Humanitext Reader

Cicero · Letters to Atticus §13.42.1-13.42.3

Meeting with Young Quintus and His Marriage Plans

Passage 372 of 461 · Latin

Summary

Cicero reports his meeting with his nephew Quintus filius, who is distressed by debts and his disagreement with his uncle Atticus, noting that the nephew has agreed to marry as wished to resolve the conflict, and also mentions his upcoming birthday and a summons from Lepidus.

§13.42.1venit ille ad me καὶ.
He came to me, and.
et ego, "σὺ δὲ δὴ τί σύννους; " "rogas?" inquit, "quoi iter instet et iter ad bellum idque cum periculosum tum etiam turpe!" "quae vis igitur?" inquam.
And I, "'But why are you so pensive?'" "'Do you ask?'" he said, "'to one for whom a journey is imminent, and a journey to war, and that too not only dangerous but even disgraceful!'" "'What is the pressure then?'" I said.
"aes" inquit "alienum et tamen ne viaticum quidem. " hoc loco ego sumpsi quiddam de tua eloquentia; nam tacui.
"'Debt,'" he said, "'and yet not even any journey-money.'" At this point I borrowed something of your eloquence; for I kept silent.
at ille, "sed me maxime angit avunculus. " "quidnam?" inquam.
But he said, "'But my uncle distresses me most.'" "'What, pray?'" I said.
"quod mihi" inquit "iratus est. " "cur pateris?" inquam, "malo enim ita dicere quam cur committis?" "non patiar" inquit, "causam enim tollam. " et ego, "rectissime quidem; sed si grave non est, velim scire quid sit causae. " "quia, dum dubitabam quam ducerem, non satis faciebam matri; ita ne illi quidem.
"'Because,'" he said, "'he is angry with me.'" "'Why do you allow it?'" I said, "'for I prefer to say that than "why do you commit (the fault)?"'" "'I will not allow it,'" he said, "'for I will remove the cause.'" And I, "'Quite right indeed; but if it is not troublesome, I should like to know what the cause is.'" "'Because, while I was hesitating as to whom I should marry, I was not satisfying my mother; and so not even him.
nunc nihil mihi tanti est.
Now nothing is of such value to me.
faciam quod volunt. " "feliciter velim" inquam "teque laudo.
I will do what they wish.'" "'I wish you good fortune,'" I said, "'and I praise you.
sed quando?" "nihil ad me" inquit "de tempore, quoniam rem probo. " "at ego" inquam "censeo prius quam proficiscaris.
But when?'" "'It is nothing to me,'" he said, "'regarding the time, since I approve of the thing.'" "'But I,'" I said, "'advise before you depart.
ita patri quoque morem gesseris. " §13.42.2"faciam" inquit "ut censes. " hic dialogus sic conclusus est.
Thus you will also comply with your father.'" "'I will do so,'" he said, "'as you advise.'" This dialogue was thus concluded.
§13.42.3sed heus tu, diem meum scis esse iii Nonas Ianuarias; aderis igitur.
But look here, you know my day is the third day before the Nones of January; so you will be there.
scripseram iam: ecce tibi orat Lepidus ut veniam.
I had already written: lo and behold, Lepidus begs me to come.
opinor augures velle habere ad templum effandum.
I think the augurs want to have me for consecrating the site.
Eatur; μὴ σκόρδου.
Let us go; 'no garlic'.
videbimus te igitur.
We shall see you then.

Notes

  1. §13.42.1quoi — An archaic spelling for `cui`, the dative of the relative pronoun. Here it functions in an exclamatory sentence, modifying an implied referent ("Are you asking a man...") and serving as a dative of reference (or possession) for `iter` in the relative clause.
  2. §13.42.1tanti — Functions as a genitive of value. In the expression `nihil mihi tanti est`, it means "nothing is of such value to me," implying "nothing else matters to me" or a sense of resignation/compromise.
  3. §13.42.3ad templum effandum — A gerundive construction with the preposition `ad`, expressing purpose. `effari` is a technical augural term meaning to solemnly "declare" or demarcate the boundaries of a sacred space (`templum`) for observation.

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Atticus §13.42.1-13.42.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi057.humanitext-lat1:13.42.1-13.42.3

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