Quod sī mihi ā vōbīs tribuī concēdīque sentiam, perficiam
profectō ut, hunc A. (Aulum) Licinium nōn modo nōn sēgregandum—cum sit cīvis—ā
numerō cīvium, vērum etiam, sī nōn esset, putētis ascīscendum fuisse.
Quod sī mihi ā vōbīs TRIbuī concēDĪque SENtiam, perFIciam
proFECtō ut, hunc aulum liCInium nōn modo nōn sēgreGANdum—cum sit cīvis—ā
NUmerō CĪvium, vērum Etiam, sī nōn esset, puTĒtis ascīsCENdum fuISse.
Cicero, Oratio Pro Archia Poeta, IV (please see note
below)***
1. Read the Latin aloud 2-3 times, trying to understand as
much as you can.
2. Then read my notes.
3. Read the Latin a few more times, focusing on good
pronunciation and reading fluently, without translating.
4. If 3 or more syllables, the stressed syllable is
capitalized.
Quod: which, with regard to which; acc sing neut (qui),
refers to the request in the previous paragraph (please see my note at the
end)
sī: if
SENtiam: I feel, sense; 1st p sing future (sentio)
TRIbuī: (it) is granted, conceded, allowed; passive
infinitive (tribuo)
-que: and
concēDĪ(-que): allowed, granted, conceded; passive
infinitive (concedo)
mihi: to me; dative
ā: by + ablative
vōbīs: by you; dative plural (vos)
proFECtō: indeed, certainly
perFIciam: I will bring it about, accomplish, cause; 1st p
sing future (perficio)
ut: that; + subjunctive
puTĒtis: you think, believe, judge; 2nd p plural future
(puto)
hunc: (that) this; acc sing masc, acc subject of infinitive
in indirect statement (hic)
A. = Aulum: Aulus; acc sing
liCInium: Licinius; acc sing; Aulus Licinius Archias, the
poet Cicero is defending
nōn: not
modo: only
nōn: (should) not
sēgreGANdum (esse): (should) be removed, separated;
acc sing masc GERUNDIVE, future passive participle = is (not) to be removed;
esse is understood; this is the “passive periphrastic construction” (segrego)
ā: from; + ablative
NUmerō: the number; abl sing masc (numerus)
CĪvium: of the citizens; gen pl m/fem (civis)
cum: since; + subjunctive
sit: he is; 3rd p sing present subjunctive (sum)
cīvis: a citizen; nom sing
vērum: but, but truly; adverb
Etiam: even
sī: if
nōn: not
esset: he were (not); 3rd p sing imperfect SUBJUNCTIVE
(puTĒtis): you would think (understood) after “perficiam ut”
above
ascīsCENdum fuISse: (that he) should have been
received, admitted (as a citizen); acc sing masc gerundive + perfect
infinitive = passive periphrastic = “was to be admitted”; acc + infinitive in
indirect statement (ascisco)
***Cicero is defending the citizenship of the Greek poet
Archias (Aulus Licinius), accused of illegally enjoying the rights of a Roman
citizen (for the past 27 years!!)
Here’s the previous paragraph, which explains what Cicero is
requesting:
“I entreat you in this case to grant me this indulgence, suitable to this defendant, and as I trust not disagreeable to you,—the indulgence, namely, of allowing me, when speaking in defence of a most sublime poet and most learned man, before this concourse of highly-educated citizens, before this most polite and accomplished assembly, and before such a praetor as him who is presiding at this trial, to enlarge with a little more freedom than usual on the study of polite literature and refined arts, and, speaking in the character of such a man as that, who, owing to the tranquillity of his life and the studies to which he has devoted himself, has but little experience of the dangers of a court of justice, to employ a new and unusual style of oratory.”
