Humanitext Reader

Cicero · Letters to Atticus §11.19.1-11.19.2

Faint Hopes of Peace and Precautions for Safety

Passage 265 of 461 · Latin

Summary

Cicero entrusts a letter to Atticus's messengers, writing about his faint hope for peace negotiations and the precautions he must take to protect himself in his desperate situation.

§11.19.1cum tuis dare possem litteras non praetermisi, etsi quod scriberem non habebam.
Since I was able to give a letter to your men, I did not miss the opportunity, even though I had nothing to write.
tu ad nos et rarius scribis quam solebas et brevius, credo quia nihil habes quod me putes libenter legere aut audire posse. verum tamen velim si quid erit, qualecumque erit, scribas.
You write to us both less frequently than you used to and more briefly, I believe because you have nothing that you think I can read or hear with pleasure.
est autem unum quod mihi sit optandum si quid agi de pace possit;
Nevertheless, I should like you to write if there is anything, whatever it may be.
quod nulla equidem habeo in spe; sed quia tu leviter interdum significas, cogis me sperare quod optandum vix est.
However, there is one thing that I must wish for, if any negotiation can be made about peace; of which indeed I have no hope; but because you occasionally hint at it slightly, you force me to hope for what is hardly to be wished for.
§11.19.2Philotimus dicitur Id. Sext.
Philotimus is said to be coming on the Ides of August.
nihil habeo de illo amplius.
I have nothing further about him.
tu velim ad ea mihi rescribas quae ad te antea scripsi.
I should like you to write back to me on those matters which I wrote to you before.
mihi tantum temporis satis est dum ut in pessimis rebus aliquid caveam qui nihil umquam cavi.
For me, just so much time is enough, provided that I, who have never taken any precautions, may take some precautions in this worst of situations.
vale.
Farewell.
xi Kal. Sextil.
July 22.

Notes

  1. §11.19.1tuis — The plural dative of the possessive pronoun used substantively, referring in this context to Atticus's messengers or letter-carriers (tabellarii).
  2. §11.19.1quod scriberem — The relative clause uses the subjunctive of characteristic or purpose, meaning 'anything to write'.
  3. §11.19.2Philotimus dicitur Id. Sext. — 'Id. Sext.' stands for 'Idibus Sextilibus' (the Ides of August, i.e., August 13). An infinitive verb like 'venire' or 'adfuturus esse' (to arrive/be coming) is omitted after 'dicitur'.
  4. §11.19.2dum ut... caveam — 'dum' is a conjunction meaning 'provided that' or 'as long as', restricting the scope of 'tantum temporis' in the main clause. The 'ut' clause expresses purpose or result, defining the precaution (caveam) to be taken in this terrible situation.

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Atticus §11.19.1-11.19.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi057.humanitext-lat1:11.19.1-11.19.2

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

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