et collegae quidam mei riserunt, ego auteur collecto spiritu non destiti totum parietem persequi.
I'm not sure whether to translate 'collecto spiritu' as 'with my breath recovered (i.e. after I had got my breath back)' or 'with my courage recovered (i.e. after I had collected myself/plucked up the courage'). Both seem plausible: the penguin translation goes down the breath route, but Lewis & Short state 'Colligere se or animum, mentem, etc., to collect one's self, to compose one's self, to recover one's courage, resolution, etc. (very freq. and class.)'. I'm tempted to go for the latter, but wanted a second opinion.
Thanks in advance
I'm not sure whether to translate 'collecto spiritu' as 'with my breath recovered (i.e. after I had got my breath back)' or 'with my courage recovered (i.e. after I had collected myself/plucked up the courage'). Both seem plausible: the penguin translation goes down the breath route, but Lewis & Short state 'Colligere se or animum, mentem, etc., to collect one's self, to compose one's self, to recover one's courage, resolution, etc. (very freq. and class.)'. I'm tempted to go for the latter, but wanted a second opinion.
Thanks in advance