Humanitext Reader

Cicero · Letters to Friends §16.27.1-16.27.2

Criticism of Consuls-Elect and Anticipation of Reunion

Passage 413 of 413 · Latin

Summary

Quintus thanks Tiro for his letter, criticizes the incompetence and laziness of the consuls-elect which threaten the state with ruin, and expresses his eager anticipation of their upcoming reunion.

§16.27.1mirificam mi verberationem cessationis epistula dedisti; nam quae parcius frater perscripserat verecundia videlicet et properatione, ea tu sine adsentatione ut erant ad me scripsisti, et maxime de coss. designatis, quos ego penitus novi libidinum et languoris effeminatissimi animi plenos; qui nisi a gubernaculis recesserint, maximum ab universo naufragio periculum est.
You have given me a wonderful scourging for my laziness with your letter; for what my brother had written rather sparingly, doubtless from discretion and haste, you wrote to me without adulation just as it was, and especially about the consuls-elect, whom I know thoroughly to be full of lusts and the sluggishness of an extremely effeminate mind; if they do not step down from the helm, there is the greatest danger of a universal shipwreck.
§16.27.2incredibile est, quae ego illos scio oppositis Gallorum castris in aestivis fecisse, quos ille latro, nisi aliquid firmius fuerit, societate vitiorum deleniet.
It is incredible what I know those men to have done in their summer quarters with the camp of the Gauls opposite them, whom that bandit, unless there is something stronger to oppose him, will win over through a partnership in vice.
res est aut tribuniciis aut privatis consiliis munienda; nam isti duo vix sunt digni quibus alteri Caesenam, alteri Cossutianarum tabernarum fundamenta credas.
The situation must be secured either by tribunician or by private counsels; for those two are scarcely worthy for one to entrust to the one Caesena, and to the other the foundations of the Cossutian taverns.
te, ut dixi, fero in oculis.
As I said, I hold you in my eyes.
ego vos a. d. III K. videbo tuosque oculos, etiam si te veniens in medio foro videro, dissaviabor.
I shall see you on the third day before the Kalends. And your eyes, even if I see you in the middle of the forum as I arrive, I shall cover with kisses.
me ama.
Love me.
vale.
Farewell.

Notes

  1. §16.27.1cessationis — Genitive singular of cessatio, functioning as an objective genitive after verberationem, meaning 'a scourging for laziness'.
  2. §16.27.1frater — Since the writer of this letter is Quintus Cicero, frater ('brother') refers to his brother Marcus Cicero.
  3. §16.27.1languoris effeminatissimi animi plenos — The adjective plenos modifies quos and governs the genitives libidinum and languoris. The phrase effeminatissimi animi is a genitive of quality modifying languoris, meaning 'the sluggishness of an extremely effeminate mind'.
  4. §16.27.2quae ego illos scio oppositis Gallorum castris in aestivis fecisse — The clause quae... fecisse functions as the accusative and infinitive construction governed by scio, and the entire structure acts as the subject of incredibile est. oppositis Gallorum castris is an ablative absolute meaning 'with the camp of the Gauls opposite'.
  5. §16.27.2vix sunt digni quibus... credas — A construction of dignus with a relative clause of characteristic/suitability in the subjunctive (quibus... credas), meaning 'they are scarcely worthy that one should entrust to them...'. The second person singular credas is a generalizing subjunctive ('you' meaning 'anyone').

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Friends §16.27.1-16.27.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi056.humanitext-lat1:16.27.1-16.27.2

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