§15.1Mos antiquis fuit usque ad meam servatus aetatem, primis epistulae verbis adicere: "Si vales bene est, ego valeo. "Recte nos dicimus: "Si philosopharis, bene est. "Valere autem hoc demum est.
It was a custom among the ancients, preserved down to my own age, to add to the first words of a letter: "If you are well, it is well; I am well." We say rightly: "If you are philosophizing, it is well." For only this is indeed to be well.
Sine hoc aeger est animus.
Without this, the mind is sick.
Corpus quoque, etiam si magnas habet vires, non aliter quam furiosi aut phrenetici validum est.
The body also, even if it has great strength, is strong in no other way than that of a madman or a frantic person.
§15.2Ergo hanc praecipue valitudinem cura, deinde et illam secundam, quae non magno tibi constabit, si volueris bene valere.
Therefore, care for this health especially, and then also for that second one, which will not cost you much if you wish to be well.
Stulta est enim, mi Lucili, et minime conveniens litterato viro occupatio exercendi lacertos et dilatandi cervicem ac latera firmandi; cum tibi feliciter sagina cesserit et tori creverint, nec vires umquam opimi bovis nec pondus aequabis.
For it is a foolish occupation, my Lucilius, and least fitting for a lettered man, to train the upper arms, broaden the neck, and strengthen the sides; even when your feeding has turned out successfully for you and your muscles have grown, you will never equal either the strength of a fat ox or its weight.
Adice nunc, quod maiore corporis sarcina animus eliditur et minus agilis est.
Add to this now that the mind is crushed by a heavier burden of the body and is less agile.
Itaque quantum potes, circumscribe corpus tuum et animo locum laxa.
Therefore, limit your body as much as you can and make room for your mind.
§15.3Multa secuntur incommoda huic deditos curae; primum exercitationes, quarum labor spiritum exhaurit et inhabilem intentioni ac studiis acrioribus reddit.
Many inconveniences follow those devoted to this care: first, the exercises, the labor of which exhausts the breath and renders it unfit for concentration and sharper studies.
Deinde copia ciborum subtilitas inpeditur.
Next, by the abundance of food, the sharpness of mind is hindered.
Accedunt pessimae notae mancipia in magisterium recepta, homines inter oleum et vinum occupati, quibus ad votum dies actus est, si bene desudaverunt, si in locum eius, quod effluxit, multum potionis altius ieiunio iturae regesserunt.
There are added the slaves of the worst character received into instruction, men occupied between oil and wine, for whom a day is spent according to their wish if they have sweated well, and if, in place of what has flowed out, they have poured back a large amount of drink that is to go deeper because of their fasting.
Bibere et sudare vita cardiaci est.
To drink and to sweat is the life of a dyspeptic.
§15.4Sunt exercitationes et faciles et breves, quae corpus et sine mora lassent et tempori pareant, cuius praecipua ratio habenda est: cursus et cum aliquo pondere manus motae et saltus vel ille, qui corpus in altum levat, vel ille, qui in longum mittit, vel ille, ut ita dicam, saliaris aut, ut contumeliosius dicam, fullonius; quoius libet ex his elige usum rudem, facilem.
There are exercises both easy and short, which tire the body without delay and respect time, of which principal account must be taken: running, and hands moved with some weight, and jumping, either that which lifts the body into the air, or that which sends it far, or that, so to speak, of the Salii, or to speak more insultingly, of the fuller; choose the simple, easy use of whichever of these you please.
§15.5Quicquid facies, cito redi a corpore ad animum.
Whatever you do, return quickly from the body to the mind.
Illum noctibus ac diebus exerce; labore modico alitur ille.
Exercise the latter by night and by day; it is nourished by moderate labor.
Hanc exercitationem non frigus, non aestus inpediet, ne senectus quidem.
Neither cold nor heat will hinder this exercise, nor even old age.
Id bonum cura, quod vetustate fit melius.
Care for that good which becomes better with age.
§15.6Neque ego te iubeo semper inminere libro aut pugillaribus; dandum est aliquod intervallum animo, ita tamen ut non resolvatur, sed remittatur.
Nor do I command you always to hang over a book or writing tablets; some interval must be given to the mind, yet in such a way that it is not dissolved but relaxed.
Gestatio et corpus concutit et studio non officit; possis legere, possis dictare, possis loqui, possis audire, quorum nihil ne ambulatio quidem vetat fieri.
Carriage-riding both shakes the body and does not hinder study; you can read, you can dictate, you can speak, you can hear, none of which even walking forbids to be done.
§15.7Nec tu intentionem vocis contempseris, quam veto te per gradus et certos modos extollere, deinde deprimere.
Nor should you despise the training of the voice, which I forbid you to raise through steps and certain measures, and then to lower.
Quid si velis deinde quemadmodum ambules discere? Admitte istos, quos nova artificia docuit fames;
What if you should then wish to learn how to walk?
erit qui gradus tuos temperet et buccas edentis observet et in tantum procedat, in quantum audaciam eius patientia et credulitate produxeris.
Admit those whom hunger has taught new arts; there will be someone to regulate your steps and observe the cheeks of you eating, and proceed as far as you have extended his boldness by your patience and credulity.
Quid ergo? A clamore protinus et a summa contentione vox tua incipiet? Usque eo naturale est paulatim incitari, ut litigantes quoque a sermone incipiunt, ad vociferationem transeunt.
What then? Will your voice begin straight away from a shout and from the greatest strain? It is natural to be stimulated gradually to such an degree that even litigants begin from conversation and pass to shouting.
Nemo statim §15.8Quiritium fidem inplorat.
No one immediately ¦p.v1.p.100 implores the protection of the citizens.
Ergo utcumque tibi impetus animi suaserit, modo vehementius fac convicium, modo lentius, prout vox quoque te hortabitur, in id latus.
Therefore, however the impulse of your mind suggests to you, now make your shouting more violent, now gentler, just as your voice also encourages you in that direction.
Modesta, cum recipies illam revocarisque, descendat, non decidat; media oris via abeat nec indocto et rustico more desaeviat.
Let it descend modestly when you take it back and recall it, not fall flat; let it depart by the middle way of the mouth and not rage in an unlearned and rustic manner.
Non enim id agimus, ut exerceatur vox, sed ut exerceat.
For we do not act so that the voice may be trained, but so that it may train the body.
§15.9Detraxi tibi non pusillum negotii; una mercedula et unum Graecum ad haec beneficia accedet.
I have removed from you no small amount of trouble; one small reward and one Greek word will be added to these benefits.
Ecce insigne praeceptum: "Stulta vita ingrata est et trepida; tota in futurum fertur. ""Quis hoc," inquis, "dicit?" Idem qui supra.
Behold a notable precept: "A foolish life is ungrateful and fearful; it is carried entirely into the future." "Who says this?" you ask. The same person as above.
Quam tu nunc vitam dici existimas stultam? Babae et Isionis? Non ita est; nostra dicitur, quos caeca cupiditas in nocitura, certe numquam satiatura praecipitat, quibus si quid satis esse posset, fuisset, qui non cogitamus, quam iucundum sit nihil poscere, quam magnificum sit plenum esse nec ex fortuna pendere.
What life do you think is now called foolish? That of Baba and Isio? It is not so; our own is meant, whom blind desire precipitates into things that will harm, certainly never satisfy, for whom if anything could have been enough, it would have been; we who do not think how pleasant it is to demand nothing, how magnificent it is to be full and not depend on fortune.
§15.10Subinde itaque, Lucili, quam multa sis consecutus recordare.
And so, Lucilius, remember from time to time how many things you have obtained.
Cum aspexeris, quot te antecedant, cogita, quot sequantur.
When you look at how many precede you, think how many follow.
Si vis gratus esse adversus deos et adversus vitam tuam, cogita, quam multos antecesseris.
If you wish to be grateful towards the gods and towards your life, think how many you have preceded.
Quid tibi cum ceteris? Te ipse antecessisti.
What have you to do with others? You have preceded yourself.
§15.11Finem constitue, quem transire ne velis quidem, si possis; discedant aliquando ista insidiosa bona et sperantibus meliora quam adsecutis.
Establish a limit which you would not even wish to pass, if you could; let those treacherous goods depart at last, which are better to those who hope for them than to those who have attained them.
Si quid in illis esset solidi, aliquando et inplerent; nunc hauriendum sitim concitant.
If there were anything solid in them, they would also satisfy at some time; now they only excite thirst when they are drunk.
Mittantur speciosi apparatus.
Let showy displays be dismissed.
Et quod futuri temporis incerta sors volvit, quare potius a fortuna inpetrem, ut det, quam a me, ne petam? Quare autem petam? Oblitus fragilitatis humanae congeram? In quid laborem? Ecce hic dies ultimus est.
And as for what the uncertain lot of future time rolls along, why should I rather obtain from fortune that she give, than from myself that I do not ask? And why should I ask? Should I heap up, forgetful of human frailty? For what should I labor? Behold, this day is the last.
Ut non sit; prope ab ultimo est VALE.
Even if it is not, it is close to the last. FAREWELL.