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Cicero · Letters to Atticus §2.13.1-2.13.2

Undelivered Letter and Local Political Discontent

Passage 41 of 461 · Latin

Summary

Cicero explains that his previous reply to Atticus was not delivered, reports the rising political tension in the countryside, and urges Atticus to visit his villa.

§2.13.1facinus indignum! epistulam αὐθωρεὶ tibi a Tribus Tabernis rescriptam ad tuas suavissimas epistulas neminem reddidisse! at scito eum fasciculum, quo illam conieceram, domum eo ipso die latum esse quo ego dederam et ad me in Formianum relatum esse.
What a shameful thing! That no one delivered the letter written to you from Three Taverns on the spot in reply to your sweetest letters! But know that the packet, into which I had put that letter, was carried to my house on the very day I gave it, and has been brought back to me at my Formian villa.
itaque tibi tuam epistulam iussi referri, ex qua intellegeres quam mihi tum illae gratae fuissent.
Therefore I have ordered your letter to be sent to you, so that you might understand from it how pleasing those letters of yours then were to me.
§2.13.2Romae quod scribis sileri, ita putabam; at hercule in agris non siletur, nec iam ipsi agri regnum vestrum ferre possunt.
As to your writing that there is silence in Rome, I thought as much; but, by Hercules, in the country there is no silence, nor can the countryside itself any longer bear your tyranny.
si vero in hanc Τηλέπυλον veneris Λαιστρυγονίην, Formias dico, qui fremitus hominum! quam irati animi! quanto in odio noster amicus Magnus! cuius cognomen una cum Crassi Divitis cognomine consenescit.
If indeed you come to this Laestrygonian Telepylos—I mean Formiae—what shouting of the people! How angry their minds! In what great hatred is our friend the "Great" held! His surname is growing obsolete along with the surname of Crassus the "Rich".
credas mihi velim, neminem adhuc offendi qui haec tam lente quam ego fero ferret.
I would like you to believe me, I have so far met no one who bears these things as patiently as I do.
qua re, mihi crede, φιλοσοφῶμεν.
Therefore, believe me, let us philosophize.
iuratus tibi possum dicere nihil esse tanti.
I can swear to you that nothing is of such value.
tu si litteras ad Sicyonios habes, advola in Formianum, unde nos pridie Nonas Maias cogitamus.
If you have the letter to the Sicyonians, fly to the Formian villa, from which we think of starting on the day before the Nones of May.

Notes

  1. §2.13.1epistulam αὐθωρεὶ tibi a Tribus Tabernis rescriptam ad tuas suavissimas epistulas neminem reddidisse! — An accusative with infinitive of exclamation (accusativus cum infinitivo in exclamatione), where 'neminem' is the subject accusative and 'reddidisse' is the infinitive, with 'epistulam...rescriptam' as the direct object, expressing indignation.
  2. §2.13.1tuam epistulam — The possessive adjective 'tuus' is used in an objective sense ('written to you'). It refers not to a letter written by Atticus, but to the letter Cicero had written to Atticus (which was undelivered).
  3. §2.13.2in agris non siletur — Impersonal passive of the intransitive verb 'silere'. It means 'there is no silence in the countryside', indicating that, in contrast to the quiet in Rome, the local people are loudly voicing their discontent.
  4. §2.13.2nihil esse tanti — The genitive 'tanti' is a genitive of value (genitivus pretii). The phrase 'nothing is of such value' expresses a philosophical detachment or resignation, meaning 'nothing is worth worrying about.'
  5. §2.13.2cogitamus — The verb 'cogitare' ('to intend', 'to plan') is used here with the omission of an infinitive of motion (such as 'proficisci' or 'discedere'). This ellipsis is common in colloquial and epistolary style.

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Atticus §2.13.1-2.13.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi057.humanitext-lat1:2.13.1-2.13.2

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