Humanitext Reader

Cicero · Letters to Atticus §3.21.1

Lapse in Letters and Planned Departure for Epirus

Passage 69 of 461 · Latin

Summary

Cicero expresses anxiety to Atticus about not having received any letters for thirty days, informs him of his plan to go to Epirus, and requests both updates on the situation and the dispatch of necessary letters in his name.

§3.21.1triginta dies erant ipsi cum has dabam litteras per quos nullas a vobis acceperam.
It was exactly thirty days when I was dispatching this letter, during which I had received no letters from you.
mihi autem erat in animo iam, ut antea ad te scripsi, ire in Epirum et ibi omnem casum potissimum exspectare.
However, it was already my intention, as I wrote to you before, to go to Epirus and there especially to await every turn of fortune.
te oro ut, si quid erit quod perspicias quamcumque in partem, quam planissime ad me scribas et meo nomine, ut scribis, litteras quibus putabis opus esse ut des.
I beg you that, if there is anything that you perceive in whichever direction, you write to me as clearly as possible, and in my name, as you write, dispatch the letters which you think will be necessary.
data v Kal. Novembris.
Given on the 28th of October.

Notes

  1. §3.21.1dabam — Epistolary imperfect, representing the action from the recipient's point of view as past, though translated as present ("when I am dispatching this letter").
  2. §3.21.1quibus putabis opus esse ut des — quibus is the ablative of means/need modifying opus esse with the antecedent litteras. ut des is a subjunctive of purpose/request subordinate to oro, standing in coordination with scribas (i.e., oro ut ... scribas et ... des).

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Atticus §3.21.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi057.humanitext-lat1:3.21.1

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