§109.1An sapiens sapienti prosit scire desideras.
You desire to know whether a wise man benefits a wise man.
Dicimus plenum omni bono esse sapientem et summa adeptum; quomodo prodesse aliqui possit summum habenti bonum, quaeritur.
We say that the wise man is full of every good and has attained the highest; how anyone can benefit one who possesses the highest good is the question.
Prosunt inter se boni; exercent enim virtutes et sapientiam in suo statu continent.
Good men benefit each other; for they exercise their virtues and keep wisdom in its own state.
Desiderat uterque aliquem, cum quo conferat, cum quo quaerat.
Each desires someone with whom to compare, with whom to seek.
§109.2Peritos luctandi usus exercet; musicum, qui paria didicit, movet.
Practice exercises those skilled in wrestling; a musician is moved by one who has learned equal skills.
Opus est et sapienti agitatione virtutum: ita quemadmodum ipse se movet, sic movetur ab alio sapiente.
There is need also for the wise man of the exercise of virtues: thus, just as he moves himself, so he is moved by another wise man.
§109.3Quid sapiens sapienti proderit? Impetum illi dabit, occasiones actionum honestarum commonstrabit.
What will a wise man benefit a wise man? He will give him an impulse, he will point out opportunities for honorable actions.
Praeter haec aliquas cogitationes suas exprimet: docebit, quae invenerit.
Besides these, he will express some of his thoughts: he will teach what he has found.
Semper enim etiam a sapiente restabit, quod inveniat et quo animus eius excurrat.
For there will always remain, even for a wise man, something to find and where his mind may run ahead.
§109.4Malus malo nocet facitque peiorem, iram eius incitando, tristitiae adsentiendo, voluptates laudando, et tunc maxime laborant mali, ubi plurimum vitia miscuere, et in unum conlata nequitia est.
A bad man harms a bad man and makes him worse, by inciting his anger, by agreeing with his sadness, by praising his pleasures, and then bad men suffer most, when they have mixed their vices most, and their wickedness is gathered into one.
Ergo ex contrario bonus bono proderit.
Therefore, on the contrary, a good man will benefit a good man.
"Quomodo? "inquis.
'How?' you say.
§109.5Gaudium illi adferet, fiduciam confirmabit, ex conspectu mutuae tranquillitatis crescet utriusque laetitia.
He will bring him joy, confirm his confidence, and from the sight of mutual tranquility the gladness of both will grow.
Praeterea quarumdam illi rerum scientiam tradet; non enim omnia sapiens scit.
Besides, he will hand down to him the knowledge of certain things; for a wise man does not know everything.
Etiam si sciret, breviores vias rerum aliqui excogitare posset et has indicare, per quas facilius totum opus circumfertur.
Even if he did, someone could devise shorter ways for things and point these out, through which the whole work is more easily carried around.
§109.6Proderit sapienti sapiens, non scilicet tantum suis viribus, sed ipsius, quem adiuvat.
A wise man will benefit a wise man, obviously not only by his own strength, but by that of the one whom he helps.
Potest quidem ille etiam relictus sibi explicare partes suas; nihilominus adiuvat etiam currentem hortator.
Indeed, even left to himself, he can unfold his own parts; nevertheless, an encourager helps even one who is running.
"Non prodest sapienti sapiens, sed sibi ipse.
'A wise man does not benefit a wise man, but benefits himself.
Hoc scias: detrahe illi vim propriam, et ille nihil aget. " §109.7Illo modo dicas licet non esse in melle dulcedinem: nam ipse ille, qui esse debeat, ita aptatus lingua palatoque est ad eiusmodi gustum, ut illa talis sapor capiat, aut offendetur.
Know this: take away his own power, and he will do nothing.' In that way you might as well say that there is no sweetness in honey; for he himself, who is to eat it, is so fitted in tongue and palate for that kind of taste, that those organs catch such a flavor, or will be offended.
Sunt enim quidam, quibus morbi vitio mel amarum videatur.
For there are some to whom, by the defect of disease, honey seems bitter.
Oportet utrumque valere, ut et ille prodesse possit et hic profuturo idonea materia sit. "
Both must be healthy, so that both the former can benefit and the latter can be suitable material for one who is to benefit.
§109.8Si in summum," inquit, "perducto calorem calefieri supervacuum est, et in summum perducto bonum supervacuum est si qui prosit.
'If,' he says, 'it is superfluous for one brought to the highest heat to be warmed, it is also superfluous for one brought to the highest good if anyone benefits him.
Numquid instructus omnibus rebus agricola ab alio instrui quaerit? Numquid armatus miles, quantum in aciem exituro satis est tuti, amplius arma desiderat? Ergo nec sapiens; satis enim vitae instructus, satis armatus est. " §109.9Ad haec respondeo: et qui in summo est calore, opus est calore adiecto, ut summum teneat.
Does the farmer, equipped with all things, seek to be equipped by another? Does the armed soldier, as much as is enough for safety for one going out into battle, desire more weapons? Therefore, neither does the wise man; for he is sufficiently equipped, sufficiently armed for life.' To this I reply: even he who is in the highest heat needs added heat to keep the highest.
"Sed ipse se," inquit, "calor continet. "Primum multum interest inter ista, quae comparas; calor enim unus est, prodesse varium est.
'But,' he says, 'heat maintains itself.' First, there is a great difference between those things which you compare; for heat is single, but benefiting is diverse.
Deinde calor non adiuvatur adiectione caloris, ut caleat; sapiens non potest in habitu mentis suae stare, nisi amicos aliquos similes sui admisit, cum quibus virtutes suas communicet.
Next, heat is not helped by the addition of heat in order to be warm; but the wise man cannot stand in the state of his mind unless he has admitted some friends similar to himself, with whom he may share his virtues.
§109.10Adice nunc, quod omnibus inter se virtutibus amicitia est.
Add now that there is friendship among all virtues with each other.
Itaque prodest, qui virtutes alicuius paris sui amat amandasque invicem praestat.
Therefore he benefits who loves the virtues of his equal, and in turn offers his own as worthy of love.
Similia delectant; utique ubi honesta sunt et probare ac probari sciunt.
Similar things delight; especially when they are honorable and know how to approve and be approved.