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Cicero · Letters to Atticus §10.15.1-10.15.4

News of the Cohorts and Personal Affairs Before Departure

Passage 243 of 461 · Latin

Summary

Cicero rejoices at Atticus's letters containing hopeful news about the cohorts and states that the plan regarding Caelius is ripening. He laments the cowardice of Servius and Marcellus, touches upon Antony's movements, and reviews various financial and domestic matters of his family and acquaintances before his departure.

§10.15.1Servius cum esset apud me, Cephalio cum tuis litteris vi Idus venit; quae nobis magnam spem attulerunt meliorum rerum de octo cohortibus.
While Servius was with me, Cephalio came with your letter on May 10th; which brought us great hope of better things concerning the eight cohorts.
etenim eae quoque quae in his locis sunt labare dicuntur.
For indeed those also which are in these parts are said to be wavering.
eodem die Funisulanus a te attulit litteras in quibus erat confirmatius idem illud.
On the same day, Funisulanus brought a letter from you in which that same news was more confirmed.
ei de suo negotio respondi cumulate cum omni tua gratia.
I replied to him fully concerning his business, with all your recommendation.
adhuc non satis faciebat; debet autem mihi multos nummos nec habetur locuples.
Up to now he has not made satisfaction; moreover, he owes me many coins and is not considered wealthy.
nunc ait se daturum; cui expensum tulerit morari;
Now he says he will pay; but that the man to whom he debited the money is delaying payment.
†tabellarius si apud te esse quas satis fecissest dares.
If the messenger is with you, you should give those letters as if he had made satisfaction.
quantum sit Eros Philotimi tibi dicet.
How much the sum is, Eros, Philotimus's slave, will tell you.
sed ad maiora redeamus.
But let us return to greater matters.
§10.15.2quod optas, Caelianum illud maturescit.
What you wish for, that affair of Caelius is ripening.
itaque torqueor utrum ventum exspectem.
Therefore, I am on the rack whether to wait for a wind.
vexillo opus est; convolabunt.
A standard is needed; they will fly together.
quod suades ut palam, prorsus adsentior itaque me profecturum puto.
As to your advice that I should depart openly, I entirely agree with it, and so I think I shall set out.
tuas tamen interim litteras exspecto.
I am, however, expecting your letters in the meantime.
Servi consilio nihil expeditur.
Nothing is cleared up by Servius's advice.
omnes captiones in omni sententia occurrunt.
Every objection occurs in every opinion.
unum C. Marcellum cognovi timidiorem; quem consulem fuisse paenitet.
I have found only Gaius Marcellus to be more timid; he regrets having been consul.
ὢ πολλῆσ ἀγεννείασ! qui etiam Antonium confirmasse dicitur ut me impediret, quo ipse, credo, honestius.
Oh, what great cowardice! He is even said to have encouraged Antony to hinder me, so that he himself, I suppose, might remain more respectably.
§10.15.3Antonius autem vi Idus Capuam profectus est.
Antony, moreover, set out for Capua on May 10th.
ad me misit se pudore deterritum ad me non venisse quod me sibi suscensere putaret.
He sent a message to me saying that he had been deterred by shame from coming to me because he thought I was angry with him.
ibitur igitur et ita quidem ut censes, nisi cuius gravioris personae suscipiendae spes erit ante oblata.
So I shall depart, and indeed in the way you advise, unless some hope of undertaking a more important character is presented beforehand.
sed vix erit tam cito.
But it will hardly be so soon.
Allienus autem praetor putabat aliquem, si ego non, ex conlegis suis.
Allienus the praetor, however, thought some one of his colleagues would, if I did not.
quivis licet dum modo aliquis.
Anyone is acceptable, so long as it is someone.
§10.15.4de sorore laudo.
As to my sister-in-law, I commend your conduct.
de Quinto puero datur opera; spero esse meliora.
Concerning young Quintus, pains are being taken; I hope things are better.
de Quinto fratre scito eum non mediocriter laborare de versura sed adhuc nihil a L. Egnatio expressit.
Concerning my brother Quintus, know that he is in no ordinary trouble about a loan, but as yet he has squeezed nothing out of Lucius Egnatius.
Axius de duodecim milibus pudens! saepe enim ad me scripsit ut Gallio quantum is vellet darem.
Axius is how 'scrupulous' about the twelve thousand! For he often wrote to me to give Gallius as much as he wanted.
quod si non scripsisset, possemne aliter? et quidem saepe sum pollicitus sed tantum voluit cito.
Even if he had not written, could I have done otherwise? And indeed I have often promised, but he only wanted it quickly.
me vero adiuvarent his in angustiis.
They ought to have helped me indeed in these straits.
sed di istos! verum alias.
But may the gods confound those fellows! But of this at another time.
te a quartana liberatum gaudeo itemque Piliam.
I am glad you have been freed from the quartan ague, and Pilia likewise.
ego, dum panis et cetera in navem parantur, excurro in Pompeianum.
For my part, while bread and other things are being prepared for the ship, I am running down to my villa at Pompeii.
Vettieno velim gratias quod studiosus sit; si quemquam nactus eris qui perferat, litteras des ante quam discedimus.
I should like thanks to be given to Vettienus because he is attentive; if you find anyone to carry it, give him a letter before we depart.

Notes

  1. 10.15.1cui expensum tulerit morari — A term from Roman bookkeeping (tabulae). 'Expensum ferre' (or 'expensum ferre alicui') means to enter a sum in the ledger as paid out to someone, i.e., to debit or lend money. Here, the relative clause 'cui expensum tulerit' refers to the debtor ('the one to whom he had debited the money') who is said to be delaying ('morari') his payment.
  2. 10.15.2ὢ πολλῆσ ἀγεννείασ! — An exclamation in Greek. The genitive 'πολλῆσ ἀγεννείασ' (in classical spelling 'πολλῆς ἀγεννείας') is a genitive of exclamation, expressing strong surprise, disgust, or contempt, analogous to the accusative or genitive of exclamation in Latin.
  3. 10.15.2quo ipse, credo, honestius — The word 'quo' is a conjunction of purpose or result (often used with a comparative instead of 'ut'). After the comparative adverb 'honestius', a verb expressing Marcellus's staying or being hindered (such as 'remaneret' or 'impediretur') is omitted. Cicero is ironically conjecturing the motive of the consular Marcellus.
  4. 10.15.3ibitur igitur — The third-person singular passive of the intransitive verb 'ire' (impersonal passive). It expresses 'a departure will be made' or 'I shall go', showing an objective or resolute decision without specifying the personal subject.
  5. 10.15.4me vero adiuvarent — The imperfect subjunctive 'adiuvarent' expresses a past obligation, propriety, or an unfulfilled wish contrary to fact ('they ought to have helped me'). The subject refers to Axius, Gallius, or other debtors mentioned earlier.

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Atticus §10.15.1-10.15.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi057.humanitext-lat1:10.15.1-10.15.4

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