§115.10Haec ipsa res, quae tot magistratus, tot iudices detinet, quae et magistratus et iudices facit, pecunia, ex quo in honore esse coepit, verus rerum honor cecidit, mercatoresque et venales in vicem facti quaerimus non quale sit quidque, sed quanti; ad mercedem pii sumus, ad mercedem impii, et honesta, quamdiu aliqua illis spes inest, sequimur, in contrarium transituri, si plus scelera promittent.
This very thing, money, which detains so many magistrates and so many judges, and which makes both magistrates and judges, ever since it began to be held in honor, the true honor of things has fallen, and we, having become merchants and saleable goods in turn, seek not of what quality each thing is, but of how much value; for a reward we are pious, for a reward impious, and we follow honorable things as long as some hope remains in them, ready to pass over to the contrary if crimes shall promise more.
§115.11Admirationem nobis parentes auri argenti que fecerunt, et teneris infusa cupiditas altius sedit crevitque nobiscum.
Our parents created in us an admiration for gold and silver, and the desire infused into our tender years has settled deeply and grown with us.
Deinde totus populus in alia discors in hoc convenit; hoc suspiciunt, hoc suis optant, hoc dis velut rerum humanarum maximum, cum grati videri volunt, consecrant.
Then all the people, discordant in other things, agree on this; this they look up to, this they wish for their own, this they consecrate to the gods as the greatest of human things when they wish to appear grateful.
Denique eo mores redacti sunt, ut paupertas maledicto probroque sit, contempta divitibus, invisa pauperibus.
Finally, morals have been reduced to such a point that poverty is a curse and a disgrace, despised by the rich and hated by the poor.
§115.12Accedunt deinde carmina poetarum, quae adfectibus nostris facem subdant, quibus divitiae velut unicum vitae decus ornamentumque laudantur.
Then the poems of poets are added to put a torch to our passions, in which riches are praised as the unique glory and ornament of life.
Nihil illis melius nec dare videntur di immortales posse nec habere.
The immortal gods seem to be able neither to give nor to possess anything better than them.
§115.13"
Regia Solis erat sublimibus alta columnis
Clara micante auro.
"The palace of the Sun stood high with lofty columns, bright with glittering gold.
"
Eiusdem currum aspice:
"
Aureus axis erat, temo aureus, aurea summae
Curvatura rotae, radiorum argenteus ordo.
"Look at the chariot of the same: "The axle was of gold, the pole of gold, the gold curvature of the topmost wheel, the row of spokes of silver.
"
Denique quod optimum videri volunt saeculum, aureum appellant.
"Finally, the age which they wish to appear best, they call golden.
§115.14Nec apud Graecos tragicos desunt, qui lucro innocentiam, salutem, opinionem bonam mutent.
Nor are there wanting among the Greek tragic poets those who would barter innocence, safety, and a good reputation for lucre.
"
Sine me vocari pessimum, ut dives vocer.
"Let me be called the worst of men, so long as I am called rich.
An dives, omnes quaerimus, nemo, an bonus.
Whether a man is rich, we all ask; no one asks whether he is good.
Non quare et unde, quid habeas, tantum rogant.
They ask not why and whence, but only what you have.
Ubique tanti quisque, quantum habuit, fuit.
Everywhere, everyone has been worth as much as he possessed.
Quid habere nobis turpe sit quaeris? Nihil.
Do you ask what is shameful for us to have? Nothing.
Aut dives opto vivere aut pauper mori.
I pray either to live rich or to die poor.
Bene moritur, quisquis moritur dum lucrum facit.
Well dies whoever dies while making a profit.
Pecunia, ingens generis humani bonum,
Cui non voluptas matris aut blandae potest
Par esse prolis, non sacer meritis parens; Tam dulce si quid Veneris in vultu micat,
Merito illa amores caelitum atque hominum movet. "
O money, huge good of the human race, to which neither the pleasure of a mother nor of a sweet child can be equal, nor a sacred parent with merits; if anything so sweet shines in the face of Venus, with good reason she moves the loves of gods and men.
§115.15Cum hi novissimi versus in tragoedia Euripidis pronuntiati essent, totus populus ad eiciendum et actorem et carmen consurrexit uno impetu, donec Euripides in medium ipse prosilivit petens, ut expectarent viderentque, quem admirator auri exitum faceret.
"When these last verses were pronounced in a tragedy of Euripides, all the people rose up with one impulse to drive out both the actor and the poem, until Euripides himself leaped forward into the midst, begging that they should wait and see what end the admirer of gold would make.
Dabat in illa fabula poenas Bellerophontes, quas in sua quisque dat.
In that play Bellerophon paid the penalties which everyone pays in his own life.
§115.16Nulla enim avaritia sine poena est, quamvis satis sit ipsa poenarum.
For no avarice is without punishment, although it itself is enough of a punishment.
O quantum lacrimarum, quantum laborum exigit! Quam misera desiderat esse, quam misera e partis est! Adice cotidianas sollicitudines, quae pro modo habendi quemque discruciant.
Oh, how many tears, how much labor it demands! How wretched it is in desiring, how wretched in what has been portioned out! Add the daily anxieties which torment each one according to the measure of his possession.
Maiore tormento pecunia possidetur quam quaeritur.
Money is possessed with greater torment than it is sought.
Quantum damnis ingemescunt, quae et magna incidunt et videntur maiora! Denique ut illis fortuna nihil detrahat, quidquid non adquiritur, damnum est.
How much they groan at losses, which both fall heavily and seem still greater! Finally, though fortune should take nothing from them, whatever is not acquired is a loss.
§115.17"At felicem illum homines et divitem vocant et consequi optant, quantum ille possidet. "Fateor.
"But men call that man happy and rich, and wish to attain as much as he possesses." I admit it.
Quid ergo? Tu ullos esse condicionis peioris existimas quam qui habent et miseriam et invidiam? Utinam qui divitias optaturi essent, cum divitibus deliberarent! Utinam honores petituri cum ambitiosis et summum adeptis dignitatis statum! Profecto vota mutassent, cum interim illi nova suscipiunt, cum priora damnaverint.
What then? Do you think any are of a worse condition than those who possess both misery and envy? Would that those who were about to wish for riches had consulted with the rich! Would that those about to seek honors had consulted with the ambitious and those who have attained the highest state of dignity! Surely they would have changed their prayers, whereas in the meantime those others undertake new ones, since they have condemned their former ones.
Nemo enim est, cui felicitas sua, etiam si cursu venit, satis faciat.
For there is no one whom his own happiness satisfies, even if it comes at a run.
Queruntur et de consiliis et de processibus suis maluntque semper quae reliquerunt.
They complain both of their plans and of their progress, and always prefer what they have left behind.
§115.18Itaque hoc tibi philosophia praestabit, quo equidem nihil maius existimo: numquam te paenitebit tui.
Therefore philosophy will bestow this upon you, than which indeed I think nothing is greater: you will never be dissatisfied with yourself.
Ad hanc tam solidam felicitatem, quam tempestas nulla concutiat, non perducent te apte verba contexta et oratio fluens leniter.
To this so solid happiness, which no tempest can shake, aptly woven words and smoothly flowing speech will not lead you.
Eant, ut volent, dum animo compositio sua constet, dum sit magnus et opinionum securus et ob ipsa, quae aliis displicent, sibi placens, qui profectum suum vita aestimet et tantum scire se iudicet, quantum non cupit quantum non timet.
Let them go as they will, so long as the mind maintains its own composition, so long as it is great and free from care about opinions, and pleased with itself for the very things which displease others, measuring its progress by life, and judging itself to know only so much as it does not desire and does not fear.
VALE,
FAREWELL.