Commentary on Selected Letters of Cicero


Commentary on Selected Letters of Cicero
By Frank Frost Abbott
Boston Ginn and Co. 1909



Perseus Documents Collection Table of Contents



Preface

Abbreviations Used Most Frequently in the Introduction and Commentary

Cicero's Public Life and Contemporary Politics.
   Cicero's Early Life and the Cursus Honorum.
(Aet. 1-44. B.C. 106-63. Epist. I.-II.)

   Cicero, Clodius, and the Triumvirs.
(Aet. 45-48. B.C. 62-59. Epist. III.-IX.)

   Cicero's Banishment and Recall.
(Aet. 49-50. B.C. 58-57. Epist. X.-XIV.)

   Under the Triumvirate.
(Aet. 51-55. B.C. 56-52. Epist. XV.-Epist. XXVIII.)

   The Proconsulship.
(Aet. 56-57. B.C. 51-50. Epist. XXIX.-XLI.)

   Caesar or Pompey?
(Aet. 58-59. B.C. 49-48. Epist. XLII.-LIII.)

   Under Caesar's Government.
(Aet. 60-62. B.C. 47-45. Epist. LIV.-LXXXIV.)

   Cicero and the Liberatores
(Aet. 63-64. B.C. 44-43. Epist. LXXXV.-C.)

The Private Life of Cicero.

Cicero's Family and Friends.
   Terentia and Publilia.
   Tullia.
   Marcus Tullius Cicero filius.
   Quintus Tullius Cicero.
   Publius Cornelius Dolabella.
   Marcus Tullius Tiro
   Titus Pomponius Atticus.

Letter Writing.

Cicero's Correspondence and its First Publication.

Language and Style.
   Lexicography and Orthography.
   Syntax.
   Style.

Letter I: ad Atticum 1.1

Letter II: ad Atticum 1.2

Letter III: ad familiares 5.7

Letter IV: ad familiares 7.23

Letter V: ad Atticum 1.16

Letter VI: ad Atticum 1.17

Letter VII: ad Atticum 2.19

Letter VIII: ad Atticum 2.22

Letter IX: ad Atticum 2.23

Letter X: ad Atticum 3.4

Letter XI: ad familiares 14.4

Letter XII: ad Atticum 3.12

Letter XIII: ad familiares 14.2

Letter XIV: ad Atticum 3.22

Letter XV: ad Atticum 4.1

Letter XVI: ad Quintum fratrem 2.3

Letter XVII: ad Atticum 4.4b

Letter XVIII: ad familiares 5.12

Letter XIX: ad familiares 7.1

Letter XX: ad Quintum fratrem 2.9

Letter XXI: ad familiares 7.5

Letter XXII: ad Quintum fratrem 2.15

Letter XXIII: ad Quintum fratrem 3.5

Letter XXIV: ad familiares 7.16

Letter XXV: ad familiares 7.10

Letter XXVI: ad familiares 7.18

Letter XXVII: ad familiares 16.16

Letter XXVIII: ad familiares 7.15

Letter XXIX: ad familiares 3.2

Letter XXX: ad Atticum 5.1

Letter XXXI: ad familiares 8.1

Letter XXXII: ad familiares 13.1

Letter XXXIII: ad familiares 2.8

Letter XXXIV: ad familiares 15.4

Letter XXXV: ad Atticum 6.1

Letter XXXVI: ad familiares 2.11

Letter XXXVII: ad familiares 15.15

Letter XXXVIII: ad familiares 15.6

Letter XXXIX: ad familiares 16.4

Letter XL: ad familiares 16.6

Letter XLI: ad familiares 16.9

Letter XLII: ad familiares 16.11

Letter XLIII: ad familiares 14.14

Letter XLIV: ad Atticum 8.12d

Letter XLV: ad Atticum 8.3

Letter XLVI: ad Atticum 8.13

Letter XLVII: ad Atticum 9.6a

Letter XLVIII: ad familiares 8.15

Letter XLIX: ad Atticum 9.11a

Letter L: ad familiares 8.16

Letter LI: ad familiares 2.16

Letter LII: ad familiares 9.9

Letter LIII: ad familiares 14.12

Letter LIV: ad familiares 14.19

Letter LV: ad familiares 14.17

Letter LVI: ad familiares 14.8

Letter LVII: ad familiares 14.11

Letter LVIII: ad familiares 14.15

Letter LIX: ad familiares 14.20

Letter LX: ad familiares 9.1

Letter LXI: ad familiares 9.16

Letter LXII: ad familiares 9.18

Letter LXIII: ad familiares 9.20

Letter LXIV: ad familiares 9.17

Letter LXV: ad familiares 6.6

Letter LXVI: ad familiares 6.14

Letter LXVII: ad familiares 9.15

Letter LXVIII: ad Atticum 12.11

Letter LXIX: ad Atticum 12.1

Letter LXX: ad familiares 15.17

Letter LXXI: ad familiares 13.72

Letter LXXII: ad Atticum 12.16

Letter LXXIII: ad familiares 9.11

Letter LXXIV: ad Atticum 12.32

Letter LXXV: ad familiares 4.5

Letter LXXVI: ad familiares 4.6

Letter LXXVII: ad familiares 5.14

Letter LXXVIII: ad familiares 4.12

Letter LXXIX: ad familiares 5.15

Letter LXXX: ad familiares 9.8

Letter LXXXI: ad familiares 7.24

Letter LXXXII: ad familiares 7.25

Letter LXXXIII: ad Atticum 13.52

Letter LXXXIV: ad familiares 13.50

Letter LXXXV: ad familiares 6.15

Letter LXXXVI: ad familiares 11.1

Letter LXXXVII: ad familiares 9.14

Letter LXXXVIII: ad Atticum 15.11

Letter LXXXIX: ad familiares 7.22

Letter XC: ad familiares 16.21

Letter XCI: ad familiares 11.27

Letter XCII: ad familiares 11.28

Letter XCIII: ad familiares 16.26

Letter XCIV: ad familiares 9.24

Letter XCV: ad familiares 12.5

Letter XCVI: ad familiares 10.12

Letter XCVII: ad familiares 11.9

Letter XCVIII: ad familiares 10.15

Letter XCIX: ad familiares 11.12

Letter C: ad familiares 10.24

Preface

Abbreviations Used Most Frequently in the Introduction and Commentary

Cicero's Public Life and Contemporary Politics.
   Cicero's Early Life and the Cursus Honorum.
(Aet. 1-44. B.C. 106-63. Epist. I.-II.)

   Cicero, Clodius, and the Triumvirs.
(Aet. 45-48. B.C. 62-59. Epist. III.-IX.)

   Cicero's Banishment and Recall.
(Aet. 49-50. B.C. 58-57. Epist. X.-XIV.)

   Under the Triumvirate.
(Aet. 51-55. B.C. 56-52. Epist. XV.-Epist. XXVIII.)

   The Proconsulship.
(Aet. 56-57. B.C. 51-50. Epist. XXIX.-XLI.)

   Caesar or Pompey?
(Aet. 58-59. B.C. 49-48. Epist. XLII.-LIII.)

   Under Caesar's Government.
(Aet. 60-62. B.C. 47-45. Epist. LIV.-LXXXIV.)

   Cicero and the Liberatores
(Aet. 63-64. B.C. 44-43. Epist. LXXXV.-C.)

The Private Life of Cicero.

Cicero's Family and Friends.
   Terentia and Publilia.
   Tullia.
   Marcus Tullius Cicero filius.
   Quintus Tullius Cicero.
   Publius Cornelius Dolabella.
   Marcus Tullius Tiro
   Titus Pomponius Atticus.

Letter Writing.

Cicero's Correspondence and its First Publication.

Language and Style.
   Lexicography and Orthography.
   Syntax.
   Style.

Letter I: ad Atticum 1.1

Letter II: ad Atticum 1.2

Letter III: ad familiares 5.7

Letter IV: ad familiares 7.23

Letter V: ad Atticum 1.16

Letter VI: ad Atticum 1.17

Letter VII: ad Atticum 2.19

Letter VIII: ad Atticum 2.22

Letter IX: ad Atticum 2.23

Letter X: ad Atticum 3.4

Letter XI: ad familiares 14.4

Letter XII: ad Atticum 3.12

Letter XIII: ad familiares 14.2

Letter XIV: ad Atticum 3.22

Letter XV: ad Atticum 4.1

Letter XVI: ad Quintum fratrem 2.3

Letter XVII: ad Atticum 4.4b

Letter XVIII: ad familiares 5.12

Letter XIX: ad familiares 7.1

Letter XX: ad Quintum fratrem 2.9

Letter XXI: ad familiares 7.5

Letter XXII: ad Quintum fratrem 2.15

Letter XXIII: ad Quintum fratrem 3.5

Letter XXIV: ad familiares 7.16

Letter XXV: ad familiares 7.10

Letter XXVI: ad familiares 7.18

Letter XXVII: ad familiares 16.16

Letter XXVIII: ad familiares 7.15

Letter XXIX: ad familiares 3.2

Letter XXX: ad Atticum 5.1

Letter XXXI: ad familiares 8.1

Letter XXXII: ad familiares 13.1

Letter XXXIII: ad familiares 2.8

Letter XXXIV: ad familiares 15.4

Letter XXXV: ad Atticum 6.1

Letter XXXVI: ad familiares 2.11

Letter XXXVII: ad familiares 15.15

Letter XXXVIII: ad familiares 15.6

Letter XXXIX: ad familiares 16.4

Letter XL: ad familiares 16.6

Letter XLI: ad familiares 16.9

Letter XLII: ad familiares 16.11

Letter XLIII: ad familiares 14.14

Letter XLIV: ad Atticum 8.12d

Letter XLV: ad Atticum 8.3

Letter XLVI: ad Atticum 8.13

Letter XLVII: ad Atticum 9.6a

Letter XLVIII: ad familiares 8.15

Letter XLIX: ad Atticum 9.11a

Letter L: ad familiares 8.16

Letter LI: ad familiares 2.16

Letter LII: ad familiares 9.9

Letter LIII: ad familiares 14.12

Letter LIV: ad familiares 14.19

Letter LV: ad familiares 14.17

Letter LVI: ad familiares 14.8

Letter LVII: ad familiares 14.11

Letter LVIII: ad familiares 14.15

Letter LIX: ad familiares 14.20

Letter LX: ad familiares 9.1

Letter LXI: ad familiares 9.16

Letter LXII: ad familiares 9.18

Letter LXIII: ad familiares 9.20

Letter LXIV: ad familiares 9.17

Letter LXV: ad familiares 6.6

Letter LXVI: ad familiares 6.14

Letter LXVII: ad familiares 9.15

Letter LXVIII: ad Atticum 12.11

Letter LXIX: ad Atticum 12.1

Letter LXX: ad familiares 15.17

Letter LXXI: ad familiares 13.72

Letter LXXII: ad Atticum 12.16

Letter LXXIII: ad familiares 9.11

Letter LXXIV: ad Atticum 12.32

Letter LXXV: ad familiares 4.5

Letter LXXVI: ad familiares 4.6

Letter LXXVII: ad familiares 5.14

Letter LXXVIII: ad familiares 4.12

Letter LXXIX: ad familiares 5.15

Letter LXXX: ad familiares 9.8

Letter LXXXI: ad familiares 7.24

Letter LXXXII: ad familiares 7.25

Letter LXXXIII: ad Atticum 13.52

Letter LXXXIV: ad familiares 13.50

Letter LXXXV: ad familiares 6.15

Letter LXXXVI: ad familiares 11.1

Letter LXXXVII: ad familiares 9.14

Letter LXXXVIII: ad Atticum 15.11

Letter LXXXIX: ad familiares 7.22

Letter XC: ad familiares 16.21

Letter XCI: ad familiares 11.27

Letter XCII: ad familiares 11.28

Letter XCIII: ad familiares 16.26

Letter XCIV: ad familiares 9.24

Letter XCV: ad familiares 12.5

Letter XCVI: ad familiares 10.12

Letter XCVII: ad familiares 11.9

Letter XCVIII: ad familiares 10.15

Letter XCIX: ad familiares 11.12

Letter C: ad familiares 10.24


Funded by The Annenberg CPB/Project

 

Letter coll=F:book=7:letter=24

Letter LXXXI: ad familiares 7.24

Tusculum, about Aug. 20, 45 B.C. For Fadius, see Ep. IV. introd. note.

[sect. 1]

vestigia: sc. sunt.

vel, for instance.

Tigellio: the singer whom Horace dubs Sardus Tigellius (Sat. 1.3.3) from his birthplace, Sardinia, a favorite of Julius Caesar in Cicero's time, and later of Octavianus. Cf. Hor. Sat. 1.2 and 3.

Cipius [gap in text] dormio: Cipius, as the story goes (cf. Festus), was in the habit of feigning sleep, but when on a certain occasion a slave attempted to steal one of his master's cups, Cipius started up, saying, non omnibus dormio.

opinor: probably a case of genuine uncertainty concerning the name, but cf. Hector Naevianus, Ep. XVIII.7n.

olim, once upon a time.

sic [gap in text] servio: he may find it necessary to be Caesar's slave, but he will not be the slave of every one of Caesar's household. Cicero apparently uses the same story in the same connection inAtt. 13. 49.2 (written about the same time as this letter), where, however, the name of Cipius is omitted.

olim: sc. before Caesar's assumption of power.

ab ullis: sc. observabar, from observor.

a familiarissimis: Gallus had evidently expressed the fear that Tigellius, who was angry at Cicero, might use his influence with Caesar against him. Cicero therefore assures Gallus that there has been no change in Caesar's attitude to him. Cicero's remark here harmonizes with statements made a year before; cf. Ep. LXI. 2.

pestilentiorem patria sua: cf. Ep. XVI. (end) n.

eumque praeconio, and I think he has by this time been disposed of at the Hipponactean estimate put upon him by Calvus Licinius.

Calvi Licini: Gaius Licinius Macer Calvus was known equally well as an orator (cf., e.g., Cic. Brut. 280, 283) and as a poet (cf., e.g., Sen. Contr. 7.4.7). The different tendencies in oratory which Cicero and Calvus represented led apparently to a correspondence between them (cf. Tac. Dial. 18). As a poet, Calvus belonged to the νεώτεροι, (Att. 7.2. 1), and was an intimate friend of Catullus, the leading representative of that school. He died about 47 B.C. ; cf. Fam. 15.21.4. Calvus had assailed Tigellius in a poem, the first verse of which, preserved by Porphyrio (Hor. Sat. 1.3.4), is as follows: Sardi Tigelli putidum caput venit (from veneo). On the order Calvi Licini, cf. Galli Canini, Ep. XIX.4n.

Hipponacteo: Hipponax was a Greek writer of lampoons.

praeconio: the setting forth by an auctioneer of the merits of his wares; suggested by the line from Calvus.