§11.1Locutus est mecum amicus tuus bonae indolis, in quo quantum esset animi, quantum ingenii, quantum iam etiam profectus, sermo primus ostendit.
Your friend of good character has spoken with me, and his first conversation showed how much spirit he has, how much talent, and indeed how much progress already.
Dedit nobis gustum, ad quem respondebit.
He gave us a foretaste, to which he will correspond.
Non enim ex praeparato locutus est, sed subito deprehensus.
For he did not speak from preparation, but was caught off guard.
Ubi se colligebat, verecundiam, bonum in adulescente signum, vix potuit excutere; adeo illi ex alto suffusus est rubor.
When he was collecting himself, he could scarcely shake off his modesty—a good sign in a young man—so deeply was the blush poured over him from within.
Hic illum, quantum suspicor, etiam cum se confirmaverit et omnibus vitiis exuerit, sapientem quoque sequetur.
This blush, as far as I suspect, will follow him also when he has strengthened himself and stripped off all vices, and even when he becomes a wise man.
Nulla enim sapientia naturalia corporis vitia ponuntur.
For by no wisdom are the natural defects of the body put aside.
Quicquid infixum et ingenitum est, lenitur arte, non vincitur.
Whatever is fixed and inborn is softened by art, not conquered.
§11.2Quibusdam etiam constantissimis in conspectu populi sudor erumpit, non aliter quam fatigatis et aestuantibus solet, quibusdam tremunt genua dicturis, quorundam dentes colliduntur, lingua titubat, labra concurrunt.
Even in some of the most resolute men, sweat breaks out in the sight of the public, not otherwise than it is wont to do for those who are fatigued and hot; the knees of some tremble when they are about to speak, the teeth of some chatter, the tongue hesitates, the lips press together.
Haec nec disciplina nec usus umquam excutit, sed natura vim suam exercet et illo vitio sui etiam robustissimos admonet.
Neither training nor experience ever shakes these things off, but nature exerts her power and warns even the strongest of their own particular weakness.
§11.3Inter haec esse et ruborem scio, qui gravissimis quoque viris subitus adfunditur.
Among these things I know that blushing also belongs, which is suddenly poured over even the most serious men.
Magis quidem in iuvenibus apparet, quibus et plus caloris est et tenera frons; nihilominus et veteranos et senes tangit.
It appears indeed more in young people, who have both more heat and a tender forehead; nevertheless, it touches both veterans and old men.
Quidam numquam magis, quam cum erubuerint, timendi sunt, quasi omnem verecundiam effuderint.
Some are never more to be feared than when they have blushed, as if they have poured out all their modesty.
§11.4Sulla tunc erat violentissimus, cum faciem eius sanguis invaserat.
Sulla was then most violent, when blood had invaded his face.
Nihil erat mollius ore Pompei; numquam non coram pluribus rubuit, utique in contionibus.
Nothing was softer than the countenance of Pompey; he never failed to blush in the presence of many, especially in public assemblies.
Fabianum, cum in senatum testis esset inductus, erubuisse memini, et hic illum mire pudor decuit.
I remember that Fabianus blushed when he was brought into the senate as a witness, and on this occasion this modesty wonderfully became him.
§11.5Non accidit hoc ab infirmitate mentis, sed a novitate rei, quae inexercitatos, etiamsi non concutit, movet naturali in hoc facilitate corporis pronos.
This does not happen from weakness of mind, but from the novelty of the situation, which, even if it does not shatter the untrained, moves them, being prone to this by a natural susceptibility of the body.
Nam ut quidam boni sanguinis sunt, ita quidam incitati et mobilis et cito in os prodeuntis.
For just as some are of good blood, so some are of blood that is excited, mobile, and quickly coming forth into the face.
§11.6Haec, ut dixi, nulla sapientia abigit; alioquin haberet rerum naturam sub imperio, si omnia eraderet vitia.
These things, as I said, no wisdom drives away; otherwise wisdom would have the nature of things under its command if it erased all defects.
Quaecumque adtribuit condicio nascendi et corporis temperatum, cum multum se diuque animus conposuerit, haerebunt.
Whatever the condition of birth and the temperament of the body have assigned will cling, even when the mind has composed itself much and for a long time.
Nihil horum vetari potest, non magis quam accersi.
None of these things can be forbidden, any more than they can be summoned.
§11.7Artifices scaenici, qui imitantur adfectus, qui metum et trepidationem exprimunt, qui tristitiam repraesentant, hoc indicio imitantur verecundiam: deiciunt enim vultum, verba submittunt, figunt in terram oculos et deprimunt.
Stage actors who imitate emotions, who express fear and trepidation, who represent sadness, imitate modesty by this sign: they cast down their countenance, lower their voices, fix and depress their eyes upon the ground.
Ruborem sibi exprimere non possunt; nec prohibetur hic nec adducitur.
They cannot express a blush for themselves; this is neither prevented nor summoned.
Nihil adversus haec sapientia promittit, nihil proficit; sui iuris sunt, iniussa veniunt, iniussa discedunt.
Wisdom promises nothing against these things, accomplishes nothing; they are under their own law, they come unbidden, they depart unbidden.
§11.8Iam clausulam epistula poscit.
Now the letter demands its conclusion.
Accipe, et quidem utilem ac salutarem, quam te affigere animo volo: "Aliquis vir bonus nobis diligendus est ac semper ante oculos habendus, ut sic tamquam illo spectante vivamus et omnia tamquam illo vidente faciamus. " §11.9Hoc, mi Lucili, Epicurus praecepit.
Receive one, and indeed a useful and salutary one, which I want you to fix in your mind: "We must choose some good man and always keep him before our eyes, so that we may live as if he were watching and do everything as if he were seeing us." This, my Lucilius, Epicurus prescribed.
Custodem nobis et paedagogum dedit, nec immerito.
He gave us a guardian and a tutor, and not without reason.
Magna pars peccatorum tollitur, si peccaturis testis adsistit.
A large part of sins is removed if a witness stands by those who are about to sin.
Aliquem habeat animus, quem vereatur, cuius auctoritate etiam secretum suum sanctius faciat.
Let the mind have someone whom it fears, by whose authority it may make even its secret place more holy.
O felicem illum, qui non praesens tantum, sed etiam cogitatus emendat! O felicem, qui sic aliquem vereri potest, ut ad memoriam quoque eius se conponat atque ordinet! Qui sic aliquem vereri potest, cito erit verendus.
Oh happy is he who corrects not only when present, but even when thought of! Oh happy is he who can so revere someone that he composes and orders himself even at his memory! He who can so revere someone will soon be revered himself.
§11.10Elige itaque Catonem.
Choose therefore Cato.
Si hic tibi videtur nimis rigidus, elige remissioris animi virum Laelium.
If he seems to you too rigid, choose Laelius, a man of a gentler mind.
Elige eum, cuius tibi placuit et vita et oratio et ipse animum ante se ferens vultus; illum tibi semper ostende vel custodem vel exemplum.
Choose him whose life, speech, and very face revealing the soul before it have pleased you; always show him to yourself either as a guardian or as an exemplar.
Opus est, inquam, aliquo, ad quem mores nostri se ipsi exigant; nisi ad regulam prava non corriges.
There is need, I say, of someone by whom our characters may regulate themselves; you will not correct what is crooked except by a ruler.
VALE.
FAREWELL.