Traditional Values- CICERO Flashcards
accusator esses ridiculus,
You would be a ridiculous prosecutor,
si illis temporibus natus esses
if you had been born in those times
cum ab aratro arcessebantur
when men were summoned from the plough
qui consules fierent.
to become consuls.
tu enim,
For you,
qui praeesse agro colendo flagitium putes,
who consider it a disgrace to be responsible for cultivating a farm,
profecto illum Atilium,
would certainly judge the famous Atilius,
quem sua manu semen spargentem
whom sowing seed with his own hand,
illi qui missi erant convenerunt,
those who had been sent came across,
hominem turpissimum atque inhonestissimum iudicares.
to be a most shameful and low-class [fellow].
at hercule maiores nostri
But, by Hercules, our ancestors
longe aliter et de illo et de ceteris talibus existimabant
thought differently both concerning him and concerning other such men,
viris existimabant
they thought of men
itaque ex minima tenuissimaque re publica
from a tiny and quite insignificant state
maximam et florentissimam nobis reliquerunt.
they left us a very large and highly prosperous one.
suos enim agros studiose colebant,
For they cultivated their own farms intently,
non alienos cupide appetebant;
not greedily laying claim to those of others;
sic et agris et urbibus et nationibus
in this way, both with lands, cities, and nations
rem publicam atque hoc imperium
they expanded the state and this empire
et populi Romani nomen auxerunt.
and they increased the reputation of the Roman people.
et simul tibi in mentem veniat
Let it also come to your attention
quem ad modum vitam huiusce depinxeris
how you have depicted the life of this man here
hunc hominem ferum atque agrestem fuisse,
[saying that] he was rough and uncouth,
numquam cum homine quoquam collocutum esse,
that he never spoke to another person,
numquam in oppido constitisse.
never stayed in a town.
sed in rusticis moribus,
But in country ways,
in victu arido,
in a simple lifestyle,
in hac horrida incultaque vita
in this rough and uncivilised existence
maleficia istius modi gigni non solent.
crimes of that kind are not usually committed.
ut non omnem frugem neque arborem in omni agro reperire possis,
Just as you would not be able to find every crop or tree in every field,
sic non omne facinus in omni vita nascitur.
so not every crime occurs in every way of life.
in urbe luxuries creatur,
In the city extravagance is created,
ex luxuria exsistat avaritia necesse est,
from extravagance, greed naturally arises,
ex avaritia erumpat audacia,
from greed, boldness bursts out,
inde omnia scelera ac maleficia gignuntur.
from that all kinds of crimes and misdeeds are born.
vita autem haec rustica quam tu agrestem vocas
This country life, on the other hand, which you call uncouth,
parsimoniae, diligentiae, iustitiae magistra est.
is the teacher of thrift, hard work, and good conduct.
