Letter to Numicius on True Happiness and Wondering at Nothing — Horace, Epistles Book 1 (1.6.1–1.6.68), Latin & English

Nil admirari¹ prope res est una, Numici,

To marvel at nothing is almost the one and only thing, Numicius,

solaque quae possit facere et servare beatum,

which can make and keep a man happy.

hunc solem et stellas et decedentia certis

This sun, and the stars, and the seasons that pass away at fixed

tempora momentis sunt qui formidine nulla

periods—there are some who can gaze upon these

imbuti spectent: quid censes munera terrae,

imbued with no fear. What do you think of the gifts of the earth,

quid maris extremos Arabas ditantis et Indos,

what of the sea that enriches the far-off Arabs and Indians,

ludicra quid, plausus et amici dona Quiritis,

what of the shows, the applause and the favors of the friendly Roman citizen?

quo spectanda modo, quo sensu credis et ore?

In what way do you think they should be looked at, with what feeling and countenance?

Qui timet his adversa, fere miratur eodem

He who fears their opposites marvels in almost the same way

quo cupiens pacto: pavor est utrobique molestus,

as he who desires them; anxiety is troublesome on both sides,

improvisa simul species exterret utrumque.

and an unexpected appearance terrifies both alike.

gaudeat an doleat, cupiat metuatne, quid ad rem,

Whether he rejoices or grieves, desires or fears, what difference does it make,

si, quicquid vidit melius peiusve sua spe,

if, whatever he sees better or worse than his expectation,

defixis oculis animoque et corpore torpet?

he is stupefied, with eyes fixed, and in mind and body paralyzed?

insani sapiens nomen ferat,² aequus iniqui,

Let the wise man bear the name of madman, the just of unjust,

ultra quam satis est Virtutem si petat ipsam.

if he should seek Virtue itself beyond what is sufficient.

I nunc, argentum et marmor vetus aeraque et artes

Go now, gaze with admiration at silver, old marble, bronze, and works of art;

suspice, cum gemmis Tyrios mirare colores;

admire Tyrian colors together with gems;

gaude quod spectant oculi te mille loquentem;

rejoice that a thousand eyes look at you as you speak;

navus mane forum et vespertinus pete tectum,

be busy and seek the forum in the morning, and your roof in the evening,

ne plus frumenti dotalibus emetat agris

lest Mutus reap more grain from his dotal fields

Mutus et (indignum, quod sit peioribus ortus)³

and (shameful, since he is sprung from meaner ancestors)

hic tibi sit potius quam tu mirabilis illi.

he should be an object of admiration to you, rather than you to him.

quidquid sub terra est, in apricum proferet aetas,

Whatever is under the earth, time will bring forth into the sunshine;

defodiet condetque nitentia, cum bene notum

it will bury and hide what now shines, when well-known

porticus Agrippae, via te conspexerit Appi,

the colonnade of Agrippa and the Appian Way have beheld you;

ire tamen restat Numa quo devenit et Ancus.

yet it remains for you to go where Numa and Ancus have descended.

Si latus aut renes morbo temptantur acuto,

If your side or reins are assailed by a sharp disease,

quaere fugam morbi, vis recte vivere: quis non?

seek escape from the disease. Do you wish to live aright? Who does not?

si Virtus hoc una potest dare, fortis omissis

If Virtue alone can grant this, bravely leaving

hoc age deliciis. Virtutem verba putas et

pleasures aside, attend to this. Do you think Virtue is but words, and

lucum ligna: cave ne portus occupet alter,

a sacred grove but firewood? Take care lest another occupy the harbor first,

ne Cibyratica, ne Bithyna negotia perdas;

lest you lose the business of Cibyra and Bithynia;

mille talenta rotundentur, totidem altera, porro et

let a thousand talents be rounded out, as many more, and further

tertia succedant et quae pars quadret acervum.

a third thousand succeed, and the part which makes the heap square.

scilicet uxorem cum dote fidemque et amicos

To be sure, a wife with a dowry, credit, friends,

et genus et formam regina Pecunia donat,

birth, and beauty are bestowed by Queen Money,

ac bene nummatum decorat Suadela Venusque,

and Suadela and Venus adorn the well-monied man.

mancupiis locuples eget aeris Cappadocum rex:

The king of the Cappadocians, rich in slaves, lacks money:

ne fueris hic tu. chlamydes Lucullus, ut aiunt,

do not be like him. Lucullus, as they say,

si posset centum scaenae praebere rogatus,

when asked if he could lend a hundred cloaks for the stage,

qui possum tot? ait; “tamen et quaeram et quot habebo

said, “How can I so many? Yet I will look, and whatever I have

mittam:” post paulo scribit sibi milia quinque

I will send.” A little later he writes that he has five thousand

esse domi chlamydum; partem vel tolleret⁴ omnis,

cloaks at home; they might take a part or all of them.

exilis domus est, ubi non et multa supersunt

It is a poor house where there are not many things left over,

et dominum fallunt et prosunt furibus. ergo

which escape the master and profit thieves. Therefore,

si res sola potest facere et servare beatum,

if wealth alone can make and keep you happy,

hoc primus repetas opus, hoc postremus omittas.

be the first to return to this task, and the last to leave it.

Si fortunatum species et gratia praestat,

If show and popularity make a man fortunate,

mercemur servum, qui dictet nomina, laevum

let us buy a slave to tell us names, to nudge

qui fodicet latus et cogat trans pondera dextram

our left side, and force us to stretch out our hand across obstacles:

porrigere: “hic multum in Fabia valet, ille Velina;

”This man has much influence in the Fabia tribe, that one in the Velina;

cui libet hic fasces dabit eripietque curule

this one will give the fasces to whom he pleases, and, importunate, snatch

cui volet importunus ebur.” frater, pater adde:

the curule ivory from whom he will.” Add “Brother,” “Father”;

ut cuique est aetas, ita quemque facetus adopta.

as each one’s age is, so courteously adopt him.

Si bene qui cenat bene vivit, lucet, eamus

If he who dines well lives well, it is light, let us go

quo ducit gula; piscemur, venemur, ut olim

where our appetite leads; let us fish, let us hunt, as once did

Gargilius, qui mane plagas, venabula, servos

Gargilius, who in the morning ordered his nets, hunting spears, and slaves

differtum transire forum populumque iubebat,

to pass through the crowded forum and the people,

unus ut e multis populo spectante referret

so that, before the gazing crowd, one mule out of many

emptum mulus aprum, crudi tumidique lavemur,

might bring back a boar he had bought. Let us bathe, bloated and undigested,

quid deceat, quid non, obliti, Caerite cera

forgetful of what is decent, what is not, worthy of the Caerite register,

digni,⁵ remigium vitiosum Ithacensis Ulixei,

like the vicious crew of Ulysses of Ithaca,

cui potior patria fuit interdicta voluptas.

to whom forbidden pleasure was preferable to their country.

si, Mimnermus uti censet, sine amore iocisque

If, as Mimnermus thinks, without love and jests

nil est iucundum, vivas in amore iocisque.

nothing is pleasant, may you live in love and jests.

Vive, vale! si quid novisti rectius istis,

Live, and fare well! If you know anything better than these precepts,

candidus imperti; si nil, his utere mecum.

candidly impart it; if not, use these with me.

Syntax notes5 items

1.6.1Nil admirari
An infinitive phrase functioning as the subject of the main verb 'est' (substantive use of the infinitive). Horace uses this Latin phrase to summarize the Greek philosophical concepts of 'apatheia' (Stoic) or 'ataraxia' (Epicurean).
1.6.15insani sapiens nomen ferat
'ferat' is a present subjunctive (third-person singular) expressing concession or hortatory command. By contrasting 'sapiens' (the wise man) with 'insani' (of a madman), Horace presents the extreme paradox that even if one pursues Virtue itself, doing so beyond moderation makes even a wise man deserve the name of a madman.
1.6.22quod sit peioribus ortus
The subjunctive 'sit' indicates a subjective reason or a reported opinion attributed to the standard of the public (or Mutus's rivals). 'ortus' is a perfect participle of 'orior', with the auxiliary verb 'sit' shared (forming 'ortus sit').
1.6.44tolleret
'tolleret' (imperfect subjunctive) represents an indirect command or permission ("they might take...") in indirect discourse, depending on the historical present 'scribit'. The original direct speech would have used an imperative or hortatory subjunctive ('tollite' or 'tollatis').
1.6.62Caerite cera digni
'digni' (nominative plural, agreeing with the implied 'nos') takes the ablative 'Caerite cera' (the Caerite tablet/register). Historically, this refers to the citizens of Caere who were deprived of voting rights, thus 'worthy of the Caerite register' became a proverbial expression for citizens stripped of political rights due to disgrace.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-22) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-22)

2026-09-22 AI review — source 1

urn:cts:latinLit:phi0893.phi005.humanitext-lat2:1.6.1-1.6.68