THERE IS A TIDE IN THE AFFAIRS OF MEN. Quid datur a divis felici optatius horâ? What can be given by the gods more desirable than a favourable opportunity? CONFOUNDING OF RIGHT AND WRONG. Omnia fanda, nefanda, malo permista furore, From earth's vile throng to their own heavens withdrew, FICKLENESS OF WOMAN. lxx. 3. Mulier cupido quod dicit amanti, But what, alas! are woman's vows? Or on the stream that swiftly flows. DIFFICULT TO RELINQUISH A CONFIRMED PASSION. Difficile est longum subito deponere amorem. CICERO ARTS. Arch. 1. Omnes artes, quæ ad humanitatem pertinent, habent quoddam commune vinculum, et quasi cognatione quâdam inter se continentur. All those arts, which may be used to humanise the race of man, have a certain common bond of union, and are related in affinity to one another. LITERATURE. An tu existimas aut suppetere nobis posse, quod quotidie dicamus in tantâ varietate rerum, nisi animos nostros doctrinâ excolamus, aut ferre animos tantam posse contentionem, nisi eos doctrinâ eâdem relaxemus? Is it possible that you could suppose, that I should be able to find materials for my daily speeches in the midst of such a variety of affairs, unless I improved my mind by literary studies? or that I could bear up against such labours, if I did not relieve it occasionally by devoting myself to the acquisition of knowledge? PRAISE. Nam, nisi multorum præceptis, multisque litteris mihi ab adolescentiâ suasissem, nihil esse in vitâ magnopere expetendum, nisi laudem atque honestatem, in eâ autem persequendâ omnes cruciatus corporis, omnia pericula mortis atque exsilii, parvi esse ducenda : numquam me pro salute vestrâ in tot ac tantas dimicationes, atque in hos profligatorum hominum quotidianos impetus objecissem. For, if I had not been thoroughly persuaded from my youth upwards by the precepts of many philosophers, and by my own literary investigations, that there is nothing in this life really worthy of being desired except glory and honour, and that, in the pursuit of these, even bodily torture, death, and banishment, are of little account, never would I have rushed in your defence to so many and such severe struggles, nor exposed myself to the daily attacks of these abandoned citizens. NATURAL DISPOSITION. Arch. 7. Etiam illud adjungo, sæpius ad laudem atque virtutem naturam sine doctrinâ, quam sine naturâ valuisse doctrinam. I add this also, that nature without education has oftener tended to glory and virtue, than education without nature. LITERATURE. Nam ceteræ neque temporum sunt, neque ætatum omnium, neque locorum: hæc studia adolescentiam agunt, senectutem oblectant, secundas res ornant, adversis perfugium ac solatium præbent, delectant domi, non impediunt foris, pernoctant nobiscum, peregrinantur, rusticantur. But other employments do not harmonise with all times, ages, or places literary studies are suitable for the young, are the delight of the aged, the ornament of prosperity, the comfort and refuge of adversity, our amusement at home, are no impediment to us abroad, employ our thoughts on our beds, attend us on our journeys, and do not leave us in the country. A POET. Arch. 8. Atqui sic a summis hominibus eruditissimisque accepimus, ceterarum rerum studia, et doctrinâ, et præceptis, et arte constare; poëtam naturâ ipsâ valere, et mentis viribus excitari, et quasi divino quodam spiritu inflari. Quare suo jure noster ille Ennius sanctos appellat poëtas, quod quasi deorum aliquo dono atque munere commendati nobis esse videantur. Sit igitur, judices, sanctum apud vos, humanissimos homines, hoc poëtæ nomen, quod nulla umquam barbaria violavit. Saxa et solitudines voci respondent; bestiæ sæpe immanes cantu flectuntur atque consistunt: nos instituti rebus optimis non poëtarum voce moveamur? I have always learned from the noblest and wisest of men, that a knowledge of other things is acquired by learning, rules, and art, but that a poet derives his power from nature herself, that the qualities of his mind are given to him by Divine inspiration. Wherefore rightly does Ennius regard poets as holy, because they seem to be delivered over to us as a beneficent gift by the gods. Let then, judges, this name of poet, which even the very savages respect, be sacred in your eyes, men as you are of the noblest humanity. Rocks and deserts re-echo to their voice; even the wildest animals turn and listen to the music of their words; and shall we, who have been brought up to the noblest pursuits, not yield to the voice of poets? ACHILLES. Quam multos scriptores rerum suarum magnus ille Alexander secum habuisse dicitur? Atque is tamen, in Sigeo ad Achillis tumulum adstitisset. "0 quum fortunate, inquit, adolescens, qui tuæ virtutis Homerum præconem inveneris." Et vere: nam, nisi Ilias illa exsti tisset, idem tumulus, qui corpus ejus contexerat, nomen etiam obruisset. How many historians is Alexander the Great said to have had with him to hand down to memory his exploits? And yet, as he stood on the promontory of Sigeum by the tomb of Achilles, he exclaimed: "O happy youth, who found a Homer to herald your praise!" And truly did he say so; for if the Iliad had never existed, the same tomb which covered his body would have concealed his fame for ever. PRAISE. Trahimur omnes laudis studio, et optimus quisque maxime gloriâ ducitur. We are all excited by the love of praise, and it is the noblest spirits that feel it most. VIRTUE. Nullam enim virtus aliam mercedem laborum periculorumque desiderat, præter hanc laudis et gloriæ, quâ quidem detractâ, judices, quid est, quod in hoc tam exiguo vitæ curriculo, et tam brevi, tantis nos in laboribus exerceamus? Certe, si nihil animus præsentiret in posterum, et si, quibus regionibus vitæ spatium circumscriptum est, eisdem omnes cogitationes terminaret suas, nec tantis se laboribus frangeret, neque tot curis vigiliisque angeretur, neque toties de vitâ ipsâ dimicaret. Nunc insidet quædam in optimo quoque virtus, quæ noctes et dies animum gloriæ stimulis concitat, atque admonet, non cum vitæ tempore esse dimittendam commemorationem nominis nostri, sed cum omni posteritate æquandam. For virtue wants no other reward for all the labours and dangers she undergoes, except what she derives from praise and glory: if this be denied to her, O judges, what reason is there why we should devote ourselves to such laborious pursuits, when our life is so brief, and its course in so small a compass. Assuredly, if our minds could foresee nothing of the future, and if all our thoughts were to be terminated with our life, there would be no reason why we should weary ourselves out with labours, submit to all the annoyances of cares and anxiety, and fight so often even for our very lives. In the noblest there resides a certain virtuous principle, which day and night stimulates a man to glorious deeds, and warns him that the recollection of our names is not to be terminated by time, but must be made boundless as eternity. THE POPULACE. Q. Rosc. Com. 10. Vulgus ex veritate pauca, ex opinione multa æstimat. The common rabble estimate few things according to their real value, most things according to the prejudices of their minds. GUILTY CONSCIENCE. Sext. Rosc. 24. Sua quemque fraus, et suus terror maxime vexat: suum quemque scelus agitat, amentiaque afficit: suæ malæ cogitationes conscientiæque animi terrent, hæ sunt impiis assiduæ domesticæque Furiæ; quæ dies noctesque parentum pœnas a consceleratissimis filiis repetant. It is the terror that arises from his own dishonest and evil life that chiefly torments a man: his wickedness and folly rack him the consciousness of bad thoughts and worse deeds terrify him: these are the domestic Furies that wait on him; which day and night call for punishment on wicked children for their behaviour to their parents. AN ADVANTAGE TO WHOM? Sext. Rosc. 30. L. Cassius ille, quem populus Romanus verissimum et sapientissimum judicem putabat, identidem in causis quærere solebat, cui bono fuisset. L. Cassius, whom the Roman people used to regard as the best and wisest of judges, inquired ever and anon at a trial:-"For whose advantage the deed was committed." DIFFERENCES OF POWERS. Sext. Rosc. 38. Non enim possumus omnia per nos agere: alius in aliâ est re magis utilis. For we cannot do everything by ourselves; different men have different abilities. FRIENDSHIP. Cn. Planc. 2. Neque est ullum certius amicitiæ vinculum, quam consensus et societas consiliorum et voluntatum. Nor is there any more certain tie of friendship than when men are joined and bound together in their plans and desires. |