Humanitext Reader

Cicero · Letters to Atticus §5.19.1-5.19.3

Receipt of Letters, Debts, and Affairs in Athens

Passage 116 of 461 · Latin

Summary

Cicero acknowledges the receipt of Atticus's letter, expressing his relief and ongoing anxiety, while sharing news about Atilius's debt, negotiations over Epicurean ruins in Athens, and congratulating Atticus on the electoral defeat of a mutual opponent.

§5.19.1obsignaram iam epistulam eam, quam puto te modo perlegisse scriptam mea manu in qua omnia continentur, cum subito Apellae tabellarius a. d. xi Kal. Octobris septimo quadragesimo die Roma celeriter (hui tam longe!) mihi tuas litteras reddidit.
I had already sealed that letter, which I think you have just read, written by my own hand, in which everything is contained, when suddenly on the 21st of September, Apella's messenger, on the forty-seventh day from Rome, quickly (oh, so far!) delivered your letter to me.
ex quibus non dubito quin tu Pompeium exspectaris dum Arimino rediret et iam in Epirum profectus sis, magisque vereor, ut scribis, ne in Epiro sollicitus sis non minus quam nos hic sumus.
From this I do not doubt that you waited for Pompey to return from Ariminum and have now already set out for Epirus, and I fear even more, as you write, that you are no less anxious in Epirus than we are here.
de Atiliano nomine scripsi ad Philotimum ne appellaret Messallam.
Regarding the Atilian debt, I have written to Philotimus not to dun Messalla.
§5.19.2itineris nostri famam ad te pervenisse laetor magisque laetabor si reliqua cognoris.
I am glad that the report of our journey has reached you, and I shall be even gladder if you learn the rest.
filiolam tuam tibi †iam Romae† iucundam esse gaudeo, eamque quam numquam vidi tamen et amo et amabilem esse certo scio.
I rejoice that your little daughter is dear to you †now in Rome†, and though I have never seen her, yet I love her and know for certain that she is lovable.
etiam atque etiam vale.
Farewell again and again.
§5.19.3de Patrone et tuis condiscipulis quae de parietinis in Melita laboravi ea tibi grata esse gaudeo.
Regarding Patron and your fellow-students, I am glad that the trouble I took about the ruins in Melita was pleasing to you.
quod scribis libente te repulsam tulisse eum qui cum sororis tuae fili patruo certarit, magni amoris signum.
That you write that you are pleased at the defeat of the man who competed with the uncle of your sister's son is a sign of great love.
itaque me etiam admonuisti ut gauderem; nam mihi in mentem non venerat.
And so you even reminded me to rejoice; for it had not occurred to me.
"non credo" inquis.
"I don't believe it," you say.
ut libet; sed plane gaudeo, quoniam τὸ interest τοῦ φθονεῖν.
As you please; but I am plainly rejoicing, since interest is different from envy (τὸ interest τοῦ φθονεῖν).

Notes

  1. 5.19.1obsignaram iam epistulam eam ... cum subito ... reddidit — This is an instance of 'cum inversum' (inverted cum), where the main clause contains a pluperfect (obsignaram = obsignaveram) indicating an ongoing state, and the cum-clause introduces a sudden, new action in the perfect indicative (reddidit).
  2. 5.19.1non dubito quin tu Pompeium exspectaris dum Arimino rediret — The form exspectaris is a syncopated form of exspectaveris (perfect subjunctive), triggered by the 'non dubito quin' construction. The verb rediret in the dum-clause (meaning 'until') is in the imperfect subjunctive due to the sequence of tenses dependent on the overall past context.
  3. 5.19.3qui cum sororis tuae fili patruo certarit — The phrase 'sororis tuae fili patruo' refers to 'the paternal uncle (either Marcus Cicero himself or his brother Quintus) of the son (young Quintus) of your sister (Pomponia)'. It is a complex genitive and dative structure identifying the person who competed with the Cicero family.
  4. 5.19.3quoniam τὸ interest τοῦ φθονεῖν — A humorous hybrid expression combining the Greek definite article 'tò' with the Latin verb or noun-like 'interest' (there is a difference / interest), followed by the Greek genitive infinitive 'toû phthoneîn' (of envying). It highlights the distinction between legitimate interest (or merely rejoicing at a rival's defeat) and malicious envy.

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Atticus §5.19.1-5.19.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi057.humanitext-lat1:5.19.1-5.19.3

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