Part 20 (1/2)

_T._ That is right, go on. _C._ Nam et, _for you distinctly stated in writing your opinion_, et Atticus ad me sermonem tuum pertulit, _and Aticus too sent me word of what you said,... of what you said to him in conversation_.

_T._ ”Pertulit.” _C._ It means that Atticus conveyed on to Cicero the conversation he had with Appius.

_T. Who_ was Atticus? _C. is silent._

_T._ Who was Atticus? _C._ I didn't think it came into the examination....

_T._ Well, I didn't say it did: but still you can tell me who Atticus was.

_C._ A great friend of Cicero's.

_T._ Did he take much part in politics? _C._ No.

_T._ What were his opinions? _C._ He was an Epicurean.

_T._ What was an Epicurean? _C. is silent, then_, Epicureans lived for themselves.

_T._ You are answering very well, sir; proceed. _C._ Semper judicavi, _I have ever considered_, in te, et in capiendo consilio prudentiam summam esse, et in dando fidem; _that your wisdom was of the highest order_ ...

_that you had the greatest wisdom ... that nothing could exceed the wisdom of your resolves, or the honesty of your advice_.

_T._ ”Fidem.” _C._ It means _faithfulness to the person asking_ ...

maximeque sum expertus, _and I had a great proof of it_....

_T._ _Great_; why don't you say _greatest_? ”maxime” is superlative. _C._ The Latins use the superlative, when they only mean the positive.

_T._ You mean, when English uses the positive; can you give me an instance of what you mean? _C._ Cicero always speaks of others as amplissimi, optimi, doctissimi, clarissimi.

_T._ Do they ever use the comparative for the positive? _C. thinks, then_, Certior factus sum.

_T._ Well, perhaps; however, here, ”maxime” may mean _special_, may it not? _C. And I had a special proof of it_, c.u.m, initio civilis belli, per literas te consuluissem, _when, on the commencement of the civil war, I had written to ask your advice_, quid mihi faciendum esse censeres, _what you thought I ought to do_, eundumne ad Pompeium, an manendum in Italia, _to go to Pompey, or to remain in Italy_.

_T._ Very well, now stop. Dubitanti mini, quod scit Atticus noster. You construed quod, _as_. _C._ I meant the relative _as_.

_T._ Is _as_ a relative? _C. As_ is used in English for the relative, as when we say _such as_ for _those who_.

_T._ Well, but why do you use it here? What is the antecedent to ”quod”?

_C._ The sentence Dubitanti mihi, etc.

_T._ Still, construe ”quod” literally. _C. A thing which._

_T._ Where is _a thing?_ _C._ It is understood.

_T._ Well, but put it in. _C._ Illud quod.

_T._ Is that right? what is the common phrase? _C. is silent._

_T._ Did you ever see ”illud quod” in that position? is it the phrase? _C.