Note 3 — IX. The Emotions

desperare is used, generally with de, more rarely with the accusative, in the meaning "to no longer count upon a thing," e.g. reditum, pacem; or with the dative, especially with sibi, suis rebus, saluti, fortunae suae. Note the use of desperatus, "abandoned," "given up," "despaired of," e.g. desperati morbi (Cic.), aegrota ac paene desperata res publica (Cic.)