Humanitext Reader

Cicero · Letters to Friends §7.9.1-7.9.3

Cicero on Lapsed Letters and Advising Trebatius to Gain Wealth

Passage 131 of 413 · Latin

Summary

Cicero explains to Trebatius the temporary interruption of their correspondence, inquires about his winter plans, and advises him not to return home until he has enriched himself. He also mentions a mutual acquaintance who frequently invites him to dinner.

§7.9.1iam diu ignoro quid agas; nihil enim scribis; neque ego ad te bis duobus mensibus scripseram.
For a long time now I have not known what you are doing, for you write nothing; nor had I written to you for these past four months.
quod cum Quinto fratre meo non eras, quo mitterem aut cui darem nesciebam.
Because you were not with my brother Quintus, I did not know where to send my letters or to whom to give them.
cupio scire quid agas et ubi sis hiematurus; equidem velim cum Caesare, sed ad eum propter eius luctum nihil sum ausus scribere; ad Balbum tamen scripsi.
I want to know what you are doing and where you are going to spend the winter; for my part, I could wish it to be with Caesar, but because of his mourning I have not dared to write anything to him; however, I have written to Balbus.
§7.9.2tu tibi desse noli; serius potius ad nos, dum plenior.
Do not be wanting to yourself; rather return to us later, as long as you are more fully provided.
quod huc properes, nihil est, praesertim Battara mortuo.
There is no reason why you should hurry here, especially since Battara is dead.
sed tibi consilium non dest.
But you do not lack counsel.
quid constitueris, cupio scire.
I want to know what you have decided.
§7.9.3Cn. Octavius est an Cn. Cornelius quidam, tuus familiaris, summo genere natus, terrae filius. is me quia scit tuum familiarem esse, crebro ad cenam invitat.
There is a certain Gnaeus Octavius or Gnaeus Cornelius, your intimate friend, born of the highest family, a "son of the earth." Because he knows that I am your friend, he frequently invites me to dinner.
adhuc non potuit perducere, sed mihi tamen gratum est.
So far he has not been able to draw me there, but it is nevertheless pleasing to me.

Notes

  1. §7.9.1bis duobus mensibus — Meaning 'twice two months', i.e., 'four months'. Ablative of duration or time within which.
  2. §7.9.2tu tibi desse noli — desse is a syncopated form of deesse. deesse governs the dative (tibi) and means 'to fail' or 'to be wanting to'. noli with the infinitive expresses a negative command.
  3. §7.9.3terrae filius — An idiomatic expression meaning 'son of the earth', typically referring to an obscure person or someone of unknown origin. Here, placed in contrast with 'summo genere natus' (born of the highest family), it is used ironically or humorously to describe a person who, despite his noble birth, is a nonentity or an eccentric.
  4. §7.9.3adhuc non potuit perducere — perducere means 'to lead through' or 'to bring over'. Here, it is used in the sense of 'he has not yet managed to bring me to his house (for dinner)', with the direct object 'me' implied from the context.

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Friends §7.9.1-7.9.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi056.humanitext-lat1:7.9.1-7.9.3

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

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