Cicero: A family matter

nihil vidi tam mite, nihil tam placidum quam meus frater illo die erat in sororem tuam

I have never seen anything so mild, nothing so calm as my brother was on that day towards your sister

si offensio fuerat ex ratione sumptus, non appareret

If there had been any offence caused by the checking of expenditure, it was not apparent

postridie Arpino profecti sumus et prandimus in Arcano

The next day we set out from Arpinum and took lunch at Arcanum

humanissime Quintus ‘Pomponia’ inquit ‘tu invita mulieres, ego viros arcessam‘

Very politely, Quintus said ‘Pomponia, you call in the women, and I shall summon the men

nihil potuit dulcius, non modo verbis sed etiam animo ac vultu

Nothing could have been sweeter, not only in his words but also in his attitude and expression

at illa, audientibus nobis, ‘ego ipsa sum’ inquit ‘hic hospita’

But she, in our hearing, said ‘I am only a guest here myself’

id ex hac causa, ut opinor, quod antecesserat Statius ut prandium nobis videret!

Simply for the reason, I think, that Statius had gone ahead to see to lunch for us!

tum Quintus ‘en’ inquit mihi ‘haec ego patior cotidie’

Then Quintus said to me, ‘You see, this is what I endure everyday’

id me valde commovit: sic illa absurde et aspere verbus vultuque responderat

This really upset me: she had responded so unreasonably and harshly in both her words and look

itaque discubuimus omnes praeter illam

So we all reclined to eat except for her

Quintus ei aliquid de mensa misit, quod tamen illa reiecit. Quid multa?

Quintus sent her something from the table, which she just sent back. What more can I say?

nihil meo fratre lenius, nihil asperius tua sorore mihi visum est; et multa similia praetereo

There seemed to me nothing milder than my brother and nothing harsher than your sister'; and I am passing over many similar events

“nihil..nihil” analysis

Anaphora, the strong negative gives a forceful start to Cicero’s account, further strengthened repitition of nihil at beginning of each clause

“humanissime“ analysis

The superlative and the word’s position at the start of the sentence gives emphasis to Cicero’s argument that Quintus’ behaviour was exemplary

“tu invita mulieres“ analysis

A normal division of labour: Pomponia was to gather the woman together to have lunch and as the villa belonged to her husband, it was natural for her to act as hostess

“antecesserat Statius“ analysis

Statius was probably a freedman, sent on ahead by Quintus to see to the preparation of lunch. Pomponia took offence at this, regarding it as a slight to her position as materfamilias, one of whos responsibilities was to oversee meals and organise the household servants

“absurde.. aspere“, “verbis vultuque“ analysis

Double alliteration: the effect of “absurde..aspere“ may be to emphasis Cicero’s shock at Pomponia’s words and the effect of “verbis vultuque“ may be to reflect the aggression in Pomponia’s conduct

“nihil…nihil” analysis

Cicero ends as he began, with a forceful anaphora to emphasise the contrast between Quintus and Pomponia