Humanitext Reader

Cicero · Letters to Atticus §14.2.1-14.2.4

Public Reaction and Caesar's Sarcastic Remark

Passage 385 of 461 · Latin

Summary

Cicero acknowledges two letters from Atticus, noting the public reaction in the theater and the applause for Cassius. He then reports on his conversation with Matius (Madarus), recalling Caesar's past sarcastic remark about Cicero's patience, and concludes with his upcoming travel plans.

§14.2.1duas a te accepi epistulas heri.
Yesterday I received two letters from you.
ex priore theatrum Publiliumque cognovi, bona signa consentientis multitudinis.
From the first I learnt about the theater and Publilius—good signs of a united populace.
plausus vero L. Cassio datus etiam facetus mihi quidem visus est.
Indeed, the applause given to L.
§14.2.2altera epistula de Madaro scripta, apud quem nullum †φαλάκωμα, ut putas.
Cassius seemed to me at least to be positively witty.\n The other letter was written about Madarus, at whose house there is no "baldness," as you think.
processit enim, sed minus diutius.
For he went forward, though not for very long.
sermone eius† sum retentus.
I was detained by his conversation.
quod autem ad te scripseram obscure fortasse, id eius modi est.
As for what I had written to you, perhaps obscurely, it is of this sort.
aiebat Caesarem secum, quo tempore Sesti rogatu veni ad eum, cum exspectarem sedens, dixisse, "ego nunc tam sim stultus ut hunc ipsum facilem hominem putem mihi esse amicum quom tam diu sedens meum commodum exspectet?" habes igitur φαλάκρωμα inimicissimum oti, id est Bruti. §14.2.4in Tusculanum hodie, Lanuvi cras, inde Asturae cogitabam.
He said that Caesar had said to him, at the time when I came to him at Sestius' request, while I was sitting and waiting: "Should I now be so foolish as to think this very easygoing man is my friend, when he sits for so long waiting on my convenience?" So there you have the "bald head's" talk, most hostile to peace—that is, to Brutus.\n Today I am thinking of going to my Tusculan estate, tomorrow to Lanuvium, and from there to Astura.
Piliae paratum est hospitium, sed vellem Atticam.
Lodging is prepared for Pilia, but I could wish for Attica as well.
verum tibi ignosco.
But I forgive you.
quarum utrique salutem.
Give my greetings to both of them.

Notes

  1. 14.2.2quod autem ad te scripseram obscure fortasse, id eius modi est — The `quod` clause acts as a preposed topic marker ('as to what...') pointing forward to the demonstrative `id` in the main clause.
  2. 14.2.2ego nunc tam sim stultus ut hunc ipsum facilem hominem putem mihi esse amicum — The main verb `sim` is a deliberative subjunctive expressing indignation or potentiality, followed by a consecutive `ut` clause (`ut... putem`). The verb `putem` governs an accusative and infinitive construction (`hunc... esse amicum`).
  3. 14.2.4in Tusculanum hodie, Lanuvi cras, inde Asturae cogitabam — The verb of thinking `cogitabam` stands with an ellipsis of an infinitive of motion (such as `ire` or `proficisci`). Destination is expressed by a mixture of an accusative with a preposition (`in Tusculanum`) and locatives (`Lanuvi`, `Asturae`) used in a directional sense in epistolary style.
  4. 14.2.4quarum utrique salutem — The relative pronoun `quarum` (genitive feminine plural, referring to Pilia and Attica) connects the sentence to the preceding one. `salutem` is an elliptic expression where a verb of greeting like `dicas` or `impertias` is understood.

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Atticus §14.2.1-14.2.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi057.humanitext-lat1:14.2.1-14.2.4

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

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