§70.10Scribonia, gravis femina, amita Drusi Libonis fuit, adulescentis tam stolidi quam nobilis, maiora sperantis quam illo saeculo quisquam sperare poterat aut ipse ullo.
Scribonia, a grave woman, was the aunt of Drusus Libo, a young man as foolish as he was noble, hoping for greater things than anyone in that age could hope for, or indeed himself in any.
Cum aeger a senatu in lectica relatus esset non sane frequentibus exequiis, omnes enim necessarii deseruerant impie iam non reum, sed funus; habere coepit consilium, utrum conscisceret mortem an expectaret.
When, being ill, he was carried back from the senate in a litter with certainly not a crowded retinue, for all his relations had impiously abandoned him, no longer a defendant but already a corpse; he began to deliberate whether he should commit suicide or wait.
Cui Scribonia: "Quid te," inquit, "delectat alienum negotium agere?" Non persuasit illi; manus sibi attulit nec sine causa.
To him Scribonia said: "Why does it please you to do someone else's business?" She did not persuade him; he laid hands on himself, and not without cause.
Nam post diem tertium aut quartum inimici moriturus arbitrio si vivit, alienum negotium agit.
For if one who is to die after three or four days at the whim of his enemy lives, he does someone else's business.
§70.11Non possis itaque de re in universum pronuntiare, cum mortem vis externa denuntiat, occupanda sit an expectanda.
Therefore, you cannot pronounce on the matter in general, when an external force threatens death, whether it should be anticipated or awaited.
Multa enim sunt, quae in utramque martem trahere possunt.
For there are many things which can pull in either direction.
Si altera mors cum tormento, altera simplex et facilis est, quidni huic inicienda sit manus? Quemadmodum navem eligam navigaturus et domum habitaturus, sic mortem exiturus e vita.
If one death is accompanied by torture, and the other is simple and easy, why should one not lay hands on the latter? Just as I would choose a ship when about to sail, and a house when about to dwell, so I would choose a death when about to depart from life.
§70.12Praeterea quemadmodum non utique melior est longior vita, sic peior est utique mors longior.
Furthermore, just as a longer life is not by all means better, so a longer death is by all means worse.
In nulla re magis quam in morte morem animo gerere debemus.
In no matter ought we to comply with our mind more than in death.
Exeat, qua impetum cepit; sive ferrum appetit sive laqueum sive aliquam potionem venas occupantem, pergat et vincula servitutis abrumpat.
Let it depart where it took its impulse; whether it seeks the sword, or the noose, or some potion that invades the veins, let it proceed and break the bonds of servitude.
Vitam et aliis adprobare quisque debet, mortem sibi.
Everyone ought to approve his life to others, but his death to himself.
§70.13Optima est, quae placet.
The best death is that which pleases.
Stulte haec cogitantur: "aliquis dicet me parum fortiter fecisse, aliquis nimis temere, aliquis fuisse aliquod genus mortis animosius. "Vis tu cogitare id in manibus esse consilium, ad quod fama non pertinet! Hoc unum intuere, ut te fortunae quam celerrime eripias; alioquin aderunt, qui de facto tuo male existiment.
It is foolishly thought: "Someone will say I acted with too little courage, someone too rashly, someone that there was some more spirited kind of death." Will you not consider that that decision is in your hands, to which reputation does not belong! Look to this one thing, that you rescue yourself from fortune as quickly as possible; otherwise, there will be those who think ill of your deed.
§70.14Invenies etiam professos sapientiam, qui vim adferendam vitae suae negent et nefas iudicent ipsum interemptorem sui fieri; expectandum esse exitum, quem natura decrevit.
You will find even those who profess wisdom who deny that violence should be offered to one's own life, and judge it a sin to become the slayer of oneself; they say the end decreed by nature must be awaited.
Hoc qui dicit, non videt se libertatis viam eludere.
He who says this does not see that he is blocking the path of freedom.
Nil melius aeterna lex fecit, quam quod unum introitum nobis ad vitam dedit, exitus multos.
Eternal law has done nothing better than that it gave us one entrance into life, but many exits.
§70.15Ego expectem vel morbi crudelitatem vel hominis, cum possim per media exire tormenta et adversa discutere? Hoc est unum, cur de vita non possimus queri: neminem tenet.
Should I await either the cruelty of disease or of man, when I can depart through the midst of tortures and shake off adversities? This is the one reason why we cannot complain of life: it holds no one.
Bono loco res humanae sunt, quod nemo nisi vitio suo miser est.
Human affairs are in a good position because no one is wretched except by his own fault.
Placet; vive.
It pleases you; live.
Non placet; licet eo reverti, unde venisti.
It does not please you; you are allowed to return to where you came from.
§70.16Ut dolorem capitis levares, sanguinem saepe misisti.
To relieve a headache, you have often let blood.
Ad extenuandum corpus vena percutitur.
To thin the body, a vein is cut.
Non opus est vasto vulnere dividere praecordia; scalpello aperitur ad illam magnam libertatem via et puncto securitas constat.
There is no need of a vast wound to divide the breast; with a small scalpel the path to that great freedom is opened, and security is established at the cost of a single prick.
Quid ergo est, quod nos facit pigros inertesque? Nemo nostrum cogitat quandoque sibi ex hoc domicilio exeundum; sic veteres inquilinos indulgentia loci et consuetudo etiam inter iniurias detinet.
What is it, then, that makes us lazy and inactive? None of us reflects that some day we must depart from this dwelling; thus long-standing tenants are detained by their fondness for the place and by habit, even amidst injuries.
§70.17Vis adversus hoc corpus liber esse? Tamquam migraturus habita.
Do you wish to be free against this body? Dwell in it as if about to move.
Propone tibi quandoque hoc contubernio carendum; fortior eris ad necessitatem exeundi.
Propose to yourself that you must some day do without this companionship; you will be stronger for the necessity of departing.
Sed quemadmodum suus finis veniet in mentem omnia sine fine concupiscentibus?
But how shall their own end come into the minds of those who desire all things without end?
§70.18Nullius rei meditatio tam necessaria est.
The meditation of no matter is so necessary.
Alia enim fortasse exercentur in supervacuum.
For other things are perhaps practiced in vain.
Adversus paupertatem praeparatus est animus; permansere divitiae.
The mind was prepared against poverty; riches remained.
Ad contemptum nos doloris armavimus; nunquam a nobis exegit huius virtutis experimentum integri ac sani felicitas corporis.
We armed ourselves for the contempt of pain; the happiness of an intact and healthy body never demanded of us the trial of this virtue.
Ut fortiter amissorum desideria paterentur praecepimus nobis; omnes, quos amabamus, superstites fortuna servavit.
We instructed ourselves to bear bravely the longing for lost friends; fortune preserved all whom we loved, surviving.
Huius unius rei usum qui exigat dies veniet.
The day will come that demands the practice of this one thing.