Humanitext Reader

Cicero · Letters to Atticus §1.15.1-1.15.2

Quintus's Province of Asia and Inquiry on Atticus's News

Passage 16 of 461 · Latin

Summary

Cicero informs Atticus that his brother Quintus has been assigned the province of Asia and urges him to maintain their reputation as Greek lovers. He also requests an update on Atticus's activities since no letters have arrived since his departure.

§1.15.1Asiam Quinto, suavissimo fratri, obtigisse audisti.
You have heard that Asia has fallen to the lot of Quintus, my sweetest brother.
non enim dubito quin celerius tibi hoc rumor quam ullius nostrum litterae nuntiarint.
For I do not doubt that rumor has announced this to you more quickly than a letter from any of us.
nunc quoniam et laudis avidissimi semper fuimus et praeter ceteros φιλέλληνεσ et sumus et habemur et multorum odia atque inimicitias rei publicae causa suscepimus, "παντοίησ ἀρετῆσ μιμνήσκεο" curaque et effice ut ab omnibus et laudemur et amemur.
Now, since we have always been most desirous of praise, and both are and are regarded as philellenes (φιλέλληνεσ) beyond all others, and have incurred the hatred and enmity of many for the sake of the republic, "remember excellence of every kind (παντοίησ ἀρετῆσ μιμνήσκεο)" and take care and see to it that we are both praised and loved by everyone.
§1.15.2his de rebus plura ad te in ea epistula scribam quam ipsi Quinto dabo.
About these matters I shall write more to you in that letter which I will give to Quintus himself.
tu me velim certiorem facias quid de meis mandatis egeris atque etiam quid de tuo negotio; nam ut Brundisio profectus es, nullae mihi abs te sunt redditae litterae.
I would wish you to inform me what you have done about my commissions, and also about your own business; for since you set out from Brundisium, no letter from you has been delivered to me.
valde aveo scire quid agas.
I very much long to know what you are doing.
Idibus Martiis
On the Ides of March.

Notes

  1. §1.15.1obtigisse — Perfect active infinitive of the verb obtingere (to fall to one's lot). It is part of an accusative-and-infinitive (ACI) construction, where Asiam is the subject accusative. The datives Quinto, suavissimo fratri function as datives of reference or interest.
  2. §1.15.1nostrum — One of the genitive forms of the pronoun nos (we), used here as a partitive genitive with ullius ('of any of us'). It contrasts with nostri, which is typically used as an objective genitive.
  3. §1.15.2ut — When the conjunction ut is used with an indicative perfect verb (profectus es), it functions as a temporal conjunction meaning 'since' or 'ever since.'
  4. §1.15.2velim — The potential subjunctive velim (present subjunctive 1st person singular of volo) is followed by facias (present subjunctive 2nd person singular of facio) without the conjunction ut, expressing a polite request or desire ('I would like you to...').

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Atticus §1.15.1-1.15.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi057.humanitext-lat1:1.15.1-1.15.2

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

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.