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1 I | space that has been granted to us rushes by so speedily
2 I | when they are getting ready to live. Nor is it merely the
3 I | expostulating with Nature, to enter an indictment most
4 I | indictment most unbecoming to a wise man—that, in point
5 I | she has shown such favour to animals that they drag out
6 I | sufficiently generous measure to allow the accomplishment
7 I | carelessness, when it is devoted to no good end, forced at last
8 I | limited, if it is entrusted to a good guardian, increases
9 II | kindly; life, if you know how to use it, is long. But one
10 II | another by a toilsome devotion to tasks that are useless;
11 II | fixed principle by which to direct their course, but
12 II | and they do not permit us to rise anew and lift up our
13 II | overwhelmed us and we are chained to lust. Their victims are
14 II | victims are never allowed to return to their true selves;
15 II | never allowed to return to their true selves; if ever
16 II | selves; if ever they chance to find some release, like
17 II | deep sea which continue to heave even after the storm
18 II | whose prosperity men flock to behold; they are smothered
19 II | smothered by their blessings. To how many are riches a burden!
20 II | and the daily straining to display their powers draw
21 II | from constant pleasures! To how many does the throng
22 II | these men from the lowest to the highest—this man desires
23 II | no one asserts his claim to himself, everyone is wasted
24 II | because they were too busy to see them when they wished
25 II | anyone have the hardihood to complain of the pride of
26 II | when he himself has no time to attend to himself? After
27 II | himself has no time to attend to himself? After all, no matter
28 II | does sometimes condescend to listen to your words, he
29 II | sometimes condescend to listen to your words, he permits you
30 II | your words, he permits you to appear at his side; but
31 II | side; but you never deign to look upon yourself, to give
32 II | deign to look upon yourself, to give ear to yourself. There
33 II | upon yourself, to give ear to yourself. There is no reason,
34 II | is no reason, therefore, to count anyone in debt for
35 III | intellects of the ages were to concentrate upon this one
36 III | Men do not suffer anyone to seize their estates, and
37 III | their estates, and they rush to stones and arms if there
38 III | lands, yet they allow others to trespass upon their life—
39 III | eventually possess it. No one is to be found who is willing
40 III | be found who is willing to distribute his money, yet
41 III | closefisted, yet, when it comes to the matter of wasting time,
42 III | thing in which it is right to be miserly, they show themselves
43 III | prodigal. And so I should like to lay hold upon someone from
44 III | that you have fewer years to your credit than you count.
45 III | little of yourself was left to you; you will perceive that
46 III | as if you were destined to live forever, no thought
47 III | will suffer your course to be just as you plan it?
48 III | it? Are you not ashamed to reserve for yourself only
49 III | the remnant of life, and to set apart for wisdom only
50 III | which cannot be devoted to any business? How late it
51 III | business? How late it is to begin to live just when
52 III | How late it is to begin to live just when we must cease
53 III | just when we must cease to live! What foolish forgetfulness
54 III | forgetfulness of mortality to postpone wholesome plans
55 III | postpone wholesome plans to the fiftieth and sixtieth
56 III | fiftieth and sixtieth year, and to intend to begin life at
57 III | sixtieth year, and to intend to begin life at a point to
58 III | to begin life at a point to which few have attained! ~
59 III(7) | At 100 he should "come to his grave in a full age,
60 IV | acclaim it, and prefer it to all their blessings. They
61 IV | it could be with safety, to descend from their high
62 IV | The deified Augustus, to whom the gods vouchsafed
63 IV | gods vouchsafed more than to any other man, did not cease
64 IV | other man, did not cease to pray for rest and to seek
65 IV | cease to pray for rest and to seek release from public
66 IV | conversation ever reverted to this subject—his hope of
67 IV | himself. In a letter addressed to the senate, in which he
68 IV | earnestly prayed for has led me to forestall some of its delight
69 IV | worries they concealed. Forced to pit arms first against his
70 IV | Roman blood, he turned them to foreign wars. While he was
71 IV | others were being whetted to slay him. Not yet had he
72 IV | noble youths who were bound to her by adultery as by a
73 IV | and a second time the need to fear a woman in league with
74 IV(9) | was banished by Augustus to the island of Pandataria. ~~
75 IV(10) | triumvir, was sentenced to death by reason of his intrigue
76 IV | prayer of one who was able to answer the prayers of mankind. ~
77 V | friends, as he is tossed to and fro along with the state
78 V | with the state and seeks to keep it from destruction,
79 V | keep it from destruction, to be at last swept away, unable
80 V | swept away, unable as he was to be restful in prosperity
81 V | uses in a letter12 written to Atticus, when Pompey the
82 V | the son was still trying to restore his shattered arms
83 V | prisoner." He then proceeds to other statements, in which
84 V | will the wise man resort to so lowly a term, never will
85 VI | once started on, he is said to have complained bitterly
86 VI | had from the cradle, and to have exclaimed that he was
87 VI | he had had the courage to commend to the favour of
88 VI | had the courage to commend to the favour of a jury those
89 VI | those who were accused, and to make his influence felt
90 VI | forced a favourable verdict. To what lengths was not such
91 VI | premature ambition destined to go? One might have known
92 VI | it was too late for him to complain that he had never
93 VI | It would be superfluous to mention more who, though
94 VI | world, but you allow it to slip away as if it were
95 VI(13) | granting of citizenship to the Italians. ~~
96 VII | though you should cite to me the men who are avaricious,
97 VII | how much time they give to accounts, how much to laying
98 VII | give to accounts, how much to laying snares, how much
99 VII | laying snares, how much to fearing them, how much to
100 VII | to fearing them, how much to paying court, how much to
101 VII | to paying court, how much to being courted, how much
102 VII | do not allow them time to breathe. ~ Finally, everybody
103 VII | is nothing that is harder to learn. Of the other arts
104 VII | takes the whole of life to learn how to live, and—what
105 VII | whole of life to learn how to live, and—what will perhaps
106 VII | takes the whole of life to learn how to die. Many very
107 VII | whole of life to learn how to die. Many very great men,
108 VII | made it their one aim up to the very end of life to
109 VII | to the very end of life to know how to live; yet the
110 VII | end of life to know how to live; yet the greater number
111 VII | above human weaknesses not to allow any of his time to
112 VII | to allow any of his time to be filched from him, and
113 VII | because he has devoted wholly to himself whatever time he
114 VII | nothing that was worthy to be taken in exchange for
115 VII | there is no reason for you to suppose that these people
116 VII | miseries: "I have no chance to live." Of course you have
117 VII | All those who summon you to themselves, turn you away
118 VII(15) | structure has led some editors to doubt the integrity of the
119 VII | he attains them, desires to lay them aside and says
120 VII | value on gaining the chance to give them, now says: "When
121 VII | known, all have been enjoyed to the full. Mistress Fortune
122 VII | Something may be added to it, but nothing taken from
123 VII | there is no reason for you to think that any man has lived
124 VII(18) | public games was committed to the praetors. ~~
125 VIII | world; but they are blind to it because it is an incorporeal
126 VIII | with capital punishment, to spend all their possessions
127 VIII | their possessions in order to live! So great is the inconsistency
128 VIII | they be! And yet it is easy to dispense an amount that
129 VIII | there is no reason for you to suppose that these people
130 VIII | precious a thing time is; for to those whom they love most
131 VIII | saying that they are ready to give them a part of their
132 VIII | suffer loss without adding to the years of their dear
133 IX | order that they may be able to live better; they spend
134 IX | spend life in making ready to live! They form their purposes
135 IX | their purposes with a view to the distant future; yet
136 IX | The greatest hindrance to living is expectancy, which
137 IX | All things that are still to come lie in uncertainty;
138 IX | mortals' life~Is ever first to flee.19 ~"Why do you delay,"
139 IX | is most admirably worded to cast censure upon infinite
140 IX | the fairest day." Why, to whatever length your greed
141 IX | so fast? The poet speaks to you about the day, and about
142 IX | fairest day is ever the first to flee? Old age surprises
143 IX | childish, and they come to it unprepared and unarmed,
144 X | X. Should I choose to divide my subject into heads
145 X | many arguments will occur to me by which I could prove
146 X | old-fashioned kind, used to say that we must fight against
147 X | this; for they have no time to look back upon the past,
148 X | have, it is not pleasant to recall something they must
149 X | are, therefore, unwilling to direct their thoughts backward
150 X | their thoughts backward to ill-spent hours, and those
151 X | do not have the courage to revert to those hours. No
152 X | have the courage to revert to those hours. No one willingly
153 X | willingly turns his thought back to the past, unless all his
154 X | acts have been submitted to the censorship of his conscience,
155 X | them, they will suffer you to behold them and keep them
156 X | are engrossed have no time to do. The mind that is untroubled
157 X | and tranquil has the power to roam into all the parts
158 X | if there is no bottom21 to receive and hold it, so
159 X | there is nothing for it to settle upon, it passes out
160 X | so brief, indeed, that to some there seems to be none;
161 X | that to some there seems to be none; for it is always
162 X | and hurries on; it ceases to be before it has come, and
163 X(21) | An allusion to the fate of the Danaids,
164 XI | In a word, do you want to know how they do not "live
165 XI | See how eager they are to live long! Decrepit old
166 XI | falsehood, and are as pleased to deceive themselves as if
167 XI | None of it is assigned to another, none of it is scattered
168 XI | none of it is committed to Fortune, none of it perishes
169 XI | unused; the whole of it, so to speak, yields income. And
170 XI | wise man will not hesitate to go to meet death with steady
171 XI | will not hesitate to go to meet death with steady step. ~
172 XII | There is no reason for you to suppose that I mean only
173 XII | forth from their own homes to bump them against someone
174 XII | public wrestling-place (for, to our shame I we labour with
175 XII | disarranged locks are restored to their place or thinning
176 XII | Who is not more concerned to have his head trim rather
177 XII | movement Nature designed to be straightforward, into
178 XII | fingers as they beat time to some song they have in their
179 XII | they have been summoned to serious, often even melancholy,
180 XII | breathlessly they watch to see in what style the wild
181 XII | smooth-faced boys hurry to perform their duties, with
182 XII | into portions all according to rule, how carefully unhappy
183 XII | fastidious and elegant, and to such an extent do their
184 XII | rides as if it were unlawful to omit them, who are reminded
185 XII | you can call it pampering to unlearn the habits of human
186 XII | leisure? I find it hard to say whether I pity him more
187 XII | or if he pretended not to know this. They really are
188 XII | They really are subject to forgetfulness of many things,
189 XII | very lowly and despicable to know what he is doing. After
190 XII | fabricate many things to make a mock of luxury! In
191 XII | the mimes with neglect. To think that there is anyone
192 XII | takes another's word as to whether he is sitting down!
193 XII | leisure, you must apply to him a different term—he
194 XII | own body, needs someone to tell him—how can he be the
195 XIII | XIII. It would be tedious to mention all the different
196 XIII | was once a foible confined to the Greeks to inquire into
197 XIII | foible confined to the Greeks to inquire into what number
198 XIII | whether moreover they belong to the same author, and various
199 XIII | which, if you keep them to yourself, in no way pleasure
200 XIII | the first Roman general to do this or that; Duilius
201 XIII | even if they add nothing to real glory, are nevertheless
202 XIII | concerned with signal services to the state; there will be
203 XIII | first induced the Romans to go on board ship. It was
204 XIII | Valerius Corvinus was the first to conquer Messana, and was
205 XIII | the family of the Valerii to bear the surname Messana
206 XIII | name of the conquered city to himself, and was later called
207 XIII | you will permit someone to be interested also in this—
208 XIII | Lucius Sulla was the first to exhibit loosed lions in
209 XIII | were sent by King Bocchus to despatch them? And, doubtless,
210 XIII | serve any useful purpose to know that Pompey was the
211 XIII | that Pompey was the first to exhibit the slaughter of
212 XIII | state and one who, according to report, was conspicuous
213 XIII | notable kind of spectacle to kill human beings after
214 XIII | new fashion. Do they fight to the death? That is not enough!
215 XIII | not enough! Are they torn to pieces? That is not enough!
216 XIII | of wretched human beings to wild beasts born under a
217 XIII | people, who itself was soon to be forced to shed more.
218 XIII | itself was soon to be forced to shed more. he then believed
219 XIII | treachery, offered himself to the dagger of the vilest
220 XIII | his surname30 was. ~ But to return to the point from
221 XIII | surname30 was. ~ But to return to the point from which I have
222 XIII | which I have digressed, and to show that some people bestow
223 XIII | twenty captured elephants to be led before his car; that
224 XIII | old times it was customary to extend after the acquisition
225 XIII | territory. Is it more profitable to know this than that Mount
226 XIII | Mount Aventine, according to him, is outside the pomerium
227 XIII | because that was the place to which the plebeians had
228 XIII | My friend Fabianus used to say that at times he was
229 XIII | whether it was not better not to apply oneself to any studies
230 XIII | better not to apply oneself to any studies than to become
231 XIII | oneself to any studies than to become entangled in these. ~
232 XIII(31) | A name applied to a consecrated space kept
233 XIII(31) | vacant within and (according to Livy, i. 44) without the
234 XIII(31) | extending it belonged originally to the king who had added territory
235 XIII(31) | who had added territory to Rome. ~~
236 XIV | for they are not content to be good guardians of their
237 XIV | only. They annex ever age to their own; all the years
238 XIV | ore them are an addition to their store. Unless we are
239 XIV | men's labours we are led to the sight of things most
240 XIV | shut out, we have access to all ages, and if it is our
241 XIV | wish, by greatness of mind, to pass beyond the narrow limits
242 XIV | Since Nature allows us to enter into fellowship with
243 XIV | ourselves with all our soul to the past, which is boundless,
244 XIV | around their venal greeting to houses that are very far
245 XIV | how few will they be able to see? How many will there
246 XIV | will rush by, pretending to be in a hurry! How many
247 XIV | were not more discourteous to deceive than to exclude.
248 XIV | discourteous to deceive than to exclude. How many, still
249 XIV | most insolent yawn, manage to bestow on yonder poor wretches,
250 XIV | their own slumber33 in order to wait on that of another,
251 XIV | after it has been whispered to them a thousand times! ~
252 XIV | duties of life who shall wish to have Zeno, Pythagoras, Democritus,
253 XIV | no one of these will fail to have his visitor leave more
254 XIV | more happy and more devoted to himself than when he came,
255 XIV | these will allow anyone to leave him with empty hands;
256 XV | of these will force you to die, but all will teach
257 XV | but all will teach you how to die; no one of these will
258 XV | each will add his own years to yours; conversations with
259 XV | offered himself as a client to these! He will have friends
260 XV | fashion himself. ~ We are wont to say that it was not in our
261 XV | it was not in our power to choose the parents who fell
262 XV | choose the parents who fell to our lot, that they have
263 XV | that they have been given to men by chance; yet we may
264 XV | one into which you wish to be adopted; you will inherit
265 XV | which there will be no need to guard in a mean or niggardly
266 XV | become. These will open to you the path to immortality,
267 XV | will open to you the path to immortality, and will raise
268 XV | immortality, and will raise you to a height from which no one
269 XV | works of stone, quickly sink to ruin; there is nothing that
270 XV | far off we are more free to admire. The life of the
271 XV | This he uses. Is it still to come? This he anticipates.
272 XVI | death, have you any reason to think it any proof that
273 XVI | too, you have no reason to think that this is any proof
274 XVI | that the day often seems to them long, the fact that
275 XVI | they are left with nothing to do, and they do not know
276 XVI | and they do not know how to dispose of their leisure
277 XVI | dispose of their leisure or to drag out the time. And so
278 XVI | strive for something else to occupy them, and all the
279 XVI | or amusement, they want to skip over the days that
280 XVI | they hope for seems long to them. Yet the time which
281 XVI | they flee from one pleasure to another and cannot remain
282 XVI | Their days are not long to them, but hateful; yet,
283 XVI | night. For what is it but to inflame our vices to inscribe
284 XVI | but to inflame our vices to inscribe the name of the
285 XVI | gods as their sponsors, and to present the excused indulgence
286 XVI | of divinity as an example to our own weakness? Can the
287 XVI | they pay for so dearly fail to seem all too short to these
288 XVI | fail to seem all too short to these men? They lose the
289 XVII | This feeling has led kings to weep over the power they
290 XVII | viewed with terror the end to which it must some time
291 XVII | alive.36 But he who wept was to bring upon them their fate,
292 XVII | upon them their fate, was to give some to their doom
293 XVII | their fate, was to give some to their doom on the sea, some
294 XVII | within a short time was to destroy all those for whose
295 XVII | trusted than when it is best; to maintain prosperity there
296 XVII | For everything that comes to us from chance is unstable,
297 XVII | rises, the more liable it is to fall. Moreover, what is
298 XVII | Moreover, what is doomed to perish brings pleasure to
299 XVII | to perish brings pleasure to no one; very wretched, therefore,
300 XVII | of those be who work hard to gain what they must work
301 XVII | what they must work harder to keep. By great toil they
302 XVII | place of the old, hope leads to new hope, ambition to new
303 XVII | leads to new hope, ambition to new ambition. They do not
304 XVII | our time. Have we ceased to labour as candidates? We
305 XVII | as candidates? We begin to canvass for others. Have
306 XVII | judge. Has a man ceased to be a judge? He becomes president
307 XVII | Does Quintius38 hasten to get to the end of his dictatorship?
308 XVII | Quintius38 hasten to get to the end of his dictatorship?
309 XVII | He will be called back to it from the plough. Scipio
310 XVII(38) | appointment was announced to him while he was ploughing
311 XVII(39) | did not allow his statue to be placed in the Capitol. ~~
312 XVIII | part of it, has been given to the state; take now some
313 XVIII | And I do not summon you to slothful or idle inaction,
314 XVIII | slothful or idle inaction, or to drown all your native energy
315 XVIII | pleasures that are dear to the crowd. That is not to
316 XVIII | to the crowd. That is not to rest; you will find far
317 XVIII | performed so energetically, to occupy you in the midst
318 XVIII | in which it is difficult to avoid hatred; but nevertheless
319 XVIII | believe me, it is better to have knowledge of the ledger
320 XVIII | which is most competent to cope with the greatest subjects,
321 XVIII | honourable but hardly adapted to the happy life, and reflect
322 XVIII | this—that it might be safe to entrust many thousand pecks
323 XVIII | many thousand pecks of corn to your charge; you gave hope
324 XVIII | oxen are much more suited to carrying heavy loads than
325 XVIII | have in subjecting yourself to such a great burden; your
326 XVIII | hungry people neither listens to reason, nor is appeased
327 XVIII(41)| Probably an allusion to the mad wish of Caligula: "
328 XVIII(42)| long, reaching from Baiae to the mole of Puteoli (Suetonius,
329 XVIII | the corn-market, and had to face stones, the sword,
330 XIX | XIX. Do you retire to these quieter, safer, greater
331 XIX | soul; where Nature lays us to rest When we are freed from
332 XIX | light on high, carries fire to the topmost part, summons
333 XIX | part, summons the stars to their proper changes—and
334 XIX | awaits much that is good to know—the love and practice
335 XIX | and hating. If these wish to know how short their life
336 XX | before they could climb up to the height of their ambition;
337 XX | through a thousand indignities to the crowning dignity, have
338 XX | tomb; some who have come to extreme old age, while they
339 XX | while they adjusted it to new hopes as if it were
340 XX | an instance which occurs to me. Sextus46 Turannius was
341 XX | own act, ordered himself to be laid out on his bed and
342 XX | laid out on his bed and to be mourned by the assembled
343 XX | accustomed work was restored to him. Is it really such pleasure
344 XX | such pleasure for a man to die in harness? Yet very
345 XX | body, they judge old age to be a hardship on no other
346 XX | is more difficult for men to obtain leisure from themselves
347 XX | funerals of such men ought to be conducted by the light
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