Humanitext Reader

Cicero · Letters to Atticus §7.10.1

Departure before Dawn and Agitation at Pompey's Inaction

Passage 149 of 461 · Latin

Summary

Cicero decides to depart before daybreak to avoid notice and expresses his deep agitation over the lack of a clear plan and Pompey's inaction, urging Atticus to write frequently with any thoughts.

§7.10.1subito consilium cepi ut ante quam luceret exirem, ne qui conspectus fieret aut sermo, lictoribus praesertim laureatis.
I have suddenly taken the resolution to set out before daybreak, lest any notice should be taken or any talk arise, especially as I have lictors with laurelled fasces.
de reliquo neque hercule quid agam neque quid acturus sim scio; ita sum perturbatus temeritate nostri amentissimi consili.
For the rest, by Hercules, I know neither what to do nor what I am going to do; so deeply am I perturbed by the rashness of our most insane plan.
tibi vero quid suadeam quoius ipse consilium exspecto? Gnaeus noster quid consili ceperit capiatve nescio, adhuc in oppidis coartatus et stupens.
Indeed, what can I advise you, whose advice I myself am waiting for? I do not know what plan our Gnaeus has taken or is taking, confined as he is in the towns and in a state of stupor.
omnes, si in Italia consistat, erimus una; sin cedet, consili res est.
If he makes a stand in Italy, we shall all be together; but if he retreats, it is a matter for deliberation.
adhuc certe, nisi ego insanio, stulte omnia et incaute.
Certainly so far, unless I am mad, everything has been done foolishly and incautiously.
tu, quaeso, crebro ad me scribe vel quod in buccam venerit.
Pray, write to me frequently, even whatever comes into your head.

Notes

  1. 7.10.1lictoribus praesertim laureatis — An ablative of attendant circumstances or cause (akin to an ablative absolute without a participle). Cicero, as a proconsul claiming the right to a triumph, is accompanied by lictors with laurelled fasces, which makes him highly conspicuous and provides the reason for his departing before daybreak to avoid notice.
  2. 7.10.1quid agam neque quid acturus sim — Both are subjunctives in indirect questions. The present subjunctive `quid agam` (deliberative: "what I should do") is contrasted with the future active periphrastic subjunctive `quid acturus sim` ("what I am going to do").
  3. 7.10.1consili res est — The genitive `consili` (genitive of quality or characteristic/belonging) is used predicatively, meaning "it is a matter for deliberation/counsel."
  4. 7.10.1stulte omnia et incaute — A verb of action (such as `facta sunt` or `geruntur`) is omitted. The adverbs `stulte` ("foolishly") and `incaute` ("incautiously") modify the implied verb with the neuter plural subject `omnia` ("everything").
  5. 7.10.1vel quod in buccam venerit — A colloquial and idiomatic expression. The verb `venerit` in the relative clause is a future perfect. Literally "even what shall have come into the cheek (mouth)", meaning "whatever comes into your head / comes uppermost."

Cite this passage

Cicero, Letters to Atticus §7.10.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi057.humanitext-lat1:7.10.1

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