2. AUT ... AUT CERTE: so often in Cic.; _certe_, 'at any rate'. -- SENECTUTIS: at the time the words were written Cic. was 62 years old, Atticus three years older. For the meaning of _senectus_ see n. on 4. -- LEVARI VOLO: the best Latin writers frequently use the passive infinitive after verbs expressing desire, where moderns would incline to the active; here Cic. instead of saying 'I wish to relieve yourself and me of the burden' says 'I wish yourself and me to be relieved'. -- ETSI: = καιτοι 'and yet'. This use of _etsi_ to introduce a clause correcting the preceding clause, though not uncommon (_e.g._ below 29; Tusc. 1, 99; 3, 17; 4, 63; 5, 55), is far less common than that of _quamquam_, which we have in 1, 9, 10, 24, 47, 67, 69. -- TE QUIDEM: 'you at all events', 'you for one'. -- MODICE AC SAPIENTER: _modice_ recalls _moderationem_ above (_modice_ and _moderate_ are used with exactly the same sense by Cic.), while _sapienter_ recalls _aequitatem_, since _sapientia_ produces stability and an even balance of the mind. In De Or. 1, 132 we have _modice et scienter_. -- SICUT OMNIA: cf. Fin. 1, 7 _facete is quidem sicut alia_; also below, 65 _sicut alia_. -- ET FERRE ET LATURUM ESSE: Tischer rightly remarks that when a verb is repeated thus with a variation of tense Cic. very nearly always uses _et ... et_, and not a single _et_ merely. The contrast between the two tenses is thus made more pointed. Cf. 3 _et diximus et dicemus_. -- CERTO SCIO: one of the best MSS., followed by some editors, has here _certe scio_. The latter phrase would mean 'I am sure that I know' (a sense which seems out of place here); the former 'I have certain or sure knowledge'. Observe that _certe_ may be used with all verbs, while _certo_ is only used with _scire_. A. 151, c. -- SED: the idea implied is, 'but though I well know you do not need such consolation, I have yet resolved to address my book to you'. -- OCCURREBAS DIGNUS: a condensed construction for _occurrebat te digmim esse_.