Humanitext Reader

Cicero · Letters to Atticus §13.41.1-13.41.2

Conversation with Quintus on Family Discord and Strategy

Passage 371 of 461 · Latin

Summary

Cicero reports to Atticus on his conversation with his brother Quintus regarding his family's discord, and consults him on their joint strategy and dignity while suggesting a meeting on the following day.

§13.41.1ego vero Quinto epistulam ad sororem misi.
As for me, I sent Quintus the letter to your sister.
cum ille quereretur filio cum matre bellum et se ob eam causam domo cessurum filio diceret, dixi illum commodas ad matrem litteras, ad te nullas.
When he was complaining that there was a war between his son and his mother, and was saying that for this reason he would leave the house to his son, I said that he (the son) had written a proper letter to his mother, but none to you.
ille alterum mirabatur, de te autem suam culpam quod saepe graviter ad filium scripsisset de tua in illum iniuria.
He was surprised at the former; but as for you, he said it was his own fault, because he had often written severely to his son about your injustice towards him.
quod autem relanguisse se dicit, ego ei tuis litteris lectis σκολιαῖσ ἀπάταισ significavi me non fore tum enim mentio Canae.
But as for his saying that he has softened, after reading your letter to him, I indicated to him by (crooked deceits) that I would not be there; for then mention was made of Cana.
§13.41.2omnino si id consilium placeret, esset necesse; sed, ut scribis, ratio est habenda gravitatis, et utriusque nostrum idem consilium esse debet, etsi in me graviores iniuriae et certe notiores.
At all events, if that plan pleased, it would be necessary; but, as you write, account must be taken of our dignity, and the plan of both of us ought to be the same, even though the injustices against me are heavier and certainly more notorious.
si vero etiam Brutus aliquid adferet, nulla dubitatio est.
But if even Brutus brings forward anything, there is no doubt.
sed coram.
But in person.
magna enim res et multae cautionis.
For it is a great matter and one of much caution.
cras igitur, nisi quid a te commeatus.
Tomorrow, therefore, unless there is some delay from you.

Notes

  1. §13.41.1alterum — Refers to the former of the two items mentioned just before: 'a proper letter to his mother' (commodas ad matrem litteras) as opposed to 'none to you' (ad te nullas). Quintus the elder was surprised that his son, despite their discord, had written kindly to his mother.
  2. §13.41.1quod saepe graviter ad filium scripsisset — The quod-clause acts as an appositional noun clause explaining 'suam culpam' (his own fault). The subjunctive 'scripsisset' is used to express a subjective or reported reason from Quintus' own perspective.
  3. ¦σκολιαῖσ ἀπάταισ¦σκολιαῖσ ἀπάταισ — A Greek dative of means meaning 'with crooked deceits' (likely quoting a poetic fragment). It metaphorically describes how Cicero dealt with Quintus in an indirect, diplomatic, or evasive manner without showing his true feelings directly.
  4. §13.41.2nisi quid a te commeatus — The genitive 'commeatus' (here meaning 'leave', 'delay', or 'countermand') is a partitive genitive depending on 'quid'. The main verb (such as 'venerit' or 'obstitit') is omitted, forming an elliptical idiom meaning 'unless some postponement comes from you'.

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Atticus §13.41.1-13.41.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi057.humanitext-lat1:13.41.1-13.41.2

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

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