Marcus of House Cato, the First of his Name, Protector of the Agricultural Lifestyle, Mother of Piglets, Writer of the Great Farming Manual, Breaker of My Spirits, Carthago Delanda Est

Question 1

Est interdum praestare mercaturis rem quaerere, nisi tam periculosum sit, et item fenerari, si tam honestum sit.

Answer 1

It is so that sometimes it is preferable to seek out wealth by trade, if it were not so dangerous, and likewise to lend money, if it were equally honest.

Question 2

tam…tam

Answer 2

so…equally

Question 3

item

Answer 3

likewise

Question 4

maiores nostri sic habuerunt et ita in legibus posiverunt: furem dupli condemnari, feneratorem quadrupli.

Answer 4

Thus our ancestors thought and thus they put down in laws: the thief is charged double, the money lender quadruple.

Question 5

quanto peiorem civem existimarint feneratorem quam furem, hinc licet existimare.

Answer 5

To such a degree did they think the citizen worse as a money lender than a thief, hence it is permitted to think (so).

Question 6

et virum bonum quom laudabant, ita laudabant: bonum agricolam bonumque colonum; amplissime laudari existimabatur, qui ita laudabatur.

Answer 6

And when they praised a good man, they were praising thus: a good farmer and a good cultivator; it was assumed that he was praised most abundantly, who was praised thus.

Question 7

quom

Answer 7

same as cum

Question 8

mercatorem autem strenuum studiosumque rei quaerendae existimo, verum, ut supra dixi, periculosum et calamitosum.

Answer 8

I think that the businessman, however, is vigorous and fond of seeking wealth, truly, and as I said previously, dangerous and calamitous.

Question 9

at ex agricolis et viri fortissimi et milites strenuissimi gignuntur, maximeque pius quaestus stabilissimusque consequitur minimeque invidiosus, minimeque male cogitantes sunt qui in eo studio occupati sunt.

Answer 9

But from the farmer both the strongest men and the most active soldiers are produced, and he seeks a most righteous and most stable income and the least hostile, and those who are occupied in this pursuit, are thinking badly the least.

Question 10

quaestus, quaestūs (m)

Answer 10

gain, profit, income, job

Question 11

nunc, ut ad rem redeam, quod promisi institutum, principium hoc erit.

Answer 11

Now I should return to this thing, which was the promised plan, this will be the beginning.