§16ex hoc esse hunc numero quem patres nostri viderunt, divinum hominem, Africanum, ex hoc C. Laelium, L. Furium, moderatissimos homines et continentissimos, ex hoc fortissimum virum et illis temporibus doctissimum, M. Catonem illum senem; qui profecto si nihil ad percipiendam colendamque virtutem litteris adiuvarentur, numquam se ad earum studium contulissent.
I contend that of this number is that divine man, Africanus, whom our fathers saw; of this number are C. Laelius and L. Furius, most moderate and temperate men; of this number is that M. Cato the elder, a most brave man and, for those times, most learned; who indeed, if they were aided not at all by literature in perceiving and cultivating virtue, would never have applied themselves to its study.
quod si non hic tantus fructus ostenderetur, et si ex his studiis delectatio sola peteretur, tamen, ut opinor, hanc animi remissionem humanissimam ac liberalissimam iudicaretis.
But if this so great fruit were not displayed, and if pleasure alone were sought from these studies, yet, as I think, you would judge this relaxation of the mind to be most humane and liberal.
nam ceterae neque temporum sunt neque aetatum omnium neque locorum; at haec studia adulescentiam acuunt, senectutem oblectant, secundas res ornant, adversis perfugium ac solacium praebent, delectant domi, non impediunt foris, pernoctant nobiscum, peregrinantur, rusticantur.
For other relaxations belong neither to all times, nor to all ages, nor to all places; but these studies sharpen youth, delight old age, adorn prosperity, offer refuge and solace in adversity, delight at home, do not hinder abroad, spend the night with us, travel, and go to the countryside.
§17quod si ipsi haec neque attingere neque sensu nostro gustare possemus, tamen ea mirari deberemus, etiam cum in aliis videremus.
But if we ourselves were able neither to touch these things nor to taste them with our own sense, yet we ought to admire them, even when we saw them in others.
quis nostrum tam animo agresti ac duro fuit ut Rosci morte nuper non commoveretur? qui cum esset senex mortuus, tamen propter excellentem artem ac venustatem videbatur omnino mori non debuisse.
Who of us was of so rustic and harsh a mind as not to be moved recently by the death of Roscius? Who, though he died an old man, yet because of his excellent art and grace seemed to have been altogether bound not to die.
ergo ille corporis motu tantum amorem sibi conciliarat a nobis omnibus; nos animorum incredibilis motus celeritatemque ingeniorum neglegemus?
Therefore, he by the movement of his body had won such great love for himself from us all; shall we neglect the incredible movements of minds and the swiftness of intellects?
§18quotiens ego hunc Archiam vidi, iudices,—utar enim vestra benignitate, quoniam me in hoc novo genere dicendi tam diligenter attenditis—quotiens ego hunc vidi, cum litteram scripsisset nullam, magnum numerum optimorum versuum de eis ipsis rebus quae tum agerentur dicere ex tempore, quotiens revocatum eandem rem dicere commutatis verbis atque sententiis! quae vero accurate cogitateque scripsisset, ea sic vidi probari ut ad veterum scriptorum laudem perveniret.
How many times have I seen this Archias, judges—for I will make use of your kindness, since you attend to me so diligently in this new kind of speaking—how many times have I seen him, when he had written not a single letter, speak offhand a great number of excellent verses about those very things which were then being discussed; how many times when recalled, speak of the same matter with changed words and thoughts! But those things which he had written with care and thought, those I have seen so approved that he arrived at the praise of ancient writers.
hunc ego non diligam, non admirer, non omni ratione defendendum putem? atque sic a summis hominibus eruditissimisque accepimus, ceterarum rerum studia ex doctrina et praeceptis et arte constare, poetam natura ipsa valere et mentis viribus excitari et quasi divino quodam spiritu inflari.
Shall I not love him, shall I not admire him, shall I not think he ought to be defended by every means? And indeed we have received this from the greatest and most learned men, that the studies of other things consist of learning, precepts, and art, but that a poet is strong by nature itself, and is excited by the powers of the mind, and is inspired by a certain quasi-divine spirit.
qua re suo iure noster ille Ennius 'sanctos' appellat poetas, quod quasi deorum aliquo dono atque munere commendati nobis esse videantur.
Wherefore our own famous Ennius by his own right calls poets "holy," because they seem to be commended to us as if by some gift and favor of the gods.
§19sit igitur, iudices, sanctum apud vos, humanissimos homines, hoc poetae nomen quod nulla umquam barbaria violavit.
Let, therefore, judges, this name of poet be holy among you, most humane men, which no barbarity has ever violated.
Saxa atque solitudines voci respondent, bestiae saepe immanes cantu flectuntur atque consistunt; nos instituti rebus optimis non poetarum voce moveamur? Homerum Colophonii civem esse dicunt suum, Chii suum vindicant, Salaminii repetunt, Smyrnaei vero suum esse confirmant itaque etiam delubrum eius in oppido dedicaverunt, permulti alii praeterea pugnant inter se atque contendunt.
Rocks and solitudes answer to the voice, wild beasts often savage are turned by song and stand still; shall we, educated in the best things, not be moved by the voice of poets? The Colophonians say that Homer is their citizen, the Chians claim him as theirs, the Salaminians demand him, but the Smyrnaeans confirm that he is theirs, and so they have even dedicated a shrine to him in their town; very many others besides fight and contend among themselves.
ergo illi alienum, quia poeta fuit, post mortem etiam expetunt; nos hunc vivum qui et voluntate et legibus noster est repudiamus, praesertim cum omne olim studium atque omne ingenium contulerit Archias ad populi Romani gloriam laudemque celebrandam? nam et Cimbricas res adulescens attigit et ipsi illi C. Mario qui durior ad haec studia videbatur iucundus fuit.
Therefore, they seek a stranger, even after death, because he was a poet; shall we reject this living man, who is ours both by his own will and by our laws, especially since Archias formerly contributed all his study and all his genius to celebrating the glory and praise of the Roman people? For he both touched upon the Cimbrian affairs as a youth and was pleasing to that very C. Marius, who seemed rather harsh toward these studies.
§20neque enim quisquam est tam aversus a Musis qui non mandari versibus aeternum suorum laborum praeconium facile patiatur.
For there is no one so averse to the Muses who does not easily allow the eternal praise of his labors to be committed to verses.
Themistoclem illum, summum Athenis virum, dixisse aiunt, cum ex eo quaereretur quod acroama aut cuius vocem libentissime audiret: 'eius a quo sua virtus optime praedicaretur. ' itaque ille Marius item eximie L. Plotium dilexit, cuius ingenio putabat ea quae gesserat posse celebrari.
They say that the famous Themistocles, the greatest man in Athens, said, when it was asked of him what performance or whose voice he heard most gladly: "His by whom his own virtue is best praised." Therefore, that famous Marius likewise loved L. Plotius exceedingly, by whose genius he thought those things which he had done could be celebrated.