Humanitext Reader

Cicero · Letters to Friends §6.20.1-6.20.3

Advice to Plancius to Remain in Place

Passage 120 of 413 · Latin

Summary

Cicero advises Plancius to remain where he is until the situation becomes clear, pointing out the advantages of avoiding a wintry voyage and being able to react quickly to any news. He reassures him that there is nothing to fear but the common fate of the state, which they must bear bravely, and reports that his family is well.

§6.20.1dederam triduo ante pueris Cn. Planci litteras ad te; eo nunc ero brevior teque, ut antea consolabar, hoc tempore monebo.
Three days ago I had given Gnaeus Plancius's boys a letter to you; therefore I shall now be briefer, and whereas previously I was consoling you, this time I shall advise you.
nihil puto tibi esse utilius quam ibidem opperiri, quoad scire possis quid tibi agendum sit.
I think nothing is more useful for you than to wait in that very place, until you can know what you ought to do.
nam praeter navigationis longae et hiemalis et minime portuosae periculum quod vitaveris, ne illud quidem non quantivis, subito, cum certi aliquid audieris, te istim posse proficisci.
For besides the danger of a long, wintry, and very harborless voyage which you will have avoided, it is also of no small value that, as soon as you hear something certain, you can set out from where you are immediately.
nihil est praeterea cur adventibus te offerre gestias.
Besides, there is no reason why you should be eager to present yourself to those who are arriving.
multa praeterea metuo, quae cum Cilone nostro communicavi.
Furthermore, there are many things I fear, which I have shared with our friend Cilo.
§6.20.2quid multa? loco opportuniore in his malis nullo esse potuisti, ex quo te quocumque opus erit facillime et expeditissime conferas.
Why say more? In these misfortunes you could not have been in any more convenient place, from which you may betake yourself, wherever there is need, most easily and expeditiously.
quod si recipiet ille se ad tempus, aderis; sin (quoniam multa accidere possunt) aliqua res cum vel impediet vel morabitur, tu ibi eris ubi omnia scire possis.
And if he returns in good time, you will be there; but if (since many things can happen) some circumstance either delays or hinders him, you will be in a place where you can know everything.
hoc mihi prorsus valde placet.
This plan altogether pleases me greatly.
§6.20.3de reliquo, ut te saepe per litteras hortatus sum, ita velim tibi persuadeas, te in hac causa nihil habere quod tibi timendum sit praeter communem casum civitatis.
As for the rest, just as I have often exhorted you by letter, so I would wish you to persuade yourself that in this cause you have nothing to fear except the common ruin of the state.
qui etsi est gravissimus, tamen ita viximus et id aetatis iam sumus ut omnia quae non nostra culpa nobis accidant, fortiter ferre debeamus.
Although this is indeed most heavy, yet we have lived in such a way and are now of such an age that we ought to bear bravely all things that happen to us through no fault of our own.
hic tui omnes valent summaque pietate te desiderant et diligunt et colunt.
Here all your loved ones are well, and with the greatest affection they miss, love, and cherish you.
tu cura ut valeas et te istim ne temere commoveas.
Take care of your health, and do not rashly move from where you are.

Notes

  1. §6.20.1ne illud quidem non quantivis — The double negation formed by ne...quidem (not even) and non results in a strong affirmation. The word quantivis is the genitive of value of quantusvis (of any size/value whatever), and non quantivis means 'of no small value' (i.e., of the greatest value). The pronoun illud anticipates the following accusative and infinitive clause te istim posse proficisci.
  2. §6.20.3velim tibi persuadeas — The subjunctive velim (expressing a polite wish) is directly followed by the subjunctive persuadeas without the conjunction ut. It expresses a mild command or wish: 'I would like you to persuade yourself.' The clause te...habere... follows as the object of persuadeas.
  3. §6.20.3id aetatis — An idiomatic adverbial accusative consisting of the pronoun id and the partitive genitive aetatis, meaning 'at that age' or 'of that age.' Here it functions as a predicate with sumus.

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Friends §6.20.1-6.20.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi056.humanitext-lat1:6.20.1-6.20.3

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