Humanitext Reader

Cicero · Letters to Atticus §13.2A.1-13.2A.2

Business with Piso and the Arrival of Prince Ariarathes

Passage 330 of 461 · Latin

Summary

Cicero asks Atticus to deliver letters and sound out Piso about the gold, and mentions that he has invited Ariarathes, the prince of Cappadocia who has just arrived in Rome, to stay at his house.

§13.2A.1Oppio et Balbo epistulas deferri iubebis, et tamen Pisonem sicubi de auro.
You will order the letters to be delivered to Oppius and Balbus, and yet [speak to] Piso, if anywhere, about the gold.
Faberius si venerit, videbis ut tantum attribuatur, si modo attribuetur, quantum debetur.
If Faberius comes, you will see to it that as much is assigned—if indeed any is assigned—as is owed.
accipies ab Erote.
You will receive [it] from Eros.
Ariarathes Ariobarzani filius Romam venit.
Ariarathes, the son of Ariobarzanes, has come to Rome.
§13.2A.2vult, opinor, regnum aliquod emere a Caesare; nam quo modo nunc est, pedem ubi ponat in suo non habet.
He wants, I think, to buy some kingdom from Caesar; for as things are now, he has no place of his own to set his foot.
omnino eum Sestius noster parochus publicus occupavit; quod quidem facile patior.
Our friend Sestius, the public host, has completely monopolized him; which indeed I am quite content to allow.
verum tamen, quod mihi summo beneficio meo magna cum fratribus illius necessitudo est, invito eum per litteras ut apud me deversetur.
But yet, because I have a close relationship with his brothers owing to a very great service of mine, I am inviting him by letter to lodge with me.
ad eam rem cum mitterem Alexandrum, has ei dedi litteras.
As I was sending Alexander for this purpose, I gave him this letter.

Notes

  1. 13.2A.1Pisonem sicubi de auro — The accusative 'Pisonem' implies an omitted verb of meeting or speaking, such as 'convenias' or 'adeas'. 'sicubi' means 'if anywhere' or 'if an opportunity arises'.
  2. 13.2A.2pedem ubi ponat in suo non habet — The clause 'ubi ponat' uses the subjunctive in a relative clause of purpose or characteristic. 'in suo' is a neuter possessive used substantively, meaning 'on his own property or territory'.
  3. 13.2A.2parochus publicus — Originally, a 'parochus' was an officer who supplied lodging and necessaries to officials or ambassadors on public service. Here, Sestius is humorously or ironically described as a self-appointed official host who monopolizes Ariarathes.

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Atticus §13.2A.1-13.2A.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi057.humanitext-lat1:13.2A.1-13.2A.2

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