Humanitext Reader

Cicero · Letters to Atticus §16.13A.1-16.13A.2

Request for Political News and Plans to Write History

Passage 452 of 461 · Latin

Summary

Cicero eagerly awaits Atticus's advice, expresses his enthusiasm for writing history, and requests information regarding historical dates and current affairs.

§16.13A.1avide tuum consilium exspecto.
I eagerly await your advice.
timeo ne absim cum adesse me sit honestius; temere venire non audeo.
I fear lest I should be absent when it would be more honorable for me to be present; I do not dare to come rashly.
de Antoni itineribus nescio quid aliter audio atque ut ad te scribebam.
Regarding Antony's movements, I hear something different from what I was writing to you.
omnia igitur velim explices et ad me certa mittas.
Therefore I would like you to explain everything and send me definite news.
§16.13A.2de reliquo quid tibi ego dicam? ardeo studio historiae (incredibiliter enim me commovet tua cohortatio) quae quidem nec institui nec effici potest sine tua ope.
As for the rest, what should I say to you? I am burning with a passion for history (for your encouragement moves me incredibly), which indeed can neither be begun nor completed without your help.
coram igitur hoc quidem conferemus.
We shall therefore discuss this indeed in person.
in praesentia mihi velim scribas quibus consulibus C. Fannius M. f. tribunus pl. fuerit.
For the present, I would like you to write to me under which consuls Gaius Fannius, son of Marcus, was tribune of the plebs.
videor mihi audisse P. Africano L. Mummio censoribus.
I seem to have heard that it was when Publius Africanus and Lucius Mummius were censors.
id igitur quaero.
That, therefore, is what I am asking.
tu mihi de iis rebus quae novantur omnia certa, clara.
Please send me everything certain and clear about those things that are happening afresh.
iii Idus ex Arpinati.
November 11, from Arpinum.

Notes

  1. 16.13A.1timeo ne absim — The clause 'ne absim' with the subjunctive after the verb of fearing 'timeo' expresses a positive apprehension ('I fear that I may be absent').
  2. 16.13A.1aliter ... atque ut — The combination of 'aliter' with the conjunction 'atque' indicates comparison ('otherwise than', 'different from'). Here it is followed by 'ut' ('as'), meaning 'otherwise than as I was writing'.
  3. 16.13A.2videor mihi — The idiom 'videor mihi' with an infinitive ('audisse') literally means 'I seem to myself to...', translating idiomatically as 'I think/recall that I heard'.
  4. 16.13A.2tu mihi ... omnia certa, clara — An ellipsis of the main verb (such as 'scribas' or 'mittas') typical of epistolary style. The context implies 'send/write me everything certain and clear'.

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Atticus §16.13A.1-16.13A.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi057.humanitext-lat1:16.13A.1-16.13A.2

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