Scr. Romae iv Non. Sept. a. 703 (51). CAELIVS CICERONI S. ¦ M. CAELIUS RUFUS TO CICERO, Rome, 2nd September, 51BC
[1] ferē litterīs omnibus tibi dē panthērīs scrīpsī. │ In almost every letter I have written to you about panthers.
[2] turpe tibi erit ¦ Patiscum Cūriōnī decem panthērās mīsisse, ¦ tē nōn multīs partibus plūrīs; │ It will be a disgrace to you ¦ that Patiscus has sent ten panthers to Curio, (and) ¦ that you haven’t (sent) many times more.
[i] mīsisse: to have sent; perfect active infinitive
https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/07/191025-level-3-spartan-boys-contempt-of.html
https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/05/020925-level-3-sonnenschein-pro-patria.html
[ii] Patiscus: research suggests that Patiscus was an agent working locally for Caelius to obtain panthers and, most likely, other exotic animals
[iii] Curiō i.e. Gaius Scribonius Curio: Roman politician
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaius_Scribonius_Curio_(tribune_50_BC)
[3] quās ipsās Cūriō mihi et aliās Āfricānās decem dōnāvit │ and these very ones (i.e. beasts), as well as ten other African ones, Curio has presented to me,
quās: connecting relative; it starts the sentence and is referring back to something mentioned in the previous one. Therefore, it does not translate as ‘which’ but ‘And these … (i.e. the animals referred to in the earlier statement)
https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/03/270625-level-3-labours-of-hercules-iii.html [note (3)]
[4] … nē pūtēs ¦ illum tantum praedia rūstica dare scīre. │ so that you don’t think ¦ that he only knows how to give (gifts of) estates in the country
[i] nē + the subjunctive: the subjunctive is used to express the purpose of an action i.e. x does something ¦ in order that / so that y may happen; when nē is included, it indicates a negative purpose i.e. something is done ¦ so that something does not happen
[ii] …illum … scīre; indirect statement
https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/05/310825-level-1-readings-18-damocles.html
[5] tū sī modo memoriā tenueris et Cibyrātās arcessieris itemque in Pamphȳliam litterās miseris (nam ibi plūrīs cāpī aiunt), quod volēs efficiēs. │ If only you keep (this) in mind / remember (this) [ = literally: if you will have kept in mind], and send for [ = will have sent for] some (panthers) from Cibyra, and likewise send [ = will have sent] a letter to Pamphylia – for they say they’re mostly captured there – you’ll achieve what you want.
[i] Note in this section the use of the future perfect tense which emphasises the completion of a future action; in English the literal translation sounds clumsy, but English can convey this idea e.g. If you paint the dining room by Tuesday, we can have the party = If you’ve painted the dining room = If you’ve got the dining room painted … i.e. English can use a present perfect tense to stress completion, whereas Latin uses the future perfect:
[ii] item: likewise
[iii] Pamphȳlia, -ae [1/f]: a region in Asia Minor
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pamphylia
image #1: 15th century map showing Pamphylia
[iv] Cibyra, -ae [1/f]: a town in SE Asia Minor; also: Kibyra (Gk. Κίβυρα)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cibyra
image #2: the Roman theatre of Cibyra; if the panthers had been there, I wouldn’t have booked a seat on the front row!
Images #3 and #4: the stadium at Cibyra and a representation of a gladiatorial scene
