§90.39Licet itaque nunc conetur reparare quod perdidit, licet agros agris adiciat vicinum vel pretio pellens vel iniuria, licet in provinciarum spatium rura dilatet et possessionem vocet per sua longam peregrinationem, nulla nos finium propagatio eo reducet unde discessimus.
Therefore, although they may now endeavor to restore what they lost, although they may add field to field, driving out a neighbor either by purchase or by injury, although they may extend their estates to the size of provinces and call a long journey through their own lands "a single possession," no extension of boundaries will lead us back to where we departed.
Cum omnia fecerimus, multum habebimus; universum habebamus.
When we have done all things, we shall have much; but we used to have the universe.
§90.40Terra ipsa fertilior erat inlaborata et in usus populorum non diripientium larga.
The earth itself, untilled, was more fertile and abundant for the use of peoples who did not plunder.
Quidquid natura protulerat, id non minus invenisse quam inventum monstrare alteri voluptas erat.
Whatever nature had produced, it was a pleasure no less to have found it than to show to another what had been found.
Nec ulli aut superesse poterat aut deesse; inter concordes dividebatur.
Nor could there be too much or too little for anyone; it was divided among those who lived in harmony.
Nondum valentior inposuerat infirmiori manum, nondum avarus abscondendo quod sibi iaceret, alium necessariis quoque excluserat; par erat alterius ac sui cura.
Not yet had the stronger laid his hand upon the weaker; not yet had the avaricious, by hiding what lay there for himself, excluded another even from necessaries; there was an equal care for another as for oneself.
§90.41Arma cessabant incruentaeque humano sanguine manus odium omne in feras verterant.
Weapons were idle, and hands unstained with human blood had turned all their hatred toward wild beasts.
Illi quos aliquod nemus densum a sole protexerat, qui adversus saevitiam hiemis aut imbris vili receptaculo tuti sub fronde vivebant, placidas transigebant sine suspirio noctis.
Those whom some dense grove had protected from the sun, who lived under foliage safe from the severity of winter or rain in a mean shelter, passed peaceful nights without a sigh.
Sollicitudo nos in nostra purpura versat et acerrimis excitat stimulis; at quam mollem somnum illis dura tellus dabat!
Anxiety turns us on our purple couches and rouses us with the sharpest stings; but what soft sleep the hard earth gave to them!
§90.42Non inpendebant caelata laquearia, sed in aperto iacentes sidera superlabebantur et insigne spectaculum noctium mundus in praeceps agebatur silentio tantum opus ducens.
No carved ceilings hung over them, but as they lay in the open, the stars glided over them, and the universe, the wondrous spectacle of the nights, was driven headlong, performing so great a work in silence alone.
Tam interdiu illis quam nocte patebant prospectus huius pulcherrimae domus.
The view of this most beautiful house was open to them by day as well as by night.
Libebat intueri signa ex media caeli parte vergentia, rursus ex occulto alia surgentia.
It was a pleasure to watch the constellations sloping from the middle part of the sky, and again others rising from obscurity.
§90.43Quidni iuvaret vagari inter tam late sparsa miracula? At vos ad omnem tectorum pavetis sonum et inter picturas vestras, si quid increpuit, fugitis adtoniti.
Why should it not be a pleasure to wander among wonders so widely scattered? But you tremble at every sound of your roofs, and among your paintings, if anything makes a noise, you flee astonished.
Non habebant domos instar urbium.
They did not have houses like cities.
Spiritus ac liber inter aperta perflatus et levis umbra rupis aut arboris et perlucidi fontes rivique non opere nec fistula nec ullo coacto itinere obsolefacti, sed sponte currentes et prata sine arte formosa, inter haec agreste domicilium rustica politum manu.
The breath of air, free and blowing through open spaces, and the light shadow of a cliff or a tree, and crystal-clear springs and streams, defiled neither by artifice nor by pipes nor by any forced channel, but flowing spontaneously, and meadows beautiful without art—among these was their rustic dwelling, fashioned by a simple hand.
Haec erat secundum naturam domus, in qua libebat habitare nec ipsam nec pro ipsa timentem; nunc magna pars nostri metus tecta sunt.
This was a house according to nature, in which it was a pleasure to live, fearing neither the house itself nor for it; now, a great part of our fear is our roofs.
§90.44Sed quamvis egregia illis vita fuerit et carens fraude, non fuere sapientes, quando hoc iam in opere maximo nomen est.
But although their life was excellent and free from deceit, they were not wise, since this name is already for the greatest achievement.
Non tamen negaverim fuisse alti spiritus viros et, ut ita dicam, a dis recentes.
Yet I would not deny that they were men of high spirit and, so to speak, fresh from the gods.
Neque enim dubium est, quin meliora mundus nondum effetus ediderit.
For there is no doubt that the world, not yet exhausted, produced better things.
Quemadmodum autem omnibus indoles fortior fuit et ad labores paratior, ita non erant ingenia omnibus consummata.
But just as the disposition in all was stronger and more ready for labors, so minds were not perfected in all.
Non enim dat natura virtutem; ars est bonum fieri.
For nature does not give virtue; it is an art to become good.
§90.45Illi quidem non aurum nec argentum nec perlucidos lapides in ima terrarum faece quaerebant parcebantque adhuc etiam mutis animalibus; tantum aberat ut homo hominem non iratus, non timens, tantum spectaturus occideret.
They indeed did not seek gold or silver or translucent stones in the lowest dregs of the earth, and they still spared even dumb animals; it was so far from the case that a man should kill a man without anger, without fear, but merely to watch.
Nondum vestis illis erat picta, nondum texebatur aurum, adhuc nec eruebatur.
Not yet was there embroidered clothing for them, not yet was gold woven, nor as yet was it even dug out.
§90.46Quid ergo est? Ignorantia rerum innocentes erant.
What is it then? They were innocent through ignorance of things.
Multum autem interest, utrum peccare aliquis nolit an nesciat.
But there is a great difference between whether someone does not wish to sin, or does not know how.
Deerat illis iustitia, deerat prudentia, deerat temperantia ac fortitudo.
They lacked justice, they lacked prudence, they lacked temperance and fortitude.
Omnibus his virtutibus habebat similia quaedam rudis vita; virtus non contingit animo nisi instituto et edocto et ad summum adsidua exercitatione perducto.
Their rude life had certain things similar to all these virtues; but virtue does not fall to the lot of a mind unless it is trained and taught, and brought to the highest point by constant practice.
Ad hoc quidem, sed sine hoc nascimur et in optimis quoque, antequam erudias, virtutis materia, non virtus est.
Indeed, we are born for this, but without this, and even in the best of us, before you educate them, there is the material of virtue, not virtue itself.
VALE.
FAREWELL.