04.10.25: level 3; literature (David Amster); Cicero, Oratio Pro Archia Poeta, IV

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.”