Marcus Tullius Cicero→Quintus Cornificius|c. 43 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Africa|Human translated
Your remembrance of me, which you expressed in your letter, is very welcome to me; I ask you to maintain it -- not because I doubt your constancy, but because it is customary to ask. We have received some rather turbulent reports from Syria, which, since they come from nearer to you than to us, concern me more on your account than on mine. In Rome there is the utmost tranquility, but of such a kind that you would prefer some healthy and honorable business -- which I hope will come; I see that Caesar is attending to it. Know that in your absence I have seized, as it were, a certain opportunity and license to write rather boldly, and other things perhaps which even you would concede; but most recently I have written about the best style of oratory, in which I have often suspected that you, naturally as a learned man differs from one who is not unlearned, slightly disagree with my judgment. I would very much like you to support this book from your heart, or if not, at least for friendship's sake. I shall tell your people to have it copied, if they wish, and sent to you; for I think that even if you approve of the subject less, still in that solitude of yours, whatever has come from me will be pleasant to you. As for your commending your reputation and dignity to me, you do what everyone does; but I would have you believe that, while I give the greatest weight to the affection I know to be mutual between us, I also judge your supreme talent, your excellent pursuits, and your prospect of the most ample dignity in such a way that I rank no one above you and compare only a few.
CDXCI (Fam. XII, 17) TO Q. CORNIFICIUS (IN THE EAST) ROME (SEPTEMBER) Cicero 's compliments to his colleague Cornificius . I am exceedingly gratified by your remembrance of me as indicated by your letter. I beg you to retain it, not because I have any doubt of your constancy, but because such is the customary request. We have had news of some disturbances in Syria ; and as they are nearer you than me, I am more concerned at them for your sake than for my own. At Rome , though there is the most profound tranquillity, you would prefer to have some salutary business of the right sort on foot. And I hope it will be so, for I see that Caesar is anxious for it. Allow me to inform you that, seizing upon what I venture to call the opportunity of your absence and the greater freedom that it gives me, I am writing with more than usual boldness: and the rest, indeed, are perhaps such as even you would allow to pass; but the last thing I wrote was “On the best Style of Speech,” on which subject I have often suspected that your taste differed somewhat from mine, though not more than a learned man might differ somewhat from another who was also not without some learning. To this book I should like you to give the support of your approval, if possible from a sincere feeling, but if not at least out of friendship. I will tell your people that, if they choose, they may copy it out and send it to you. For I think that, even if you don't quite agree with its contents, yet, in the lonely spot in which you now are, whatever is produced by me will give you some pleasure. You recommend your reputation and political position to my care. You follow the general fashion in so doing; but I would have you believe both that I consider the affection between us, which I understand to be mutual, to have a supreme claim upon me; and that my opinion as to your supreme ability, your devotion to the highest learning, and your prospect of the most exalted rank is such that I class no one above you and put very few on an equality with you.
XVII. Scr. Romae (post Quinct.) a.u.c. 708. CICERO S. D. CORNIFICIO COLLEGAE.
Grata mihi vehementer est memoria nostri tua, quam significasti litteris; quam ut conserves, non quo de tua constantia dubitem, sed quia mos est ita rogandi, rogo. Ex Syria nobis tumultuosiora quaedam nuntiata sunt, quae, quia tibi sunt propiora quam nobis, tua me causa magis movent quam mea. Romae summum otium est, sed ita, ut malis salubre aliquod et honestum negotium: quod spero fore; video id curae esse Caesari. Me scito, dum tu absis, quasi occasionem quandam et licentiam nactum scribere audacius, et cetera quidem fortasse, quae etiam tu concederes, sed proxime scripsi de optimo genere dicendi, in quo saepe suspicatus sum te a iudicio nostro, sic scilicet, ut doctum hominem ab non indocto, paullum dissidere: huic tu libro maxime velim ex animo, si minus, gratiae causa suffragere. Dicam tuis, ut eum, si velint, describant ad teque mittant; puto enim, etiamsi rem minus probabis, tamen in ista solitudine, quidquid a me profectum sit, iucundum tibi fore. Quid mihi existimationem tuam dignitatemque commendas, facis tu quidem omnium more, sed velim sic existimes, me quum amori, quem inter nos mutuum esse intelligo, plurimum tribuam, tum de summo ingenio et de studiis tuis optimis et de spe amplissimae dignitatis ita iudicare, ut neminem tibi anteponam, comparem paucos.
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Your remembrance of me, which you expressed in your letter, is very welcome to me; I ask you to maintain it -- not because I doubt your constancy, but because it is customary to ask. We have received some rather turbulent reports from Syria, which, since they come from nearer to you than to us, concern me more on your account than on mine. In Rome there is the utmost tranquility, but of such a kind that you would prefer some healthy and honorable business -- which I hope will come; I see that Caesar is attending to it. Know that in your absence I have seized, as it were, a certain opportunity and license to write rather boldly, and other things perhaps which even you would concede; but most recently I have written about the best style of oratory, in which I have often suspected that you, naturally as a learned man differs from one who is not unlearned, slightly disagree with my judgment. I would very much like you to support this book from your heart, or if not, at least for friendship's sake. I shall tell your people to have it copied, if they wish, and sent to you; for I think that even if you approve of the subject less, still in that solitude of yours, whatever has come from me will be pleasant to you. As for your commending your reputation and dignity to me, you do what everyone does; but I would have you believe that, while I give the greatest weight to the affection I know to be mutual between us, I also judge your supreme talent, your excellent pursuits, and your prospect of the most ample dignity in such a way that I rank no one above you and compare only a few.
Human translation - ToposText / Shuckburgh
Latin / Greek Original
XVII. Scr. Romae (post Quinct.) a.u.c. 708. CICERO S. D. CORNIFICIO COLLEGAE.
Grata mihi vehementer est memoria nostri tua, quam significasti litteris; quam ut conserves, non quo de tua constantia dubitem, sed quia mos est ita rogandi, rogo. Ex Syria nobis tumultuosiora quaedam nuntiata sunt, quae, quia tibi sunt propiora quam nobis, tua me causa magis movent quam mea. Romae summum otium est, sed ita, ut malis salubre aliquod et honestum negotium: quod spero fore; video id curae esse Caesari. Me scito, dum tu absis, quasi occasionem quandam et licentiam nactum scribere audacius, et cetera quidem fortasse, quae etiam tu concederes, sed proxime scripsi de optimo genere dicendi, in quo saepe suspicatus sum te a iudicio nostro, sic scilicet, ut doctum hominem ab non indocto, paullum dissidere: huic tu libro maxime velim ex animo, si minus, gratiae causa suffragere. Dicam tuis, ut eum, si velint, describant ad teque mittant; puto enim, etiamsi rem minus probabis, tamen in ista solitudine, quidquid a me profectum sit, iucundum tibi fore. Quid mihi existimationem tuam dignitatemque commendas, facis tu quidem omnium more, sed velim sic existimes, me quum amori, quem inter nos mutuum esse intelligo, plurimum tribuam, tum de summo ingenio et de studiis tuis optimis et de spe amplissimae dignitatis ita iudicare, ut neminem tibi anteponam, comparem paucos.