Humanitext Reader

Cicero · Letters to Friends §5.4.1-5.4.2

Appeal to Celer for Cooperation and Warning over His Kin

Passage 78 of 413 · Latin

Summary

Cicero, informed by his brother Quintus and Atticus and inspired by Celer's mild speech in the senate, appeals to Celer to join him in saving Celer's relations rather than attacking Cicero, warning him that delayed intervention will make future salvation impossible.

§5.4.1Litterae Quinti fratris et T. Pomponi, necessarii mei, tantum spei dederant, ut in te non minus auxili quam in tuo conlega mihi constitutum fuerit.
The letters of my brother Quintus and of T. Pomponius, my close friend, had given so much hope that I was no less assured of help in you than in your colleague.
itaque ad te litteras statim misi, per quas, ut fortuna postulabat, et gratias tibi egi et de reliquo tempore auxilium petii.
Therefore I sent a letter to you immediately, through which, as the situation required, I both thanked you and asked for your help for the remaining time.
postea mihi non tam meorum litterae quam sermones eorum, qui hac iter faciebant, animum tuum immutatum significabant; quae res fecit ut tibi litteris obstrepere non auderem.
Afterwards, it was not so much the letters of my own people as the talk of those who were traveling this way that indicated to me that your mind had changed; this fact made me not dare to importune you with letters.
§5.4.2nunc mihi Quintus frater meus mitissimam tuam orationem, quam in senatu habuisses, perscripsit; qua inductus ad te scribere sum conatus et abs te, quantum tua fert voluntas, peto quaesoque, ut tuos mecum serves potius quam propter adrogantem crudelitatem tuorum me oppugnes.
Now my brother Quintus has written to me in detail of your most gentle speech which you had delivered in the senate; led by this, I have attempted to write to you, and I beg and entreat of you, as far as your goodwill allows, that you preserve your people along with me, rather than attack me because of the arrogant cruelty of your people.
tu, tuas inimicitias ut rei p. donares, te vicisti, alienas ut contra rem p.
You conquered yourself so that you might give up your own enmities for the sake of the republic; are you now being led to strengthen the enmities of others against the republic?
confirmes, adduceris? quod si mihi tua clementia opem tuleris, omnibus in rebus me fore in tua potestate tibi confirmo.
But if you, in your clemency, bring me help, I assure you that in all things I shall be in your power.
si mihi neque magistratum neque senatum neque populum auxiliari propter eam vim, quae me cum re p. vicit, licuerit, vide ne, cum velis revocare tempus omnium servandorum, cum qui servetur non erit, non possis.
If, because of that force which conquered me along with the republic, I am permitted to be aided neither by the magistrate, nor by the senate, nor by the people, take care lest, when you wish to recall the time for saving everyone, you may not be able to do so when there will be no one left to be saved.

Notes

  1. §5.4.1mihi constitutum fuerit — An impersonal passive construction or a neuter perfect participle with 'mihi' as a dative of agent, meaning 'it had been resolved/determined by me' (i.e., 'I was assured'). It occurs within the result clause introduced by 'ut,' indicating Cicero's expectation of help from Celer just as from Celer's colleague (C. Antonius).
  2. §5.4.2tuos mecum serves — The verb 'serves' (second-person singular present subjunctive in the 'ut' clause) means 'to preserve/save your people (tuos, referring especially to Metellus Nepos) along with me (mecum).' Instead of attacking Cicero, Celer is urged to cooperate with him in guiding or restraining his own relatives.
  3. §5.4.2vide ne... non possis — The cautioning construction 'vide ne' (see to it lest / take care that... not) is combined with the negative potential 'non possis' (you may not be able to). This creates a litotes-like strong warning: 'take care lest you should be unable to [do so]' (i.e., 'make sure that you can').

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Friends §5.4.1-5.4.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi056.humanitext-lat1:5.4.1-5.4.2

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