Page images
PDF
EPUB

A private citizen ought to live on terms of equality with his fellow-citizens, neither cringing nor subservient, nor haughty nor insolent; he ought to be favourable to measures in the state which lead to peace and tranquillity, for such we consider to be the character of a virtuous and upright citizen,

AN ALIEN.
Offic. i. 34.

Peregrini autem, et incolæ officium est, nihil præter suum negotium agere, nihil de alio anquirere, minimeque in alienâ esse republicâ curiosum.

A foreigner and an alien ought to attend to nothing but his own business, never to meddle with the affairs of others, and least of all to pry into the concerns of a foreign state.

BEAUTY AND DIGNITY.
Offic. i. 36.

Cum autem pulchritudinis duo genera sint, quorum in altero venustas sit, in altero dignitas; venustatem, muliebrem ducere debemus; dignitatem, virilem. Ergo et a formâ removeatur omnis viro non dignus ornatus: et huic simile vitium in gestu, motuque caveatur.

But, as there are two kinds of beauty, in the one of which is loveliness, in the other dignity; we ought to regard loveliness as the quality of woman, dignity that of man. Therefore, let every ornament unworthy of a man be removed from his person, and let him guard against any similar defect in his gestures and move

ments.

CLOWNISHNESS TO BE AVOIDED.

Offic. i. 36.

Adhibenda est præterea munditia non odiosa, neque exquisita nimis; tantum quæ fugiat agrestem, et inhumanam negligentiam. Eadem ratio, est habenda vestitus; in quo (sicut in plerisque rebus) mediocritas optima

est.

Besides, we must be neat in our person, though not over-particular, and let us shun boorish and ungentlemanlike slovenliness. The same principles must be applied to our dress, in which, as in most things, a mean is to be observed.

CONVERSATION.
Offic. i. 37.

Nec vero, tamquam in possessionem suam venerit, ex

cludat alios: sed cum reliquis in rebus, tum in sermone communi, vicissitudinem non iniquam putet.

A conversationalist must not exclude others from conversation at the dinner-table, as if it were his own possession, but he ought to regard mutual interchange of ideas to be the rule in conversation, as in other things.

BRAGGING.
Offic. i. 38.

Deforme etiam est, de se ipso prædicare, falsa præsertim, et cum irrisione audientium, imitari militem gloriosum. It is a silly thing to brag loudly of one's own doings, and to imitate the bragadocio-soldier in the play, telling falsehoods to the great amusement of the company.

DEGENERACY.
Offic. i. 39.

Odiosum est enim, cum a prætereuntibus dicitur :-0 domus antiqua, heu, quam dispari dominare domino!

It is a disgraceful thing when the passers-by exclaim, "O ancient house! alas, how unlike is thy present master to thy former lord!"

A PALACE.
Offic. i. 39.

Ornanda est enim dignitas domo, non ex domo tota quærenda: nec domo dominus, sed domino domus honestanda est.

A man's dignity should be increased by his house, and yet not wholly sought from it; the master ought not to be ennobled by the house, but the house by the master.

DUTIES OF JUSTICE.
Offic. i. 43.

Quibus rebus intelligitur, studiis, officiisque scientiæ, præponenda esse officia justitiæ, quæ pertinent ad hominum utilitatem ; quâ nihil homini esse debet antiquius.

Hence it may be understood that the duties of justice are to be preferred to the studies and duties of knowledge, which relate to the interests of mankind; than which nothing is more important to man.

PUBLIC SPEAKING.

Offic. i. 44.

Ob eam causam eloqui copiose, modo prudenter, melius est, quam vel acutissime sine eloquentiâ cogitare: quod cogitatio in se ipsa vertitur, eloquentia complectitur eos, quibuscum communitate juncti sumus.

On this account it is better to speak eloquently, provided it is with prudence, than to think with acuteness, if it be destitute of eloquence; for thought terminates in itself, whereas eloquence embraces all those with whom we are united in the society of life.

FEAR.
Offic. ii. 7.

Malus custos diuturnitatis metus: contraque, benevolentia, fidelis est vel ad perpetuitatem.

Fear is a bad guardian of a thing that requires to last, while, on the other hand, affection is faithful to the end.

PLEASURES.
Offic. ii. 10.

Voluptates, blandissimæ dominæ, majores partes animi a virtute detorquent; et dolorum cum admoventur faces, præter modum plerique exterrentur: vita, mors, divitiæ, paupertas, omnes homines vehementissime permovent. Quæ qui in utramque partem excelso animo, magnoque despiciunt, cumque aliqua his ampla, et honesta, res objecta est, totos ad se convertit, et rapit, tum quis non admiretur splendorem, pulchritudinemque virtutis?

Pleasures, those alluring mistresses, divert the great majority of mankind from the path of virtue; but when the torch of affliction is applied, they are terrified beyond measure. All men feel strongly life, death, riches, and poverty; but when men of a lofty and great spirit despise such things, and when they are drawn toward a noble object, who can refrain from admiring the splendour and beauty of their virtue?

INCORRUPTIBILITY.
Offic. ii. 11.

Maxime admirantur eum, qui pecuniâ non movetur: quod in quo viro perspectum sit, hunc igni spectatum arbitrantur.

Men particularly admire him who is not to be influenced by money; for in whomsoever they see this quality strongly marked, they regard him as ore purified by the fire.

HYPOCRISY AND TRUE POPULARITY,
Offic. ii. 12.

Quamquam præclare Socrates, hanc viam ad gloriam proximam, et quasi compendiariam dicebat esse, si quis id ageret, ut, qualis haberi vellet, talis esse. Quod si qui simulatione, et inani ostentatione, et ficto non modo sermone, sed etiam vultu, stabilem se gloriam consequi posse rentur, vehementer errant. Vera gloria radices agit, atque etiam propagatur: ficta omnia celeriter, tamquam flosculi, decidunt, nec simulatum potest quidquam esse diuturnum.

Well did Socrates say, that this was the nearest and the shortest road to glory, when a man acted so that he was such as he wished to be considered. Whereas those are greatly mistaken who think that they can obtain permanent glory by hypocrisy, vain pretence, and disguised words and looks. True glory strikes its roots deep, and spreads them on all sides; everything false disappears quickly, like spring flowers, nor can anything, that is untrue, be of long duration.

CONVERSATION.
Offic. ii. 14.

Sed tamen difficile dictu est, quantopere conciliet animos hominum comitas, affabilitasque sermonis.

But yet it is difficult to say how much men's minds are reconciled by a kind manner and affability of speech.

DUTY OF AN ADVOCATE
Offic. ii. 14.

Nec tamen, ut hoc fugiendum est, ita habendum est religioni, nocentem aliquando, modo ne nefarium, impiumque defendere; vult hoc multitudo, patitur consuetudo,

fert etiam humanitas.

We ought to consider it a duty to defend the guilty, provided he be not an abominable and impious wretch. The multitude wish this, custom allows it, and even humanity is willing to tolerate it.

BOUNTY.
Offic. ii. 15.

Omnino meminisse debemus id, quod a nostris hominibus sæpissime usurpatum, jam in proverbii consuetudinem

venit, largitionem fundum non habere; etenim quis potest modus esse, cum et idem qui consuerunt, et idem illud alii desiderent?

We ought particularly to remember this, as it is often in the mouths of the men of the present day, and has even passed into a proverb, "That a bountiful disposition has no bottom. For where can there be any moderation when both those who are accustomed to get, and others, are anxious for the same thing?

BENEFITS ILL BESTOWED.
Offic. ii. 18.

Nam præclare Ennius :

Benefacta male locata, malefacta arbitror.

Well has Ennius said, "Kindnesses ill bestowed are nothing but a curse and a disservice."

GRATITUDE.
Offic. ii. 20.

Commode autem, quicumque dixit, pecuniam qui habeat, non reddidisse: qui reddiderit, non habere: gratiam autem et qui retulerit, habere: et qui habeat, retulisse.

Well has it been said, whoever said it, "That the man who has received money has not repaid it, and he who has repaid it possesses it not; whereas he who has repaid a kindness shews his gratitude, and he who has it hath repaid it."

LEVELLING PRINCIPLE, NO MISCHIEF GREATER.

Offic. ii. 21.

Tum illud male: non esse in civitate duo millia hominum, qui rem haberent. Capitalis oratio, et ad æquationem bonorum pertinens: quâ peste quæ potest esse major?

He said very unwisely, "That there were not two thousand men of property in the whole state." A speech well worthy of notice, and which aimed at the equalising of property, than which there is no principle more pernicious in a state.

HEALTH.
Offic. ii. 24.

Sed valitudo sustentatur notitiâ sui corporis ; et observatione, quæ res aut prodesse soleant, aut obesse; et continentiâ in victu omni, atque cultu, corporis tuendi causâ ; et prætermittendis voluptatibus; postremo arte eorum, quorum ad scientiam hæc pertinent.

D

« PreviousContinue »