Humanitext Reader

Cicero · Letters to Atticus §12.47.1

Considering Clodia's Land and Faberius's Debt

Passage 321 of 461 · Latin

Summary

Cicero shifts his interest toward Clodia's estate over Mustela's for Tullia's shrine, and requests Atticus to discuss the recovery of Faberius's debt with Balbus to secure the purchase.

§12.47.1de Mustela, ut scribis, etsi magnum opus est.
As for Mustela, as you write, although it is a great task (we must act).
eo magis delabor ad Clodiam.
For that very reason I am leaning more towards Clodia's estate.
quamquam in utroque Faberianum nomen explorandum est.
And yet, in either case, the debt of Faberius must be investigated.
de quo nihil nocuerit si aliquid cum Balbo eris locutus et quidem, ut res est, emere nos velle nec posse sine isto nomine nec audere re incerta.
In regard to this, it will do no harm if you speak a bit with Balbus, and indeed, as the matter stands, (tell him) that we wish to buy, but cannot do so without that debt, nor do we dare to act while the matter is uncertain.
sed quando Clodia Romae futura est et quanti rem aestimas? eo prorsus specto, non quin illud malim sed et magna res est et difficile certamen cum cupido, cum locuplete, cum herede.
But when is Clodia going to be in Rome, and at how much do you value the property? I am looking entirely in that direction, not that I would not prefer the other, but it is both a major transaction and a difficult contest with a man who is covetous, wealthy, and an heir.
etsi de cupiditate nemini concedam; ceteris rebus inferiores sumus.
Although, as to eagerness, I would yield to no one; in other respects we are inferior.
sed haec coram.
But we will discuss these things in person.

Notes

  1. §12.47.1magnum opus est — An elliptical construction following de Mustela (as for Mustela). magnum opus means "a great task" or "a difficult business," referring here to the difficulty or expense of acquiring Mustela's estate.
  2. §12.47.1Faberianum nomen — In financial contexts, nomen means "an entry in a ledger," hence "a debt" or "a claim." Therefore, Faberianum nomen refers to Cicero's financial claim against Faberius, the recovery of which was crucial for funding the purchase.
  3. §12.47.1emere nos velle — An accusative with infinitive clause representing the substance of the communication, depending on the idea of saying or informing implied by the conditional clause si aliquid cum Balbo eris locutus (if you speak a bit with Balbus).
  4. §12.47.1quanti — Genitive of value, used with the verb aestimas (value, estimate) to mean "at how much do you value."
  5. §12.47.1non quin — Used to express a rejected reason ("not that... not"), equivalent to non quo non, taking the subjunctive (here malim). It means "not that I would not prefer that one." The real reason is introduced by the subsequent sed.

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Atticus §12.47.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi057.humanitext-lat1:12.47.1

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