How great a monument I have given to you in my books, O wife dearer to me than myself, you yourself see.
§5.14.3detrahat auctori multum fortuna licebit, §5.14.4tu tamen ingenio clara ferere meo; §5.14.5dumque legar, mecum pariter tua fama legetur, §5.14.6nec potes in maestos omnis abire rogos; §5.14.7cumque viri casu possis miseranda videri, §5.14.8invenies aliquas, quae, quod es, esse velint, §5.14.9quae te, nostrorum cum sis in parte malorum, §5.14.10felicem dicant invideantque tibi.
Granted that fortune should detract much from the author, you nevertheless will be talked of as famous through my talent; and as long as I am read, your fame will be read equally with me, nor can you depart entirely into the mournful funeral pyre; and though you may seem pitiable through your husband's misfortune, you will find some women who would wish to be what you are, who, though you are in a part of our misfortunes, would call you happy and envy you.
I would not have given you more by giving riches: the shade of a rich man will carry nothing to his Manes.
I have gifted you the fruit of a lasting name, and you have that gift than which I could give nothing greater.
§5.14.15adde quod, ut rerum sola es tutela mearum, §5.14.16ad te non parvi venit honoris onus, §5.14.17quod numquam vox est de te mea muta tuique §5.14.18indiciis debes esse superba viri.
Add that, as you are the sole protection of my affairs, the burden of no small honor comes to you, because my voice is never silent about you, and you ought to be proud of the testimony of your husband.
Lest anyone be able to call these words rash, persevere, and keep equally both me and your pious fidelity.
§5.14.21nam tua, dum stetimus, turpi sine crimine mansit, §5.14.22et tantum probitas inreprehensa fuit.
For yours, while we stood, remained without shameful accusation, and your uprightness was only unreprehended.
Now from our ruin a field has been made for you; let your virtue place here a conspicuous work.
§5.14.25esse bonam facile est, ubi, quod vetet esse, remotum est, §5.14.26et nihil officio nupta quod obstet habet, §5.14.27cum deus intonuit, non se subducere nimbo, §5.14.28id demum est pietas, id socialis amor.
It is easy to be good, when what forbids to be so is removed, and a bride has nothing that obstructs her duty; when a god has thundered, not to withdraw oneself from the storm cloud, that at last is piety, that is conjugal love.
§5.14.29rara quidem virtus, quam non fortuna gubernet, §5.14.30quae maneat stabili, eum fugit illa, pede.
Rare indeed is the virtue which fortune does not govern, which remains with a stable foot when she flees.
§5.14.31siqua tamen pretium sibi virtus ipsa petitum, §5.14.32inque parum laetis ardua rebus adest, §5.14.33ut tempus numeres, per saecula nulla tacetur, §5.14.34et loca mirantur qua patet orbis iter.
If, however, some virtue seeks itself as its desired reward, and is present, lofty, in situations of little joy, though you should count the time, it is silenced through no centuries, and places admire it wherever the path of the world extends.
Do you see how the praiseworthy fidelity of Penelope keeps an unextinguished name through long ages?
Do you see how the wife of Admetus and of Hector is sung, and the daughter of Iphis who dared to go onto the burning pyre?
How the Phylacean wife lives in fame, whose husband pressed the Trojan soil with swift foot?
§5.14.41morte nihil opus est pro me, sed amore fideque: §5.14.42non ex difficili fama petenda tibi est.
There is no need of death for me, but of love and fidelity: fame is not to be sought by you from a difficult task.
§5.14.43nec te credideris, quia non facis, ista moneri: §5.14.44vela damus, quamvis remige puppis eat, §5.14.45qui monet ut facias, quod iam facis, ille monendo §5.14.46laudat et hortatu comprobat acta suo.
Nor should you believe that you are warned of these things because you do not do them: we spread the sails, although the ship goes by the oarsman; he who advises you to do what you already do, by advising praises you and approves your deeds by his encouragement.