The Society for Ancient Languages
Week One
English Translation |
EPISTULAE AD QUINTUM FRATREM |
LETTERS TO HIS BROTHER QUINTUS
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| 7. ...Quid est enim negoti, continere
eos, quibus praesis, si te ipse contineas? Id autem sit magnum et difficile ceteris, sicut
est difficillimum; tibi et fuit hoc semper facillimum, et vero esse debuit, cuius natura
talis est, ut etiam sine doctrina videatur moderata esse potuisse: ea autem adhibita
doctrina est, quae vel vitiosissimam naturam excolere possit. Tu cum pecuniae, cum
voluptati, cum omnium rerum cupiditati resistes, ut facis, erit, credo¹,
periculum, ne improbum negotiatorem, paullo cupidiorem publicanum comprimere non possis!
Nam Graeci quidem sic te ita viventem intuebuntur, ut quemdam ex annalium memoria, aut
etiam de caelo divinum hominem esse in provinciam delapsum putent.
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7. ...For what is the difficulty, to control those, whom you preside over, if you control yourself? However, it could be a great and difficult thing for others, as it is difficult; but for you this thing has always been easy, and truly has been destined to be, since your nature is such that even without education it would seem to have been able to be moderated: however it (your nature) has been supplied with an education, one which would even be able to ennoble the most depraved nature. So while you resist against money, against pleasure, against desire of all forms, as you do, there will be danger, I believe, lest you might not be able to control a shamelss businessman or a somewhat too greedy tax collector! For indeed the Greeks will look at you, living as you do in that way, as to think you are someone out of the history of their annals, or even think that you are a godlike man from heaven having snuck into the province. |
| 9. Quid autem reperiri tam eximium, aut tam expetendum potest, quam istam virtutem, moderationem animi, temperantiam, non latere in tenebris, neque esse abditam, sed in luce Asiae, in oculis clarissimae provinciae, atque in auribus omnium gentium ac nationum esse positam? non itineribus tuis perterreri homines? non sumptu exhauriri? non adventu commoveri? esse, quocumque veneris, et publice et privatim maximam laetitiam, cum urbs custodem, non tyrannum, domus hospitem, non expilatorem, recepisse videatur? | 9. However, what is to be found so exceptional or is able to be so desired, than that virtue, moderation of spirit, and self-control, that does not lurk in dark places, or is hidden, but is placed in the light of Asia, before the eyes of a most famous province, and in the ears of all tribes and nations? That men are not frightened by your methods? Not drained by expense? Not upset by your approach? That, wherever you will have come, there is the greatest joy, both in public and in private, since it would seem the city has received a guardian, not a tyrant, and the home a guest, not a robber? |
| 37. Unum est, quod tibi ego praecipere non desinam, neque te patiar (quantum in me erit) cum exceptione laudari. Omnes etiam, qui istinc veniunt, ita de tua virtute, integritate, humanitate commemorant, ut in tuis summis laudibus excipiant unam iracundiam. Quod vitium cum in hac privata quotidianaque vita levis esse animi atque infirmi videtur, tum vero nihil est tam deforme, quam ad summum imperium etiam acerbitatem naturae adiungere. | 37. There is one thing, which I shall never stop to instruct to you, nor shall I allow (as much as I can) you to be praised with a single exception. And yet all who come from there, although they mention your virtue, integrity, your compassion, nevertheless they make an exception of one thing in your highest praises, that is your quick temper. That flaw not only seems to be of a fickle and feeble mind, in this private and daily life, but also truly nothing is so unbecoming, than to indeed apply a bitterness of your nature to your supreme command. |
| 41. Ac iam hoc loco non hortatione neque praeceptis, sed precibus tecum fraternis ago, totum ut animum, curam, cogitationemque tuam ponas in omnium laude undique colligenda. Quod si in mediocri statu sermonis ac praedicationis nostrae res essent, nihil abs te eximium, nihil praeter aliorum consuetudinem postularetur. Nunc vero, propter earum rerum, in quibus versati sumus, splendorem et magnitudinem, nisi summam laudem ex ista provincia assequimur, vix videmur summam vituperationem posse vitare. ... | 41. And now I discuss with you in this
spot not by exhortation nor by maxims but by brotherly requests that you would put all
your mind, attention, and thought into building up a reputation everywhere by means of the
praise from all men. Because if our affairs are ordinary things of common talk and praise,
nothing exceptional, nothing contrary to the custom of others, would be demanded from you.
But as matters truly now stand, because of the splendor and magnitude of those affairs in
which we have been involved², unless we obtain the highest praise out
of that province, we shall seem hardly able to avoid the highest censuring. ² I.e. Cicero's consulship in 63 B.C., with its Catiline conspiracy, whereby Cicero claims to have saved the country from a would-be king. |
| 42. Quare quoniam eiusmodi theatrum tuis virtutibus est datum, celebritate refertissimum, magnitudine amplissimum, iudicio eruditissimum, natura autem ita resonans, ut usque Romam significationes vocesque referanturm, contende, quaeso, atque elabora, non modo ut his rebus dignus fuisse, sed etiam ut illa omnia tuis artibus superasse videare. | 42. Whereby seeing that a theatre of this kind has been given for your achievements, most crowded with people, most ample with dignity, most learned in opinion, however, by nature echoing in such a way, that its expressions and voices are carried all the way to Rome, I beg you, struggle and strive, not only to have been worthy for these affairs, but also that all things [done before] would seem to have been surpassed by your skills. |