Humanitext Reader

Cicero · Letters to Friends §6.19.1-6.19.2

Travel Lodgings and Advice on a Post Under Caesar

Passage 119 of 413 · Latin

Summary

Cicero expresses pleasure at Macula's performance of duty and discusses travel lodgings, while advising his friend (Lepta) against seeking a position in Caesar's court, as the abundance of intimates makes such effort futile.

§6.19.1Maculam officio functum esse gaudeo.
I am glad that Macula has performed his duty.
eius Falernum mihi semper idoneum visum est devorsorio, si modo tecti satis est ad comitatum nostrum recipiendum. .
His estate at Falernum has always seemed to me suitable for a lodging-place, provided there is enough shelter to receive our retinue.
ceteroqui mihi locus non displicet.
Otherwise, the place does not displease me.
nec ea re Petrinum tuum deseram nam et villa et amoenitas illa commorationis est, non devorsori.
Nor for that reason shall I desert your Petrinum; for both that villa and its pleasantness are for a longer stay, not for a mere lodging-place.
§6.19.2de curatione aliqua munerum regiorum cum Oppio locutus sum; nam Balbum, postea quam tu es profectus, non vidi.
I spoke with Oppius about some management of the royal gifts; for I have not seen Balbus since you departed.
tantis pedum doloribus adficitur, ut se conveniri nolit.
He is afflicted with such severe pains in his feet that he does not wish to be visited.
omnino de tota re, ut mihi videris, sapientius faceres, si non curares.
On the whole, in my opinion, you would act more wisely if you did not trouble yourself about the matter.
quod enim eo labore adsequi vis, nullo modo adsequere.
For what you wish to attain by that labor, you will in no way attain.
tanta est enim intimorum multitudo, ut ex iis aliquis potius effluat quam novo sit aditus, praesertim qui nihil adferat praeter operam, in qua ille se dedisse beneficium putabit (si modo ipsum sciet), non accepisse.
For so great is the multitude of his intimates, that some of them are more likely to overflow than any new comer is to find admittance, especially one who brings nothing but service, in which he (Caesar) will think that he has conferred a favor (if only he is aware of him), not received one.
sed tamen aliquid videbimus, in quo sit species; aliter quidem non modo non adpetendum sed etiam fugiendum puto.
Nevertheless, we will look out for something in which there is some respectability; otherwise, I think it is not only not to be sought after, but even to be avoided.
ego me Asturae diutius arbitror commoraturum, quoad ille quandoque veniat.
I think I shall stay longer at Astura, until he arrives at some time or other.
vale.
Farewell.

Notes

  1. §6.19.1tecti satis — Partitive genitive construction where the genitive tecti (shelter, roof) depends on the adverb of quantity satis (enough).
  2. §6.19.1commorationis ..., devorsori — Possessive genitive with the copula est, expressing suitability or purpose ('suited for a longer stay, not for a lodging-place').
  3. §6.19.2sapientius faceres, si non curares — A contrary-to-fact conditional sentence in the present tense using the subjunctive imperfect (faceres, curares). It carries a tone of advice: 'you would be acting more wisely if you were not troubling yourself (as you currently are).'
  4. §6.19.2adsequere — The second-person singular future indicative form of the deponent verb assequor, with the ending -re (equivalent to -ris).
  5. §6.19.2novo sit aditus — novo is a dative ('for a new comer'), and aditus (approach, admittance) is the subject, meaning 'there is access/admittance for a new comer.'

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Friends §6.19.1-6.19.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi056.humanitext-lat1:6.19.1-6.19.2

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