Style.
Single Words.
87. The Substantive.
87a. Abstract Nouns are used freely in the plural, not only in accordance with the principles stated by Draeger (Hist. Synt.2 vol. I. pp. 18-21), but also to indicate persons, e.g. dignitates hominum, 'persons of distinction.' 87b. Personal Pronouns, especially those of the first and second person singular, are used lavishly in many epistles, when neither contrast nor proper emphasis makes them necessary. Good illustrations of this pleonastic use are found in Fam. 4.5. In this connection may be mentioned the occasional use of tute (Sulpicius, Fam. 4.5.5), and meme (Vatinius, Fam. 5.9. 1).88. The Adjective.
88a. As elsewhere in colloquial Latin, adjectives, especially those expressing affection and admiration, are frequently joined to proper nouns, e.g. mi iucundissime Cicero (Dolabella, Fam. 9.9.3). 88b. Possessive Pronouns of the first or second person are applied in the Letters (1) to members of the writer's family; (2) to members of the recipient's family; (3) to those who are closely related to the writer or recipient; (4) to a person through the mention of whom a disagreeable subject is to be introduced, e.g. cf. Furnium nostrum (Caesar, Att. 9. 6a); and (5) to personal enemies or those held in contempt, e.g. Pompeius tuus (Cael., Fam. 8.9.5).89. The Verb.
Periphrastic expressions made up of facere and an object are often used instead of a simple verb, e.g. convicium facere (Att. 1.14.5). Items of news are frequently introduced by scito, e.g. scito C. Sempronium Rufum, mel ac delicias tuas, calumniam maximo plausu tulisse (Cael., Fam. 8.8.1); or by habeto and sic habeto, e.g. sic habeto, mi Tiro, neminem esse qui me amet, etc. (Fam. 16.4.4). Cf. notes to Epist. XXVI. 1, to testificor, Epist. L. 1, and to invidiam facere, Epist. LXXXVI. 6.90. The Adverb.
The colloquial use of intensive adverbs is one of the most striking stylistic peculiarities of the Letters. In this respect the language of Cicero's correspondence is even more remarkable than that of Roman comedy or satire. The adverbs which are used most frequently with an intensive force are bene, male, misere, nimio, perquam, pulchre, quam, sane, sane quam, satis, valde, valde quam, and vehementer; e.g. bene magna (C. Cassius, Fam. 12.13.4), misere nolle (C. Cassius, Fam. 12.12.3), pulchre intellegere (Brutus and Cassius, Fam. 11.3.3), sane quam sum gavisus (D. Brutus, Fam. 11.13.4), and vehementer four times (Cicero filius, Fam. 16.21). Cf. also Index to the Notes under male, sane, etc.91. The Preposition.
De is used very frequently to introduce a new topic, e.g. de mandatis quod tibi curae fuit, est mihi gratum (Cicero filius, Fam. 16.21.8). Its place is sometimes taken by a clause with quod, e.g. quod ad rem publicam attinet, in unam causam omnis contentio conlecta est (Cael., Fam. 8.11.3); quod de agraria lege quaeris, sane iam videtur refrixisse; quod me de Pompeii familiaritate obiurgas, nolim ita existimes, etc. (Att. 2.1.6).92. The Interjection.
A conversational tone is given to many of the familiar letters by the frequent use of interjections, e.g. ecce, heus, etc., some of which, as, for instance, hui (Epist. XLVIII. 2) and apage (Vatin., Fam. 5.10a.1), belong exclusively to vulgar Latin. Cf. also § 98.Phraseology.
93. Alliteration.
While alliteration is found in the prose and poetry of all periods, it is especially common in ancient legal and religious formulae and in popular sayings. As the latter appear in large numbers in the more familiar letters, alliteration becomes one of the stylistic characteristics of Cicero's correspondence. Cf . cura, cogitatio, . . . commentatio causarum (Fam. 9.20.1); opera et oleum (Att. 2.17.1).94. Asyndeton.
In addition to asyndeton for emphasis and between clauses in lively narration, which is found in contemporaneous formal literature, Böckel1 calls attention to two classes of cases in which asyndeton occurs in the Letters, as it does in other colloquial literature, with great frequency : (1) between two expressions of opposite meaning, e.g. palam secreto (Cael., Fam. 8.1.4), velit nolit (Q. fr. 3.8.4); (2) between two expressions of similar meaning, e.g. intercedendi impediendi (Fam. 8.8.6), certa clara (Att. 16.13c. 2). Many of these expressions, like those discussed under Alliteration, are stereotyped popular phrases.95. Brevity.
Brevity is secured in many cases by the use of pregnant expressions, and by the omission of words and phrases not absolutely necessary to the sense. The words most commonly omitted are esse, dicere (many forms of both words are omitted), fieri, aedes, and the pronoun as an object or as the subject of an infinitive. In some instances more uncommon ellipses occur, e.g. ex Gallia [provincia] Lepidi (Pollio, Fam. 10.33.4); hoc magis animadversum est, quod intactus ab sibilo pervenerat Hortensius ad senectutem; sed tum tam bene (sibilatus est) ut in totam vitam quoivis satis esset (Cael., Fam. 8.2.1). Cf. also § 75, and note to a Vestae, Epist. XIII. 2.96. Extravagance in Expression.
Formal literary compositions which are intended for publication, and which must therefore submit to the criticism of the general public, are more reserved in their expression than is the familiar intercourse between friends, whether carried on by conversation or correspondence. Abundant illustration of this fact is offered in the letters which passed between Cicero and his intimate friends, both in the use of single words and complete statements, e.g. immortalis = magnas (Plancus, Fam. 10.11.1): immortalis ago tibi gratias; infinitis=multis (Pollio, Fam. 10.32.4): infinitis pollicitationibus. Cf. also nam, cum maximam cepissem laetitiam ex humanissimi et carissimi patris epistula, tum vero iucundissimae tuae litterae cumulum mihi gaudii attulerunt (Cicero filius, Fam. 16.21.1). Cf. note to demiror, Epist. XXVI. 4.97. Greek Words and Phrases.
As Tyrrell remarks,2 Greek words and phrases generally appear in the Correspondence as technical terms in philosophy, rhetoric, politics, medicine, and as slang phrases. Doubtless, also, as Cicero himself intimates, Greek was occasionally used as a possible protection if a letter should fall into the hands of an enemy. The Greek technical terms played the same part with reference to Latin that many of the corresponding technical terms borrowed from Latin play in modern composition, while the Greek popular expressions in the Letters may be compared with current French phrases. Cf. also note to παρρησίαν, Epist. V.8.98. Exclamatory Questions.
These questions belong to the language of everyday life, and almost every one of the familiar letters offers illustrations of the use of such exclamatory phrases as quid iam? cur hoc? etc. Cf. also § 92 and note to quid quaeris, Epist. V.4.99. Figurative Language.
One of the most pronounced characteristics of colloquial language is its fondness for the picturesque. This is secured mainly by the use of metaphors. One of the commonest figures employed in the Letters is that drawn from heat and cold,-- the former indicating activity, the latter inertia : e.g. illi rumores de comitiis Transpadanorum Cumarum tenus caluerunt (Cael., Fam. 8.1.2); cum Romae a iudiciis forum refrixerit (Att. I. I. 2); scripsi Curionem valde frigere, iam calet (Cael., Fam. 8.6.5). Commercial, legal, and popular expressions, in a figurative sense, also occur in great variety. Cf. also notes to quas ego pugnas et quantas strages edidi, Epist. V. i , and medicinam, Epist. IX. 2.100. Polite Phrases.
Such polite phrases as si me amas (e.g. Vatin., Fam., 5.9.1), amabo te (e.g. Cael., Fam. 8.6.5), and such terms of endearment as mel ac deliciae tuae (Cael., Fam. 8.8.1), are naturally of frequent occurrence. Apparently the Plautine sis (si vis) and sodes are not used. Cf. also notes to nostri amores, Epist. VII. 2, si me amas, Epist. XIII. 3, and molestum, Epist. XVIII.10.101. Pleonasm.
While aiming at brevity in some cases, in others familiar speech indulges itself in duplicative or pleonastic expressions for the sake of emphasis or distinctness, in much the same way as it employs extravagant language. Instances from the Letters are rursus reducere (Balbus, Att. 8.15a.1); malle potius (Cato, Fam. 15.5.2); nostro iudicio . . . existimanius (Balbus and Oppius, Att. 9.7a. 1), ostentare crebro (Dolabella, Fam. 9.9. 2). On 'double expressions,' cf. note to oro obsecro, Epist. L. 1. See also § 79.102. Popular and Proverbial Expressions.
The informal character of the Letters is shown, not so much by the frequent use of these expressions, although their number in the aggregate is large, as by the fact that they are unaccompanied by any such apologetic phrase as ut aiunt, by which Cicero commonly introduces proverbial expressions and popular sayings in formal composition. Instances of popular expressions are duo parietes de eadem fidelia dealbare (Curius, Fam. 7.29.2); sus Minervam [docet] (Fam. 9.18.3); pictus et politus (Att. 2.21.4); sciens prudensque (Cael., Fam. 8.16.5).103. Play upon Words, etc.
In the same connection mention may be made of the fondness which Cicero and some of his correspondents show for playing upon words in their familiar letters. Illustrations are tu istic te Hateriano iure [jurisprudence] delectas, ego me hic Hirtiano [iure, 'sauce'] (Fam. 9.18.3); tu, qui ceteris cavere didicisti, in Britannia ne ab essedariis decipiaris caveto, you who have learned how to draw up securities for others, look out for your own security— and don't be taken in by the essedarii, (Fam. 7.6.2). Cicero's letters to his legal friend Trebatius (Fam. Bk. 7) are full of legal puns. Other good instances of similar witticisms are to be found inAtt. 1.16.10 and in the letters to Paetus (Fam. Bk. 9). Cf. also notes to honoris causa, Epist. XIX. 2, and occidione occisum, XXXIV. 7. Cicero had a great reputation for wit of this sort (cf. Fam. 9.16.4), and after his death his secretary Tiro edited his witty sayings. Cf. Quint. 6.3.5; Macrob. Sat. 2.1.12.104. In conclusion it may be noted that in his discussion of public and private affairs of a delicate character, Cicero often considered it discreet to express himself in language which would be unintelligible to every one save the person for wbom the letter in question was intended. As he himself puts it in one case : sed haec scripsi properans et mehercule timide; posthac ad te aut, si perfidelem habebo cui dem, scribam plane omnia aut, si obscure scribam, tu tamen intelleges; in iis epistulis me Laelium, te Furium faciam; cetera erunt ἐν αἰνιγμοῖς (Att. 2.19.5). As a result of this policy there are some puzzling passages in the Letters which still frustrate the efforts of commentators to explain them. The difficulty of such passages is often increased by the ill-founded conjectures of early editors, or by the mistakes of copyists who were puzzled by obscure phrases or by unfamiliar Greek words. To these difficulties must be added the fact that in general only one side of the correspondence is preserved to us, and that brief reference is often made to persons and events about whose character our information can only be conjectural. In view of these facts, the success which has attended the interpretation of the Letters is remarkable.
