Humanitext Reader

Cicero · Letters to Atticus §12.8.1

Inquiries on the Dowry Installment and Caesar's Moves

Passage 282 of 461 · Latin

Summary

Cicero discusses young Cicero's planned journey, the urgency of the first installment of Tullia's dowry refund, Caesar's political intentions regarding the elections, and whether he himself needs to be in Rome to satisfy Pilia and Attica.

§12.8.1de Cicerone multis res placet.
Regarding Cicero, the matter pleases many.
comes est idoneus.
The companion is suitable.
sed de prima pensione ante videamus.
But let us first look to the first installment.
adest enim dies et ille currit.
For the day is at hand, and he is in a hurry.
scribe, quaeso, quid referat Celer egisse Caesarem cum candidatis, utrum ipse in fenicularium an in Martium campum cogitet.
Please write what Celer reports Caesar to have done with the candidates, whether he himself is thinking of the Fennel-field or of the Campus Martius.
et scire sane velim numquid necesse sit comitiis esse Romae.
And indeed I should like to know whether it is at all necessary to be in Rome for the elections.
nam et Piliae satis faciendum est et utique Atticae.
For I must satisfy both Pilia and especially Attica.

Notes

  1. §12.8.1comes — Refers to a "companion" for the journey. In context, it means either a companion suitable for young Cicero, or young Cicero himself as a suitable companion.
  2. §12.8.1prima pensione — Refers to the "first installment" of the refund of Tullia's dowry from Dolabella following their divorce.
  3. §12.8.1ille currit — The subject pronoun ille ("he") is ambiguous. One interpretation refers to the debtor Dolabella who is "running away" (evading payment), while another refers to young Cicero who is "running" (in a hurry to depart).
  4. §12.8.1in fenicularium an in Martium campum cogitet — The verb of thinking cogitet ("is thinking") is directly followed by prepositional phrases with the accusative (in ... campum). This represents an ellipsis of a verb of motion (such as ire or proficisci), which is common in epistolary Latin. It also humorously contrasts Spain (the Fennel-field, Campus Fenicularius near Tarraco) with Rome (the Campus Martius where elections are held).
  5. §12.8.1comitiis — Ablative of time ("at the time of the elections"), modifying the necessity of being in Rome (necesse sit).
  6. §12.8.1Piliae satis faciendum est et utique Atticae — Since the verbal phrase satis facere ("to satisfy") governs the dative, Piliae and Atticae are in the dative case. The dative of agent (mihi) is omitted.

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Atticus §12.8.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi057.humanitext-lat1:12.8.1

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