Humanitext Reader

Cicero · Letters to Atticus §12.49.1-12.49.3

Refusal to Defend the False Marius and Atticus's Absence

Passage 323 of 461 · Latin

Summary

Cicero expresses how much he misses Atticus and reports that he declined a defense request from the self-proclaimed Marius, advising him that Caesar's influence makes an advocate unnecessary. He also mentions his concern for Tiro and inquires about the sale date of certain gardens.

§12.49.1sentiebam omnino quantum mihi praesens prodesses sed multo magis post discessum tuum sentio.
I was fully aware of how much you helped me when you were present, but I feel it much more after your departure.
quam ob rem, ut ante ad te scripsi, aut ego ad te totus aut tu ad me, quod licebit.
Therefore, as I wrote to you before, either I shall come to you entirely or you to me, whichever shall be possible.
§12.49.2heri non multo post quam tu a me discessisti, puto, quidam urbani ut videbantur ad me mandata et litteras attulerunt a C. Mario C. f. C. n. multis verbis "agere mecum per cognationem quae mihi secum esset, per eum Marium quem scripsissem, per eloquentiam L. Crassi avi sui ut se defenderem," causamque suam mihi perscripsit.
Yesterday, not long after you departed from me, I think, certain men, who appeared to be city-dwellers, brought me messages and a letter from Gaius Marius, son of Gaius, grandson of Gaius, with many words, "entreating me, by the kinship that existed between me and him, by that Marius of whom I had written, and by the eloquence of his grandfather Lucius Crassus, that I should defend him," and he wrote out his case to me in detail.
rescripsi patrono illi nihil opus esse, quoniam Caesaris propinqui eius omnis potestas esset, viri optimi et hominis liberalissimi; me tamen ei fauturum.
I wrote back that he had no need of a patron, since all power was in the hands of his kinsman Caesar, a most excellent and generous man; nevertheless, I would favor him.
o tempora! fore cum dubitet Curtius consulatum petere! sed haec hactenus.
Oh, the times! To think that there will be a time when Curtius hesitates to stand for the consulship! But enough of this.
§12.49.3de Tirone mihi curae est.
I am anxious about Tiro.
sed iam sciam quid agat.
But I shall soon know how he is doing.
heri enim misi qui videret; cui etiam ad te litteras dedi.
For yesterday I sent someone to see, and I also gave him a letter for you.
epistulam ad Ciceronem tibi misi.
I have sent you the letter for Cicero.
horti quam in diem proscripti sint velim ad me scribas.
I would like you to write to me on what day the gardens are advertised for sale.

Notes

  1. §12.49.1praesens — The adjective `praesens` (being present) functions predicatively with the subject of the subordinate clause (second person singular), meaning "when you were present" or "by being present."
  2. §12.49.2nihil opus esse — The impersonal expression `opus est` (there is need) taking the ablative `patrono` means "there is no need of a patron/advocate." The pronoun `illi` is a dative of reference/advantage, meaning "for him (Marius)."
  3. §12.49.2fore cum dubitet — An accusative with infinitive of exclamation introduced by the future infinitive `fore` (`futurum esse`), expressing Cicero's strong surprise or irony: "to think that there will be a time when...!" The conjunction `cum` is temporal.

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Atticus §12.49.1-12.49.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi057.humanitext-lat1:12.49.1-12.49.3

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

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