Marcus Tullius Cicero→Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus|c. 43 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Mutina|AI-assisted
My very close bond with Appius Claudius, son of Gaius, is built on many services from him and matching ones from me. I ask you with unusual earnestness, either for the sake of your own humanity or for mine, to use your authority, which has the greatest weight, to keep him safe.
You are known as a very brave man. I want you also to be thought very merciful. It will be a great ornament to your reputation that a young man of the highest rank survives by your kindness. His case ought to be stronger because he joined Antony out of devotion to his father, in gratitude for his father's restoration. So even if the reason you have is not entirely sound, you can still bring forward one that is at least plausible.
Your nod can keep safe in the community a man of the highest birth, the highest ability, and the highest character, and one who is also deeply loyal and grateful. I ask you to do this with such earnestness that I could not ask with greater zeal or from deeper feeling.
CMVII (Fam. XI, 22) TO DECIMUS BRUTUS (AT CULARO?) ROME, 6 JULY: I have a friendship with Appius Claudius , son of Gaius, founded on many good services on his part and corresponding ones on mine. I ask you with more than usual earnestness, for the sake either of your own kindness or for mine, that you determine that his safety shall be secured by your influence. I wish you, as you are known to be the most gallant of men, to be considered also the most merciful. It will be a great feather in your cap that a young man of the highest rank has been restored by your favour. His claim ought to be all the stronger from the fact that it was from filial feeling that he joined Antony in gratitude for his father's restitution. wherefore, though you will have an excuse to plead that is not entirely sound, yet you will be able to bring one forward that at least is plausible. Your nod can retain in the full rights of citizenship a man of the highest birth, of the greatest ability, and one besides who is full of kindness and gratitude. I ask you to do this with a heartfelt earnest-ness beyond which I cannot go in making any request.
XXII. Scr. Romae mense Quinctili (paullo ante pr. Non.) a.u.c. 711. M. CICERO S. D. D. BRUTO.
Cum Appio Claudio C. f. summa mihi necessitudo est multis eius officiis et meis mutuis constituta. Peto a te maiorem in modum vel humanitatis tuae vel mea causa, ut eum auctoritate tua, quae plurimum valet, conservatum velis. Volo te, cum fortissimus vir cognitus sis, etiam clementissimum existimari. Magno tibi erit ornamento nobilissimum adolescentem beneficio tuo esse salvum: cuius quidem causa hoc melior debet esse, quod pietate adductus propter patris restitutionem se cum Antonio coniunxit; quare, etsi minus veram causam habebis, tamen vel probabilem aliquam poteris inducere. Nutus tuus potest hominem summo loco natum, summo ingenio, summa virtute, officiosissimum praeterea et gratissimum, incolumem in civitate retinere: quod ut facias, ita a te peto, ut maiore studio magisve ex animo petere non possim.
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My very close bond with Appius Claudius, son of Gaius, is built on many services from him and matching ones from me. I ask you with unusual earnestness, either for the sake of your own humanity or for mine, to use your authority, which has the greatest weight, to keep him safe.
You are known as a very brave man. I want you also to be thought very merciful. It will be a great ornament to your reputation that a young man of the highest rank survives by your kindness. His case ought to be stronger because he joined Antony out of devotion to his father, in gratitude for his father's restoration. So even if the reason you have is not entirely sound, you can still bring forward one that is at least plausible.
Your nod can keep safe in the community a man of the highest birth, the highest ability, and the highest character, and one who is also deeply loyal and grateful. I ask you to do this with such earnestness that I could not ask with greater zeal or from deeper feeling.
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
XXII. Scr. Romae mense Quinctili (paullo ante pr. Non.) a.u.c. 711. M. CICERO S. D. D. BRUTO.
Cum Appio Claudio C. f. summa mihi necessitudo est multis eius officiis et meis mutuis constituta. Peto a te maiorem in modum vel humanitatis tuae vel mea causa, ut eum auctoritate tua, quae plurimum valet, conservatum velis. Volo te, cum fortissimus vir cognitus sis, etiam clementissimum existimari. Magno tibi erit ornamento nobilissimum adolescentem beneficio tuo esse salvum: cuius quidem causa hoc melior debet esse, quod pietate adductus propter patris restitutionem se cum Antonio coniunxit; quare, etsi minus veram causam habebis, tamen vel probabilem aliquam poteris inducere. Nutus tuus potest hominem summo loco natum, summo ingenio, summa virtute, officiosissimum praeterea et gratissimum, incolumem in civitate retinere: quod ut facias, ita a te peto, ut maiore studio magisve ex animo petere non possim.