Marcus Tullius Cicero→Quintus Valerius Orca|c. 50 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome|AI-assisted
Written at Rome in the year 698 from the founding of the city [56 BC], after the month of September. Marcus Cicero to Quintus Valerius Orca, son of Quintus, proconsul.
If you are well, it is good; I am well. I believe you keep it in your memory that I both spoke with you in person in the presence of Publius Cuspius, when I escorted you on your departure in your general's cloak, and likewise afterward urged you at greater length that, whomever of his connections I should recommend to you, you would count them among my own connections: this you accepted from me most generously and most graciously, in keeping with your supreme goodwill toward me and your unfailing regard. Cuspius, a man most attentive in his duties toward all his own people, protects and esteems certain men from that province of yours in a remarkable way, for the reason that he was twice in Africa, when he presided over the very great business affairs of the company [a tax-farming partnership, societas]; and so this service of his, which he extends toward those men, I am accustomed to assist, as far as I can, with my own resources and influence. For this reason I have thought it right to set out for you in this letter the grounds for recommending all of Cuspius's people; in the remaining letters I shall do only this much: that I append that mark which has been agreed upon between us, and at the same time indicate that the man is among the number of Cuspius's friends. But know that this recommendation, which I wished to set down in this letter, is the weightiest of all: for Publius Cuspius presses me with singular zeal to recommend Lucius Julius to you as carefully as possible. I scarcely seem able to satisfy his zeal if I use those words which we are accustomed to use when we are pressing some matter most carefully; he demands something novel, and thinks that I possess a certain expertise of that kind. To him I promised that I would draw out from our most intimate art a remarkable kind of recommendation. Since I cannot attain that, I should like you to bring it about by the actual deed, so that he may judge that something incredible has been achieved by the manner of my letter. You will do this if you bring forth every kind of generosity that can proceed both from your humanity and from your power, not only in deed but also in words, and finally in your very expression. How much such things are worth in a province, I wish I had learned by experience; but nonetheless I suspect it. As for the man himself, whom I recommend to you, that he is fully worthy of your friendship I believe not only because Cuspius tells me so—although that ought to have been enough—but because I know his judgment in choosing men and friends. How great the force of this letter has been, I shall judge before long, and shall, as I am confident, give you my thanks: I, for my part, will attend to all the things that I judge you wish and that I judge concern you, zealously and carefully. Take care to keep well.
BITHYNIA AND PONTUS) ClLICIA I THINK you know that I was very intimate with T. Pinnius. This fact he testified by his will, for he appointed me both a 96 CICERO'S LETTERS B.C. 51, ^r. 55 guardian and an heir in the second degree. To his son, who is attached to me and is a man of learning and good char- acter, the people of Nicaea owe a large sum of money, amounting to eight miUion sesterces (about ;^64,ooo), and, as I am informed, they are especially anxious to pay him. I shall be much obliged therefore — for not only the other guardians, who know how highly you value me, but the boy himself also are convinced that you will do anything for me — if you will take the trouble to see, as far as your honour and position will allow, that as large a part of the money as possible is paid to Pinnius on account of the people of Nicaea.
VIa. Scr. Romae a.u.c. 698 (post m. Sept.). M. CICERO Q. VALERIO Q. F. ORCAE PROCOS.
S. v. b. e. e. v. Credo te memoria tenere me et coram P. Cuspio tecum locutum esse, quum te prosequerer paludatum, et item postea pluribus verbis tecum egisse, ut, quoscumque tibi eius necessarios commendarem, haberes eos in numero meorum necessariorum: id tu pro tua summa erga me benevolentia perpetuaque observantia mihi liberalissime atque humanissime recepisti. Cuspius, homo in omnes suos officiosissimus, mirifice quosdam homines ex ista provincia tuetur et diligit propterea, quod fuit in Africa bis, quum maximis societatis negotiis praeesset; itaque hoc eius officium, quod adhibetur erga illos, ego mea facultate et gratia soleo, quantum possum, adiuvare; quare Cuspianorum omnium commendationis causam hac tibi epistula exponendam putavi, reliquis epistulis tantum faciam ut notam apponam eam, quae mihi tecum convenit, et simul significem de numero esse Cuspii amicorum; sed hanc commendationem, quam his litteris consignare volui, scito esse omnium gravissimam: nam P. Cuspius singulari studio contendit a me, ut tibi quam diligentissime L. Iulium commendarem. Eius ego studio vix videor mihi satisfacere posse, si utar verbis iis, quibus, quum diligentissime quid agimus, uti solemus; nova quaedam postulat et putat me eius generis artificium quoddam tenere: ei ego pollicitus sum me ex intima nostra arte deprompturum mirificum genus commendationis. Id quoniam assequi non possum, tu re velim efficias, ut ille genere mearum litterarum incredibili quiddam profectum arbitretur: id facies, si omnes genus liberalitatis, quod et ab humanitate et a potestate tua proficisci poterit, non modo re, sed etiam verbis, vultu denique exprompseris; quae quantum in provincia valeant, vellem expertus esse, sed tamen suspicor. Ipsum hominem, quem tibi commendo, perdignum esse tua amicitia, non solum, quia mihi Cuspius dicit, credo—tametsi id satis esse debebat—, sed quia novi eius iudicium in hominibus et amicis deligendis. Harum litterarum vis quanta fuerit, propediem iudicabo tibique, ut confido, gratias agam: ego, quae te velle quaeque ad te pertinere arbitrabor, omnia studiose diligenterque curabo. Cura, ut valeas.
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Written at Rome in the year 698 from the founding of the city [56 BC], after the month of September. Marcus Cicero to Quintus Valerius Orca, son of Quintus, proconsul.
If you are well, it is good; I am well. I believe you keep it in your memory that I both spoke with you in person in the presence of Publius Cuspius, when I escorted you on your departure in your general's cloak, and likewise afterward urged you at greater length that, whomever of his connections I should recommend to you, you would count them among my own connections: this you accepted from me most generously and most graciously, in keeping with your supreme goodwill toward me and your unfailing regard. Cuspius, a man most attentive in his duties toward all his own people, protects and esteems certain men from that province of yours in a remarkable way, for the reason that he was twice in Africa, when he presided over the very great business affairs of the company [a tax-farming partnership, societas]; and so this service of his, which he extends toward those men, I am accustomed to assist, as far as I can, with my own resources and influence. For this reason I have thought it right to set out for you in this letter the grounds for recommending all of Cuspius's people; in the remaining letters I shall do only this much: that I append that mark which has been agreed upon between us, and at the same time indicate that the man is among the number of Cuspius's friends. But know that this recommendation, which I wished to set down in this letter, is the weightiest of all: for Publius Cuspius presses me with singular zeal to recommend Lucius Julius to you as carefully as possible. I scarcely seem able to satisfy his zeal if I use those words which we are accustomed to use when we are pressing some matter most carefully; he demands something novel, and thinks that I possess a certain expertise of that kind. To him I promised that I would draw out from our most intimate art a remarkable kind of recommendation. Since I cannot attain that, I should like you to bring it about by the actual deed, so that he may judge that something incredible has been achieved by the manner of my letter. You will do this if you bring forth every kind of generosity that can proceed both from your humanity and from your power, not only in deed but also in words, and finally in your very expression. How much such things are worth in a province, I wish I had learned by experience; but nonetheless I suspect it. As for the man himself, whom I recommend to you, that he is fully worthy of your friendship I believe not only because Cuspius tells me so—although that ought to have been enough—but because I know his judgment in choosing men and friends. How great the force of this letter has been, I shall judge before long, and shall, as I am confident, give you my thanks: I, for my part, will attend to all the things that I judge you wish and that I judge concern you, zealously and carefully. Take care to keep well.
AI-assisted translation - This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.
Latin / Greek Original
VIa. Scr. Romae a.u.c. 698 (post m. Sept.). M. CICERO Q. VALERIO Q. F. ORCAE PROCOS.
S. v. b. e. e. v. Credo te memoria tenere me et coram P. Cuspio tecum locutum esse, quum te prosequerer paludatum, et item postea pluribus verbis tecum egisse, ut, quoscumque tibi eius necessarios commendarem, haberes eos in numero meorum necessariorum: id tu pro tua summa erga me benevolentia perpetuaque observantia mihi liberalissime atque humanissime recepisti. Cuspius, homo in omnes suos officiosissimus, mirifice quosdam homines ex ista provincia tuetur et diligit propterea, quod fuit in Africa bis, quum maximis societatis negotiis praeesset; itaque hoc eius officium, quod adhibetur erga illos, ego mea facultate et gratia soleo, quantum possum, adiuvare; quare Cuspianorum omnium commendationis causam hac tibi epistula exponendam putavi, reliquis epistulis tantum faciam ut notam apponam eam, quae mihi tecum convenit, et simul significem de numero esse Cuspii amicorum; sed hanc commendationem, quam his litteris consignare volui, scito esse omnium gravissimam: nam P. Cuspius singulari studio contendit a me, ut tibi quam diligentissime L. Iulium commendarem. Eius ego studio vix videor mihi satisfacere posse, si utar verbis iis, quibus, quum diligentissime quid agimus, uti solemus; nova quaedam postulat et putat me eius generis artificium quoddam tenere: ei ego pollicitus sum me ex intima nostra arte deprompturum mirificum genus commendationis. Id quoniam assequi non possum, tu re velim efficias, ut ille genere mearum litterarum incredibili quiddam profectum arbitretur: id facies, si omnes genus liberalitatis, quod et ab humanitate et a potestate tua proficisci poterit, non modo re, sed etiam verbis, vultu denique exprompseris; quae quantum in provincia valeant, vellem expertus esse, sed tamen suspicor. Ipsum hominem, quem tibi commendo, perdignum esse tua amicitia, non solum, quia mihi Cuspius dicit, credo—tametsi id satis esse debebat—, sed quia novi eius iudicium in hominibus et amicis deligendis. Harum litterarum vis quanta fuerit, propediem iudicabo tibique, ut confido, gratias agam: ego, quae te velle quaeque ad te pertinere arbitrabor, omnia studiose diligenterque curabo. Cura, ut valeas.