§1.1Timoleon Corinthius.
Timoleon of Corinth.
sine dubio magnus omnium iudicio hic vir exstitit.
Without doubt, this man stood out as great in the judgment of all.
namque huic uni contigit, quod nescio an nulli, ut et patriam, in qua erat natus, oppressam a tyranno liberaret, et a Syracusanis, quibus auxilio erat missus, iam inveteratam servitutem depelleret totamque Siciliam, multos annos bello vexatam a barbarisque oppressam, suo adventu in pristinum restitueret.
For to this one man it happened, which I know not whether to any other, that he both liberated his fatherland, in which he had been born, from being oppressed by a tyrant, and drove away an already long-established servitude from the Syracusans, to whom he had been sent as an aid, and by his arrival restored to its former state the whole of Sicily, which had been vexed for many years by war and oppressed by barbarians.
§1.2sed in his rebus non simplici fortuna conflictatus est et, id quod difficilius putatur, multo sapientius tulit secundam quam adversam fortunam.
But in these matters he was not harassed by a simple fortune, and, what is thought to be more difficult, he bore prosperous fortune much more wisely than adverse.
§1.3nam cum frater eius Timophanes, dux a Corinthiis delectus, tyrannidem per milites mercennarios occupasset particepsque regni ipse posset esse, tantum afuit a societate sceleris, ut antetulerit civium suorum libertatem fratris saluti et parere legibus quam imperare patriae satius duxerit.
For when his brother Timophanes, a leader chosen by the Corinthians, had seized the tyranny by means of mercenary soldiers and he himself could have been a partner in the power, he was so far from participating in the crime that he preferred the liberty of his fellow citizens to his brother's safety, and deemed it better to obey the laws than to rule over his fatherland.
§1.4hac mente per haruspicem communemque affinem, cui soror ex eisdem parentibus nata nupta erat, fratrem tyrannum interficiundum curavit.
With this mind, through a diviner and a common relation, to whom their sister born of the same parents was married, he took care to have his tyrant brother put to death.
ipse non modo manus non attulit, sed ne aspicere quidem fraternum sanguinem voluit.
He himself not only did not lay hands on him, but did not even wish to look upon his brother's blood.
nam dum res conficeretur, procul in praesidio fuit, ne quis satelles posset succurrere.
For while the matter was being transacted, he remained at a distance in the garrison, lest any bodyguard might be able to help.
§1.5hoc praeclarissimum eius factum non pari modo probatum est ab omnibus: nonnulli enim laesam ab eo pietatem putabant et invidia laudem virtutis obterebant.
This most noble deed of his was not approved in an equal manner by all; for some thought that natural affection had been violated by him, and through envy they disparaged the praise of his virtue.
mater vero post id factum neque domum ad se filium admisit neque aspexit, quin eum fratricidam impiumque detestans compellaret.
But his mother, after that deed, neither admitted her son to her house nor looked upon him, without calling him an impious fratricide with detestation.
§1.6quibus rebus ille adeo est commotus, ut nonnumquam vitae finem facere voluerit atque ex ingratorum homirnam conspectu morte decedere.
By these things he was so deeply moved that he sometimes wished to make an end of his life and to depart by death from the sight of ungrateful men.