§86.1In ipsa Scipionis Africani villa iacens haec tibi scribo adoratis manibus eius et ara, quam sepulchrum esse tanti viri suspicor.
I write this to you while lying in the very villa of Scipio Africanus, having venerated his shades and the altar, which I suspect to be the tomb of so great a man.
Animum quidem eius in caelum, ex quo erat, redisse persuadeo mihi, non quia magnos exercitus duxit, hos enim et Cambyses furiosus ac furore feliciter usus habuit, sed ob egregiam moderationem pietatemque, quam magis in illo admirabilem iudico, cum reliquit patriam, quam cum defendit; aut Scipio Romae esse debebat aut Roma in libertate.
I convince myself indeed that his soul returned to heaven, from which it came, not because he led great armies—for even the mad Cambyses had these and used his madness successfully—but because of his outstanding moderation and piety, which I judge to be more admirable in him when he left his country than when he defended it; either Scipio had to be in Rome, or Rome had to be in liberty.
" §86.2Nihil," inquit, "volo derogare legibus, nihil institutis.
"I wish," he said, "to detract nothing from the laws, nothing from the institutions.
Aequum inter omnes cives ius sit.
Let the law be equal among all citizens.
Utere sine me beneficio meo, patria.
My country, make use of my benefit without me.
Causa tibi libertatis fui, ero et argumentum; exeo, si plus quam tibi expedit, crevi. " §86.3Quidni ego admirer hanc magnitudinem animi, qua in exilium voluntarium secessit et civitatem exoneravit? Eo perducta res erat, ut aut libertas Scipioni aut Scipio libertati faceret iniuriam.
I was the cause of liberty for you, I shall also be its proof; I depart, if I have grown more than is expedient for you." Why should I not admire this greatness of mind, by which he withdrew into voluntary exile and relieved the city? Matters had been brought to such a point that either liberty would do injury to Scipio, or Scipio to liberty.
Neutrum fas erat.
Neither was lawful.
Itaque locum dedit legibus et se Liternum recepit tam suum exilium rei publicae inputaturus quam Hannibalis.
And so he gave way to the laws and withdrew himself to Liternum, intending to charge his own exile to the commonwealth just as much as that of Hannibal.
§86.4Vidi villam extructam lapide quadrato, murum circumdatur, silvae, turres quoque in propugnaculum villae utrimque subrectas, cisternam aedificiis ac viridibus subditam, quae sufficere in usum vel exercitus posset, balneolum angustum, tenebricosum ex consuetudine antiqua; non videbatur maioribus nostris caldum nisi obscurum.
I saw a villa built of squared stone, a wall surrounding a wood, towers also raised on both sides for the defense of the villa, a cistern placed below the buildings and shrubbery, which could suffice for the use of even an army, a small bath, narrow and dark, according to ancient custom; for it did not seem hot to our ancestors unless it was dark.
Magna ergo me voluptas subiit contemplantem mores Scipionis ac nostros.
Therefore, a great pleasure stole over me as I contemplated the character of Scipio and our own.
§86.5In hoc angulo ille Carthaginis horror, cui Roma debet, quod tantum semel capta est, abluebat corpus laboribus rusticis fessum.
In this corner, that terror of Carthage, to whom Rome owes the fact that she was captured only once, used to wash his body weary from rustic labors.
Exercebat enim opere se terramque, ut mos fuit priscis, ipse subigebat.
For he exercised himself with work and, as was the custom for the ancients, tilled the soil himself.
Sub hoc ille tecto tam sordido stetit, hoc illum pavimentum tam vile sustinuit.
Under this so humble roof he stood, this so cheap pavement supported him.
§86.6At nunc quis est, qui sic lavari sustineat? Pauper sibi videtur ac sordidus, nisi parietes magnis et pretiosis orbibus refugerunt, nisi Alexandrina marmora Numidicis crustis distincta sunt, nisi illis undique operosa et in picturae modum variata circumlitio praetexitur, nisi vitro absconditur camera, nisi Thasius lapis, quondam rarum in aliquo spectaculum templo, piscinas nostras circumdedit, in quas multa sudatione corpora exinanita demittimus, nisi aquam argentea epitonia fuderunt.
But now, who is there who can bear to bathe in this way? One seems to oneself poor and dirty unless the walls have receded with large and precious circular slabs, unless Alexandrian marbles are inlaid with Numidian overlays, unless an elaborate border, varied in the manner of a painting, is woven around them on all sides, unless the vaulted ceiling is covered with glass, unless Thasian stone, once a rare sight in some temple, has enclosed our pools, into which we lower our bodies emptied by much sweating, unless silver taps have poured the water.
§86.7Et adhuc plebeias fistulas loquor;
And so far I am speaking of plebeian pipes; what when I come to the baths of freedmen?
quid, cum ad balnea libertinorum pervenero? Quantum statuarum, quantum columnarum est nihil sustinentium, sed in ornamentum positarum inpensae causa! Quantum aquarum per gradus cum fragore labentium! Eo deliciarum pervenimus, ut nisi gemmas calcare nolimus.
How many statues, how many columns supporting nothing, but placed for ornament for the sake of expense! How much water gliding down the steps with a crash! We have arrived at such a point of luxury that we do not want to tread on anything unless they are gems.
§86.8In hoc balneo Scipionis minimae sunt rimae magis quam fenestrae muro lapideo exsectae, ut sine iniuria munimenti lumen admitterent; at nunc blattaria vocant balnea, si qua non ita aptata sunt, ut totius diei solem fenestris amplissimis recipiant, nisi et lavantur simul et colorantur, nisi ex solio agros ac maria prospiciunt.
In this bath of Scipio, there are very small chinks rather than windows cut out of the stone wall, so that they might admit light without weakening the fortification; but now they call baths "fit for cockroaches" if any are not so fitted as to receive the sun of the whole day through very wide windows, unless people are bathed and tanned at the same time, unless they look out from the tub upon fields and seas.
Itaque quae concursum et admirationem habuerant, cum dedicarentur, devitantur et in antiquorum numerum reiciuntur, cum aliquid novi luxuria commenta est, quo ipsa se obrueret.
And so, those things which had had a crowd and admiration when they were dedicated, are avoided and cast back into the number of ancient things, whenever luxury has invented something new with which to overwhelm itself.
§86.9At olim et pauca erant balnea nec ullo cultu exornata.
But formerly, baths were both few and adorned with no refinement.
Cur enim exornaretur res quadrantaria et in usum, non in oblectamentum reperta? Non suffundebatur aqua nec recens semper velut ex calido fonte currebat, nec referre credebant, in quam perlucida sordes deponerent.
For why should a thing of a farthing, invented for use, not for pleasure, be adorned? Water was not poured from below, nor did it always run fresh as if from a hot spring, nor did they believe it mattered how clear the water was in which they deposited their dirt.
§86.10Sed, di boni, quam iuvat illa balinea intrare obscura et gregali tectorio inducta, quae scires Catonem tibi aedilem aut Fabium Maximum aut ex Corneliis aliquem manu sua temperasse? Nam hoc quoque nobilissimi aediles fungebantur officio intrandi ea loca, quae populum receptabant, exigendique munditias et utilem ac salubrem temperaturam, non hanc, quae nuper inventa est similis incendio, adeo quidem, ut convictum in aliquo scelere servum vivum lavari oporteat.
But, good gods, how pleasing it is to enter those dark baths, smeared with common plaster, which you knew Cato the aedile, or Fabius Maximus, or one of the Cornelii, had regulated with his own hand? For the most noble aediles performed this duty too: of entering those places which received the public, and demanding cleanliness and a useful and healthy temperature—not this one which was recently invented, similar to a fire, so much so indeed that a slave convicted of some crime ought to be bathed alive.
Nihil mihi videtur iam interesse, ardeat balineum an calcat.
It seems to me to make no difference now whether a bath is on fire or is warm.