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Cicero · Letters to Friends §4.11.1-4.11.2

Marcellus's Thanks to Cicero for Guiding His Return

Passage 68 of 413 · Latin

Summary

Marcellus acknowledges to Cicero that Cicero's advice was decisive in his decision to return, and expresses deep gratitude for Cicero's exceptional goodwill during difficult times, promising to repay the favor.

§4.11.1plurimum valuisse apud me tuam semper auctoritatem cum in omni re tum in hoc maxime negotio potes existimare.
You can well imagine that your authority has always had the greatest influence with me, both in every matter and especially in this business.
cum mihi C. Marcellus, frater amantissimus mei, non solum consilium daret, sed precibus quoque me obsecraret, non prius mihi persuadere potuit, quam tuis est effectum litteris ut uterer vestro potissimum consilio.
When Gaius Marcellus, a brother most affectionate to me, not only gave me advice but also besought me with entreaties, he was not able to persuade me, until it was brought about by your letter that I should follow your advice above all.
res quem ad modum sit acta, vestrae litterae mihi declarant.
How the matter was conducted, your letter declares to me.
gratulatio tua etsi est mihi probatissima, quod ab optimo fit animo, tamen hoc mihi multo iucundius est et gratius, quod in summa paucitate amicorum, propinquorum ac necessariorum, qui vere meae saluti faverent, te cupidissimum mei singularemque mihi benevolentiam praestitisse cognovi.
Although your congratulation is highly approved of by me, because it comes from the best of hearts, yet this is much more pleasant and grateful to me, that in the extreme scarcity of friends, relatives, and connections who truly favored my safety, I have found that you are most devoted to me and have shown me singular goodwill.
§4.11.2reliqua sunt eius modi, quibus ego, quoniam haec erant tempora, facile et aequo animo carebam; hoc vero eius modi esse statuo, ut sine talium virorum et amicorum benevolentia neque in adversa neque in secunda fortuna quisquam vivere possit.
The remaining things are of such a kind that I, since these were the times, easily and with an equable mind did without them; but this, indeed, I determine to be of such a kind that without the goodwill of such men and friends, no one can live either in adverse or in prosperous fortune.
itaque in hoc ego mihi gratulor; tu vero ut intellegas homini amicissimo te tribuisse officium, re tibi praestabo.
Therefore, in this I congratulate myself; but that you may understand that you have bestowed a service upon a most friendly man, I will prove it to you in deed.
vale.
Farewell.

Notes

  1. 4.11.1vestro potissimum consilio — vestro is a second-person plural possessive adjective, referring to "your" in the plural, which includes both Cicero (the recipient) and Gaius Marcellus, rather than Cicero alone (which would be tuo).
  2. 4.11.1qui vere meae saluti faverent — The subjunctive imperfect faverent is used in a relative clause of characteristic, describing the kind of people (friends and relatives "who would truly favor" his safety).
  3. 4.11.2homini amicissimo te tribuisse officium — te is the subject accusative of the infinitive tribuisse (referring to Cicero), and homini amicissimo ("to a most friendly man") is the dative object, referring to the writer Marcellus himself. It means "that you (Cicero) have bestowed a favor on a most friendly friend (Marcellus)".

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Friends §4.11.1-4.11.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi056.humanitext-lat1:4.11.1-4.11.2

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

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