§70.1Post longum intervallum Pompeios tuos vidi.
After a long interval, I saw your Pompeii.
In conspectum adulescentiae meae reductus sum.
I was brought back to the sight of my youth.
Quicquid illic iuvenis feceram, videbar mihi facere adhuc posse et paulo ante fecisse.
Whatever I had done there as a young man, I seemed to myself still to be able to do and to have done just a little while ago.
§70.2Praenavigavimus, Lucili, vitam et quemadmodum in mari, ut ait Vergilius noster,
"
Terraeque urbesque recedant,
"
sic in hoc cursu rapidissimi temporis primum pueritiam abscondimus, deinde adulescentiam, deinde quidquid est illud inter iuvenem et senem medium, in utriusque confinio positum, deinde ipsius senectutis optimos annos.
We have sailed past life, Lucilius, and just as on the sea, as our Virgil says, "Lands and cities recede, "so in this course of swift-flowing time, first we hide childhood, then youth, then whatever that middle period is between youth and old age, placed on the border of both, then the best years of old age itself.
Novissime incipit ostendi publicus finis generis humani.
Last of all, the common end of the human race begins to show itself.
§70.3Scopulum esse illum putamus dementissimi; portus est, aliquando petendus, numquam recusandus, in quem si quis intra primos annos delatus est, non magis queri debet quam qui cito navigavit.
We, most foolishly, think that that is a reef; it is a harbor, to be sought at some time, never to be refused, into which if anyone has been carried within his first years, he ought no more to complain than one who has sailed quickly.
Alium enim, ut scis, venti segnes ludunt ac detinent et tranquillitatis lentissimae taedio lassant, alium pertinax flatus celerrime perfert.
For, as you know, slow winds play with and detain one man, and weary him with the boredom of a most sluggish calm, while a persistent breeze carries another along most swiftly.
§70.4Idem evenire nobis puta: alios vita velocissime adduxit, quo veniendum erat etiam cunctantibus, alios maceravit et coxit.
Think that the same happens to us: life has brought some most swiftly to the place where even the hesitating had to come, while it has worn out and parched others.
Quae, ut scis, non semper retinenda est.
Life, as you know, is not always to be retained.
Non enim vivere bonum est, sed bene vivere.
For it is not living that is good, but living well.
Itaque sapiens vivit, quantum debet, non quantum potest.
Therefore, the wise man lives as long as he ought, not as long as he can.
§70.5Videbit ubi victurus sit, cum quibus, quomodo, quid acturus.
He will see where he is to live, with whom, how, and what he is to do.
Cogitat semper, qualis vita, non quanta sit.
He always reflects on what quality his life is, not how great.
Si multa occurrunt molesta et tranquillitatem turbantia, emittit se.
If many troublesome things occur and disturb his peace, he lets himself out.
Nec hoc tantum in necessitate ultima facit, sed cum primum illi coepit suspecta esse fortuna, diligenter circumspicit, numquid ideo desinendum sit.
Nor does he do this only in extreme necessity, but as soon as fortune begins to be suspect to him, he carefully looks around to see whether he should end it there.
Nihil existimat sua referre, faciat finem an accipiat, tardius fiat an citius.
He thinks it of no concern to himself whether he makes an end or receives it, whether it happens later or sooner.
Non tamquam de magno detrimento timet; nemo multum ex stilicidio potest perdere.
He does not fear as if regarding a great loss; no one can lose much from a dripping vessel.
§70.6Citius mori aut tardius ad rem non pertinet, bene mori aut male ad rem pertinet.
To die sooner or later is of no relevance; to die well or ill is of relevance.
Bene autem mori est effugere male vivendi periculum.
Moreover, to die well is to escape the danger of living ill.
Itaque effeminatissimam vocem illius Rhodii existimo, qui cum in caveam coniectus esset a tyranno et tamquam ferum aliquod animal aleretur, suadenti cuidam, ut abstineret cibo: "omnia," inquit, "homini, dum vivit, speranda sunt. " §70.7Ut sit hoc verum, non omni pretio vita emenda est.
Therefore, I consider that utterance of the Rhodian to be most effeminate, who, when he had been thrown into a cage by a tyrant and was fed like some wild beast, said to someone advising him to abstain from food: "A man must hope for everything as long as he lives." Even though this may be true, life is not to be bought at any price.
Quaedam licet magna, licet certa sint, tamen ad illa turpi infirmitatis confessione non veniam.
Though some things may be great and certain, yet I will not come to them by a shameful confession of weakness.
Ego cogitem in eo, qui vivit, omnia posse fortunam, potius quam cogitem in eo, qui scit mori, nil posse fortunam?
Should I think that fortune can do everything to one who lives, rather than that fortune can do nothing to one who knows how to die?
§70.8Aliquando tamen, etiam si certa mors instabit et destinatum sibi supplicium sciet, non commodabit poenae suae manum; sibi commodaret.
Sometimes, however, even if certain death is imminent and he knows the punishment destined for him, he will not lend his hand to his own punishment; he would be lending it to himself.
Stultitia est timore mortis mori.
It is folly to die from fear of death.
Venit qui occidat.
The executioner is coming.
Expecta.
Wait.
Quid occupas? Quare suscipis alienae crudelitatis procurationem? Utrum invides carnifici tuo an parcis?
Why do you forestall him? Why do you take upon yourself the management of another's cruelty? Do you envy your executioner or spare him?
§70.9Socrates potuit abstinentia finire vitam et inedia potius quam veneno mori.
Socrates could have ended his life by abstinence and died of hunger rather than poison.
Triginta tamen dies in carcere et in expectatione mortis exegit, non hoc animo tamquam omnia fieri possent, tamquam multas spes tam longum tempus reciperet, sed ut praeberet se legibus, ut fruendum amicis extremum Socraten daret.
Yet he spent thirty days in prison and in expectation of death, not with the mind that everything could happen, as if so long a time could receive many hopes, but to offer himself to the laws, to give his friends the final Socrates to enjoy.
Quid erat stultius quam mortem contemnere, venenum timere?
What was more foolish than to despise death and fear poison?