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. [p. lxxiii]

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,²⁸⁷ 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 [p. lxxiv] 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, [p. lxxv] 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 [p. lxxvi] 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.