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Cicero · Letters to Atticus §12.18A.1-12.18A.2

Antony's Arrival and the Witnesses to the Will

Passage 290 of 461 · Latin

Summary

Cicero mentions Antony's arrival and addresses Terentia's remarks about the witnesses to his will, explaining his decisions to Atticus and leaving the matter to his handling.

§12.18A.1heri cum ex aliorum litteris cognovissem de Antoni adventu, admiratus sum nihil esse in tuis.
Yesterday when I had learned from others' letters about Antony's arrival, I wondered that there was nothing in yours.
sed erant pridie fortasse scriptae quam datae.
But they were perhaps written the day before they were dispatched.
neque ista quidem curo; sed tamen opinor propter praedes suos accucurrisse.
Nor indeed do I care about those matters; but still I think he has run hither because of his sureties.
§12.18A.2quod scribis Terentiam de obsignatoribus mei testamenti loqui, primum tibi persuade me istaec non curare neque esse quicquam aut parvae curae aut novae loci.
As to your writing that Terentia is talking about the signatories of my will, first persuade yourself that I do not care about those things, and that there is no room for any concern, whether minor or new.
sed tamen quid simile? illa eos non adhibuit quos existimavit quaesituros nisi scissent quid esset.
But still, what similarity is there? She did not summon those whom she thought would ask questions unless they knew what it was.
num id etiam mihi periculi fuit? sed tamen faciat illa quod ego.
Was there any such danger for me as well? But still, let her do what I do.
dabo meum testamentum legendum cui voluerit; intelleget non potuisse honorificentius a me fieri de nepote quam fecerim.
I will give my will to be read to whomever she wishes; she will understand that it could not have been done more honorably by me regarding our grandson than I have done.
nam quod non advocavi ad obsignandum, primum mihi non venit in mentem, deinde ea re non venit, quia nihil attinuit.
For as to my not calling them to witness the sealing, in the first place, it did not enter my mind, and secondly, it did not enter my mind for the reason that it was of no consequence.
tute scis, si modo meministi, me tibi tum dixisse ut de tuis aliquos adduceres.
You yourself know, if only you remember, that I told you then to bring some of your own people.
quid enim opus erat multis? equidem domesticos iusseram.
For what need was there of many? Indeed, I had ordered my domestics.
tum tibi placuit ut mitterem ad Silium.
Then you thought it best that I should send to Silius.
inde est natum ut ad Publilium; sed necesse neutrum fuit.
From that arose the idea of sending to Publilius; but neither was necessary.
hoc tu tractabis ut tibi videbitur.
You will handle this as it shall seem best to you.

Notes

  1. §12.18A.1datae — Perfect passive participle of dare, which in the context of epistolary correspondence means "to dispatch" or "to hand over to the messenger", contrasted here with scriptae ("written").
  2. §12.18A.2quicquam aut parvae curae aut novae loci — The partitive genitive loci ("room", "place") depends on the pronoun quicquam ("anything"). The genitives of quality aut parvae curae aut novae modify loci (or quicquam), meaning "room for any concern, either minor or new."
  3. §12.18A.2legendum — Gerundive in agreement with meum testamentum (direct object of dabo), expressing purpose ("to be read", "for reading").
  4. §12.18A.2inde est natum ut ad Publilium — The subject of the impersonal natum est ("it arose") is the noun clause ut [mitterem] ad Publilium ("that [I should send] to Publilius"). The verb mitterem is omitted, being understood from the preceding sentence.

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Atticus §12.18A.1-12.18A.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi057.humanitext-lat1:12.18A.1-12.18A.2

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