_difficilior_ as often; _e.g._ Lael. 29 _quod maius est_. -- VISUM EST MIHI
CONSCRIBERE: = _placuit mihi_, 'I have determined to write'. The best
writers rarely use the impersonal _videtur etc._ followed by an infinitive.
When the usage occurs _videtur mihi etc._ generally have the meaning (as
here) of δοκει μοι κ.τ.λ. = 'I have made up my mind'. Cf. Tusc. 5, 12 _Non
mihi videtur ad beate vivendum satis posse virtutem_; ib. 5, 22 (a curious
passage) _mihi enim non videbatur quisquam esse beatus posse cum esset in
malis; in malis autem sapientem esse posse_; Off. 3, 71 _malitia quae volt
illa quidem videri se esse prudentiam_ ('craft which desires that people
should believe it to be wisdom'); Liv. 1, 10, 7 _dis visum nec irritam
conditoris templi vocem esse_ ... ('the gods decided that the word of the
founder of the shrine should not remain of no effect'). It would be
difficult, if not impossible, to find a passage in a writer before silver
Latin times where the best texts still exhibit anything like _videtur eum
facere_ for _is videtur facere_. H 534, 1, n. 1; Roby, 1353. -- ALIQUID AD
TE: 'some work dedicated to you'; so below, 3; cf. also Lael. 4 _ut de
amicitia scriberem aliquid_; ib. _Catone maiore qui est scriptus ad te de
senectute_; Div. 2, 3 _liber is quem ad nostrum Atticum de senectute
misimus._

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