Humanitext Reader

Cicero · Letters to Atticus §12.52.1-12.52.2

Montanus's Debt and Writing Philosophical Works

Passage 326 of 461 · Latin

Summary

Cicero requests Atticus's assistance regarding Montanus's debt and inquires about the letter to Caesar and the purchase of gardens, while lightly noting that his Latin philosophical works are easy to write as they are mere adaptations of Greek texts.

§12.52.1L. Tullium Montanum nosti qui cum Cicerone profectus est.
You know L. Tullius Montanus, who set out with Cicero.
ab eius sororis viro litteras accepi Montanum Planco debere, quod praes pro Flaminio sit, HS x_x_; de ea re nescio quid te a Montano rogatum.
I received a letter from his sister's husband saying that Montanus owes Plancus twenty thousand sesterces, because he became surety for Flaminius; and that you have been asked something by Montanus regarding this matter.
sane velim, sive Plancus est rogandus sive qua re potes illum iuvare, iuves.
I should indeed like you to help him, whether Plancus has to be asked or in whatever way you can help him.
pertinet ad nostrum officium.
It concerns our duty.
si res tibi forte notior est quam mihi, aut si Plancum rogandum putas, scribas ad me velim ut quid rei sit et quid rogandum sciam.
If the matter happens to be better known to you than to me, or if you think Plancus should be petitioned, I should like you to write to me so that I may know what the business is and what is to be asked.
§12.52.2de epistula ad Caesarem quid egeris exspecto.
I am waiting to hear what you have done about the letter to Caesar.
de Silio non ita sane laboro.
As to Silius, I am not really so anxious.
tu mi aut Scapulanos aut Clodianos efficias necesse est.
It is necessary that you secure for me either Scapula's or Clodia's gardens.
sed nescio quid videris dubitare de Clodia; utrum quando veniat an sintne venales? sed quid est quod audio Spintherem fecisse divortium? de lingua Latina securi es animi.
But you seem to hesitate about Clodia for some reason; is it as to when she is coming, or whether they are for sale? But what is this I hear about Spinther having made a divorce? As to the Latin language, be of easy mind.
dices, qui talia a conscribis?' ἀπόγραφα sunt, minore labore fiunt; verba tantum adfero quibus abundo.
You will say, 'How do you compose such things?' They are copies, they are made with less labor; I only supply the words, with which I am well provided.

Notes

  1. 12.52.1rogatum — This is interpreted as an accusative with infinitive clause dependent on `litteras accepi` in the preceding sentence, with `esse` omitted from the perfect passive infinitive `rogatum [esse]`. The accusative `te` functions as its subject.
  2. 12.52.2securi es animi — `es` is the present imperative second-person singular of the verb `esse`. `securi` is the vocative form of the adjective `securus`, accompanied by the genitive of specification `animi` ('in mind'), meaning 'be of secure mind.'
  3. 12.52.2ἀπόγραφα — The nominative neuter plural of the Greek noun `ἀπόγραφον` ('copy' or 'transcript'). Cicero frankly and half-mockingly describes his own Latin philosophical treatises as mere 'copies' adapted from Greek originals.

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Atticus §12.52.1-12.52.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi057.humanitext-lat1:12.52.1-12.52.2

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

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