 'Orator' (for so I inscribed it) to your friend Sabinus.
natio me hominis impulit ut ei recte putarem; nisi forte candidatorum licentia hic quoque usus hoc subito cognomen arripuit; etsi modestus eius vultus sermoque constans habere quiddam a Curibus videbatur.
The man's nationality impelled me to think well of him; unless perhaps he too, taking advantage of the license of candidates, has suddenly snatched up this cognomen; although his modest expression and consistent speech seemed to have something of Cures about them.
sed de Sabino satis. §15.20.2tu, mi Treboni, quoniam ad amorem meum aliquantum olei discedens addidisti, quo tolerabilius feramus igniculum desideri tui, crebris nos litteris appellato, atque ita, si idem fiet a nobis.
But enough of Sabinus.\n\nYou, my dear Trebonius, since upon your departure you added a considerable amount of oil to my love, so that we may more tolerably bear the little flame of longing for you, call upon us with frequent letters; and do so on the condition that the same will be done by us.
quamquam duae causae sunt cur tu frequentior in isto officio esse debeas quam nos, primum quod olim solebant qui Romae erant ad provincialis amicos de re p. scribere, nunc tu nobis scribas oportet (res enim publica istic est); deinde quod nos aliis officiis tibi absenti satis facere possumus, tu nobis nisi litteris non video qua re alia satis facere possis. §15.20.3sed cetera scribes ad nos postea; nunc haec primo cupio cognoscere iter tuum cuius modi sit, ubi Brutum nostrum videris, quam diu simul fueris;
Although there are two reasons why you ought to be more frequent in that duty than we: first, because formerly those who were in Rome used to write to their friends in the provinces about the state, but now it is proper that you write to us (for the state is where you are); secondly, because we can satisfy you in your absence by other services, but I do not see by what other means you can satisfy us except by letters.\n\nBut you will write the other things to us later; for now, I desire first of all to know these things: of what kind your journey is, where you saw our Brutus, how long you were together; then, when you have proceeded further, about military matters, about the whole business, so that we may be able to judge in what state we are.
deinde cum processeris longius, de bellicis rebus, de toto negotio, ut existimare possumus quo statu simus. ego tantum me scire putabo quantum ex tuis litteris habebo cognitum.
I shall consider myself to know only as much as I shall have learned from your letters.
cura ut valeas meque ames amore illo tuo singulari.
Take care of your health and love me with that singular love of yours.

Notes

  1. 15.20.1natio me hominis impulit ut ei recte putarem — Meaning 'the man's nationality impelled me to think well of him.' This is a play on words where the cognomen 'Sabinus' matches his 'natio' (the Sabine nation), renowned for their austere virtue. The dative 'ei' depends on 'recte putarem' (to hold a right opinion of him, or elliptically supplying a sense of trust like 'recte credendum putarem').
  2. 15.20.2atque ita, si idem fiet a nobis — A concise elliptical expression meaning 'and do so on the condition that the same will be done by us.' 'ita' refers back to the preceding imperative 'appellato' (call upon us/write), and the 'si' clause introduces a reciprocal condition. The future tense 'fiet' strongly implies mutual obligation in future correspondence.
  3. 15.20.3ut existimare possumus — The indicative 'possumus' is used in the 'ut' clause instead of the expected subjunctive 'possimus' (which is read in some manuscript traditions). Interpreting it as an indicative emphasizes the actual result or manner ('so that we are indeed able to judge / in a way that we can judge our state') rather than a mere potential purpose.

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Friends §15.20.1-15.20.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi056.humanitext-lat1:15.20.1-15.20.3

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