Humanitext Reader

Cicero · Letters to Atticus §3.20.1-3.20.3

Gratitude to Atticus and Flaws in Sestius's Bill

Passage 68 of 461 · Latin

Summary

Cicero commends Atticus's uncle for doing his duty and decides to remain in Thessalonica rather than going to Epirus. He expresses deep gratitude for Atticus's immense support and friendship, while pointing out the deficiencies in Sestius's proposed bill.

§3.20.1quod quidem ita esse et avunculum tuum functum esse officio vehementissime probo, gaudere me tum dicam, si mihi hoc verbo licebit uti.
That this is indeed so, and that your maternal uncle has done his duty, I most strongly approve; I shall say that I rejoice then, if I am allowed to use this word.
me miserum! quam omnia essent ex sententia, si nobis animus, si consilium, si fides eorum quibus credidimus non defuisset! quae conligere nolo ne augeam maerorem; sed tibi venire in mentem certo scio quae vita esset nostra, quae suavitas, quae dignitas.
Wretched me! How completely everything would be to our mind, if courage, if counsel, if the good faith of those whom we trusted had not failed us! I do not want to collect these details, lest I increase my sorrow; but I know for certain that it comes to your mind what our life was, what sweetness, what dignity.
ad quae reciperanda, per fortunas! incumbe, ut facis, diemque natalem reditus mei cura ut in tuis aedibus amoenissimis agam tecum et cum meis.
To recover these, by all that is sacred, strive as you are doing, and take care that I may spend the birthday of my return with you and mine in your most charming house.
ego huic spei et exspectationi quae nobis proponitur maxime tamen volui praestolari apud te in Epiro, sed ita ad me scribitur ut putem esse commodius nos eisdem in locis esse.
I did indeed wish above all to wait for this hope and expectation which is offered to us at your place in Epirus, but the letters written to me make me think it more convenient that we remain in the same places.
§3.20.2de domo et Curionis oratione ut scribis ita est.
As to the house and Curio's speech, it is as you write.
in universa salute, si ea modo nobis restituetur, inerunt omnia; ex quibus nihil malo quam domum.
In our general safety, if only it is restored to us, everything will be included; of which there is nothing I prefer to the house.
sed tibi nihil mando nominatim, totum me tuo amori fideique commendo.
But I commission nothing to you by name; I commend myself entirely to your love and good faith.
quod te in tanta hereditate ab omni occupatione expedisti, valde mihi gratum est.
That you have freed yourself from all occupation in so great an inheritance is highly gratifying to me.
quod facultates tuas ad meam salutem polliceris ut omnibus rebus a te praeter ceteros iuver, id quantum sit praesidium video intellegoque te multas partis meae salutis et suscipere et posse sustinere neque ut ita facias rogandum esse.
That you promise your resources for my safety, so that I may be helped by you in all things beyond others, I see what a great protection this is, and I understand that you both undertake and can sustain many parts of my safety, and that you do not need to be asked to do so.
§3.20.3quod me vetas quicquam suspicari accidisse ad animum tuum quod secus a me erga te commissum aut praetermissum videretur, geram tibi morem et liberabor ista cura, tibi tamen eo plus debebo quo tua in me humanitas fuerit excelsior quam in te mea.
Since you forbid me to suspect that anything has occurred to your mind which might seem to have been committed or omitted by me towards you in an improper way, I will comply with your wish and be freed from that anxiety; yet I shall owe you so much the more as your kindness towards me is more exalted than mine towards you.
velim quid videas, quid intellegas, quid agatur ad me scribas tuosque omnis ad nostram salutem adhortere.
I would like you to write to me what you see, what you understand, and what is being done, and to exhort all your people towards our safety.
rogatio Sesti neque dignitatis satis habet nec cautionis.
Sestius's bill has neither sufficient dignity nor precaution.
nam et nominatim ferri oportet et de bonis diligentius scribi, et id animadvertas velim.
For it ought to be proposed by name, and written more carefully about the property, and I would like you to pay attention to this.
data iiii Nonas Octobris Thessalonicae.
Written on the 4th of October at Thessalonica.

Notes

  1. 3.20.1gaudere me — Accusative with infinitive construction functioning as the object of the verb `dicam` (future), where `me` is the subject accusative of the infinitive `gaudere`.
  2. 3.20.1essent ... defuisset — A mixed conditional of the contrary-to-fact type, where the protasis `defuisset` (pluperfect) refers to a past failure, while the apodosis `essent` (imperfect) refers to a continuing state ("how everything would be/would have been").
  3. 3.20.2quod te ... expedisti — A noun clause introduced by the conjunction `quod` (with the indicative), serving as the subject of the predicate `valde mihi gratum est` ("it is highly gratifying to me"), expressing the fact that "you have freed yourself".
  4. 3.20.3eo plus ... quo — A correlative construction expressing degree or proportion with `eo` (by so much) and `quo` (by how much) with comparatives, meaning "I shall owe you so much the more as your kindness...".
  5. 3.20.3velim ... scribas — The volitive subjunctive `velim` (present subjunctive) governing the subjunctive `scribas` with the omission of the conjunction `ut`, expressing a polite request ("I would like you to write"). The three clauses starting with `quid` are indirect questions serving as the objects of `scribas`.

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Atticus §3.20.1-3.20.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi057.humanitext-lat1:3.20.1-3.20.3

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