Humanitext Reader

Cicero · Letters to Atticus §10.2.1-10.2.2

Stay at Arcanum and Hesitation over Departure

Passage 223 of 461 · Latin

Summary

Cicero reports that he is staying at his brother's estate while contemplating his next move after receiving Atticus's letter, and expresses his frustration over the hopeless situation and Dionysius's unwelcome journey.

§10.2.1ego cum accepissem tuas litteras Nonis Aprilibus quas Cephalio attulerat, essemque Menturnis postridie mansurus et inde protinus, sustinui me in Arcano fratris, ut, dum aliquid certius adferretur, occultiore in loco essemus agerenturque nihilo minus quae sine nobis agi possunt.
When I had received your letter on the fifth of April, which Cephalio had brought, and since I was going to stay at Minturnae the next day and thence proceed directly, I stayed instead at my brother's estate at Arcanum, so that we might be in a more secluded place until some more certain news should be brought, and that those things which can be done without us might nevertheless be done.
λαλαγεῦσα iam adest et animus ardet, neque est quicquam, quo et qua.
The twittering bird is already here and my heart is burning, yet there is no way, whither and how.
§10.2.2sed haec nostra erit cura et peritorum.
But this will be the care of myself and of the experienced.
tu tamen quod poteris, ut adhuc fecisti, nos consiliis iuvabis.
You, however, as far as you can, will assist us with your advice as you have done so far.
res sunt inexplicabiles.
Affairs are inextricable.
fortunae sunt committenda omnia.
Everything must be committed to fortune.
sine spe conamur ulla.
We are making attempts without any hope.
melius si quid acciderit, mirabimur.
If anything better happens, we shall wonder at it.
Dionysium nollem ad me profectum; de quo ad me Tullia mea scripsit.
I could wish that Dionysius had not set out to join me; about whom my Tullia has written to me.
sed et tempus alienum est, et homini non amico nostra incommoda, tanta praesertim, spectaculo esse nollem; cui te meo nomine inimicum esse nolo.
But both the time is unsuitable, and I should be unwilling for our misfortunes, especially so great ones, to be a spectacle to a man who is not a friend; I do not wish you to be his enemy on my account.

Notes

  1. 10.2.1essemque Menturnis postridie mansurus et inde protinus — The auxiliary verb `essem` (imperfect subjunctive of `esse`) combined with the future participle `mansurus` forms the active periphrastic conjugation, expressing an intention or plan ('was going to stay'). After `et inde protinus` ('and thence directly'), a participle of motion (such as `profecturus` or `iturus`) is omitted.
  2. 10.2.1λαλαγεῦσα — A Greek present participle in the feminine singular meaning 'the twittering one'. Here, it is used metaphorically to refer to the twittering of swallows, symbolizing the arrival of spring (the opening of the sailing season, and thus the opportunity for Cicero to escape from Italy).
  3. 10.2.2Dionysium nollem ad me profectum — The imperfect subjunctive `nollem` expressing a wish is followed by an accusative with infinitive clause (`profectum [esse]` with `esse` omitted). It conveys a counterfactual regret over a past fact that has already occurred: 'I could wish that Dionysius had not set out to join me' (even though he did).
  4. 10.2.2homini non amico nostra incommoda, tanta praesertim, spectaculo esse nollem — A double dative construction, in which `homini non amico` ('to an unfriendly man') functions as the dative of reference, and `spectaculo` ('as a spectacle') as the dative of purpose, with `nostra incommoda` ('our misfortunes') serving as the subject of the infinitive `esse`.

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Atticus §10.2.1-10.2.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi057.humanitext-lat1:10.2.1-10.2.2

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

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