Humanitext Reader

Cicero · Letters to Atticus §13.6.1-13.6.4

Affairs of the Aqueduct, Pillar-Tax, and Young Lucullus

Passage 335 of 461 · Latin

Summary

Cicero instructs Atticus regarding the aqueduct, the pillar-tax, and negotiations over the young Lucullus's financial affairs, while pointing out the whereabouts of a letter to Brutus and asking him to avert any judicial troubles.

§13.6.1de aquae ductu probe fecisti.
Regarding the aqueduct, you did well.
columnarium vide ne nullum debeamus; quamquam mihi videor isse a Camillo commutatam esse legem.
As for the pillar-tax, see to it whether we do not owe nothing; although I seem to have [heard] from Camillus that the law has been changed.
§13.6.2Pisoni quid est quod honestius respondere possimus quam solitudinem Catonis? nec coheredibus solum Herennianis sed etiam, ut scis (tu enim mecum egisti), de puero Lucullo, quam pecuniam tutor (nam hoc quoque ad rem pertinet) in Achaia sumpserat.
What is there that we can more honorably answer to Piso than the loneliness of Cato ['s ward]? [And we can make a similar answer] not only to the Herennian co-heirs, but also, as you know (for you dealt with me in this), concerning the young Lucullus, regarding the money which his guardian—for this too is relevant to the matter—had taken in Achaia.
sed agit liberaliter, quoniam negat se quicquam facturum contra nostram voluntatem.
But he acts handsomely, since he says he will do nothing against our wishes.
coram igitur ut scribis, constituemus quem ad modum rem explicemus.
Therefore, as you write, we shall decide in person how we are to untangle the matter.
quod reliquos coheredes convenisti, plane bene.
As for your having met the rest of the co-heirs, that is absolutely fine.
§13.6.3quod epistulam meam ad Brutum poscis, non habeo eius exemplum; sed tamen salvum est et ait Tiro te habere oportere et, ut recordor, una cum illius obiurgatoria tibi meam quoque quam ad eum rescripseram misi.
As to your requesting my letter to Brutus, I do not have a copy of it; but nevertheless it is safe, and Tiro says you ought to have it; and, as I recall, I sent you my reply to him along with his letter of chiding.
§13.6.4iudiciali molestia ut caream videbis.
See to it that I am free from judicial annoyance.

Notes

  1. 13.6.1vide ne nullum debeamus — The clause with `vide ne` followed by the negative `nullum` functions as an indirect question meaning "see whether we do not owe nothing" (i.e., whether we are exempt from the tax).
  2. 13.6.1isse — The manuscript reading `isse` is widely understood as a corruption or omission of `audisse` (or `scisse`). It is construed as the infinitive depending on `mihi videor` ("I seem to have heard...").
  3. 13.6.2nec coheredibus solum Herennianis sed etiam... de puero Lucullo — An elliptical construction continuing the syntax and sense of the preceding `Pisoni quid est... respondere possimus`. The prepositional phrases suggest that a similar honorable answer can be made to the Herennian co-heirs and concerning the young Lucullus.
  4. 13.6.4videbis — The second-person singular future indicative `videbis` is used colloquially in letters as a polite equivalent to an imperative or subjunctive of request ("you will see to it" or "please see to it").

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Atticus §13.6.1-13.6.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi057.humanitext-lat1:13.6.1-13.6.4

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