§120.8Haec et eiusmodi facta imaginem nobis ostendere virtutis.
These and suchlike deeds showed us the image of virtue.
Adiciam, quod mirum fortasse videatur: mala interdum speciem honesti optulere et optimum, ex contrario enituit.
I will add what may perhaps seem strange: evils sometimes offered the appearance of the honorable, and the best, by contrast, shone forth from its opposite.
Sunt enim, ut scis, virtutibus vitia confinia, et perditis quoque ac turpibus recti similitudo est; sic mentitur prodigus liberalem, cum plurimum intersit, utrum quis dare sciat an servare nesciat.
For, as you know, vices are adjacent to virtues, and even in ruined and base things there is a likeness of the right; thus the spendthrift feigns the generous man, although there is a vast difference whether someone knows how to give or does not know how to keep.
Multi, inquam, sunt, Lucili, qui non donant, sed proiciunt; non voco ego liberalem pecuniae suae iratum.
There are many, I say, Lucilius, who do not give, but throw away; I do not call a man generous who is angry with his money.
Imitatur neglegentia facilitatem, temeritas fortitudinem.
Negligence imitates affability, rashness imitates bravery.
§120.9Haec nos similitudo coegit attendere et distinguere specie quidem vicina, re autem plurimum inter se dissidentia, ac dum observamus eos, quos insignes egregium opus fecerat, adnotare, quis rem aliquam generoso animo fecisset et magno impetu, sed semel.
This likeness forced us to pay attention and to distinguish things close in appearance indeed, but in reality differing very much from one another, and while we observed those whom some outstanding deed had made distinguished, to note who had done something with a noble mind and great impulse, but only once.
Hunc vidimus in bello fortem, in foro timidum, animose paupertatem ferentem, humiliter infamiam; factum laudavimus, contempsimus virum.
We saw this man brave in war, timid in the forum, bearing poverty courageously, bearing disgrace humbly; we praised the deed, we despised the man.
§120.10Alium vidimus adversus amicos benignum, adversus inimicos temperatum, et publica et privata sancte ac religiose administrantem, non deesse ei in iis quae toleranda erant, patientiam, in iis quae agenda, prudentiam, vidimus, ubi tribuendum esset, plena manu dantem, ubi laborandum, pertinacem et obnixum et lassitudinem corporis animo sublevantem.
We saw another kind towards friends, moderate towards enemies, administering public and private affairs holily and conscientiously, and we saw that patience was not lacking to him in those things which were to be endured, nor prudence in those which were to be done; we saw him, when it was necessary to bestow, giving with a full hand, when it was necessary to labor, persistent and resolute, and relieving the fatigue of the body with his mind.
Praeterea idem erat semper et in omni actu par sibi, iam non consilio bonus, sed more eo perductus, ut non tantum recte facere posset, sed nisi recte facere non posset.
Furthermore, he was always the same and in every action equal to himself, no longer good by deliberation, but led by habit to this point, that he not only was able to act rightly, but was unable to act except rightly.
Intelleximus in illo perfectam esse virtutem.
We understood that perfect virtue was in him.
§120.11Hanc in partes divisimus; oportebat cupiditates refrenari, metus comprimi, facienda provideri, reddenda distribui; conprehendimus temperantiam, fortitudinem, prudentiam, iustitiam et suum cuique dedimus officium.
This we divided into parts; it was necessary that desires be curbed, fears suppressed, things to be done foreseen, things to be rendered distributed; we grasped temperance, fortitude, prudence, justice, and assigned to each its own duty.
Ex quo ergo virtutem intelleximus? Ostendit illam nobis ordo eius et decor et constantia et omnium inter se actionum concordia et magnitudo super omnia efferens sese.
From what, therefore, did we understand virtue? Its order, propriety, constancy, the harmony of all actions among themselves, and its greatness raising itself above all things, showed it to us.
Hinc intellecta est illa beata vita secundo defluens cursu, arbitrii sui tota.
From this was understood that happy life flowing down in a favorable course, entirely master of itself.
§120.12Quomodo ergo hoc ipsum nobis apparuit? Dicam.
How, therefore, did this very thing appear to us? I will say.
Numquam vir ille perfectus adeptusque virtutem fortunae maledixit, numquam accidentia tristis excepit, civem esse se universi et militem credens labores velut imperatos subiit.
Never did that perfect man who had attained virtue curse fortune, never did he receive happening things with sadness, believing himself to be a citizen and soldier of the universe, he underwent labors as if they were commanded.
Quicquid inciderat, non tamquam malum aspernatus est et in se casu delatum, sed quasi delegatum sibi.
Whatever had happened, he did not reject it as an evil and as brought upon him by chance, but as assigned to him.
Hoc qualecumque est, inquit, meum est; asperum est, durum est, in hoc ipso navemus operam. §120.13Necessario itaque magnus apparuit qui numquam malis ingemuit, numquam de fato suo questus est; fecit multis intellectum sui et non aliter quam in tenebris lumen effulsit advertitque in. se omnium animos, cum esset placidus et lenis, humanis divinisque rebus pariter aequus.
"This, whatever sort of thing it is," he says, "is mine; it is rough, it is hard, let us exert our efforts on this very thing." And so, of necessity, he appeared great who never groaned at evils, never complained about his fate; he caused many to understand him, and, no differently than a light in darkness, he shone forth and turned the minds of all toward himself, since he was calm and gentle, equally composed under human and divine things.
§120.14Habebat perfectum animum et ad summam sui adductum, supra quam nihil est nisi mens dei, ex quo pars et in hoc pectus mortale defluxit.
He had a perfect mind and one brought to its highest point, above which there is nothing except the mind of God, from which a part flowed down also into this mortal breast.
Quod numquam magis divinum est, quam ubi mortalitatem suam cogitat et scit in hoc natum hominem, ut vita defungeretur, nec domum esse hoc corpus, sed hospitium, et quidem breve hospitium, quod relinquendum est, ubi" te gravem esse hospiti videas.
Which is never more divine than when it thinks of its mortality and knows that man was born for this, to depart from life, and that this body is not a home, but a lodging, and indeed a brief lodging, which must be left behind when you see that you are a burden to the host.
§120.15Maximum, inquam, mi Lucili, argumentum est animi ab altiore sede venientis, si haec, in quibus versatur, humilia iudicat et angusta, si exire non metuit.
This, I say, my Lucilius, is the greatest proof of a soul coming from a higher abode, if it judges these things in which it is engaged to be lowly and narrow, if it does not fear to go out.
Scit enim, quo exiturus sit, qui unde venerit meminit.
For he knows where he is going to depart, who remembers whence he came.
Non videmus quam multa nos incommoda exagitent, quam male nobis conveniat hoc corpus?
Do we not see how many troubles vex us, how ill-suited this body is to us?