sunt enim innumerabilia generis eiusdem; quae quidem ego nōn ferrem, nisi me in philosophiae portum contulissem et nisi 20 habērem socium studiōrum meōrum Atticum nostrum. Cuius quoniam proprium tē esse scribis mancipiō et nexō, meum autem ūsū et frūctū, contentus istō sum. Id enim est cuiusque proprium, quō quisque fruitur atque utitur. Sed haec alias pluribus.

25

Acilius, qui in Graeciam cum legionibus missus est, maximō3 meō beneficiōst (bis enim est ā mē iūdiciō capitis rēbus salvis dēfēnsus) et est homō nōn ingrātus mēque vehementer opservat. Ad eum de te diligentissimē scripsi eamque epistulam cum hac epistula coniunxi. Quam ille quo modo acceperit et quid tibi 30 pollicitus sit, velim ad me scrībās.

19 (Fam. 6. 15)

Scr. Rōmae Id. Mārt. a. 710 (44)

CICERO BASILŌ SAL.

Tibi gratulor, mihi gaudeō; tē amō, tua tueor; ā tē amārī et, quid agās, quidque agātur, certior fieri volō.

18. generis eiusdem: i.e., illustrating the absolute power of the dictator.

19. philosophiae: Many of Cicero's philosophical works were composed about this time-the "Tusculans,' de Natura Deorum, de Senectute, etc.

21. mancipio . . . fructu: Curius had written humorously that his friendship belonged to Atticus as its lawful owner, while Cicero had only the usufructus, 'use and enjoyment' of it.

22. cuiusque proprium: 'one's

own.'

25. M'. Acilius Glabrio: a faithful supporter of Caesar throughout the civil wars. A war with the Parthians was imminent, and the legions he led to Greece no doubt were destined for that.

26. beneficio: abl. of quality; tr., 'has enjoyed my greatest favors.' iudicio capitis: 'in a trial for (his civic)

life.' The result of the trials is intimated by the abl. absolute.

28. eam ... cum hac: 'have enclosed that letter (recommending you) with this.'

30. velim scribas: see on Ep. 9. 38.

19

On Caesar's assassination.

INTRODUCTORY NOTE: Written on the Ides of March, 44, to M. Minucius Basilus, one of Caesar's assassins, congratulating him on the deed. Both Cicero and Basilus were in Rome.

SALUTATION: Like that given to Atticus, implying close intimacy.

1. mihi: 'for my own sake.' tua: 'your interests.'

2. quid agas: 'how you are (cf. our 'how do you do?'). quid agatur: shows the other sense in which the

20 (Att. 16. 8)

Scr. in Puteolanō IV Nōn. Nov. a. 710 (44)

CICERO ATTICŌ SAL.

Cum sciam, quō die ventūrus sim, faciam, ut scias. Impedi- 1 menta exspectanda sunt, quae Anagniā veniunt, et familia aegra est. Kal. vesperi litterae mihi ab Octāviānō. Magna mōlītur. Veterānōs, qui sunt Casilīnī et Cālātiae, perduxit 5 ad suam sententiam. Nec mirum, quingēnōs dēnāriōs dat. Cōgitat reliquas colōniās obīre. Plānē hoc spectat, ut sẽ duce bellum gerātur cum Antōniō. Itaque video paucis diebus nos in armīs fore. Quem autem sequāmur? Vidē nōmen, vidē aetatem. Atque ā mē postulat, prīmum ut clam conloquatur 10 mēcum vel Capuae vel non longe à Capuă. Puerile hoc quidem, sī id putat clam fieri posse. Docui per litteras id nec opus esse nec fieri posse. Mīsit ad me Caecinam quendam Volāterrānum 2 mē familiarem suum; qui haec pertulit, Antonium cum legiōne Alaudārum ad urbem pergere, pecuniās municipiīs imperāre, 15 legiōnem sub signis dūcere. Consultabat, utrum Rōmam cum

phrase was used-'what is being done,' 'what is going 'on' (cf. Ep. 11. 44) Both clauses depend on certior fieri.

20

The plans of young Octavian.

INTRODUCTORY NOTE: Written from Puteoli to Atticus at Rome, Nov. 2, 44. Much doubt was felt regarding the attitude of Octavian in the struggle between Antony and the senate, and this furnishes the theme of the letter.

1-3. In colloquial English, 'When I know what day I'm going to come I'll let you know. I must wait for the baggage that's coming from Anagnia, and my family is sick. On the evening of the first I had a letter from Octavian,' etc., etc. vesperi: case?

5. nec ... dat: 'and no wonder! He is giving them eighty dollars apiece.' For quingenos see A. 136; 137, a; B. 81, 4, a; H. 164, 1; H.-B. 133.

ā

6. hoc spectat: 'has this in view,' hoc explained by the ut- clause.

...

8, 9. quem sequamur: 'whom are we to follow?' sequamur: deliberative (M. L. 12. 5). nomen: Octavian called himself 'Caesar,' taking the name of his adoptive father, the dictator, and Cicero applies it to him in the fourth Philippic. To good republicans, however, it was an ominous name. aetatem: born in the year of Cicero's consulship (cf. Phil. 1. 17, 21).

11, 12. nec opus... posse: 'neither necessary nor possible.' Fcr opus see A. 411, b; B. 218, 2, a; H. 477, III, note; H.-B. 430, 2, a. Caecinam: Little is known of him except that Octavian often used him as a messenger. quendam: contemptuous.

13, 14. haec: explained by the infinitive clauses. Alaudarum: a special name given to a legion raised by Caesar in Gaul.

.

cɔɔ ɔɔcɔɔ veterānōrum proficiscerētur an Capuam tenēret et Antōnium venientem excluderet an iret ad tres legiōnēs Macedonicas, quae iter secundum mare Superum faciunt; quas spērat suas esse. Eae congiarium ab Antōniō accipere 20 nōluērunt, ut hic quidem narrat, et ei convicium grave fēcērunt contiōnantemque reliquerunt. Quid quaeris? ducem sẽ profitētur nec nōs sibi putat deesse oportere. Equidem suāsī, ut Rōmam pergeret. Vidētur enim mihi et plēbēculam urbānam et, si fidem fecerit, etiam bonōs virōs sēcum habitūrus. Ō 25 Brūte, ubi es? quantam evkaιpíav amittis! Nōn equidem hoc dīvīnāvi, sed aliquid tāle putāvī fore. Nunc tuum cōnsilium exquirō. Romamne veniō an hic maneō an Arpinum (ảσpáλcav habet is locus) fugiam? Rōmam, nē dēsīderēmur, si quid actum videbitur. Hoc igitur explică. Numquam in 30 maiōre ȧropía fui.

15. sub signis: in regular military order. consultabat: SC. me. The subject is Octavianus.

16. CIO CIO CIO= MMM; in what case? Write the Latin words, and account for case of veteranorum.

18. Macedonicas: legions which had been serving in Macedonia and now were returning to Italy. secundum: preposition. Superum: Adriatic. Correspondingly the Tyrrhene Sea, south and west of Italy, was called Mare Inferum.

19. eae: sc. legiones. congiarium: a present, originally in the form of wine but later (and probably here) a cash commutation. Their refusal of this was an emphatic rejection of Antony's leadership, made still stronger by the insults offered him (see 11. 20, 21).

20. ut hic quidem narrat: quidem here implies incredulity.