Cicero · Letters to Atticus §12.5B.1

Inquiries on Historical and Chronological Questions

Passage 278 of 461 · Latin

Summary

Cicero asks Atticus to verify and resolve historical and genealogical questions, including the magistracy years of Tubulus and Scaevola, and a discrepancy regarding Fannius's relationship to Laelius.

§12.5B.1Tubulum praetorem video L. Metello Q. Maximo consulibus.

I see that Tubulus was praetor in the consulship of L. Metellus and Q. Maximus.

nunc velim P. Scaevola, pontifex maximus, quibus consulibus tribunus pl. equidem puto proximis, Caepione et Pompeio; praetor enim L. Furio Sex.

Now I should like to know in whose consulship P. Scaevola, the pontifex maximus, was tribune of the plebs; I for my part think in the next ones, Caepio and Pompeius; for he was praetor in the consulship of L. Furius and Sex.

Atilio.

Atilius.

dabis igitur tribunatum et, si poteris, Tubulus quo crimine.

You will give me therefore the date of his tribunate and, if you can, on what charge Tubulus was prosecuted.

et vide, quaeso, L. Libo, ille qui de Ser.

And check, please, whether L. Libo, the one who proposed the bill concerning Ser.

Galba, Censorinone et Manilio an T. Quinctio M'.

Galba, was tribune of the plebs in the consulship of Censorinus and Manilius or of T. Quinctio and M'.

Acilio consulibus tribunus pl. fuerit.

Acilius.

conturbabat enim me, in Bruti epitoma Fannianorum quod erat in extremo, idque ego secutus hunc Fannium qui scripsit historiam generum esse scripseram Laeli.

For what was at the end of Brutus' epitome of Fannius' history confused me, and following this, I had written that this Fannius who wrote the history was the son-in-law of Laelius.

sed tu me γεωμετρικῶσ refelleras, te autem nunc Brutus et Fannius.

But you had refuted me with mathematical rigour; yet now Brutus and Fannius refute you.

ego tamen de bono auctore Hortensio sic acceperam ut apud Brutum est.

I however had received it from a good authority, Hortensius, in the same way as it stands in Brutus.

hunc igitur locum expedies.

You will therefore clear up this point.

Notes

12.5B.1velim — Present subjunctive of potential expressing a polite request. Directly after velim, a verb (such as scire "to know" or scribas "to write") that would introduce the indirect question clause is omitted.
12.5B.1Tubulus quo crimine — Ellipsis of the verb. Serving either as an object clause under dabis or as a simplified indirect question, meaning "on what charge Tubulus [was accused/condemned]." A verb or participle like accusatus sit or damnatus sit is omitted.
12.5B.1L. Libo, ille qui de Ser. Galba — Ellipsis of the verb within the appositive phrase. After de Ser. Galba, a verb such as rogavit ("proposed a bill") or legem tulit is omitted. L. Libo, although the subject of the subsequent indirect question fuerit, is fronted as a topic.
12.5B.1te autem nunc Brutus et Fannius — Ellipsis of the verb. In contrast to the preceding clause sed tu me ... refelleras, the verb refellunt ("refute") or a corresponding verb is omitted to match the plural subject Brutus et Fannius.

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Atticus §12.5B.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi057.humanitext-lat1:12.5B.1

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