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Cornelius Nepos · Alcibiades §1.1-1.4

Talents and Dual Nature of Virtues and Vices

Passage 1 of 11 · Latin

Summary

This passage introduces the extraordinary character of Alcibiades, highlighting his dual nature that combined extreme virtues and vices, industriousness and dissolution.

§1.1Alcibiades, Cliniae filius, Atheniensis.
Alcibiades, the son of Clinias, the Athenian.
in hoc natura quid efficere possit videtur experta.
In this man, nature seems to have tried what she could accomplish.
constat enim inter omnes, qui de eo memoriae prodiderunt, nihil illo fuisse excellentius vel in vitiis vel in virtutibus.
For it is agreed among all who have handed down memories of him that nothing was more outstanding than he, whether in his vices or in his virtues.
§1.2natus in amplissima civitate summo genere, omnium aetatis suae multo formosissimus, dives; ad omnes res aptus consiliique plenus (namque imperator fuit summus et mari et terra); disertus, ut in primis dicendo valeret, quod tanta erat commendatio oris atque orationis, ut nemo ei posset resistere; §1.3cum tempus posceret, laboriosus, patiens; liberalis, splendidus non minus in vita quam victu; affabilis, blandus, temporibus callidissime serviens: §1.4idem, simulac se remiserat neque causa suberat quare animi laborem perferret, luxuriosus, dissolutus, libidinosus, intomperans reperiebatur, ut omnes admirarentur in uno homine tantam esse dissimilitudinem tamque diversam naturam.
Born in a most powerful state, of the highest family, by far the most handsome of all his generation, wealthy; fit for all things and full of counsel (for he was a supreme commander both by land and sea); eloquent, so that he was especially powerful in speaking, because the charm of his appearance and speech was so great that no one could resist him; when time demanded, industrious, patient; generous, splendid no less in his way of life than in his daily living; affable, agreeable, adapting himself most craftily to the circumstances; yet the same man, as soon as he had relaxed himself and there was no underlying reason why he should endure mental exertion, was found to be luxurious, dissolute, lustful, and intemperate, so that all wondered that there was in one man so great a difference and so diverse a nature.

Notes

  1. §1.1in hoc — The masculine ablative singular of the demonstrative pronoun hic. It refers back to Alcibiades in the preceding sentence, meaning 'in this man' (rather than the neuter singular 'in this matter').
  2. §1.1illo — The masculine ablative singular of the demonstrative pronoun ille. It functions as an ablative of comparison with the comparative adjective excellentius (which is neuter nominative singular agreeing with the subject nihil), meaning 'than he (Alcibiades)'.
  3. §1.2dicendo — The ablative of the gerund of the verb dico. It functions as an ablative of respect, specifying the sphere of ability, translated as 'in speaking' or 'in oratory'.
  4. §1.3vita quam victu — The juxtaposition of the ablatives vita (public conduct or way of life) and victu (private lifestyle, daily sustenance or living standard), highlighted by alliteration.
  5. §1.4idem — The nominative singular idem ('the same man'). While asserting identity, in this context it introduces a strong contrast or concession ('yet at the same time', 'but on the other hand') between his previous positive traits and the following negative ones.
  6. §1.4quare animi laborem perferret — The clause introduced by quare with the imperfect subjunctive perferret. This is a relative clause of characteristic modifying the antecedent causa, meaning 'a reason why he should endure mental exertion'.

Cite this passage

Cornelius Nepos, Alcibiades §1.1-1.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0588.abo007.humanitext-lat2:1.1-1.4

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