Book IVMeditations · Liber IV

When the ruling part within us is in its natural state, it adapts easily to whatever happens and turns to what is possible. It aims even at the things it prefers only with a reservation, and whatever blocks them it makes into material for its own exercise, as a strong fire seizes what is thrown on it and grows from it.

Quaewhich intraintrāwithin nosnōsus parspart principatumprīncipātumthe command obtinet,it holds ubiwhen, once secundumaccording to naturamnātūramnature habueritit has (got) sesē,itself adversustowards, in relation to eathe things quaewhich continguntthey happen itaso, in such a way estis comparatacomparāta,disposed, prepared utthat adto idthat quodwhich potestis possible etand concessumgranted est,has been facileeasily sesēitself transferattrānsferat.it turns (itself)The part within us that holds command, when it is in accordance with nature, is so disposed towards the things that happen that it easily turns itself to what is possible and granted to it.Quae intra nos pars principatum obtinet The relative clause comes first and carries its own noun: quae … pars … obtinet "which part holds command". Latin often puts the antecedent inside the relative clause like this; English takes it out: "the part within us that holds command", Marcus's ruling part, the mind. pars is then the subject of the main verb est comparata. Relative clauses and the relative pronoun qui, quae, quodubi secundum naturam habuerit se se habere with an adverb or phrase means "to be in a certain state": secundum naturam se habere "to be in accordance with nature". habuerit is future perfect (the perfect subjunctive looks the same): "once it has got itself so". Latin marks that this state must come first; English says simply "when it is in accordance with nature". The future perfect ("if you will have done…")ita est comparata, ut … facile se transferat ita … ut "so … that" introduces a result clause, with its verb in the subjunctive: transferat "(that) it transfers itself, turns". est comparata "is prepared, is disposed" is a perfect passive describing a lasting state; adversus ea quae contingunt "towards the things that happen" says in respect of what. Result clauses (ut after ita, tam, sic)ad id quod potest et concessum est id quod potest is "that which can (be)", i.e. what is possible; concessum est "has been granted", i.e. what is allowed. The mind does not cling to one outcome but turns to whatever is possible and given. nequenot enimfor dedēabout materiamāteriāmaterial certacertāfixed, particular ullaūllāany solicitaanxious est:it is sedbut adtowards ipsathemselves etiameven praepositathe preferred things cumwith exceptioneexceptiōnea reservation fertur:it is carried, it movesFor it is not anxious about any fixed material: but it moves even towards the preferred things themselves with a reservation:neque enim de materia certa ulla solicita est solicita is Gataker's spelling of sollicita "anxious"; its subject is still the ruling part. neque … ulla "not … any": the mind does not insist on any one particular materia, the material an action works on. Gataker's spelling: j, caeterum, quenquam, -cunquead ipsa etiam praeposita praeposita "the preferred things" is a Stoic term (Greek proēgmena): things like health or success, not truly good but reasonably preferred. It is the perfect participle of praepono used as a noun, "things put before (others)". ipsa etiam "even … themselves": even towards these the mind moves only on terms. Participles: present, perfect, future, and as nounscum exceptione fertur cum exceptione "with a reservation" is the Stoic reservation: one aims at a thing with the unspoken clause "if nothing prevents", so that if it fails the mind is not disturbed. fertur "is carried" is a passive used for "moves, goes". etand quicquidwhatever eorumeōrumof them locolocōin place adversiadversīadverse sesēitself ingerit,it thrusts idthat proprōas materiamāteriā,material inon, in quaquāwhich exerceatit may exercise sesē,itself habet:it treatsand whatever adverse thing thrusts itself in their place, it treats as material on which to exercise itself:quicquid eorum loco adversi se ingerit, id quicquid adversi is "whatever of the adverse", a partitive genitive: "whatever adverse thing". eorum loco "in their place": in place of the preferred things the mind was aiming at. se ingerit "thrusts itself in". id "that" then sums up the whole quicquid clause as the object of habet. Partitive genitive (aliquid boni, nihil…)pro materia … habet habere pro + ablative is "to treat as, regard as": id pro materia habet "it treats that as material". The obstacle becomes the very stuff the mind works on.in qua exerceat se A relative clause in the subjunctive can express purpose: in qua exerceat se "in which it may exercise itself", i.e. "material to exercise itself on". Relative clauses with the subjunctive (characteristic, ut qui) quemadmodumjust as ignisa fire validior,stronger ubiwhen, once ea,those things veleither obviain its way facta,having been made velor injecta,thrown on corripuerit,it has seized quaewhich lucernamlamp exilemexīlemfeeble, small citocitōquickly extinxissentextīnxissent,they would have put out accommodatit adapts sibito itself etand absumitabsūmit,it consumes etand exfrom eiseīsthose ipsisipsīsvery incrementaincrēmentagrowth capit.it takesjust as a stronger fire, when it has seized the things that would quickly have put out a feeble lamp, whether they came in its way or were thrown on it, makes them its own and consumes them, and from those very things gains in size.quemadmodum ignis validior quemadmodum "just as" brings in a comparison that explains the last part: the mind treats obstacles as a strong fire treats what falls on it. validior "stronger" is comparative: stronger than the little lamp mentioned after.ubi ea, vel obvia facta, vel injecta, corripuerit ubi … corripuerit "when it has seized" is future perfect, as in the first part of the section. Its object ea "those things" is described by two participles: vel obvia facta, vel injecta "either having come in its way or having been thrown on"; obvia facta is literally "made to meet (it)". Paired words: et…et, nec…nec, vel…vel, cum…tum, non tam…quam, sive…sivequae lucernam exilem cito extinxissent The pluperfect subjunctive extinxissent is unreal, like the main clause of an "if" sentence that did not come true: "which would quickly have put out a feeble lamp" (if they had fallen on one). What smothers a small flame feeds a strong one. Gataker writes extinxissent for exstinxissent, from exstinguo. Relative clauses with the subjunctive (characteristic, ut qui)accommodat sibi et absumit, et ex eis ipsis incrementa capit The three main verbs share the subject ignis, and the object ea is not repeated: "makes them suit itself and consumes them". incrementa capit "takes growth", i.e. grows bigger.

No action should be done to no purpose or at random, but only in such a way that it answers as exactly as possible to the rules of the art.

Nihilnothing operisof work estis frustrafrūstrāin vain temereveor at random exequendum,to be carried out nequenor aliterotherwise quamthan utso that artisof the art regulisrēgulīsto the rules quamas … as possible exactissimeexāctissimēmost exactly respondeat.it answersNo work is to be carried out in vain or at random, nor otherwise than so that it answers as exactly as possible to the rules of the art.Nihil operis est … exequendum exequendum est is the gerundive with esse, the gerundive of obligation: "is to be carried out, must be done"; with nihil it becomes "nothing must be done". exequendum is Gataker's spelling of exsequendum, from the deponent exsequor; a deponent's gerundive is still passive in meaning. nihil operis "nothing of work" is a partitive genitive: "no action". Gerundive of obligation (cavenda est, agenda sunt)frustra temereve -ve "or" is joined to the second word: frustra temereve "in vain or at random", i.e. with no purpose or with no thought. Enclitics: -que, -ve, -neneque aliter quam ut … respondeat neque aliter quam ut … "nor otherwise than so that …": the only right way to act is one in which the deed respondeat "answers, corresponds" to the rules of the art (here, the art of living). respondere takes the dative, regulis "to the rules". quam with a superlative means "as … as possible": quam exactissime "as exactly as possible".

People seek retreats in the country, by the sea and in the mountains, but you can withdraw into your own mind whenever you like, and there is no quieter retreat. Keep there a few short principles that renew you: that people are born for one another and do wrong unwillingly; that the universe is either providence or atoms; that the mind stays apart from the body's pain and pleasure; that fame is brief and small. Above all remember that things do not touch the soul, since distress comes from opinion, and that everything you see will soon change: the world is change, life is opinion.

RecessusRecessūsretreats sibifor themselves requiruntrequīruntthey seek multimultīmany people multosmultōs,many villasvīllāscountry houses agrestesagrestēs,in the country litoralītora,shores montesmontēs.mountains istiusmodiistīusmodīof that kind locaplaces ettoo ipseyourself plurimumplūrimumvery much solessolēsyou are used appetere.to long forMany people seek many retreats for themselves, country houses, shores, mountains. And you yourself are very much in the habit of longing for places of that kind.Recessus sibi requirunt multi multos multi multos "many (seek) many": Latin likes to set two forms of one word side by side. recessus "retreats, places to withdraw to" is an accusative plural of the 4th declension, and villas agrestes, litora, montes "country houses, shores, mountains" are examples of them.et ipse plurimum soles appetere et ipse "you yourself too": Marcus turns to himself. plurimum "most, very much" is the neuter of the superlative used as an adverb. soles "you are accustomed" takes an infinitive, appetere "to long for". hocthis autembut totumtōtumwhole vulgariumvulgāriumcommon, ordinary cumamong primisprīmīsthe first estis (the mark) hominum.of people cumsince liceat,it is allowed quocunquequōcunquewhatever ipseyou yourself voluerisyou wish tempore,time ininto teipsumtēipsumyourself secederesēcēdere.to withdrawBut all this is the mark of the most ordinary kind of people. For you may, at whatever time you yourself wish, withdraw into yourself.hoc autem totum vulgarium cum primis est hominum est with a genitive means "is the mark of, belongs to": hoc … est hominum "this is typical of people". vulgarium cum primis "common among the first", i.e. ordinary in the highest degree: "of the most ordinary kind of people". cum primis "among the first" is a set phrase for "especially". Genitive of characteristic: "it belongs to…, it is the mark of…"cum liceat cum with the subjunctive here gives a reason: "since it is allowed". Gataker sets the clause off with a full stop, but it still explains what comes before: seeking retreats elsewhere is ordinary, since you can withdraw into yourself at any time. licet "it is allowed" is impersonal; what is allowed is the infinitive secedere "to withdraw". The person allowed is not named, but ipse volueris shows it is you. Clauses with cum: when, since, althoughquocunque ipse volueris tempore quocunque … tempore "at whatever time" is an ablative of time, with the noun held back to the end. volueris is future perfect: "whenever you (shall) wish". The future perfect ("if you will have done…")in teipsum secedere teipsum is te ipsum "yourself" written as one word, the object of in "into". secedere "to go apart, withdraw" (se- "apart" + cedere "to go") is the key word of the whole section: the retreat into oneself. nusquamnowhere enimfor auteither quietiorquiētiorquieter autor otiiōtiīof leisure ampliorisampliōrisfuller cuiquamto anyone secessussēcessusa retreat datur,is given quamthan ininto suamhis ipsiusipsīusown animam.soulFor nowhere is anyone given a retreat either quieter or with fuller leisure than into his own soul.aut quietior aut otii amplioris cuiquam secessus secessus "a retreat" is described in two ways: quietior "quieter" and otii amplioris "of fuller leisure", a genitive of quality. Both comparatives are answered by quam "than": "than (a retreat) into his own soul". Comparison: comparatives, superlatives, quamcuiquam quisquam "anyone" is the form used in negative sentences; here nusquam "nowhere" makes the sentence negative: "nowhere is a retreat given to anyone". Indefinite pronouns: aliquis, quis, quisquam, ullus, quisque, quicunquein suam ipsius animam suam ipsius "his own": the genitive ipsius "of (him) himself" strengthens the possessive, as English says "his very own". praecipuepraecipuē,especially sisīif quisanyone easuch things intraintrāwithin sesēhimself repositastored up habuerit,he has quorumquōrumof which contemplationecontemplātiōneby the contemplation summamthe highest extemploextemplōat once tranquillitatemtranquillitātemcalm consequaturcōnsequātur.he attainsespecially if someone has stored up within himself the kind of things by looking into which he at once attains the greatest calm.si quis ea intra se reposita habuerit si quis "if anyone": after si the indefinite quis means "anyone" (Gataker prints it here as two words, elsewhere as one, siquis). ea … reposita habuerit "has those things stored up": habere with a perfect participle stresses the lasting result, things laid by and kept ready. habuerit is future perfect, as in §1. Conditional sentences (si, nisi, siquis)quorum contemplatione … consequatur The relative clause is in the subjunctive because it describes what kind of things ea are: "such that by contemplating them he attains". quorum "of which" is an objective genitive with contemplatione: "by the contemplation of which", i.e. by looking into which. summam "highest" is the superlative of superus. Relative clauses with the subjunctive (characteristic, ut qui) tranquillitatemtranquillitātemcalm eamthat dicodīcō,I mean quaewhich inin animianimīof a mind probeprobēwell compositicompositīordered statustatūstate consistitcōnsistit.it consistsI mean that calm which consists in the state of a mind well ordered.tranquillitatem eam dico dico "I mean": Marcus stops to say which calm he means, repeating the noun from the last part. It is not mere quiet but animi probe compositi status "the state of a mind well ordered". hochōcthis itaqueso, therefore recessurecessūretreat jugiterjūgiterconstantly ususūsus,using tetēyourself renovarenovā.renewSo, making constant use of this retreat, renew yourself.hoc … recessu … usus usus is the perfect participle of the deponent utor "use", active in meaning: "having used", here simply "using". utor takes the ablative, so its object is hoc recessu "this retreat". The participle agrees with the "you" of the imperative renova "renew": "using this retreat constantly, renew yourself". Deponent verbs: passive forms, active meaning habeashabeāsyou should have autemand, moreover penesin the keeping of tetēyou breviashort quaedamsome, certain etand principaliaprīncipāliafundamental documenta,principles, lessons quaewhich statimat once ubias soon as succurrerint,they have come to mind omnemall animianimīof the mind molestiamdistress eluereēluereto wash away tibifor you possint,they can remittantqueand they send back tetēyou nihilnothing aegreaegrēill ferentemtaking eorumeōrum,of the things adto quaewhich reverteris.you returnAnd you should keep by you some brief and fundamental principles, which as soon as they come to mind can wash away for you all distress of the mind, and send you back resenting none of the things to which you return.habeas autem penes te habeas "you should have" is a jussive subjunctive, a gentler command than the imperative. penes te "in your keeping, by you": the principles must be close at hand. Jussive and hortatory subjunctive ("let him…", "you should…")quae … possint, remittantque te The relative clause is in the subjunctive because it says what the principles are for: "such as can wash away … and send you back". -que on remittant joins its second verb. Inside it, ubi succurrerint "as soon as they have come to mind" is a perfect subjunctive standing for a future perfect, subjunctive because it sits within the subjunctive clause. Relative clauses with the subjunctive (characteristic, ut qui)nihil aegre ferentem eorum, ad quae reverteris aegre ferre "to bear badly" is "to resent, be vexed at". ferentem agrees with te: you are sent back "resenting nothing of the things to which you return", the business you left behind. nihil … eorum "nothing of them" is a partitive genitive. reverteris is the present of the deponent revertor "return". ecquidanything? estis there enim,for quodwhich aegreaegrēill ferreto take debeasdēbeās?you ought nunquidis it perhaps hominumof men improbitatemimprobitātem?wickednessFor is there anything that you ought to resent? Is it perhaps the wickedness of men?ecquid est enim, quod aegre ferre debeas ecquid "is there anything?" is the neuter of ecquis, a question word that asks whether there is anything at all, with the answer "no" in view. The relative clause has the subjunctive debeas because it describes the kind of thing asked about: "anything such that you ought to resent it". Relative clauses with the subjunctive (characteristic, ut qui)nunquid hominum improbitatem nunquid (classical numquid) asks a doubtful question: "is it perhaps …?". The verb is left out: improbitatem is accusative as the object of aegre ferre debeas from the last question: "(Ought you to resent) the wickedness of men?" Words left out: esse, sum and others understood perpendensperpendēnsweighing tecumtēcumwith yourself dogmadoctrine illud,that homineshominēshuman beings alterumone alteriusof the other caussacaussāfor the sake natosnātōsborn esse;to have been tumthen, next aequanimitatemaequanimitātemequanimity esseis justitiaejūstitiaeof justice portionemportiōnem;a part porroporrōfurther invitosinvītōsunwilling delinqueredēlinquere;do wrongWeighing with yourself that doctrine, that human beings are born for one another's sake; then, that equanimity is a part of justice; further, that people do wrong against their will;perpendens tecum dogma illud perpendens "weighing" is a present participle; it belongs to the "you" of desine at the end of the next part, so everything here leads up to that one command. tecum "with yourself" (= cum te) means in your own mind. dogma illud "that doctrine" is then spelled out. Participles: present, perfect, future, and as nounshomines alterum alterius caussa natos esse The doctrine is given as an accusative and infinitive: homines … natos esse "that human beings have been born" (natos esse is the perfect infinitive of the deponent nascor). alterum alterius caussa "one for the sake of the other" is the Latin for "for one another's sake". caussa + genitive "for the sake of" follows its genitive; caussa is Gataker's spelling of causa. Accusative and infinitive (indirect statement)tum aequanimitatem esse justitiae portionem; porro invitos delinquere Two more accusatives with infinitives depend on perpendens: aequanimitatem esse … portionem "that equanimity is a part of justice", and invitos delinquere "that (people) do wrong unwillingly", where homines is understood and invitos agrees with it. tum … porro … denique "then … further … finally" mark the steps of the list. Accusative and infinitive (indirect statement) deniquedēniquefinally quamhow multimultī,many people ubiafter, when inimicitiisinimīcitiīsenmities exercendisexercendīs,being carried on suspicionibussuspīciōnibussuspicions fovendisfovendīs,being nursed odiisodiīs,in hatreds litigiislītigiīs,in quarrels vitamvītamlife exegissentexēgissent,they had spent tandemat last defunctidēfūnctīhaving died etand ininto cinerescinerēsashes redactiredāctīreduced sint,they have (died, been reduced) desinedēsinestop tandemat last tibifor yourself molestiamtrouble facessere.to makefinally, how many people, after spending their lives in carrying on enmities, in nursing suspicions, in hatreds, in quarrels, have at last died and been reduced to ashes: stop at last making trouble for yourself.quam multi, ubi … exegissent, … sint The last thing to weigh is an indirect question, still depending on perpendens: quam multi … defuncti et in cineres redacti sint "how many have died and been reduced to ashes" (sint serves both participles, making the perfect subjunctive). Inside it, ubi … vitam exegissent "after they had spent their life" is pluperfect: it happened before the dying. It is subjunctive because it sits within the question. Indirect questionsinimicitiis exercendis, suspicionibus fovendis, odiis, litigiis Ablatives saying how they spent their life. inimicitiis exercendis is a noun with a gerundive, "with enmities being carried on", i.e. "in carrying on enmities"; likewise suspicionibus fovendis "in nursing suspicions". Then two bare nouns: odiis, litigiis "in hatreds, in quarrels". The gerundive with ad, in and the genitivedesine tandem tibi molestiam facessere Here at last is the main verb, the imperative desine "stop, cease", which takes an infinitive: "stop making trouble for yourself". facesso is a strengthened facio: molestiam facessere "to cause trouble". Everything from perpendens leads up to it: "weighing all this, stop …". Commands: imperative, memento, ne with the perfect subjunctive Atbut universiūniversīof the universe ipsiusipsīusitself administratioadministrātiō,the government etand indefrom it obvenientia,the things that befall aegreaegrēbadly tibito you faciunt.they vexBut the government of the universe itself, and the things that come to you from it, vex you.At universi ipsius administratio … aegre tibi faciunt At "but" brings in an objection, as if from the reader: "but (you say) …". aegre facere + dative is "to annoy, vex": "they vex you". The verb is plural because it has two subjects: administratio "the government" of the universe and inde obvenientia "the things that come from it", a participle used as a noun. reducredūcbring back tibifor yourself ininto memoriammemory disjunctivumdisjūnctīvumeither-or illud,that auteither numinisnūminisof a divinity providentiaprōvidentiā,by the providence autor atomorumatomōrumof atoms concursuconcursūby a chance meeting constantcōnstantthey hold together universaūniversa:all things velor eathose etiamalso argumentaargūmenta,arguments quibusby which liquidoliquidōclearly demonstraturdēmōnstrātur,it is shown mundumworld istumthis civitatiscīvitātisof a city instarīnstarthe likeness obtinereobtinēre.holdsCall back to your memory that either-or: either all things hold together by the providence of a divinity, or by a chance meeting of atoms; or else those arguments by which it is clearly shown that this world is, as it were, a city.reduc tibi in memoriam reduc "bring back" is the imperative of reduco; like duc, dic and fac it has lost its final -e. in memoriam reducere "to bring back into memory" is "to recall". Commands: imperative, memento, ne with the perfect subjunctivedisjunctivum illud, aut … aut disjunctivum "a disjunctive" is a term of logic: a statement of the form "either … or". illud "that (well-known)" points ahead to it: aut numinis providentia, aut atomorum concursu constant universa "either all things hold together by the providence of a divinity, or by a chance meeting of atoms", the Stoic view and the Epicurean. Either way, there is nothing to complain of. Paired words: et…et, nec…nec, vel…vel, cum…tum, non tam…quam, sive…sivemundum istum civitatis instar obtinere instar + genitive is "the likeness of, as good as", and instar obtinere "to hold the place of, rank as": "that this world is, as it were, a city", the Stoic city shared by gods and men. It is an accusative and infinitive after the impersonal passive demonstratur "it is shown". Accusative and infinitive (indirect statement) VerumVērumbut tanguntthey touch anguntqueand they torment tetēyou eathe things quaewhich corpusthe body attingunt.they touchBut the things that touch the body touch and torment you.Verum tangunt anguntque te A play on sounds: tangunt anguntque "touch and torment" (ango is "squeeze, choke", so "distress"). The subject comes last: ea quae corpus attingunt "the things that touch the body", such as pain. atbut tutūyou consideracōnsīderā,consider mentemmind tuamyour ubiwhen, once semelonce agnitarecognised vivīpower propriapropriā,its own subduxeritsubdūxeritit has withdrawn sesesēsē,itself spirituispīrituīwith the breath sivesīvewhether leniterlēnitergently sivesīveor aspereasperēroughly motomōtōmoved neutiquamin no way immisceriimmiscērī.is mixedBut consider that your mind, once it has recognised its own power and withdrawn itself, is in no way mixed up with the breath, whether that is moved gently or roughly.considera, mentem tuam … neutiquam immisceri considera "consider" takes an accusative and infinitive: mentem tuam … immisceri "that your mind is mixed", made negative by neutiquam "in no way". immisceri "to be mingled with" takes the dative spiritui, the breath or bodily spirit that carries feeling. It may be moved sive leniter sive aspere "whether gently or roughly", i.e. by pleasure or by pain. Accusative and infinitive (indirect statement)ubi semel agnita vi propria, subduxerit sese agnita vi propria is an ablative absolute: "its own power having been recognised", i.e. once the mind has recognised its own power. subduxerit sese "has withdrawn itself" is subjunctive because the clause sits inside the accusative and infinitive. semel "once (for all)". Ablative absolute quibusto these adjiciasadjiciāsyou may add licetit is allowed et,also quaewhat dedēabout doloredolōrepain acand voluptatevoluptātepleasure audierisaudierīsyou have heard aliquandoaliquandō,at some time etand assensuassēnsūassent tuotuōyour comprobaveriscomprobāverīs.you have approvedTo these you may also add what you have heard at some time about pain and pleasure, and have approved with your assent.quibus adjicias licet quibus "to which" is a relative used to link to the last part, where English says "to these". licet "it is allowed" can take a plain subjunctive without ut: adjicias licet "you may add". Relative clauses and the relative pronoun qui, quae, quodquae de dolore ac voluptate audieris … comprobaveris quae "the things which" has no antecedent: "what you have heard about pain and pleasure", the Stoic teaching that they are neither good nor evil. audieris (short for audiveris) and comprobaveris are perfect subjunctives, because the clause depends on the subjunctive adjicias. assensu tuo "with your assent": a Stoic term for the mind's acceptance of what it is told. Perfect stems and short forms (norim, posuere) sedbut gloriolaeglōriolaefor petty fame cupidocupīdōdesire forsanperhaps tetēyou torquet.it tormentsBut perhaps the desire for a little fame torments you.gloriolae cupido gloriola "a little bit of fame" is a diminutive of gloria, and a scornful one: "petty fame". It is an objective genitive with cupido "desire": "desire for petty fame". cupido here is the feminine noun "desire", not the god Cupid. Objective genitive (reverentia tui, cura rerum) cogitacōgitāthink quamhow citocitōquickly oblivioneoblīviōnein oblivion sepelianturthey are buried omnia,all things quamqueand how vastumvāstumvast chaosvoid infinitiīnfīnītīendless aeviaevīof time utrinqueon both sides consistatcōnsistat:it standsThink how quickly all things are buried in oblivion, and how vast a void of endless time stands on either side:cogita quam cito … sepeliantur omnia, quamque … consistat cogita "think" is followed by two indirect questions, with their verbs in the subjunctive: quam cito … sepeliantur "how quickly … are buried" and quamque … consistat "and how … stands" (quamque is quam + -que). Indirect questionsvastum chaos infiniti aevi utrinque chaos "void, empty space" is a Greek neuter noun. infiniti aevi "of endless time" describes it, and utrinque "on both sides" means before our life and after it: endless time stretches away in both directions. tumthen quamhow inanesinānēsempty planeplānēutterly applaususapplausūsapplause istiistī;that quamhow mutabilemūtābilechangeable etand judiciijūdiciīof judgement experswithout faventiumof those who cheer vulgus;crowd quamhow angustoangustōnarrow deniquedēniquefinally spatiospatiōa space lauspraise istathat termineturterminētur.it is boundedthen how utterly empty that applause is; how changeable and devoid of judgement the crowd of those who cheer; and finally within how narrow a space that praise is bounded.tum quam inanes plane applausus isti; quam mutabile … vulgus Still depending on cogita, three more "how" clauses. In the first two the verb is left out: supply sint and sit, "how empty that applause is", "how changeable the crowd is". applausus is a 4th-declension plural, "applause". isti "that (applause of yours)" is scornful, as iste often is. Words left out: esse, sum and others understoodjudicii expers faventium vulgus expers "without a share in" takes the genitive: judicii expers "devoid of judgement". faventium "of those who favour", a present participle used as a noun, depends on vulgus: "the crowd of those who cheer".quam angusto denique spatio laus ista terminetur quam with an adjective is "how": quam angusto … spatio "within how narrow a space". Here the verb is expressed: terminetur "is bounded", subjunctive in the indirect question after cogita. Indirect questions siquidemsīquidemsince indeed eteven terraearth totatōtawhole punctipunctīof a point instarīnstarthe likeness habet;it has hujusqueand of this ipsiusipsīusitself anguluscorner quamhow exiguussmall incolitur;it is inhabitedFor even the whole earth is no more than a point; and how small a corner of it is inhabited;terra tota puncti instar habet instar + genitive again: puncti instar habet "has the likeness of a point", i.e. is no more than a point in the universe. siquidem "since indeed" gives the reason why the space of fame is narrow; et is "even": "even the whole earth".hujusque ipsius angulus quam exiguus incolitur hujusque is hujus "of this" + -que "and": "and of this (earth) itself". quam exiguus "how small" asks a question, but Gataker puts only a semicolon here and the question mark at the end of the next part, so the questions run on together. In a direct question the verb incolitur "is inhabited" is indicative. isticistīcthere autemand agentiumof those living quotahow small pars,a part etand hihīthese qualesquālēsof what sort sunt,they are quiquīwho tetēyou celebraturicelebrātūrīgoing to praise sint?they areAnd there, how small a part of those who live there are they, and of what sort are these, who are going to praise you?agentium quota pars quotus asks "which in number?", so quota pars is "what fraction", i.e. "how small a part". agentium "of those living (there)" is a present participle of ago used as a noun; agere can mean "to spend one's life, live".qui te celebraturi sint celebraturi sint is the future participle with esse: "who are going to praise you". It is subjunctive because the relative clause describes the kind of people: "such as are to praise you". The clause answers both questions: how few, and of what sort, are those who will praise you? Future participle with sum (moriturus sis, victurus esses) proinde,so, therefore mementomementōremember tandemat last ininto particulamlittle part istamthat (of yours) secederesēcēdere:to withdrawSo remember at last to withdraw into that little part of yours:memento … in particulam istam secedere memento "remember", the imperative of memini, takes an infinitive: "remember to withdraw". particulam istam "that little part (of yours)" is your own mind, the small inner place the section began with; secedere picks up in teipsum secedere. Commands: imperative, memento, ne with the perfect subjunctive etand cumamong primisprīmīs,the first cavecavētake care distraharisdistrahāris,you are pulled apart cavecavētake care obnitarisobnītāris.you strain against (things) liberlīberfree estoestōbe potius,rather, instead resquerēsqueand things ipsasipsāsthemselves intuereintuēre,look at utas vir,a man utas homohomō,a human being utas civiscīvis,a citizen utas animala creature mortalemortāle.mortalAnd above all, take care not to be pulled this way and that, take care not to strain against things. Be free instead, and look at things themselves as a man, as a human being, as a citizen, as a mortal creature.cave distraharis, cave obnitaris cave "take care, beware" is often followed by a plain subjunctive with no ne: cave distraharis "take care you are not pulled apart", i.e. "don't be pulled this way and that". The sense is negative although ne is missing; Cicero writes the same in his letters. obnitaris "strain against" is the present subjunctive of the deponent obnitor. cum primis "among the first" is "above all", as earlier in the section. Commands: imperative, memento, ne with the perfect subjunctiveliber esto potius esto "be" is the future imperative of esse, the usual imperative of this verb in rules of conduct: "be free instead". liber "free" agrees with the "you" addressed. Commands: imperative, memento, ne with the perfect subjunctiveresque ipsas intuere intuere looks like a present infinitive but is the imperative of the deponent intueor "look at": a deponent's singular imperative ends in -re. res ipsas "the things themselves", as they are, apart from your opinions of them. Deponent verbs: passive forms, active meaningut vir, ut homo, ut civis, ut animal mortale ut "as" with each noun: look at things in your character as a man, a human being, a citizen, and a mortal creature. Istathese autemand duotwo (principles) praeabove, before reliquisreliquīsthe rest adat manumhand tibifor you sintlet them be maximemāximē,most of all adto quaewhich jugiterjūgiterconstantly intendasintendās.you may attendAnd above the rest let these two be most at hand for you, for you to attend to constantly.tibi sint sint is a jussive subjunctive: "let (these two) be". ad manum "at hand", prae reliquis "above the rest", maxime "most of all": these two principles must be the readiest of all. Jussive and hortatory subjunctive ("let him…", "you should…")ad quae jugiter intendas A relative clause of purpose, in the subjunctive: "to which you may constantly attend". intendere "to stretch towards" is used here without animum "the mind": "to direct (your mind) to, attend to". Relative clauses with the subjunctive (characteristic, ut qui) alterum,the one, the first quodthat resrēsthings ipsaethemselves animamthe soul nonnōnnot attingunt,they touch sedbut extrinsecusoutside immotaeimmōtaeunmoved manent:they remain molestiaetroubles autemand, but abfrom opinioneopīniōneopinion solasōlāalone proveniuntprōveniunt.they comeThe first, that things themselves do not touch the soul, but stay outside it, unmoved: our troubles come from opinion alone.alterum, quod … attingunt alterum … alterum "the one … the other" brings in the two principles in turn. Each is spelled out by a quod clause, "(namely) that …", in the indicative because each is stated as a fact.molestiae autem ab opinione sola proveniunt The plural molestiae "troubles, vexations" is the subject; ab opinione sola "from opinion alone": distress comes from what we think about things, not from the things. alterumthe other verovērō,and quodthat universaūniversaall things quaewhich hichīchere videsvidēs,you see moxsoon suntthey are mutaturamūtātūra,going to change necand not futurafutūragoing to be amplius.any longerThe other, that all the things you see here will soon change, and will be no more.mox sunt mutatura, nec futura amplius sunt mutatura is the future participle with sunt: "are going to change", the active periphrastic, stressing what is about to happen. mutare "to change" is used without an object: "undergo change". futura is the future participle of esse, with sunt carried over: "and will be no longer". Future participle with sum (moriturus sis, victurus esses) sedbut etalso perpendeweigh tecumtēcum,with yourself quamhow multarummultārummany rerumrērumof things mutationibusmūtātiōnibuschanges interfuerisinterfuerīsyou have been present at ipse.yourselfBut weigh also with yourself at how many changes of things you have yourself been present.quam multarum rerum mutationibus interfueris ipse An indirect question after perpende "weigh", with the perfect subjunctive interfueris: "at the changes of how many things you have yourself been present". intersum "be present at" takes the dative, mutationibus; quam multarum "of how many" goes with rerum. Indirect questions alterationealterātiōnein change mundusthe world constatcōnstat,it consists opinioneopīniōnein opinion vitavīta.lifeThe world consists in change, life in opinion.alteratione mundus constat, opinione vita constare + ablative is "to consist in, rest on". The verb is said once and understood again: "the world consists in change, life (consists) in opinion". alteratio "alteration, change" is a late Latin word. Words left out: esse, sum and others understood

If understanding is common to all of us, so is reason, and so is the law that reason lays down; sharing one law, we are fellow citizens, and the world is like a city. Our understanding must come from that common city, just as each element of the body comes to us from its own source in the world.

SiSīif intellectusintellēctusunderstanding nobisnōbīsto us communiscommūniscommon est,is etiamthen too ratioratiōthe reason quaquāby which rationalesratiōnālēsrational dicimurdīcimurwe are called communiscommūniscommon est.isIf understanding is common to us, then the reason by which we are called rational is common too.Si intellectus nobis communis est, etiam ratio Section 4 is a chain of conditions. Each si clause states a premise as plain fact, with the indicative, and the conclusion of each step becomes the premise of the next: understanding, reason, law, citizenship, and at last the world as a city. etiam "also" marks each conclusion: "then … too". Conditional sentences (si, nisi, siquis)ratio qua rationales dicimur qua "by which" is an ablative of means; its antecedent is ratio. With a passive verb of calling, the word for what one is called stays in the nominative: rationales dicimur "we are called rational". Relative clauses and the relative pronoun qui, quae, quod sisīif ratioratiō,reason (is common) etiamthen too eathat quaewhich quidwhat agendum,is to be done quidwhat omittendumis to be left undone praescribitpraescrībit,prescribes ratioratiōreason communiscommūniscommon est.isIf reason is, then that reason too which prescribes what is to be done and what is to be left undone is common.si ratio The verb is left out because it is the one just used: si ratio stands for si ratio communis est "if reason is common". Words left out: esse, sum and others understoodea quae … ratio ea … ratio "that reason" wraps round its relative clause: the demonstrative comes first, then the clause, and the noun ratio is repeated at the end to round it off. Relative clauses and the relative pronoun qui, quae, quodquid agendum, quid omittendum praescribit Two indirect questions with sit left out: quid agendum (sit) "what is to be done", quid omittendum (sit) "what is to be left undone". The gerundive with esse says what must be done: "what we must do and what we must leave alone". Gerundive of obligation (cavenda est, agenda sunt) sisīif haec,this (reason) lexlēxlaw quoquetoo communiscommūniscommon est.isIf this is, then law too is common.si haec, lex quoque haec "this" is the reason that prescribes, from the last sentence, and again communis est is understood: "if this (is common), law too is common". A reason that tells us what to do and what to avoid is, in effect, a law. Words left out: esse, sum and others understood hocthis sisīif concediturconcēditur,is granted civescīvēscitizens sumus:we are etand hochōcthis datodatō,(being) given politiaepolītīaeof a commonwealth alicujussome participesparticipēs:sharers etand exfrom consequenticōnsequentī,what follows civitatiscīvitātisof a city instarīnstarthe likeness mundusthe world est.isIf this is granted, we are citizens; and, this being given, members of some commonwealth; and in consequence the world is like a city.hoc si conceditur The last link of the chain. hoc "this" (that law is common) is put before si to tie it to what has just been said: "if this is granted". Latin often puts a word that points back to the last sentence ahead of its conjunction. Conditional sentences (si, nisi, siquis)hoc dato An ablative absolute: the pronoun hoc with the perfect participle dato, "this having been given", i.e. "granting this". It stands outside the grammar of the clause and says on what ground the next step follows. After it supply sumus: "(we are) sharers in some commonwealth"; particeps takes the genitive. Ablative absoluteex consequenti consequenti is the present participle of the deponent consequor "follow", used as a neuter noun: ex consequenti "from what follows", i.e. "as a consequence, consequently". Participles: present, perfect, future, and as nounscivitatis instar mundus est instar is an indeclinable noun, "image, likeness", with a genitive: civitatis instar "the likeness of a city", i.e. "like a city". Here it is the predicate of est, and mundus "the world" is the subject. ecquamwhat … at all enimfor aliamother excogitaveritexcōgitāveritcould devise quisquamanyone politiampolītīam,commonwealth cujusin which universumūniversumthe whole genusrace humanumhūmānumhuman sitis particeps?sharingFor what other commonwealth could anyone devise, in which the whole human race has a share?ecquam … excogitaverit quisquam excogitaverit is a perfect subjunctive used as a potential, a softened statement or question: "could anyone devise?" (The same form is also the future perfect, but the sense here is "could".) ecquam "any … at all?" is the interrogative ecquis used as an adjective with politiam; such a question expects the answer "none". Potential and deliberative subjunctive in questionscujus universum genus humanum sit particeps particeps "sharing in" takes the genitive, here the relative cujus "of which". The subjunctive sit describes the kind of commonwealth meant: "such that the whole human race shares in it". Relative clauses with the subjunctive (characteristic, ut qui) undefrom where ergoergōthen nobisnōbīsto us intellectuintellēctū,by understanding rationeratiōne,by reason atqueand adeoadeōindeed legelēgeby law agereto act posse,being able nisiif not inde,from there aāfrom communicommūnīcommon illaillāthat civitatecīvitāte?cityWhere, then, do we get the power to act by understanding, by reason, and indeed by law, if not from there, from that common city?unde ergo nobis … agere posse There is no finite verb: supply est or venit. posse "being able" is an infinitive used as a noun, the subject; nobis is a dative, "to us". Word for word: "from where then (comes it) to us to be able to act …?", i.e. "where do we get the power to act …?" Words left out: esse, sum and others understoodintellectu, ratione, atque adeo lege Three ablatives of means with agere: "to act by understanding, by reason, and indeed by law". atque adeo "and indeed" brings in the last item as the end of the chain: law. Ablative of means, cause and mannernisi inde, a communi illa civitate The question answers itself: nisi inde "if not from there". a communi illa civitate "from that common city" then says what inde means; illa "that" points back to the world-city just described. sicutsīcutjust as enimfor quicquidwhatever inin memēme terreumearthy existit,is, exists aāfrom terraterrāearth aliquaaliquāsome mihito me proprōas parteshare meameāmy obvenit;comesFor just as whatever is earthy in me comes to me from some earth, as my share;sicut enim … obvenit sicut "just as" opens a long comparison that is only completed by sic et "so too" in the last part: four parts of the body, each drawn from its own source in the world, and then the understanding. enim "for" gives the proof of what was just said. Paired words: et…et, nec…nec, vel…vel, cum…tum, non tam…quam, sive…sivequicquid in me terreum existit quicquid … terreum "whatever earthy (thing)": the neuter adjective agrees with quicquid, "whatever there is of earth in me". The same pattern runs through the next part: quicquid humidum, quicquid aereum, quicquid calidum et igneum.pro parte mea pro here means "as, by way of": pro parte mea "as my share, as my portion". Each part of the body is a portion handed out to me from the great masses of earth, water, air and fire. quicquidwhatever humidumhūmidum,moist abfrom elementoelementōelement diversodīversō;another quicquidwhatever aereumāereum,airy aāfrom fontesource suosuōits own aliquoaliquō;some quicquidwhatever calidumhot etand igneumfiery itemlikewise aāfrom fontesource aliquoaliquōsome peculiaripecūliārī:particularwhatever is moist, from another element; whatever is airy, from some source of its own; whatever is hot and fiery, likewise from some particular source:quicquid humidum, ab elemento diverso The verbs are not repeated: with each quicquid supply in me existit … mihi obvenit from the first part: "whatever (in me is) moist (comes to me) from another element". diverso "different" means other than the earth just named, i.e. water. Words left out: esse, sum and others understoodquicquid aereum aereum "airy, of the air" comes from aer "air"; it is not aereus "of bronze", from aes. So all four elements of ancient physics are here: earth, water (humidum), air, and fire (calidum et igneum). Gataker's own edition (1652) prints aëreum, the two dots showing that a and e are sounded apart. (nihilnothing enimfor auteither exout of nihilonihilōnothing provenitprōvenit,comes forth autor adinto nihilumnothing redit)goes back sicsīcso ettoo intellectusintellēctusthe understanding alicundefrom somewhere manatmānat.flows(for nothing either comes out of nothing, or goes back into nothing) so too the understanding flows from somewhere.nihil enim aut ex nihilo provenit, aut ad nihilum redit A parenthesis, in brackets as in the Latin, giving the principle behind the comparison. nihil … aut … aut "nothing either … or" means "nothing comes out of nothing, and nothing goes back into nothing". nihilo and nihilum are the ablative and accusative of nihilum, the full form of nihil. Paired words: et…et, nec…nec, vel…vel, cum…tum, non tam…quam, sive…sivesic et intellectus alicunde manat The main clause the long sicut clause was waiting for: "so too the understanding flows from somewhere". et here means "also". The "somewhere" is the common city of the world, named two sentences before. Paired words: et…et, nec…nec, vel…vel, cum…tum, non tam…quam, sive…sive

Death is the same kind of thing as birth, a mystery of nature: birth puts the elements together, death resolves us into the same elements. There is nothing in it to be ashamed of, nothing out of keeping with a rational being.

TaleTālesuch quiddama thing morsdeath est,is qualequāleas nativitasnātīvitās;birth naturaenātūraeof nature utrumqueeach of the two mysteriummystēriuma mystery est.isDeath is something of the same kind as birth; each is a mystery of nature.Tale quiddam … quale talis … qualis "such … as" is a pair of correlatives: tale quiddam mors est, quale nativitas (est) "death is something such as birth is", i.e. "death is the same kind of thing as birth". Both words are neuter, agreeing with quiddam "something", not with the feminine nouns. Paired words: et…et, nec…nec, vel…vel, cum…tum, non tam…quam, sive…sivenaturae utrumque mysterium est utrumque "each of the two" is neuter because it stands for the two things just named, death and birth. mysterium is a Greek word, "a secret rite": both are sacred workings of nature, not accidents to be feared. exout of eisdemeīsdemthe same elementiselementīselements concretioconcrētiōa combining illicillīc,in the one case ininto quaewhich isticistīcin the other resolutioresolūtiō.a dissolving nihilnothing omninoomnīnō,at all cujusof which quenquamanyone pudeat:it should shameIn the one case there is a combining out of the same elements into which, in the other, there is a dissolving. There is nothing at all that anyone should be ashamed of:concretio illic, in quae istic resolutio No verbs: supply est twice. illic "there" and istic "here" mean "in the one case … in the other": the combining (concretio) is birth, the dissolving (resolutio) is death. The antecedent of in quae "into which" is eisdem elementis: we are dissolved into the very elements we were put together from. Words left out: esse, sum and others understoodnihil omnino, cujus quenquam pudeat pudet "it shames" is impersonal: the person ashamed is in the accusative (quenquam "anyone"), the cause of the shame in the genitive (cujus "of which"). So nihil cujus quenquam pudeat is "nothing of which it should shame anyone", i.e. "nothing anyone should be ashamed of"; supply est. The subjunctive describes the kind of thing: "such as to shame anyone". Impersonal verbs and phrases (oportet, decet, constat, attinet, detur)quenquam quenquam is Gataker's spelling of quemquam, the accusative of quisquam: he writes n for m before q, as in tanquam. Gataker's spelling: j, caeterum, quenquam, -cunque cumsince nihilnothing subsit,lies beneath (it) quodwhich animalianimālīa living being intellectuintellēctūwith understanding praeditopraeditōendowed nonnōnnot congruat,suits velor constitutioniscōnstitūtiōnisof the constitution ejusdemof that same (being) rationiratiōnīthe plan repugnet.runs againstsince there is nothing in it that does not suit a living being endowed with understanding, or that runs against the plan of its constitution.cum nihil subsit cum with the subjunctive here gives a reason: "since there is nothing underlying it". It explains the last words: nothing in death to be ashamed of, since nothing in it is out of keeping with a rational being. subsum "lie beneath" means "be found in it, underlie it". Clauses with cum: when, since, althoughquod … non congruat, vel … repugnet After a negative such as nihil "nothing", a relative clause takes the subjunctive to describe the kind of thing: "nothing of a kind not to suit …". Both congruo "suit" and repugno "fight against" take the dative: animali and rationi. Relative clauses with the subjunctive (characteristic, ut qui)animali intellectu praedito … constitutionis ejusdem rationi praeditus "endowed with" takes the ablative: intellectu praedito "endowed with understanding", agreeing with animali "a living being", that is, man. ratio here is "plan, principle": constitutionis ejusdem rationi "the plan of the constitution of that same being", i.e. the way such a being is made.

Men of that sort are bound to act as they do; to want otherwise is to want a fig without its sharp juice. Remember too that soon both you and the offender will be dead, and soon after not even your names will remain.

Abby ejusmodiejusmodīof that kind hominibusmen fierifierīto be done istiusmodiistīusmodīthings of this kind necessenecessary est.it isIt is inevitable that things of this kind are done by men of that kind.fieri … necesse est necesse est "it is necessary" takes an infinitive as its subject: fieri "to be done, to happen". The subject of fieri is istiusmodi "(things) of this kind", and ab ejusmodi hominibus "by men of that kind" names the doers, as with a passive verb. Impersonal verbs and phrases (oportet, decet, constat, attinet, detur)ejusmodi … istiusmodi ejusmodi and istiusmodi are the genitives of is modus and iste modus, "of that sort", and never change their ending. Here the second stands alone as a noun: "things of this sort", i.e. the wrongs such men do. siquissīquisif anyone aliterotherwise vultwants esse,(it) to be idemīdemthe same man ficumfīcuma fig succosuccōjuice acriācrīsharp carerecarēreto be without velit.would wantIf anyone wants it to be otherwise, he might as well want a fig to be without its sharp juice.siquis aliter vult esse siquis "if anyone" is si + quis. In aliter … esse "to be otherwise" the subject of esse is not expressed: things, i.e. what such men do. Conditional sentences (si, nisi, siquis)idem ficum succo acri carere velit velit is a potential subjunctive, "he would want, he might as well want". idem "the same man" is a common way of saying "he also, at the same time". velle takes an accusative and infinitive: ficum … carere "a fig to be without"; careo "be without" takes the ablative, succo acri "its sharp juice", the bitter milky sap of the fig. Potential and deliberative subjunctive in questions illudthis interimmeanwhile omninoomnīnōabove all meminerismeminerīs,you should remember brevibrevīshortly futurumfutūrum;going to be utthat vestrumof you uterqueeach (of the two) defungaturdēfungātur:dies tumthen paulopaulōa little postlater nenēnot even nominanōminathe names quidemeven utriusqueutrīusqueof either superfuturasuperfutūra.going to surviveMeanwhile remember this above all: that very soon each of you two will die; and then, a little later, that not even the names of either will remain.illud interim omnino memineris memineris is the perfect subjunctive of memini "remember", a verb perfect in form and present in meaning; the subjunctive gives a command, "you should remember". illud "this" points ahead to what is to be remembered, and omnino "by all means" presses it home. Jussive and hortatory subjunctive ("let him…", "you should…")brevi futurum; ut vestrum uterque defungatur futurum (esse) ut … "that it will come about that …" is a common way of making a future infinitive, here in an accusative and infinitive after memineris. brevi is short for brevi tempore "in a short time". vestrum uterque "each of you two" is you and the man who wronged you; vestrum is a partitive genitive, "of you". defungor "be done with (life)" means "die" (compare English "defunct"). Noun clauses with ut and ne (after oportet, incumbit, necesse est…)tum paulo post ne nomina quidem utriusque superfutura Still after memineris: supply esse with superfutura, the future participle of supersum "survive", making a future infinitive. ne … quidem "not even" encloses the word it stresses: ne nomina quidem "not even the names". In paulo post "a little later", paulo "by a little" goes with the adverb post "afterwards". Words left out: esse, sum and others understood

Take away the opinion, and the complaint "I have been harmed" goes with it; take that away, and all the harm is gone.

OpinionemOpīniōnemthe opinion tolle,take away tollituris taken away simulat the same time ettoo querimoniaquerimōniacomplaint illa,that laesusharmed sum.I have beenTake away the opinion, and at the same time that complaint, "I have been harmed", is taken away too.Opinionem tolle, tollitur An imperative can stand in place of an "if" clause: opinionem tolle, tollitur … "take away the opinion, (and) … is taken away", i.e. "if you take away the opinion, … is taken away". English does the same: "Take away the opinion, and the complaint goes." Commands: imperative, memento, ne with the perfect subjunctivequerimonia illa, laesus sum laesus sum "I have been harmed" is the complaint itself, quoted: the perfect passive of laedo, the participle laesus with sum. illa "that" points to it: "that complaint, 'I have been harmed'". et here means "also". hochōcthis sublatosublātō,taken away tollituris taken away damnumharm omne.allOnce this is taken away, all harm is taken away.hoc sublato An ablative absolute: "this having been taken away", i.e. "once this is removed". sublatus is the perfect participle of tollo, from a different stem (tollo, tollere, sustuli, sublatum). hoc is neuter because it means the saying laesus sum. Ablative absolute

What does not make a man worse than he is cannot make his life worse, nor do him any harm within or without.

Quodwhat hominema man ipsumhimself sesesēsēthan himself deterioremdēteriōremworse nonnōnnot facit,makes necnot … either vitamvītamlife illiusillīushis feceritfēceritwould make deterioremdēteriōrem;worse sedbut necnot damnodamnōwith harm auteither interioreinteriōreinward autor exterioreexteriōreoutward affeceritaffēcerit.would affectWhat does not make the man himself worse than himself would not make his life worse either; nor would it do him any harm, either inward or outward.Quod hominem ipsum sese deteriorem non facit Quod "what" is a relative with no antecedent written; the id "that" it implies is the subject of the main verbs fecerit and affecerit. sese, a stronger form of se, is an ablative of comparison with deteriorem: "makes the man himself worse than himself", i.e. worse than he was. Comparison: comparatives, superlatives, quamnec … fecerit deteriorem fecerit is a perfect subjunctive used as a potential, a cautious statement: "would not make (his life) worse either". The form is the same as the future perfect, as with excogitaverit in section 4. nec is "and not, not … either"; vitam illius "the life of that (man)", his life. Potential and deliberative subjunctive in questionssed nec damno … affecerit afficere aliquem aliqua re is "to visit something on someone", so damno … afficere "to affect with harm" is "to do harm"; the object eum "him" is understood. sed nec "but not … either", i.e. "nor indeed". interior and exterior are comparatives in form: "inner" harm, to the soul, and "outer" harm, to body and fortune.

What nature does, it is compelled to do for its own good.

CommodiCommodīof advantage suisuīits own caussacaussāfor the sake naturanātūranature facereto do haecthese things cogiturcōgitur.is compelledFor the sake of its own advantage nature is compelled to do these things.Commodi sui caussa causa in the ablative, after a genitive, means "for the sake of": commodi sui caussa "for the sake of its own advantage". Gataker writes caussa with double s, an older spelling of causa. sui "its own" is reflexive and refers to the subject, natura. Gataker's spelling: j, caeterum, quenquam, -cunquenatura facere haec cogitur cogo "compel" takes an infinitive; in the passive, facere … cogitur "is compelled to do". haec "these things" are whatever nature brings about, including what we dislike: it happens of necessity, and for nature's own good.

Whatever happens, happens justly: look closely and you will see that things follow not only by a necessary chain but by a just reason, as if from one who gives each his due. Keep this in view, and in everything you do be good in the true sense of the word.

CogitaCōgitā,consider etiamas well justejūstējustly contingere,happens quicquidwhatever contingit,happensConsider that whatever happens happens justly as well,Cogita … contingere, quicquid contingit After cogita "consider" comes an accusative and infinitive, here with a whole clause as its subject: quicquid contingit … contingere "that whatever happens happens". etiam juste "justly as well": not only by necessity, as the next sentence explains. Accusative and infinitive (indirect statement) idthis quodwhich sisīif sedulosēdulōcarefully observaverisobservāveris,you observe facileeasily deprehendesdēprehendēs;you will discover nonnōnnot exfrom connexioneconnexiōneconnection duntaxatmerely necessarianecessāriā,necessary sedbut exfrom rationeratiōnea reason justajūstājust consequicōnsequīto follow universaūniversa,all things etand tanquamas it were abfrom eoeō,one quiquīwho proprōaccording to dignitatedignitāteworth cuiqueto each suumhis own tribuit,gives provenireprōvenīre.to comeif you observe this carefully, you will easily discover that all things follow not merely from a necessary connection, but from a just reason, and come, as it were, from one who gives each his own according to his worth.id quod si sedulo observaveris id quod "this, which" picks up the whole thought before it. quod is the object of observaveris and stands ahead of si, as a relative often opens a new sentence in Latin: "which if you observe" = "if you observe this". observaveris is a future perfect, "if you (will) have observed", English "if you observe". Relative clauses and the relative pronoun qui, quae, quodfacile deprehendes … consequi universa … provenire deprehendes "you will discover" governs an accusative and infinitive: universa "all things" with two infinitives, consequi "follow" (a deponent) and provenire "come". non … duntaxat … sed "not merely … but": things follow from a necessary chain of causes, and also from a just reason. Accusative and infinitive (indirect statement)qui pro dignitate cuique suum tribuit pro here is "according to, in proportion to": pro dignitate "according to worth". cuique suum "to each his own" is the old definition of justice. tanquam "as it were" softens the picture of the world as run by a just giver. hocthis itaque,so proutprōutas cepisticēpistī,you have begun observareobservāreobserving pergaspergās;go on etand quicquidwhatever fecerisfēceris,you do bonumgood tetēyourself praestespraestēs,show quomodoquōmodoin the way in which bonusgood quissomeone propriepropriēproperly diciturdīcitur.is calledSo go on observing this, as you have begun; and whatever you do, show yourself good, in the sense in which a man is properly called good.hoc itaque, prout cepisti, observare pergas pergas "go on" is a jussive subjunctive, a gentler command than the imperative. pergo takes an infinitive, observare "to observe", whose object hoc "this" stands first. prout cepisti "as you have begun": cepisti is Gataker's spelling of coepisti, from coepi, which has only perfect forms. It is not cepisti "you took", from capio. Jussive and hortatory subjunctive ("let him…", "you should…")quicquid feceris, bonum te praestes feceris is a future perfect: "whatever you (will) have done", English "whatever you do". praestare se with an adjective is "to show oneself, keep oneself" so; bonum te praestes "show yourself good". Jussive and hortatory subjunctive ("let him…", "you should…")quomodo bonus quis proprie dicitur quomodo "in the way in which"; quis "someone" is the indefinite pronoun; proprie "properly, in the strict sense". So: "good in the sense in which a man is truly called good", not in a loose or worldly sense. Indefinite pronouns: aliquis, quis, quisquam, ullus, quisque, quicunque inin omniomnīevery actioneāctiōneaction tuatuāyour servesservēskeep istud.thisKeep to this in every action of yours.serves istud Another jussive subjunctive: serves "you should keep, keep". istud "this" is the rule of the last sentence, to be good in the true sense. Jussive and hortatory subjunctive ("let him…", "you should…")

Do not take up the views of the man who insults you, or the views he wants you to take; look at things as they really are.

TuTūyou nenēdo not eathose things opinerisopīnēris,think quaewhich isthe man autumat,maintains quiquīwho contumeliacontumēliāwith insult tetēyou afficit;treats velor etiameven quaewhich illehe autumareautumāreto maintain tetēyou vult.wants verumvērumbut resrēsthe things ipsasipsās,themselves quomodoquōmodohow verevērētruly sesēthemselves habeant,they are cogitescōgitēs.considerDo not think what the man who insults you maintains, or even what he wants you to maintain. But consider the things themselves, how they truly are.Tu ne ea opineris ne with the present subjunctive makes a prohibition: "do not think". (Classical prose prefers ne with the perfect subjunctive.) opinor is deponent, so opineris is active in meaning. Tu "you" gives emphasis: "you, at least, must not …". Commands: imperative, memento, ne with the perfect subjunctiveea … quae is autumat, qui contumelia te afficit Two relative clauses hang together: ea quae is autumat "those things which that man maintains", and is qui … afficit "the man who insults you". contumelia afficere "to treat with insult" is "to insult". autumo means "assert" and also "hold, think": here, the views the offender holds. Relative clauses and the relative pronoun qui, quae, quodquae ille autumare te vult volo "want" takes an accusative and infinitive when someone else is to act: te autumare "you to maintain". So: "the things he wants you to maintain", the views he would like to put into your head. Accusative and infinitive (indirect statement)res ipsas, quomodo vere se habeant, cogites se habere "to hold oneself" means "to be, be in a state": quomodo vere se habeant "how they truly are", an indirect question with the subjunctive. Its subject, res ipsas, is drawn forward into the main clause as the object of cogites: "consider the things themselves, how they are". cogites is a jussive subjunctive. Indirect questions

Keep two rules ready: do only what the ruling, law-giving reason suggests, for the good of mankind; and change your mind if someone sets you right, but only for a sound reason, such as justice or the common good, never for pleasure or glory.

Duotwo istathese things inat promptuprōmptūhand tibiby you semperalways suntare habenda:to be keptThese two things you must always keep at hand:Duo ista … tibi semper sunt habenda sunt habenda is the gerundive of obligation, plural to agree with duo ista "these two things": "these two things are to be kept". The person who must keep them is in the dative, tibi "by you", so: "you must always keep these two things". in promptu "in readiness, at hand". Gerundive of obligation (cavenda est, agenda sunt) alterum,the one nihilnothing utthat faciasfaciās,you do nisiexcept quodwhat partisof the part regereto rule legemquelēgemqueand law dareto give nataenātaeborn ratioratiōthe reason suggesserit,has suggested idqueand that too adfor generisof the race humanihūmānīhuman utilitatemūtilitātem.the benefitthe one, that you do nothing except what the reason of the part born to rule and to give law has suggested, and that for the benefit of the human race.alterum, nihil ut facias alterum … alterum "the one … the other" brings in the two rules. Each is a noun clause with ut and the subjunctive, saying what the rule is: "the one, that you do nothing …". nihil is put before ut for emphasis. Noun clauses with ut and ne (after oportet, incumbit, necesse est…)partis regere legemque dare natae ratio All of this is the subject of suggesserit, built round ratio at the end: ratio partis … natae "the reason of the part born …". The participle natae "born" (from the deponent nascor) agrees with partis and takes two infinitives, regere "to rule" and legem dare "to give law": "the part born to rule and to give law". This is the mind, the ruling part of man. Participles: present, perfect, future, and as nounsnisi quod … suggesserit, idque nisi quod "except what". suggesserit is a perfect subjunctive because it stands inside the ut clause; it takes the place of a future perfect: "what reason has suggested (at the time)". idque "and that too" adds a condition: "and (do) it for the benefit of the human race". Subjunctive in clauses inside reported speech or thought alterum,the other utthat into partemside diversamdīversamopposite transeastrānseās,you go over siquissīquisif anyone affuerit,is present quiquīwho tetēyou corrigat,would correct etand sententiamopinion tibiyour mutetmūtet.would changethe other, that you go over to the opposite side, if anyone is there to correct you and change your opinion.in partem diversam transeas in partem diversam transire "to cross over to the opposite side", as in a debate or a vote: to change your mind. diversus "turned the other way" here means "opposite".siquis affuerit, qui te corrigat affuerit, from adsum "be present", is a perfect subjunctive inside the ut clause, again standing for a future perfect: "if anyone is there". The relative clause qui te corrigat has the subjunctive because it says what kind of person is meant: "someone to correct you". Relative clauses with the subjunctive (characteristic, ut qui)sententiam tibi mutet tibi is a dative of reference, naming the person affected: "change the opinion for you", i.e. "change your opinion". Latin often has such a dative where English has a possessive. Dative of reference, possession and advantage veruntamenvēruntamenbut sententiaeof opinion mutatiomūtātiōchange istathis nitinītīto rest semperalways debetdēbetmust probabilitateprobābilitāteplausible ground aliquaaliquā,some veleither justumjūstumjust esse,is velor infor publicumpūblicumthe public utileūtile,useful velor aliudsomething else hujusmodihujusmodī,of this kind idthat adto quodwhich transiturtrānsītur,one goes over nonnōnnot autemhowever quodbecause jucundumjūcundumpleasant autor gloriosumglōriōsumglorious existat.it isBut this change of opinion must always rest on some plausible ground: that what one goes over to is just, or useful to the public, or something else of this kind; not, however, because it is pleasant or glorious.niti … debet probabilitate aliqua nitor "lean on, rest on" is deponent and takes the ablative: niti … probabilitate aliqua "rest on some probability", i.e. on some plausible ground. debet "must" takes the infinitive. veruntamen "but yet" is a spelling of verumtamen. Deponent verbs: passive forms, active meaningvel justum esse, vel in publicum utile, vel aliud hujusmodi, id ad quod transitur An accusative and infinitive spells out the plausible ground, with its subject held back to the end: id ad quod transitur "that to which one goes over". So: "(namely) that what one goes over to is just, or useful to the public, or something else of this kind". Supply esse with utile and aliud. transitur is an impersonal passive of transeo, "it is gone over", i.e. "one goes over". in publicum "for the public good". Accusative and infinitive (indirect statement)non autem quod jucundum aut gloriosum existat non quod with the subjunctive gives a reason only to reject it: "not because it is pleasant or glorious". The subjunctive marks it as a reason someone might give, not the true one. Causal clauses: quod, quia, siquidem, cum, quippe

You have reason; then use it. If reason does its own work, what more could you want?

RationeRatiōnewith reason praeditusendowed es?are you Sum.I amAre you endowed with reason? I am.Ratione praeditus es? Sum. A question and its answer. Latin can ask a yes-or-no question by tone alone, with no -ne. It has no single word for "yes": the answer repeats the verb, Sum "I am". praeditus "endowed with" takes the ablative, ratione. curcūrwhy ergoergōthen eaeāit nonnōnnot uterisūteris?you use haecthis enimfor sisīif quodwhat suumits own estis feceritfēcerit,it does ecquidanything estis there ampliusmore quodwhich requirasrequīrās?you could wantWhy then do you not use it? For if it does what is its own, what more is there that you could want?cur ergo ea non uteris utor "use" is deponent and takes the ablative, so "it" is ea, ablative, standing for ratione. Deponent verbs: passive forms, active meaningsi quod suum est fecerit fecerit is here a future perfect in a future condition: "if it does (will have done)". Its object is the clause quod suum est "what is its own", i.e. its own proper work. haec "this" is reason. The future perfect ("if you will have done…")ecquid est amplius quod requiras ecquid "is there anything?" expects the answer "no". The relative clause quod requiras has the subjunctive because it describes the kind of thing: "anything more for you to want". Relative clauses with the subjunctive (characteristic, ut qui)

You came into being as a part of the whole, and you will vanish into what produced you, or rather be taken back, by a change, into its seminal reason.

Tanquamas parsa part universiūniversīof the universe hujus,this extitistiextitistī.you have come into beingAs a part of this universe you have come into being.extitisti extitisti "you have come into being, you arose" is the perfect of existo (exsisto) "come forth, arise": existo, existere, extiti. Gataker writes ext- for exst-. Tanquam pars "as a part": you exist not on your own account but as a part of the whole. Perfect stems and short forms (norim, posuere) ininto idthat quodwhich produxitprōdūxitproduced tetēyou evanescesēvānēscēs.you will vanish velor potiusrather mutationemūtātiōnechange quadamquādamsome intervenientecoming between ininto rationemratiōnemreason seminalemsēminālemseminal recipierisrecipiēris.you will be taken backYou will vanish into that which produced you. Or rather, through some change coming in between, you will be taken back into the seminal reason.in id quod produxit te evanesces evanesces "you will vanish" is the future of evanesco: in the 3rd conjugation the future has -es, -et, the present -is, -it (evanescis "you vanish"). in id quod produxit te "into that which produced you": the whole, nature itself.mutatione quadam interveniente An ablative absolute with a present participle: "some change coming in between". It tells how you will go back: not by being destroyed, but through a change. Ablative absolutein rationem seminalem recipieris recipieris is the future passive of recipio "take back": "you will be taken back" (the present would be reciperis). The ratio seminalis "seminal reason", the Stoics' logos spermatikos, is the creative reason in nature that holds the seeds of all things; at death a man is taken back into it, to be used again.

Many grains of incense lie on one altar: one falls into the fire sooner, another later, and it makes no difference which. So with the hour of our death.

Multaemany thuristhūrisof incense glebulaeglēbulaelittle lumps inon araārāaltar eademeādem;the same aliaone citius,sooner aliaanother seriussēriuslater deciditdēcidit:falls citiussooner autembut anor seriussērius,later nihilnot at all interest.it makes a differenceMany little lumps of incense on the same altar; one falls in sooner, another later: but whether sooner or later makes no difference.Multae thuris glebulae in ara eadem The first clause has no verb: supply sunt "there are". Marcus sets down a picture: "many little lumps of incense on the same altar". glebulae is a diminutive of gleba "clod", and thuris is the genitive of thus "incense": lumps of incense thrown on the altar fire. Words left out: esse, sum and others understoodalia citius, alia serius decidit alia … alia is "one … another"; alia is feminine singular because each stands for one glebula. citius and serius are the comparative adverbs of cito "quickly" and sero "late": "sooner", "later". One verb, decidit "falls (into the fire)", serves both halves; its perfect "fell" is spelled the same. Paired words: et…et, nec…nec, vel…vel, cum…tum, non tam…quam, sive…sivecitius autem an serius, nihil interest citius … an serius is a short double question, "(whether) sooner or later", with an "or" as in utrum … an; the whole phrase is the subject of interest. interest "it makes a difference" is the impersonal use of intersum, and nihil works as an adverb: "it makes no difference at all". The incense stands for us, and the falling for our death. Impersonal verbs and phrases (oportet, decet, constat, attinet, detur)

Return to your principles and to the worship of reason, and within ten days those who now think you a beast and an ape will think you a god.

IntraIntrāwithin decimumthe tenth diemday Deusa god illisillīsto those ipsisipsīsvery videberisvidēberis,you will seem quibusto whom nuncnow proprōas, for belluabelluāa beast etand simiasīmiāan ape haberishabēris,you are regarded sisīif adto decretadēcrētayour principles rationisqueratiōnisqueand of reason cultumworship tetēyourself retuleris.you have taken backWithin ten days you will seem a god to those very people who now take you for a beast and an ape, if you go back to your principles and to the worship of reason.Intra decimum diem "Within the tenth day": Latin counts the days up to and including the last, so this is "within ten days", that is, very soon. intra "within" takes the accusative.Deus illis ipsis videberis videberis is the future passive of video; in the passive videri means "to seem". Deus "a god" is nominative because it describes the subject, you, and illis ipsis "to those very people" is the dative of the person to whom something seems.quibus nunc pro bellua et simia haberis haberi pro + ablative is "to be regarded as, be taken for": "to whom you are now held a beast and an ape", i.e. "who now take you for a beast and an ape". quibus is dative, like illis: "in whose eyes". The two halves are set against each other: a god to the very people who now despise you.si ad decreta rationisque cultum te retuleris retuleris is the future perfect of refero: "if you will have taken yourself back"; English says "if you go back". se referre ad "to take oneself back to" is a common way of saying "to return to". The decreta are the doctrines of philosophy, and rationis cultum is "the worship of reason". The future perfect ("if you will have done…")

Do not act as if you had thousands of years to live. Death is close: while life is still given you, be good.

TuTūyou nenēnot tanquamas if annorumannōrumof years milliamīlliathousands aliquotsome adhucadhūcstill, yet victurusvīctūrus,going to live remyour affairs gerasgerās.you should conductDo not act as though you were going to live some thousands of years more.Tu ne … rem geras ne with the subjunctive geras gives a negative command: "do not conduct your affairs", i.e. "do not act". Classical Latin prefers ne with the perfect subjunctive (ne egeris); the present, as here, is also found and sounds like general advice. rem gerere is "to manage one's affairs, to act", and the Tu in front makes it pointed: "you, do not act …". Jussive and hortatory subjunctive ("let him…", "you should…")tanquam annorum millia aliquot adhuc victurus tanquam "as if" with the future participle victurus "going to live": "as one who is going to live", "as if you were going to live". victurus comes from vivo (supine victum), not from vinco "conquer", which has the same supine. millia aliquot "some thousands" is the accusative of time how long; the plural millia is a noun and takes the genitive annorum: "some thousands of years". Participles: present, perfect, future, and as nouns instatīnstatis at hand fatumfātum.fate dumwhile vitavītalife suppetit,it is there for you dumwhile datur,it is granted bonusgood estoestō.beFate is at hand. While life is there for you, while it is granted, be good.instat fatum. dum vita suppetit, dum datur fatum "fate" here means death, the fated end, and instat is "is close upon you, presses". dum with the present is "while": "while life is at hand, while it is given"; vita is the subject of datur too. Temporal clauses: dum, ubi, quando, quoties, quamdiubonus esto esto is the future imperative of sum: "be", "you shall be". The future imperative is the form of laws and standing rules (compare memento); with bonus "good" it is a whole rule of life in two words. Commands: imperative, memento, ne with the perfect subjunctive

How much leisure a man gains who does not watch what his neighbour says, does or thinks, but only sees that his own action is just and holy. Do not look about you; keep to the line and run straight along it.

Quantumhow much ishe otiiōtiīof leisure lucraturlucrāturhe gains sibi,for himself quiquīwho nonnōnnot animadvertit,he notices quidwhat proximusneighbour quissome dixeritdīxerit,he has said egeritēgerit,he has done cogitaveritcōgitāverit;he has thoughtHow much leisure he gains for himself who does not look at what his neighbour has said, done or thought;Quantum is otii lucratur sibi An exclamation: "how much leisure he gains for himself!" Quantum "how much" is the neuter of quantus used as a noun, the object of lucratur, and otii is a partitive genitive with it: Latin says "how much of leisure". lucratur is from the deponent lucror "gain, make a profit". is … qui "he … who" is "the man who". Partitive genitive (aliquid boni, nihil…)quid proximus quis dixerit, egerit, cogitaverit Indirect questions after animadvertit "notices": "what some neighbour has said, done, thought". The verbs are subjunctive, as in every indirect question, and perfect because the saying and doing are already past while the main verb is present. proximus quis is "someone next to him", one's neighbour; quis is the indefinite "someone". Indirect questions sedbut quidwhat ipsehe himself tantumonly agat,he is doing quoquōso that idit justumjūstumjust sitmay be piumque;and holy nec,and not utas AgathoAgathōAgathon loquitur,says moresmōrēscharacter nigrosnigrōsblack quodsomething which resipiat.it smacks ofbut only at what he himself is doing, so that it may be just and holy; and not, as Agathon says, something that smacks of a black character.sed quid ipse tantum agat Still after animadvertit: "but (notices) only what he himself is doing". agat is present subjunctive, since the doing goes on now. ipse "he himself" is set against proximus quis "his neighbour". Indirect questionsquo id justum sit piumque quo "so that" introduces a purpose clause with the subjunctive sit: "so that it may be just and holy". Classical writers use quo mostly before a comparative; Gataker often uses it simply for ut. id is the thing he is doing. Purpose clauses (ut, ne, quo)ut Agatho loquitur ut with the indicative is "as": "as Agathon says". Agathon was an Athenian tragic poet of the late fifth century BC; "black character" is given as his phrase. loquitur is from the deponent loquor.nec … mores nigros quod resipiat nec carries on the purpose clause: "and (that it may) not (be something) which smacks of black ways". quod has no antecedent of its own, "something which", and resipiat is subjunctive because the clause describes the kind of thing to avoid. resipio "taste of, smack of" takes an accusative, mores nigros; mores in the plural is "character", and black means wicked or spiteful. This is the Latin of Gataker's own edition (1652); the Greek behind it is corrupt, and the clause can also be read as a further object of animadvertit: "nor (notices) what smacks of black character". Relative clauses with the subjunctive (characteristic, ut qui) nonnōnnot estit is itaqueand so circumspiciendum,to be looked around sedbut lineaelīneaeto the line insistendumīnsistendum,to be kept to peralong quamwhich citracitrāwithout evagationemēvagātiōnemstraying omnemany rectarēctāstraight currascurrās.you are to runAnd so you must not look around, but keep to the line, along which you are to run straight without any straying.non est itaque circumspiciendum, sed lineae insistendum Two gerundives of obligation used impersonally, with no subject: circumspiciendum est "there must be looking around", with non "one must not look around", and insistendum (est) "one must keep to". A verb that takes no direct object can make this construction only in the neuter singular. insisto "stand on, keep to" takes the dative lineae "the line". Gerundive of obligation (cavenda est, agenda sunt)per quam citra evagationem omnem recta curras per quam "along which" refers to lineae. curras is subjunctive because the clause gives the line's purpose: "along which you are to run". citra is Gataker's "without", and after "without" omnem means "any". recta is short for recta via "by the straight road", used as an adverb: "straight on". Relative clauses with the subjunctive (characteristic, ut qui)

The man anxious about his fame after death forgets that everyone who remembers him will soon die too, until all memory of him is put out. Even if they and the memory were immortal, what would praise be to him? Meanwhile he neglects what nature has given him.

QuiQuī(he) who dedēabout famafāmāfame posthumaposthumāafter death solicitustroubled est,is nonnōnnot cogitatcōgitathe thinks fore,that it will come about utthat unusquisqueūnusquisqueeach one eorumeōrumof those quiquīwho ipsiusipsīushim meminerint,they remember moxsoon fatofātōto fate sitwill concessurusconcessūrus;going to yieldThe man who is troubled about fame after death does not reflect that each one of those who remember him will soon yield to fate;Qui de fama posthuma solicitus est, non cogitat The relative clause comes first and has no antecedent: "(he) who is troubled about fame after death does not think …". solicitus is Gataker's spelling of sollicitus "troubled, anxious"; posthuma "after death" agrees with fama. Relative clauses and the relative pronoun qui, quae, quodfore, ut … sit concessurus fore is the future infinitive of sum, and fore ut + subjunctive is "that it will come about that", a way of making a future statement in reported thought. Here the ut clause also has the future participle, sit concessurus "will yield", so the future is marked twice. fato concedere "to yield to fate" is a polite way of saying "to die". Noun clauses with ut and ne (after oportet, incumbit, necesse est…)eorum qui ipsius meminerint meminerint is the perfect subjunctive of memini, perfect in form but present in meaning: "who remember". It is subjunctive because it stands inside the thought the man fails to think. memini takes the genitive, ipsius "him", the man anxious for fame. Subjunctive in clauses inside reported speech or thought etand quiquī(he) who huicthis one successerit,he has succeeded ipsehe himself pariter;likewise donecdōnecuntil tandemat last memoriamemory omnisthe whole prorsusprōrsusonward perthrough suspicientessuspicientēsadmirers eosdemqueeōsdemqueand the same moxsoon extinctosextīnctōsextinguished protelataprōtēlāta,drawn out, carried on etalso ipsaitself prorsusprōrsusutterly extinguaturextinguātur.it is extinguishedand that the one who succeeds him will likewise; until at last the whole memory, carried onward through admirers who are themselves soon extinguished, is itself also utterly extinguished.et qui huic successerit, ipse pariter Still inside fore ut: "and (that) he who has succeeded this one will himself likewise (yield to fate)"; sit concessurus is understood from the last part. succedo "come after, succeed" takes the dative huic, and successerit is perfect subjunctive, the subjunctive of reported thought. Words left out: esse, sum and others understooddonec … extinguatur donec "until" takes the subjunctive when the end is looked forward to, and here the clause is also inside reported thought: "until at last … it is itself utterly extinguished". Its subject is memoria omnis "the whole memory", described by the participle protelata "drawn out, carried on". Temporal clauses: dum, ubi, quando, quoties, quamdiuprorsus per suspicientes eosdemque mox extinctos protelata suspicientes is a participle used as a noun, "people who look up to (him)", admirers; it is from suspicio "look up at", not the noun suspicio "suspicion". eosdemque mox extinctos is "and the same soon extinguished": idem often adds a second fact about the same people, "who are themselves soon put out". protelata is from protelo, first "drive forward" (a protelum is a team of oxen pulling in a line), in later Latin "draw out, prolong"; with prorsus "onward" it pictures memory handed down a line of people. Participles: present, perfect, future, and as nounsextinctos … extinguatur Gataker writes ext- for exst-: extinctos and extinguatur are both from exstinguo "put out (a flame)". Memory is pictured as a fire passed from hand to hand until the last holder goes out and it goes out with him. Gataker's spelling: j, caeterum, quenquam, -cunque finge,suppose verovērōbut eteven immortalesimmortālēs,immortal quiquīwho tuituīyou meminerint,they remember memoriamqueand the memory tuituīof you etalso ipsamitself immortalemimmortālemimmortal fore,will be quidwhat hocthis adto tetēyou tamen?all the sameBut suppose that those who remember you are even immortal, and that the memory of you will itself be immortal too: what is this to you, all the same?finge, vero et immortales, qui tui meminerint finge "imagine, suppose" is the imperative of fingo; like a verb of thinking it takes the accusative and infinitive. In the first statement the subject eos and the infinitive esse are left out: "suppose (those) who remember you (to be) even immortal". et here is "even". Accusative and infinitive (indirect statement)memoriamque tui et ipsam immortalem fore The second statement after finge: "and that the memory of you will itself also be immortal". fore is the future infinitive of sum. tui is the genitive of tu (not of tuus): with memoriam "memory of you", and before with meminerint "remember you".quid hoc ad te A common idiom with the verb left out: "what (is) this to you?", i.e. "what does it matter to you?". The answer expected is "nothing". Words left out: esse, sum and others understood necand not adto mortuumthe dead man jamnow dicodīcō,I mean sedbut adto, for superstitemthe survivor ipsumhimself lauspraise quidwhat facit?does it doAnd I do not mean to the dead man now; but to the living man himself, what does praise do?nec ad mortuum jam dico, sed ad superstitem ipsum laus quid facit Marcus sharpens the question: "and I am not now speaking of (what it is) to the dead man; but to the man himself while he survives, what does praise do?" quid facit ad is "what does it do for, what good is it to". superstitem "surviving, still alive" is used as a noun, and the question word quid comes late, after its subject laus. nisiunless forsanperhaps rationeratiōneon account dispensationisdispēnsātiōnisof management cujusdam.someUnless perhaps on account of some management of affairs.nisi forsan ratione dispensationis cujusdam An afterthought: praise may be of some use "on account of a certain management", as a help in running one's affairs while alive. ratione + genitive is "by reason of, on account of". dispensatio is the managing of a household or an estate; Gataker uses it for Marcus's Greek word for practical arrangement. omittisyou neglect enimfor intempestiveintempestīvēout of season idthat quodwhich inin tetēyou naturanātūranature posuit,has put dumwhile abon aliorumaliōrumof others interimmeanwhile sermonibussermōnibustalk pendespendēs.you hangFor you are neglecting, out of season, what nature has put in you, while you hang meanwhile on the talk of others.omittis enim intempestive id quod in te natura posuit omittis "you let go, neglect"; intempestive "out of season, at the wrong moment", since now is the time to use the gift. id quod in te natura posuit "that which nature has put in you" is your own reason and goodness.dum ab aliorum interim sermonibus pendes pendere ab is "to hang on, depend on": "while you hang meanwhile on the talk of others". dum "while" with the present. Temporal clauses: dum, ubi, quando, quoties, quamdiu

Whatever is good is good of itself and complete in itself; praise is no part of it and makes it neither better nor worse. Law, truth, kindness, an emerald or gold are no worse for not being praised.

Bonuma good thing etiameven qualecunquequālecunque,of whatever kind exof, from sesēitself bonumgood existit,it is etand inin sesesēsēitself terminaturterminātur,it ends necand not partem(as) a part suisuīof itself ullamūllamany laudempraise habet.it hasAnything good, of whatever kind, is good of itself and ends in itself, and does not have praise as any part of itself.Bonum etiam qualecunque "A good thing, even of whatever kind": every good thing, whatever sort of good it is. Bonum is the neuter adjective used as a noun, and qualecunque "of whatever kind" agrees with it; Gataker writes -cunque for classical -cumque. Indefinite pronouns: aliquis, quis, quisquam, ullus, quisque, quicunqueex se bonum existit, et in sese terminatur existit is here little more than "is": "is good of itself". in sese terminatur "is bounded in itself" means that it ends in itself and needs nothing outside it. sese is a doubled form of se.nec partem sui ullam laudem habet Two accusatives with habet: laudem "praise" is the object, and partem sui ullam says what praise would be: "nor does it have praise as any part of itself". sui is the genitive of the reflexive se, "of itself". itaqueand so laudandolaudandōby being praised necneither melius,better necnor deteriusdēteriusworse efficitur.it is madeAnd so it is made neither better nor worse by being praised.laudando laudando is the ablative of the gerund, "by praising". The gerund is active in form, but here the sense is passive: "by (its) being praised". The gerund (agendo, laedendi)nec melius, nec deterius efficitur melius "better" is the neuter comparative of bonus, and deterius "worse" that of deterior; both agree with the good thing, the subject understood. efficitur "is made" takes them as predicates. atqueand hocthis dedēof, about eiseīsthose things quoquealso dicodīcō,I say quaewhich vulgarivulgārīordinary sermonesermōnespeech bonagood dicunturdīcuntur:they are called puta,for instance dedēof rebusrēbusthings corporeiscorporeīsbodily artiumqueand of the arts operibus.worksAnd I say this also of the things that are called good in ordinary speech: for instance, of bodily things and the works of the arts.quae vulgari sermone bona dicuntur dicuntur "are called" is the passive of dico with a predicate, bona "good". vulgari sermone "in common speech" is an ablative of manner: these are things people call good, not what the philosopher calls good.puta puta, the imperative of puto "suppose", is used like an adverb: "say, for instance". quodwhat estis igiturso, therefore verevērētruly bonum,good idthat nihilonihilōnothing ulteriusfurther indigebitindigēbit,it will need nonnōnnot magismore quamthan lexlēx,law quamthan veritasvēritās,truth quamthan benevolentia,kindness quamthan modestia.modestySo what is truly good will need nothing further, no more than law does, or truth, or kindness, or modesty.quod est igitur vere bonum, id The relative clause comes first and id picks it up: "what is truly good, that will need …". Relative clauses and the relative pronoun qui, quae, quodnihilo ulterius indigebit, non magis quam lex, quam veritas indigeo "need" takes the ablative (or the genitive): nihilo is the ablative of nihil, and the adverb ulterius "further" goes with it, "will need nothing further", nothing besides itself, such as praise. non magis quam is "no more than", with the verb understood each time: "no more than law (needs it), than truth …". The future indigebit says what will always hold. Words left out: esse, sum and others understood ecquidanything? enimfor horumhōrumof these veleither laudeby praise fitbecomes bonum,good velor corrumpituris spoiled vituperiovituperiō?by blameFor does any of these either become good by praise, or get spoiled by blame?ecquid enim horum ecquid "anything?" asks "is there anything that …?", and here the answer "no" is plain. horum "of these" is a partitive genitive: any of the things just named, law, truth, kindness, modesty. Partitive genitive (aliquid boni, nihil…)vel laude fit bonum, vel corrumpitur vituperio vel … vel "either … or". laude and vituperio are ablatives of means, "by praise", "by blame"; fit "becomes" is from fio, with bonum as predicate. Paired words: et…et, nec…nec, vel…vel, cum…tum, non tam…quam, sive…sive smaragdusan emerald numsurely not? deteriordēteriorworse fit,does it become nisiunless, if not laudaturlaudātur?it is praisedDoes an emerald become worse if it is not praised?smaragdus num deterior fit, nisi laudatur num asks a question that expects the answer "no": "an emerald does not become worse, does it, if it is not praised?". It stands second because Gataker puts the subject first for emphasis. nisi "unless, if … not" with the indicative laudatur is a plain condition of fact. Conditional sentences (si, nisi, siquis) quidwhat about aurum,gold ebur,ivory purpura,purple pugiopugiō,a dagger flosculusflōsculus,a little flower arbuscula?a shrubWhat about gold, ivory, purple, a dagger, a little flower, a shrub?quid aurum, ebur, purpura, pugio, flosculus, arbuscula No verb: "what about gold, ivory …?". The nouns are nominative because the last question is understood with each: does gold become worse if it is not praised? purpura is the costly purple dye or cloth; flosculus and arbuscula are diminutives, "a little flower", "a little tree". Words left out: esse, sum and others understood

If souls survive, how has the air held them all from eternity? As the earth makes room for bodies by changing and dissolving them, souls in the air are changed, spread out and rekindled into the seminal reason of the universe, making room for others. The truth here is found by dividing each thing into matter and form.

Animaesouls sisīif perennant,they live on quomodoquōmodohow easeāsthem abfrom aeternoaeternōeternity ceperitcēperitcould it have held aerāēr?the airIf souls live on, how could the air have held them from all eternity?Animae si perennant Animae "souls" is put before si for emphasis: "if souls live on". perenno "to last for years, endure" (from per + annus) means here "to survive" the body. Conditional sentences (si, nisi, siquis)quomodo eas ab aeterno ceperit aer ceperit is the perfect subjunctive of capio in the sense "hold, have room for". The subjunctive makes the question potential, "how could the air have held them?", a doubt rather than a plain question. ab aeterno "from eternity" is all past time. Potential and deliberative subjunctive in questions quomodoquōmodohow verovērō,and, but quaewhich abfrom, over aevoaevōan age tamso immensoimmēnsōimmense inin eaeāit conditaburied sunt,have been corporathe bodies terrathe earth capit?holdsAnd how does the earth hold the bodies that have been buried in it over so immense an age?quae ab aevo tam immenso in ea condita sunt, corpora terra capit The order is twisted: the relative clause quae … condita sunt comes before its antecedent corpora, and the subject terra comes just before the verb. In plain order: quomodo terra capit corpora, quae ab aevo tam immenso in ea condita sunt, "how does the earth hold the bodies which have been buried in it over so immense an age?". in ea refers to terra. Relative clauses and the relative pronoun qui, quae, quod sicutsīcutjust as enimfor hichīchere corpora,bodies ubiwhen adfor spatiuma space aliquodsome temporisof time inin terraterrāthe earth permanserintpermānserint,they have stayed mutatamūtātachanged etand dissipatadissipāta,scattered cadaveribuscadāveribusfor corpses aliisaliīsother locumroom conceduntconcēdunt:they give upFor just as bodies here, when they have stayed in the earth for some length of time, are changed and scattered and make room for other corpses:sicut enim hic corpora sicut … ita "just as … so" builds a comparison over two parts: as bodies here make room in the earth, so souls make room in the air. hic with a long i is the adverb "here", on earth, not the pronoun hic. Paired words: et…et, nec…nec, vel…vel, cum…tum, non tam…quam, sive…siveubi ad spatium aliquod temporis in terra permanserint permanserint is future perfect, "shall have stayed": in this statement of what always happens it marks the action that comes first, and English says "when they have stayed". The perfect subjunctive is spelled the same, and the sense would not change. ad spatium aliquod temporis is "for some space of time". The future perfect ("if you will have done…")mutata et dissipata, cadaveribus aliis locum concedunt mutata et dissipata "changed and scattered" are perfect participles agreeing with corpora: first they are changed and broken up, then they give way. locum concedere + dative is "to give up one's place to, make room for". Participles: present, perfect, future, and as nouns itaso ettoo, also animae,souls ininto aeremāeremthe air translataetrānslātae,moved ubiwhen aliquandiualiquandiūfor some time ibithere perstiterint,they have stayed mutanturmūtantur,they are changed funduntur,they are diffused succenduntur,they are kindled ininto seminalemsēminālemseminal universiūniversīof the universe rationemratiōnemreason receptae:taken upso too souls, moved into the air, when they have stayed there for some while, are changed, diffused and kindled, being taken up into the seminal reason of the universe:ita et animae, in aerem translatae ita answers sicut: "so too souls …". translatae "carried across, moved" is the perfect participle of transfero, agreeing with animae: "once they have been moved into the air". Participles: present, perfect, future, and as nounsubi aliquandiu ibi perstiterint Another future perfect for the earlier action, like permanserint: "when they have stayed there for some time". perstiterint is from persisto "stay on, persist". The future perfect ("if you will have done…")mutantur, funduntur, succenduntur Three passive verbs with no et: "they are changed, diffused, kindled". The Stoics held that the soul is a fiery breath; after death it spreads out in the air and is in the end rekindled into the fire of the world.in seminalem universi rationem receptae seminalis ratio "the seminal reason" is the Stoic name for the creative principle of the universe, which holds the seeds of all things; the souls are "taken up into" it. receptae agrees with animae. locumqueand room hochōcthis pactopactōway faciuntthey make aliisaliīsfor others intraintrāwithin, into sedessēdēsdwellings easdemeāsdemthe same insuperīnsuperbesides, in addition recipiendisrecipiendīs.to be receivedand in this way they make room for others that are to be received besides within the same dwellings.aliis … recipiendis recipiendis is a gerundive agreeing with aliis: "for others to be received", the new souls that must also find a place. The dative goes with locum faciunt "make room for". insuper is "in addition, besides", and hoc pacto "in this way". The gerundive with ad, in and the genitive hocthis respondererespondēreto answer licebitlicēbit,it will be allowed sisīif proprōas concessoconcessō(something) granted sumatursūmātur,it is taken animasanimāssouls corporibustheir bodies esseare superstitessuperstitēs.survivingThis answer can be given, if it is taken as granted that souls outlive their bodies.hoc respondere licebit licet "it is allowed" is impersonal, and its subject is the infinitive respondere: "it will be allowed to answer this", i.e. "this answer can be given". Impersonal verbs and phrases (oportet, decet, constat, attinet, detur)si pro concesso sumatur, animas corporibus esse superstites pro concesso sumere is "to take as granted": concesso is a participle used as a noun, "(a thing) granted". sumatur is impersonal, "if it is taken", and what is taken is the accusative and infinitive animas … esse superstites "that souls survive"; superstes takes the dative, corporibus. The subjunctive sumatur marks the condition as a mere supposition, made for the sake of argument. Accusative and infinitive (indirect statement) quinquīnwhat is more etalso reputandato be reckoned with estis nonnōnnot sepultorumsepultōrumburied tantumonly hochōcthis modomodōway corporumof bodies multitudomultitūdō,the multitude sedbut etalso animaliumanimālium,of animals quaewhich quotidiequotīdiēevery day tumboth aāby nobisnōbīs,us tumand aāby bestiisbestiīs,beasts comeduntur.they are eatenWhat is more, we must reckon with the great number not only of bodies buried in this way, but also of the animals which are eaten every day both by us and by beasts.quin et reputanda est reputanda est is a gerundive of obligation agreeing with multitudo, the subject, which comes at the end of a long genitive phrase: "the multitude must be reckoned with". Unlike circumspiciendum in §18, it is personal: the thing to be weighed is the subject. quin et at the start is "and what is more". Gerundive of obligation (cavenda est, agenda sunt)non sepultorum tantum hoc modo corporum multitudo, sed et animalium non … tantum … sed et "not only … but also". sepultorum hoc modo corporum "of bodies buried in this way", in the earth, is a genitive with multitudo, and animalium "of animals" depends on multitudo too. Paired words: et…et, nec…nec, vel…vel, cum…tum, non tam…quam, sive…sivetum a nobis, tum a bestiis tum … tum "both … and"; a with the ablative gives the agent of the passive comeduntur: "eaten both by us and by beasts". Agent with the passive: a, ab with the ablative quamhow ingensingēnshuge enimfor horumhōrumof them turbaa crowd absumiturabsūmitur,is consumed etand inin vescentiumof those who feed visceribusthe bowels hachācthis rationeratiōneway quasias it were sepelitursepelītur?is buriedFor how huge a crowd of them is consumed, and in this way buried, as it were, in the bowels of those who feed on them?quam ingens enim horum turba absumitur quam with an adjective is "how": "how huge a crowd of them". It is written as a question but is really an exclamation. horum "of these" is the animals.in vescentium visceribus hac ratione quasi sepelitur vescentium "of those who feed" is the present participle of the deponent vescor "feed on", used as a noun. The eaters' bowels become a kind of grave: quasi "as it were" softens the bold image, and hac ratione is "in this way". Participles: present, perfect, future, and as nouns etand tamenyet capitholds haecthese omniaall things locusplace iste,this dumsince, in that partimpartly ininto sanguinem,blood partimpartly ininto aeriamāeriam,airy igneamqueand fiery naturamnātūramnature transmutanturtrānsmūtantur.they are changedAnd yet this place holds all of them, since they are changed partly into blood, partly into an airy and fiery nature.capit haec omnia locus iste The verb comes first and the subject last: "this place holds all these things". locus iste is the place in question, the earth together with the bodies of those who eat.dum partim in sanguinem, partim in aeriam, igneamque naturam transmutantur dum with the present here means "in that, since" rather than "while": the place holds them all because they are changed. partim … partim is "partly … partly". aeriam igneamque naturam "an airy and fiery nature": food becomes blood, breath and bodily heat. Causal clauses: quod, quia, siquidem, cum, quippe quaenamwhat estis isticistīcin this matter veritatisvēritātisof the truth notitianōtitia?knowledgeWhat, then, is the knowledge of the truth in this matter?quaenam est istic veritatis notitia quaenam is quae "what" strengthened by -nam: "what, then?". istic is the adverb "there, in that matter". veritatis is an objective genitive, "knowledge of the truth": Marcus asks how one gets at the truth in a question like this. Objective genitive (reverentia tui, cura rerum) eliciturēliciturit is drawn out eait perthrough, by distributionemdistribūtiōnemdivision reireīof the thing ininto materiammāteriammatter etand formamfōrmam.formIt is drawn out by dividing the thing into matter and form.per distributionem rei in materiam et formam distributio "division" is a term of logic: taking a thing apart into its parts. Every thing is divided into materia "matter", what it is made of, and forma "form", what makes it the thing it is. rei "of the thing" is an objective genitive: the thing is what gets divided. For souls and bodies, the matter goes back to the elements and the form to the reason of the universe. Objective genitive (reverentia tui, cura rerum)

Do not wander aimlessly: in every impulse to act, take account of justice, and in every impression keep your understanding sound.

NoliNōlīdo not divagaridīvagārī;wander about sedbut inin omniomnīevery conatucōnātūimpulse tuotuōof yours justitiaejūstitiaeof justice ratioratiōaccount habeaturhabeātur,let it be taken inin omniomnīevery visovīsōimpression intellectusintellēctusthe understanding integerwhole, unimpaired serveturservētur.let it be keptDo not wander about; but in every impulse of yours let account be taken of justice, in every impression let the understanding be kept whole.Noli divagari noli, the imperative of nolo "be unwilling", with an infinitive is the usual Latin way to forbid: noli divagari "do not wander about", literally "be unwilling to wander about". divagari is the infinitive of the deponent divagor, passive in form and active in meaning: to drift this way and that without a goal. Commands: imperative, memento, ne with the perfect subjunctivejustitiae ratio habeatur … intellectus integer servetur habeatur and servetur are present subjunctives in the passive, used as commands: "let (it) be taken", "let (it) be kept". rationem habere with a genitive is an idiom, "to take account of"; in the passive ratio becomes the subject: "let account be taken of justice". integer is predicate: "let the understanding be kept whole". Jussive and hortatory subjunctive ("let him…", "you should…")in omni conatu tuo … in omni viso conatus "impulse" and visum "impression" are Stoic terms for the two sides of the mind's life: the urge to act, and what the senses and thoughts present to it. Marcus asks for justice in the one and a sound judgement in the other.

Whatever suits the world suits me; nothing that is timely for it is too early or too late for me, and all that Nature's seasons bring is fruit to me. All things come from Nature, exist in her and return to her. The poet called Athens the dear city of Cecrops; should we not call the world the dear city of Jupiter?

Quicquidwhatever tibiyou convenit,suits oōO Munde,world convenitsuits ettoo mihi.meWhatever suits you, O world, suits me too.o Munde Munde is the vocative of mundus: nouns in -us of the 2nd declension make their vocative in -e. Marcus speaks to the world itself, and Gataker gives it a capital, as he does to Natura below. convenit "it suits, fits" takes the dative: tibi "(suits) you", mihi "(suits) me"; et here means "also". The vocative nihilnothing mihifor me immaturumimmātūrumtoo early velor serumsērumtoo late est,is quodwhich estis tibifor you tempestivumtempestīvum.timelyNothing is too early or too late for me that is timely for you.nihil mihi immaturum vel serum est, quod est tibi tempestivum The relative clause belongs to nihil, though it comes at the end: "nothing which is timely for you is too early or too late for me". immaturus is literally "unripe", serus "late", tempestivus "in season": words of the harvest, which prepare the image of fruit in the next sentence. fructusfrūctūsof fruit instarīnstarthe equal, like idthat estis omneall mihi,to me quodwhich tempestatestempestātēsseasons tuae,your oōO NaturaNātūra,Nature ferunt.bringAll that your seasons bring, O Nature, is like fruit to me.fructus instar instar is an indeclinable noun, "the likeness, the equal", and takes a genitive: fructus instar "the equal of fruit", i.e. "like fruit". fructus is the genitive singular of a 4th-declension noun (long -ūs). In plain order: id omne, quod tempestates tuae ferunt, est mihi fructus instar "all that your seasons bring is like fruit to me".o Natura Natura is vocative; in the 1st declension it has the same form as the nominative, and only o and the commas show that Nature is being addressed. From here on te "you" is Nature, and so feminine. The vocative aāfrom tetēyou omniaall things sunt,are inin tetēyou consistuntcōnsistunt,they abide adto tetēyou redeunt.they returnFrom you are all things, in you they abide, to you they return.a te … in te … ad te Three short clauses, each opening with te: all things come from Nature (a te, ablative of the source), have their being in her (in te, ablative of place) and go back to her (ad te, accusative of motion towards). te has the same form in the accusative and the ablative; the preposition shows which it is. Repeating the same word at the head of each clause is a figure of style. OŌO urbscity amicaamīcadear Cecropis,of Cecrops inquitsays ille:that (poet) tutūyou verovērōbut nonnōnnot dicturusdictūrusgoing to say es,are OŌO urbscity amicaamīcadear Jovis.of Jupiter"O dear city of Cecrops," says the poet: but will you not say, "O dear city of Jupiter"?O urbs amica Cecropis, inquit ille A line of the comic poet Aristophanes, who calls Athens "dear city of Cecrops" after its legendary first king. inquit ille "says that man": ille, as often, stands for a writer well enough known not to need naming. urbs and amica are vocative: the poet is speaking to the city. The vocativetu vero non dicturus es, O urbs amica Jovis dicturus es "are you going to say" is the future participle with sum, the active periphrastic; asked with non, the question expects "yes": "will you not say …?" Gataker ends it with a full stop; read it as a question all the same. Jovis is the genitive of Jupiter, whose stem changes in the other cases (Jovi, Jovem, Jove). The world is the city of Jupiter, the common city of gods and men, and deserves the love the poet gave Athens. Future participle with sum (moriturus sis, victurus esses)

Democritus said, "Do few things, if you want to be at peace"; it would be better to say, "Do what is necessary, and what reason requires of a social creature, in the way it requires it". That brings both the calm of doing well and the calm of doing little. Most of what we say and do is unnecessary, so at each step ask, "Is this necessary?" Cut back needless thoughts too, and needless actions will not follow.

Paucafew things agasagās,you should do inquit,he says sisīif tranquillusat peace esseto be cupis.you want"Do few things," he says, "if you want to be at peace."Pauca agas, inquit A saying of the philosopher Democritus, quoted without his name: inquit "he says" is enough for a reader who knows the saying. agas is a jussive subjunctive, a gentler command than the imperative: "you should do". pauca is a neuter plural used as a noun: "few things". Jussive and hortatory subjunctive ("let him…", "you should…")si tranquillus esse cupis tranquillus is nominative, not accusative, because it describes the subject of cupis: "if you want (yourself) to be calm". After verbs like cupio and volo, when the subject stays the same, a predicate with esse stays in the nominative. anor nonnōnnot praestiteratit would have been better dixissedīxisse,to have said quaewhat (things) necessarianecessārianecessary suntare agasagās,you should do quaequeand what (things) animantisof a creature civiliscīvīlissocial ratioratiōreason dictat,dictates etand quoquōin which modomodōway dictat.it dictatesWould it not have been better to say, "Do what is necessary, and what the reason of a social creature dictates, and in the way it dictates"?an non praestiterat dixisse an non opens a question that expects "yes". praestat "it is better" (from praesto) is impersonal and has an infinitive for its subject, here dixisse "to have said". Verbs of being better, fitting or possible stay in the indicative where English says "would": the pluperfect praestiterat, literally "had it not been better", means "would it not have been better" (for Democritus to say). Impersonal verbs and phrases (oportet, decet, constat, attinet, detur)quae necessaria sunt agas The improved saying, in the same form as Pauca agas: "do what is necessary". quae stands for ea quae "the things which": the antecedent, the object of agas, is left out, as often. agas is again a jussive subjunctive. Jussive and hortatory subjunctive ("let him…", "you should…")quaeque animantis civilis ratio dictat, et quo modo dictat quaeque is quae with -que: "and what (things)", the object of dictat; it is not a form of quisque "each". animans civilis "a social creature" is man, made to live in a city with others. quo modo "in the way in which" adds that the necessary things must also be done as reason directs. Gataker closes this question with a full stop; read it as a question all the same. istudthat (rule) enimfor nonnōnnot eamthat duntaxat,only quaewhich bonagood things agendoagendō,by doing sedbut etalso eam,that quaewhich paucafew things agendoagendōby doing comparaturcomparātur,is gained tranquillitatemtranquillitātemtranquillity producitprōdūcit.producesFor that produces not only the tranquillity which is gained by doing good things, but also the tranquillity which is gained by doing few things.quae bona agendo … quae pauca agendo comparatur agendo is the gerund, the verbal noun, in the ablative of means: "by doing". Being a verb, it can take an object: bona agendo "by doing good things", pauca agendo "by doing few things". The verb comparatur "is gained" is written only once, in the second clause, and must be understood in the first. The gerund (agendo, laedendi)non eam duntaxat … sed et eam … tranquillitatem Both eam "that" go with tranquillitatem, which is held back to the end: "not only that tranquillity which …, but also that which …". non duntaxat … sed et means "not only … but also". comparo here is "get, procure", not "compare". Paired words: et…et, nec…nec, vel…vel, cum…tum, non tam…quam, sive…sive pleraqueplēraquemost enimfor eorumeōrumof the things quaewhich diceredīcereto say etand facereto do consuevimuscōnsuēvimus,we are used cumsince necessarianecessārianecessary nonnōnnot sint,they are sisīif amputaverimusamputāverimus,we shall have cut away aāfrom negotiisnegōtiīsbusiness multomultōby much vacabitvacābitit will be free magis,more minusqueand less perturbataperturbātatroubled futurafutūragoing to be estis nobisnōbīsfor us vitavītalife nostra.ourFor if we cut away most of the things we are used to saying and doing, since they are not necessary, our life will be much more free from business, and less troubled for us.si amputaverimus … vacabit … futura est A condition about the future. The si clause has the future perfect amputaverimus "if we shall have cut away", because the cutting must come first; English says simply "if we cut away". The main clause has the future vacabit "will be free" and futura est "is going to be", the future participle of sum with est. The subject of both is vita nostra, held back to the very end. The future perfect ("if you will have done…")pleraque enim eorum quae dicere et facere consuevimus, cum necessaria non sint pleraque "most", the object of amputaverimus, stands at the head of the sentence, before si, because it is what the sentence is about. eorum is a partitive genitive: "most of the things which …". consuevimus "we have become accustomed" is a perfect with a present sense: "we are used to". cum with the subjunctive sint gives the reason: "since they are not necessary".a negotiis multo vacabit magis vacare a with the ablative is "to be free from". multo "by much" is an ablative of the degree of difference, used with comparatives: multo magis "much more". minus perturbata "less troubled" is the second half of the comparison. Comparison: comparatives, superlatives, quam oportetone ought itaqueso adat singulaeach thing sibito oneself suggerere,to prompt anor nonnōnnot istudthis (thing) exout of, among earumeārumof those (things) numeronumerōnumber est,is quaewhich nonnōnnot suntare necessarianecessāria?necessarySo at each thing one ought to prompt oneself: "Is this not one of those things that are not necessary?"oportet itaque ad singula sibi suggerere oportet "it is right, one ought" is impersonal. Here it has a bare infinitive with no subject expressed, which makes the rule general: "one ought to prompt oneself". sibi "to oneself" is the reflexive, referring to that general "one". ad singula "at each single thing": before each act. Impersonal verbs and phrases (oportet, decet, constat, attinet, detur)an non istud ex earum numero est, quae non sunt necessaria? The question one should put to oneself, given in its own words, which is why the verb is the indicative est and not the subjunctive of an indirect question: "Is this not one of those things that are not necessary?" ex earum numero "out of the number of those" means "one of those". earum is feminine although necessaria is neuter; so Gataker's own edition (1652) prints it, and he perhaps had rerum "things" in mind. necand not actionesāctiōnēsactions tantum,only sedbut cogitationescōgitātiōnēsthoughts etiamalso minusless necessariaenecessāriaenecessary suntare recidendaerecīdendae.to be cut backAnd not only actions, but also thoughts that are less than necessary must be cut back.sunt recidendae recidendae sunt is the gerundive with esse, the gerundive of obligation: "are to be cut back, must be cut back". It agrees with both subjects, actiones and cogitationes (feminine plural). The verb is recīdo "cut back" (from caedo "cut"), not recido "fall back" (from cado). Gerundive of obligation (cavenda est, agenda sunt)nec actiones tantum, sed cogitationes etiam minus necessariae nec … tantum, sed … etiam "and not only … but also". minus necessariae "less (than) necessary" is a mild way of saying "unnecessary", and it goes with both nouns. Paired words: et…et, nec…nec, vel…vel, cum…tum, non tam…quam, sive…sive siquidemsīquidemfor idthis agendoagendōby doing fietfīet,it will come about utthat necnot … either actionesāctiōnēsactions consequanturcōnsequanturthey follow supervacaneaesupervacāneae.superfluousFor by doing this it will come about that superfluous actions do not follow either.id agendo fiet, ut id agendo "by doing this" is again the gerund in the ablative with an object. fit ut with the subjunctive means "it happens that"; here it is future, fiet, ut "it will come about that". The ut clause is the subject of fiet; ut does not mean "in order that" here. Noun clauses with ut and ne (after oportet, incumbit, necesse est…)nec actiones consequantur supervacaneae nec here means "not … either": cut back the needless thoughts, and needless actions will not follow them either, since action springs from thought. consequantur is the present subjunctive of the deponent consequor, passive in form, active in meaning.