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Cicero · Letters to Friends §7.22.1

To Trebatius Testa on a Legal Point Regarding Theft

Passage 144 of 413 · Latin

Summary

Cicero writes to Testa about a legal point they discussed over drinks the previous day. Despite returning home late and drunk, Cicero copied and sent proof that ancient jurists supported his view, though he ultimately agrees with Scaevola and Testa.

§7.22.1inluseras heri inter scyphos, quod dixeram controversiam esse, possetne heres, quod furtum antea factum esset, furti recte agere.
Yesterday, over our cups, you made fun of me for having said that it was a matter of dispute whether an heir could rightly bring an action for theft in respect of a theft committed previously.
itaque etsi domum bene potus seroque redieram, tamen id caput, ubi haec controversia est, notavi et descriptum tibi misi, ut scires id, quod tu neminem sensisse dicebas, Sex.
And so, although I had returned home well-drunk and late, I nevertheless noted down that section where this dispute is, and sent a copy of it to you, so that you might know that Sex.
Aelium, M'.
Aelius, M'.
Manilium, M. Brutum sensisse.
Manilius, and M. Brutus held the very opinion which you said no one had held.
ego tamen Scaevolae et Testae adsentior.
I, however, agree with Scaevola and Testa.

Notes

  1. 7.22.1furti recte agere — The verb 'agere' is used in a legal sense meaning 'to bring an action' or 'to prosecute', taking the genitive of the charge ('furti' from 'furtum', theft).
  2. 7.22.1descriptum — The perfect passive participle of 'describere' (to copy), agreeing with the object 'id caput', functioning predicatively with 'misi' ('sent it having copied it' or 'sent a copy of it').
  3. 7.22.1id, quod tu neminem sensisse dicebas, Sex. Aelium, M'. Manilium, M. Brutum sensisse — A complex structure where 'id' is the object of 'ut scires', qualified by the relative clause 'quod tu neminem sensisse dicebas' ('which you said no one had believed'), and explained by the appositive accusative-and-infinitive clause 'Sex. Aelium, M'. Manilium, M. Brutum sensisse' ('that Sextus Aelius, Manius Manilius, and Marcus Brutus did believe it').

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Friends §7.22.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi056.humanitext-lat1:7.22.1

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