§70.19Non est quod existimes magnis tantum viris hoc robur fuisse, quo servitutis humanae claustra perrumperent; non est quod iudices hoc fieri nisi a Catone non posse, qui quam ferro non emiserat animam manu extraxit.
There is no reason why you should think that only great men have had this strength to break through the barriers of human servitude; there is no reason why you should judge that this cannot be done except by Cato, who drew out with his hand the soul which he had not let out with the sword.
Vilissimae sortis homines ingenti impetu in tutum evaserunt, cumque e commodo mori non licuisset nec ad arbitrium suum instrumenta mortis eligere, obvia quaeque rapuerunt et quae natura non erant noxia, vi sua tela fecerunt.
Men of the meanest lot have escaped to safety with a mighty rush, and when it was not permitted to die at their convenience, nor to choose instruments of death according to their own whim, they snatched up whatever came in their way, and made weapons by their own force out of things which by nature were not harmful.
§70.20Nuper in ludo bestiariorum unus e Germanis, cum ad matutina spectacula pararetur, secessit ad exonerandum corpus; nullum aliud illi dabatur sine custode secretum.
Recently, in a school of beast-fighters, one of the Germans, when he was being prepared for the morning spectacles, withdrew to relieve his body; no other secret place without a guard was given to him.
Ibi lignum id, quod ad emundanda obscena adhaerente spongia positum est, totum in gulam farsit et interclusis faucibus spiritum elisit.
There he stuffed into his throat the whole of that stick which is placed for cleansing filthy parts with a sponge attached, and, blocking his throat, squeezed out his breath.
Hoc fuit morti contumeliam facere.
This was to do insult to death.
Ita prorsus; parum munde et parum decenter; quid est stultius quam fastidiose mori?
Yes, indeed; in a manner too little clean and too little decent; but what is more foolish than to die fastidiously?
§70.21O virum fortem, o dignum, cui fati daretur electio! Quam fortiter ille gladio usus esset, quam animose in profundam se altitudinem maris aut abscisae rupis inmisisset! Undique destitutum invenit, quemadmodum et mortem sibi deferret et telum, ut scias ad moriendum nihil aliud in mora esse quam velle.
O brave man, O worthy of having the choice of fate given to him! How bravely he would have used a sword, how spiritedly he would have cast himself into the deep abyss of the sea or of a sheared cliff! Stripped of everything on all sides, he found how he might bring upon himself both death and a weapon, so that you may know that for dying there is nothing else in delay than to wish.
Existimetur de facto hominis acerrimi, ut cuique visum erit, dum hoc constet, praeferendam esse spurcissimam mortem servituti mundissimae.
Let it be judged concerning the deed of this most fierce man as it shall seem good to everyone, provided this is clear, that the filthiest death is to be preferred to the cleanest servitude.
§70.22Quoniam coepi sordidis exemplis uti, perseverabo.
Since I have begun to use low examples, I will persevere.
Plus enim a se quisque exiget, si viderit hanc rem etiam a contemptissimis posse contemni.
For everyone will demand more of himself if he sees that this thing can be despised even by the most contemptible.
Catones Scipionesque et alios, quos audire cum admiratione consuevimus, supra imitationem positos putamus; iam ego istam virtutem habere tam multa exempla in ludo bestiario quam in ducibus belli civilis ostendam.
Catos and Scipios, and others whom we are accustomed to hear of with admiration, we think are placed beyond imitation; but now I shall show that this virtue has as many examples in the school of beast-fighters as among the leaders of the civil war.
§70.23Cum adveheretur nuper inter custodias quidam ad matutinum spectaculum missus, tamquam somno premente nutaret, caput usque eo demisit, donec radiis insereret, et tamdiu se in sedili suo tenuit, donec cervicem circumactu rotae frangeret.
Recently, when a certain man sent to the morning spectacle was being carried among guards, as if nodding under the pressure of sleep, he lowered his head so far until he inserted it between the spokes, and held himself in his seat so long until he broke his neck by the turning of the wheel.
Eodem vehiculo, quo ad poenam ferebatur, effugit.
He escaped by the same vehicle in which he was being carried to his punishment.
§70.24Nihil obstat erumpere et exire cupienti.
Nothing stands in the way of one desiring to break out and depart.
In aperto nes natura custodit.
In the open nature guards us.
Cui permittit necessitas sua, circumspicit exitum mollem: cui ad manum plura sunt, per quae sese adserat. is dilectum agat et qua potissimum liberetur. consideret: cui difficilis occasio est, is proximam quamque pro optima arripiat, sit licet inaudita, sit nova.
Let him whose necessity permits look around for a gentle exit; let him who has more things at hand by which to claim himself make a choice and consider by what way he may most preferably be freed; let him to whom opportunity is difficult snatch the nearest thing as the best, even though it be unheard of, even though it be new.
Non deerit ad mortem ingenium, cui non defuerit animus.
Genius for death will not be lacking to him to whom courage has not been lacking.
§70.25Vides, quemadmodum extrema quoque mancipia, ubi illis stimulos adegit dolor, excitentur et intentissimas custodias fallant? Ille vir magnus est, qui mortem sibi non tantum imperavi:, sed invenit.
Do you see how even the lowest slaves, when pain has driven its spurs into them, are aroused and deceive the most intent guards? He is a great man who has not only commanded death for himself, but has found it.
Ex eodem tibi munere plura exempla promisi.
I promised you more examples from the same show.
§70.26Secundo naumachiae spectaculo unus e barbaris lanceam, quam in adversarios acceperat, totam iugulo suo mersit.
At the second spectacle of a mock sea-battle, one of the barbarians plunged the lance, which he had received against his adversaries, entirely into his own throat.
"Quare, quare. "inquit, "non omne tormentum, omne ludibrium iamdudum effugio? Quare ego mortem armatus expecto:" §70.27Tanto hoc speciosius spectaculum fuit, quanto honestius mori discunt homines quam occidere.
"Why, why," he said, "do I not long ago escape every torture and every mockery? Why do I, being armed, wait for death?" This spectacle was so much more beautiful as men learn to die more honorably than to kill.
Quid ergo? Quod animi perditi quodque noxiosi habent, non habebunt illi, quos adversus hos casus instruxit longa meditatio et magistra rerum omnium ratio: Illa nos docet fati varios esse accessus, finem eundem, nihil autem interesse, unde incipiat quod venit.
What then? What abandoned minds and harmful men have, shall those not have whom long meditation and reason, the mistress of all things, have instructed against these chances? She teaches us that the approaches of fate are various, but the end is the same, and that it makes no difference where that which comes begins.
§70.28Eadem illa ratio monet, ut, si licet, moriaris quemadmodum placet; si minus, quemadmodum potes, et quicquid obvenerit ad vim adferendam tibi invadas.
That same reason advises that, if it is permitted, you should die as it pleases you; if not, as you can, and that you should lay hold of whatever comes to offer violence to yourself.
Iniuriosum est rapto vivere, at contra pulcherrimum mori rapto.
It is an injury to live by plunder, but on the contrary, it is most beautiful to die by plunder.
VALE.
FAREWELL.