§90.1Quis dubitare, mi Lucili, potest, quin deorum immortalium munus sit quod vivimus, philosophiae quod bene vivimus? Itaque tanto plus huic nos debere quam dis, quanto maius beneficium est bona vita quam vita, pro certo haberetur, nisi ipsam philosophiam di tribuissent.
Who, my Lucilius, can doubt that it is the gift of the immortal gods that we live, but of philosophy that we live well? Therefore, that we owe so much more to this than to the gods, by how much a good life is a greater benefit than life, would be held for certain, unless the gods themselves had bestowed philosophy.
Cuius scientiam nulli dederunt, facultatem omnibus.
The knowledge of which they gave to none, the capacity to all.
§90.2Nam si hanc quoque bonum vulgare fecissent et prudentes nasceremur, sapientia quod in se optimum habet, perdidisset: inter fortuita non esse.
For if they had made this also a common good and we were born wise, wisdom would have lost what it has best in itself: the fact of not being among fortuitous things.
Nunc enim hoc in illa pretiosum atque magnificum est, quod non obvenit, quod illam sibi quisque debet, quod non ab alio petitur.
For now this is precious and magnificent in it, that it does not come by chance, that each one owes it to himself, that it is not sought from another.
Quid haberes quod in philosophia suspiceres, si beneficiaria res esset?
What would you have to look up to in philosophy, if it were a matter of favor?
§90.3Huius opus unum est de divinis humanisque verum invenire.
Its sole work is to find the truth about things divine and human.
Ab hac numquam recedit religio, pietas, iustitia et omnis alius comitatus virtutum consertarum et inter se cohaerentium.
From this never depart religion, piety, justice, and all the other retinue of virtues joined and cohering among themselves.
Haec docuit colere divina, humana diligere, et penes deos imperium esse, inter homines consortium.
This taught us to worship things divine, to love things human, and that dominion belongs to the gods, fellowship among men.
Quod aliquandiu inviolatum mansit, antequam societatem avaritia distraxit et paupertatis causa etiam is, quos fecit locupletissimos, fuit.
Which remained inviolate for some time, before avarice tore society apart and became the cause of poverty even for those whom it made richest.
Desierunt enim omnia possidere, dum volunt propria.
For they ceased to possess all things, while they wished for things of their own.
§90.4Sed primi mortalium quique ex his geniti naturam incorrupti sequebantur, eundem habebant et ducem et legem, commissi melioris arbitrio.
But the first of mortals and those born from them followed nature uncorrupted, having the same as both guide and law, committed to the judgment of the better.
Naturae est enim potioribus deteriora summittere.
For it is of nature to subject the worse to the more powerful.
Mutis quidem gregibus aut maxima corpora praesunt aut vehementissima.
Indeed, over mute herds, either the largest bodies or the most vehement preside.
Non praecedit armenta degener taurus, sed qui magnitudine ac toris ceteros mares vicit.
A degenerate bull does not lead the herds, but the one that has conquered the other males in size and muscle.
Elephantorum gregem excelsissimus ducit; inter homines pro summo est optimum.
The tallest leads the herd of elephants; among men, the best is held for the highest.
Animo itaque rector eligebatur, ideoque summa felicitas erat gentium, in quibus non poterat potentior esse nisi melior.
Therefore, the ruler was chosen by mind, and so there was the greatest happiness of nations, in which no one could be more powerful unless he was better.
Tuto enim quantum vult potest, qui se nisi quod debet non putat posse.
For he can safely do as much as he wishes, who does not think he can do anything except what he ought.
§90.5Illo ergo saeculo, quod aureum perhibent, penes sapientes fuisse regnum Posidonius iudicat.
In that age, therefore, which they call golden, Posidonius judges that the sovereignty was in the hands of the wise.
Hi continebant manus et infirmiorem a validioribus tuebantur, suadebant dissuadebantque et utilia atque inutilia monstrabant.
They restrained their hands and protected the weaker from the stronger, advised and dissuaded, and pointed out what was useful and useless.
Horum prudentia ne quid deesset suis providebat, fortitudo pericula arcebat, beneficentia augebat ornabatque subiectos.
Their prudence provided lest anything should be lacking to their own, their fortitude kept off dangers, their beneficence increased and adorned their subjects.
Officium erat imperare, non regnum.
To govern was a duty, not a tyranny.
Nemo quantum posset, adversus eos experiebatur, per quos coeperat posse, nec erat cuiquam aut animus in iniuriam aut causa, cum bene imperanti bene pareretur nihilque rex maius minari male parentibus posset, quam ut abirent e regno.
No one tried his power against those through whom he had begun to have power, nor had anyone either the mind for injury or the cause, since a good ruler was well obeyed, and the king could threaten those who disobeyed with nothing greater than that they should depart from his kingdom.
§90.6Sed postquam subrepentibus vitiis in tyrannidem regna conversa sunt, opus esse legibus coepit, quas et ipsas inter initia tulere sapientes.
But after kingdoms were converted into tyranny by creeping vices, there began to be a need for laws, which themselves also the wise passed in the beginning.
Solon qui Athenas aequo iure fundavit, inter septem fuit sapientia notos.
Solon, who founded Athens with equal justice, was among the seven noted for wisdom.
Lycurgum si eadem aetas tulisset, sacro illi numero accessisset octavus.
If the same age had brought Lycurgus, he would have access to that sacred number as an eighth.
Zaleuci leges Charondaeque laudantur.
The laws of Zaleucus and Charondas are praised.
Hi non in foro nec in consultorum atrio, sed in Pythagorae tacito illo sanctoque secessu didicerunt iura, quae florenti tunc Siciliae et per Italiam Graeciae ponerent.
These learned their laws not in the forum nor in the hall of consultants, but in that silent and sacred retreat of Pythagoras, which they were to establish for Sicily, then flourishing, and for Greece throughout Italy.
§90.7Hactenus Posidonio adsentior; artes quidem a philosophia inventas, quibus in cotidiano vita utitur, non concesserim nec illi fabricae adseram gloriam.
Thus far I agree with Posidonius; but that the arts indeed which life uses in daily practice were invented by philosophy, I would not grant, nor shall I claim for that craft the glory.
"Illa," inquit, "sparsos et aut cavis tectos aut aliqua rupe suffossa aut exesae arboris trunco docuit tecta moliri. "Ego vero philosophiam iudico non magis excogitasse has machinationes tectorum supra tecta surgentium et urbium urbes prementium quam vivaria piscium in hoc clausa, ut tempestatum periculum non adiret gula et quamvis acerrime pelago saeviente haberet luxuria portus suos, in quibus distinctos piscium greges saginaret.
"She," he says, "taught those scattered and covered either in caves or in some hollowed rock or in the trunk of an eaten-away tree to build roofs." But I judge that philosophy no more devised these contrivances of roofs rising above roofs and cities pressing upon cities, than fishponds enclosed for this purpose, that gluttony might not run the risk of tempests, and that however fiercely the sea might rage, luxury might have its own harbors in which to fatten separate herds of fish.