§94.64Ne Gnaeo quidem Pompeio externa bella ac domestica virtus aut ratio suadebat, sed insanus amor magnitudinis falsae.
Not even to Gnaeus Pompey did foreign and domestic wars recommend virtue or reason, but an insane love of false greatness.
Modo in Hispaniam et Sertoriana arma, modo ad colligandos piratas ac maria pacanda vadebat.
At one time he went to Spain and the Sertorian arms, at another to collect pirates and pacify the seas.
§94.65Hae praetexebantur causae ad continuandam potentiam.
These causes were pretended in order to continue his power.
Quid illum in Africam, quid in septentrionem, quid in Mithridaten et Armeniam et omnis Asiae angulos traxit? Infinita scilicet cupido crescendi, cum sibi uni parum magnus videretur.
What dragged him into Africa, what into the north, what into Mithridates and Armenia and every corner of Asia? Surely an infinite desire of growing, when he seemed to himself alone not great enough.
Quid C. Caesarem in sua fata pariter ac publica inmisit? Gloria et ambitio et nullus supra ceteros eminendi modus.
What sent Gaius Caesar into his own fate as well as that of the public? Glory and ambition and no limit of rising above the rest.
§94.66Unum ante se ferre non potuit, cum res publica supra se duos ferret.
He could not bear one before him, though the republic bore the two of them above itself.
Quid, tu C. Marium semel consulem—unum enim consulatum accepit, ceteros rapuit—cum Teutonos Cimbrosque concideret, cum Iugurtham per Africae deserta sequeretur, tot pericula putas adpetisse virtutis instinctu? Marius exercitus, Marium ambitio ducebat.
Why, do you think Gaius Marius—for he received only one consulship, and snatched the rest—when he slaughtered the Teutones and Cimbri, when he followed Jugurtha through the deserts of Africa, sought so many dangers by the instinct of virtue? Marius led armies, ambition led Marius.
§94.67Isti cum omnia concuterent, concutiebantur turbinum more, qui rapta convolvunt, sed ipsi ante volvuntur et ob hoc maiore impetu incurrunt, quia nullum illis sui regimen est ideoque cum multis fuerunt malo, pestiferam illam vim, qua plerisque nocuerunt, ipsi quoque sentiunt.
These men, while they shook all things, were shaken themselves in the manner of whirlwinds, which roll together what they have snatched, but themselves are rolled first, and for this reason run on with greater force, because there is no self-control for them, and therefore they have been a mischief to many; that pestilential force, by which they harmed most people, they themselves also feel.
Non est quod credas quemquam fieri aliena infelicitate felicem.
There is no reason why you should believe anyone is made happy by another's unhappiness.
§94.68Omnia ista exempla, quae oculis atque auribus nostris ingeruntur, retexenda sunt et plenum malis sermonibus pectus exhauriendum.
All those examples which are forced upon our eyes and ears must be unraveled, and the breast full of evil rumors must be emptied.
Inducenda in occupatum locum virtus, quae mendacia et contra verum placentia exstirpet, quae nos a populo, cui nimis credimus, separet ac sinceris opinionibus reddat.
Virtue must be introduced into the occupied place, to root out lies and things pleasing contrary to the truth, to separate us from the crowd in whom we trust too much, and to restore us to sincere opinions.
Hoc est enim sapientia, in naturam converti et eo restitui, unde publicus error expulerit.
For this is wisdom: to turn back to nature and to be restored there, from where public error has driven us out.
§94.69Magna pars sanitatis est hortatores insaniae reliquisse et ex isto coitu invicem noxio procul abisse.
A great part of sanity is to have left behind the encouragers of madness and to have gone far away from that mutually harmful association.
Hoc ut esse verum scias, aspice, quanto aliter unusquisque populo vivat, aliter sibi.
That you may know this to be true, see how differently everyone lives to the crowd, and how differently to himself.
Non est per se magistra innocentiae solitudo nec frugalitatem docent rura, sed ubi testis ac spectator abscessit, vitia subsidunt, quorum monstrari et conspici fructus est.
Solitude is not by itself a teacher of innocence, nor does the countryside teach frugality, but when the witness and spectator has departed, vices subside, of which to be shown and seen is the fruit.
§94.70Quis eam, quam nulli ostenderet, induit purpuram? Quis posuit secretam in auro dapem? Quis sub alicuius arboris rusticae proiectus umbra luxuriae suae pompam solus explicuit? Nemo oculis suis lautus est, ne paucorum quidem aut familiarium,-sed apparatum vitiorum suorum pro modo turbae spectantis expandit.
Who wears that purple which he would show to no one? Who places a secret feast in gold? Who, cast down under the shade of some rustic tree, has displayed alone the pomp of his luxury? No one is elegant only for his own eyes, nor even for those of a few or of his family, but he spreads out the apparatus of his vices according to the measure of the spectating crowd.
§94.71Ita est: inritamentum est omnium, in quae insanimus, admirator et conscius.
So it is: the admirer and the witness is the irritant of all things in which we are mad.
Ne concupiscamus efficies, si ne ostendamus effeceris.
You will bring it about that we do not desire, if you bring it about that we do not show.
Ambitio et luxuria et inpotentia scaenam desiderant: sanabis ista, si absconderis.
Ambition and luxury and lack of self-control desire a stage: you will cure these things if you hide them.
§94.72Itaque si in medio urbium fremitu conlocati sumus, stet ad latus monitor et contra laudatores ingentium patrimoniorum laudet parvo divitem et usu opes metientem.
Therefore, if we are placed in the midst of the roar of cities, let a monitor stand at our side, and against the praisers of huge patrimonies, let him praise the man rich with a little and measuring wealth by its use.
Contra illos, qui gratiam ac potentiam attollunt, otium ipse suspiciat traditum litteris et animum ab externis ad sua reversum.
Against those who lift up influence and power, let him respect leisure devoted to letters and the mind returned from external things to its own.
§94.73Ostendat ex constitutione vulgi beatos in illo invidioso fastigio suo trementes et adtonitos longeque aliam de se opinionem habentes quam ab aliis habetur.
Let him show those who are happy by the judgment of the crowd trembling and astonished on that enviable summit of theirs, and having a far different opinion of themselves than is held by others.
Nam quae aliis excelsa videntur, ipsis praerupta sunt.
For what seems lofty to others is steep to themselves.
Itaque exanimantur et trepidant, quotiens despexerunt in illud magnitudinis suae praeceps.
Therefore they are breathless and tremble as often as they have looked down into that precipice of their greatness.
Cogitant enim varios casus et in sublimi maxime lubricos.
For they think of various downfalls, and especially slippery ones on high.
§94.74Tunc adpetita formidant et quae illos graves aliis reddit, gravior ipsis felicitas incubat.
Then they dread what they sought, and that happiness which makes them heavy to others broods heavier upon themselves.
Tunc laudant otium lene et sui iuris, odio est fulgor et fuga a rebus adhuc stantibus quaeritur.
Then they praise gentle leisure that is under its own law; brightness is an object of hatred, and flight is sought from things still standing.
Tunc demum videas philosophantis metu et aegrae fortunae sana consilia.
Then at last you may see the wholesome plans of one philosophizing from fear and in a sick fortune.
Nam quasi ista inter se contraria sint, bona fortuna et mens bona, ita melius in malis sapimus; secunda rectum auferunt.
For as if those things were contrary to each other, good fortune and a good mind, so we are wiser in evils; prosperous things take away what is right.
Vale.
Farewell.