HermitshCicero Entire

Letter · January 44 BC · Romae

Ad Familiares 13.50

Ad Familiares 13.50

Headnote

Cicero to Acilius, proconsul of Achaia, written from Rome at the beginning of January 44 BC (the manuscript dateline: Scr. Romae in. m. Ian. a. 710 (44)). The beneficiary is the same M’. Curius of Patrae who appears in 13.17 as commended to Servius Sulpicius Rufus: a Roman businessman based at the chief trading port of Achaia, an intimate of Atticus, and so the particular favourite of Atticus’s circle. Cicero leans on his old Brundisium acquaintance with Acilius — forged during the unhappy months of his return from Pharsalus in 47 — to extract the broadest possible undertaking on Curius’s behalf, that he be kept (in the proverb of the leasehold contract) sartum et tectum, “patched and roofed,” against every kind of trouble.

I have taken this liberty for myself, in view of your attentiveness towards me — of which I had the fullest experience all the time we were together at Brundisium — to write to you with the freedom of a friend and as if by my own right whenever there is a matter that gives me serious concern. M’. Curius, who carries on business at Patrae, is so close a friend of mine that no man could be more so. There are many good offices of his towards me, and many of mine towards him, and, what counts for most, the highest mutual affection between us.
sumpsi hoc mihi pro tua in me observantia, quam penitus perspexi quam diu Brundisi fuimus, ut ad te familiariter et quasi pro meo iure scriberem, si quae res esset de qua valde laborarem. M’. Curius, qui Patris negotiatur, ita mihi familiaris est, ut nihil possit esse coniunctius. multa illius in me officia, multa in illum mea, quodque maximum est, summus inter nos amor et mutuus.
Which being so, if you have any reliance on my friendship, if you wish to render even more welcome those services and acts of devotion you bestowed on me at Brundisium (though they are most welcome already), if you see me to be loved by all who are yours, then grant me this and lavish it upon me: that you keep M’. Curius, as the saying goes, “patched and roofed,” sound and whole against every inconvenience, every loss, every annoyance. I myself stand surety, and all your own people will engage it to you on my behalf, that out of my friendship and out of your good office to me you will reap the greatest profit and the highest pleasure. Farewell.
quae cum ita sint, si ullam in amicitia mea spem habes, si ea, quae in me officia et studia Brundisi, contulisti, vis mihi etiam gratiora efficere (quamquam sunt gratissima), si me a tuis omnibus amari vides, hoc mihi da atque largire, ut M’. Curium ’sartum et tectum,’ ut aiunt, ab omnique incommodo, des trimento, molestia sincerum integrumque conserves. et ipse spondeo et omnes hoc tibi tui pro me recipient, ex mea amicitia et ex tuo in me officio maximum te fructum summamque voluptatem esse capturum. vale.

Cite this passage

Ad Familiares 13.50

Pick a format and click Copy. The permalink jumps any reader to this exact section.

Support this project

Free to read here. Buy the ebook to support the work.

Kindle