Seneca Commentary: Letter XV
Commentary by Angeline Chiu and Leanne Goulette, revised by J.
Bailly
Text:
XV. SENECA LUCILIO SUO SALUTEM
[1] Mos antiquis fuit, usque ad meam servatus aetatem, primis
epistulae
verbis adicere 'si vales bene est, ego valeo'. Recte nos dicimus 'si
philosopharis, bene est'. Valere enim hoc demum est. Sine hoc aeger
est
animus; corpus quoque, etiam si magnas habet vires, non aliter quam
furiosi aut frenetici validum est. [2] Ergo hanc praecipue
valetudinem
cura, deinde et illam secundam; quae non magno tibi constabit, si
volueris bene valere. Stulta est enim, mi Lucili, et minime
conveniens
litterato viro occupatio exercendi lacertos et dilatandi cervicem ac
latera firmandi; cum tibi feliciter sagina cesserit et tori
creverint,
nec vires umquam opimi bovis nec pondus aequabis. Adice nunc quod
maiore corporis sarcina animus eliditur et minus agilis est. Itaque
quantum potes circumscribe corpus tuum et animo locum laxa. [3]
Multa
sequuntur incommoda huic deditos curae: primum exercitationes,
quarum
labor spiritum exhaurit et inhabilem intentioni ac studiis
acrioribus
reddit; deinde copia ciborum subtilitas impeditur. Accedunt pessimae
notae mancipia in magisterium recepta, homines inter oleum et vinum
occupati, quibus ad votum dies actus est si bene desudaverunt, si in
locum eius quod effluxit multum potionis altius in ieiuno iturae
regesserunt. [4] Bibere et sudare vita cardiaci est. Sunt
exercitationes et faciles et breves, quae corpus et sine mora
lassent
et tempori parcant, cuius praecipua ratio habenda est: cursus et cum
aliquo pondere manus motae et saltus vel ille qui corpus in altum
levat
vel ille qui in longum mittit vel ille, ut ita dicam, saliaris aut,
ut
contumeliosius dicam, fullonius: quoslibet ex his elige _usum rude
facile_. [5] Quidquid facies, cito redi a corpore ad animum; illum
noctibus ac diebus exerce. Labore modico alitur ille; hanc
exercitationem non frigus, non aestus impediet, ne senectus quidem.
Id
bonum cura quod vetustate fit melius. [6] Neque ego te iubeo semper
imminere libro aut pugillaribus: dandum est aliquod intervallum
animo,
ita tamen ut non resolvatur, sed remittatur. Gestatio et corpus
concutit et studio non officit: possis legere, possis dictare,
possis
loqui, possis audire, quorum nihil ne ambulatio quidem vetat fieri.
[7]
Nec tu intentionem vocis contempseris, quam veto te per gradus et
certos modos extollere, deinde deprimere. Quid si velis deinde
quemadmodum ambules discere? Admitte istos quos nova artificia
docuit
fames: erit qui gradus tuos temperet et buccas edentis observet et
in
tantum procedat in quantum audaciam eius patientia et credulitate
produxeris. Quid ergo? a clamore protinus et a summa contentione vox
tua incipiet? usque eo naturale est paulatim incitari ut litigantes
quoque a sermone incipiant, ad vociferationem transeant; nemo statim
Quiritium fidem implorat. [8] Ergo utcumque tibi impetus animi
suaserit, modo vehementius fac vitiis convicium, modo lentius, prout
vox te quoque hortabitur _in id latus_; modesta, cum recipies illam
revocarisque, descendat, non decidat; _mediatorisui habeat et hoc_
indocto et rustico more desaeviat. Non enim id agimus ut exerceatur
vox, sed ut exerceat.
[9] Detraxi tibi non pusillum negotii: una mercedula et _unum
graecum_
ad haec beneficia accedet. Ecce insigne praeceptum: 'stulta vita
ingrata est, trepida; tota in futurum fertur'. 'Quis hoc' inquis
'dicit?' idem qui supra. Quam tu nunc vitam dici existimas stultam?
Babae et Isionis? Non ita est: nostra dicitur, quos caeca cupiditas
in
nocitura, certe numquam satiatura praecipitat, quibus si quid satis
esse posset, fuisset, qui non cogitamus quam iucundum sit nihil
poscere, quam magnificum sit plenum esse nec ex fortuna pendere.
[10]
Subinde itaque, Lucili, quam multa sis consecutus recordare; cum
aspexeris quot te antecedant, cogita quot sequantur. Si vis gratus
esse
adversus deos et adversus vitam tuam, cogita quam multos
antecesseris.
Quid tibi cum ceteris? te ipse antecessisti. [11] Finem constitue
quem
transire ne possis quidem si velis; discedant aliquando ista
insidiosa
bona et sperantibus meliora quam assecutis. Si quid in illis esset
solidi, aliquando et implerent: nunc haurientium sitim concitant.
Mittantur speciosi apparatus; et quod futuri temporis incerta sors
volvit, quare potius a fortuna impetrem ut det, quam a me ne petam?
Quare autem petam? oblitus fragilitatis humanae congeram? in quid
laborem? Ecce hic dies ultimus est; ut non sit, prope ab ultimo est.
Vale.
Text from www.thelatinlibrary.com as submitted by Hansulrich Guhl
(Frauenfeld, Switzerland) from an unidentified edition and (the
later
books) by Sally Winchester from the Reynolds edition. Typographical
errors may have been corrected by J Bailly.
Commentary
[1] Mos antiquis fuit, usque
ad
meam servatus aetatem, primis epistulae
verbis adicere 'si vales bene est, ego valeo'. Recte nos dicimus 'si
philosopharis, bene est'. Valere enim hoc demum est. Sine hoc aeger
est
animus; corpus quoque, etiam si magnas habet vires, non aliter quam
furiosi aut frenetici validum est.
Seneca starts with an aphorism, which will provide the springboard
for
his topic, intellectual and spiritual health versus physical health.
antiquis: Dative of possession.
servatus: this adjective + the phrase the modifies it (usque
ad meam aetatem) is in apposition to and hence agrees with the
most recent masculine singular noun.
primis…verbis: this infinitive phrase is a predicate
nominative.
Compound verbs with ad- often take dative (A&G 370).
si vales bene est, ego valeo: often abbreviated at the very
start of
letters as s.v.b.... (with appropriate changes: sometimes
the verbs are
plural, sometimes the formula is expanded, perhaps a commander and
his army are mentioned: for example,
s.v.v.b.e.e.q.v. = si vos valetis benest, ego
exercitusque valemus
occurs at the start of Cic. ad. Fam. 15.1). Pliny still uses
the
formula occasionally, but its use seems to have waned over time.
si philosopharis, bene est: striving for clever aphorisms,
Seneca changes a common anodyne greeting into something with
point. To drive that point home, he goes on to explain it with valere
autem
hoc demum est.
nos: nom. personal pronoun emphatic to emphasize the
antithesis between
what others say and what Seneca says.
aliter quam: this phrase involves a comparison, but it is not
clear
what is being compared. Two options seem possible. 1) The most
obvious
choice is that the body of someone who does not philosophize is
being
compared with the body of an insane person. For the sentence to mean
that, it is necessary to understand another corpus to go
with furiosi
and phrenetici, both genitives of possession. The sentence
would read,
fully spelled out: corpus quoque sine hoc validum est non aliter
quam
corpus furiosi aut frenetici validum est. Alternatively, furiosi
and
phrenetici could be nominatives with an understood sunt
validi, in
which case the states of being validus of the
non–philosopher and
insane people are being compared. That sentence would be as follows
if
fully spelled out: corpus quoque sine hoc validum est non aliter
quam
furiosi aut frenetici validi sunt.
[2] Ergo hanc praecipue
valetudinem cura, deinde et illam secundam;
quae non magno tibi constabit, si volueris bene valere. Stulta est
enim, mi Lucili, et minime conveniens litterato viro occupatio
exercendi lacertos et dilatandi cervicem ac latera firmandi; cum
tibi
feliciter sagina cesserit et tori creverint, nec vires umquam opimi
bovis nec pondus aequabis. Adice nunc quod maiore corporis sarcina
animus eliditur et minus agilis est. Itaque quantum potes
circumscribe
corpus tuum et animo locum laxa.
Seneca recomends that Lucilius not engage in weight-lifting, but
rather
care for his mind. The idea that a larger body might destroy
(eliditur)
the soul is strange, especially given what Seneca has to say about
the
soul at LVII.7: it is not able to be destroyed or contained or
crushed.The soul is, however, made up of matter according to Seneca
and
the stoics, and so there is at least a possibility that other matter
might impinge on it.
cura: imperative.
hanc valetudinem...illam secundam: hic and its forms
often refer to the
nearer of two items, or to the one immediately present, while ille
and
its forms refer to the further of two items (similar to English use
of
“former” and “latter,” which emphasize the order not the
proximity of items). Thus hanc valetudinem refers to mental
health and
wisdom, the thing being discussed immediately here, while illam
secundam (valetudinem) refers to corporeal health,
which is more remote.
quae non …: a linking relative. Such relative pronouns do not
introduce relative clauses, but rather serve to link something in
the
previous sentence(s) with the current sentence. That something
agrees
in gender and number with the relative, which helps the reader to
identify it.
magno tibi constabit: consto (“cost”) takes a dat. of
the person making
the expenditure and an abl. of price.
constabit...si volueris: fut. perf. protasis + fut. apodosis
= fut.
more vivid condition.
litterato viro: dative with convenio (“to agree with,
harmonize with”).
exercendi…dilatandi…firmandi: Gerunds are active nouns, but
they are
also verbal. As verbals, they can take objects, as these three do.
As
nouns, however, they are genitives of quality dependent on occupatio
stulta.
tibi: dative of reference.
cum: cum temporal referring to the future with fut.
perf. (A&G 547).
adice nunc quod: this phrase is exceedingly common in
Seneca’s letters,
and apparently was common in everyday Latin.
quod: quod = “the fact that...” takes the indicative
(A&G 572).
maiore…sarcina: ablative of means/instrument.
circumscribe…laxa: imperatives. Circumscribe
literally means “to draw
around,” which here means “set limits to.”
[3] Multa sequuntur
incommoda
huic deditos curae: primum
exercitationes, quarum labor spiritum exhaurit et inhabilem
intentioni
ac studiis acrioribus reddit; deinde copia ciborum subtilitas
impeditur. Accedunt pessimae notae mancipia in magisterium recepta,
homines inter oleum et vinum occupati, quibus ad votum dies actus
est
si bene desudaverunt, si in locum eius quod effluxit multum potionis
altius in ieiuno iturae regesserunt.
Seneca describes the ills of pursuing physical health too much.
Primum exercitationes: understand sunt.
reddit: reddo is a so-called “factitive” verb. Such
verbs take two
accusatives. English examples which also take two objects are “to make water wine,” “to boil eggs hard,” and “to call him Teddy.”
Intentioni ac studiis acrioribus: dative with inhabilis,
a word of
fitness (A&G 384).
copia: ablative of means/instrument.
pessimae notae: genitive of quality.
in magisterium: teachers were often slaves.
homines … occupati: nominative because the whole phrase is in
apposition to mancipia.
oleum: olive oil was used by wrestlers on their skin, hence
“olive oil”
is used figuratively here for “wrestling.”
quibus..., si..., si....: two protases with one apodosis. The
two
protases are in asyndeton (A&G 601c).
quibus: dative of reference.
ad votum: “acording to (their) desire/wish.”
si in locum eius quod effluxit multum potionis altius in jejuno
iturae
regesserunt: the English word order would be: si
regesserunt multum
potionis iturae altius in jejuno in locum eius quod effluxit.
multum potionis iturae: multum can take the genitive;
in general,
Seneca is free in his use of the future participle.
[4] Bibere et sudare vita
cardiaci est. Sunt exercitationes et faciles
et breves, quae corpus et sine mora lassent et tempori parcant,
cuius
praecipua ratio habenda est: cursus et cum aliquo pondere manus
motae
et saltus vel ille qui corpus in altum levat vel ille qui in longum
mittit vel ille, ut ita dicam, saliaris aut, ut contumeliosius
dicam,
fullonius: quoslibet ex his elige _usum rude facile_.
Seneca now turns to physical exercises that are worth doing.
bibere et sudare: Infinitives used as nouns.
et…et …: et X et Y (where X and Y can be
anything) means “Both X and Y.”
lassent…parcant: subjunctives in a relative clause of
purpose. Remember
that parco takes the dat.
ratio: ratio has many meanings which center around
reason or thought.
Here, perhaps “principle.”
habenda est: passive periphrastic, with the force of
necessity (A&G
106-108).
ut ita Dicam: a common idiom that is used parenthetically and
is
similar to English
“so to speak.” Apparently in form it is a purpose clause. In
what
follows, ut contumeliosius dicam is a variant on it made up
for this
particular occasion.
saliaris...fullonius: the Salii were dancing priests
of a war god in
Rome, whose uniform included a red tunic and a bronze breastplate.
They
were all of the nobility. A fullo, or “fuller,” makes, dyes,
and cleans
cloth. Launderers stomped on clothing as part of the washing.
Socrates,
in Diogenes Laertius 2.32, is said to have danced to keep his
physical
health.
contumeliosius: comparative adverb.
usum rude facile: in some editions, this phrase is placed
between
daggers, or “obelized,” to indicate that it is a corrupt spot in the
text, and no satisfactory solution has yet been found.
[5] Quidquid facies, cito
redi
a corpore ad animum; illum noctibus ac
diebus exerce. Labore modico alitur ille; hanc exercitationem non
frigus, non aestus impediet, ne senectus quidem. Id bonum cura quod
vetustate fit melius.
Seneca moves on to the exercise of the mind. Because the mind is
less
subject to the influences of the external world, it is more in a
person’s control. One’s excellence ought to be fully under one’s own
control, and hence excellence of the mind is superior to excellence
of
body, which is more easily removed by old age, injury, etc.
cito: adverb, “quickly.”
redi: imperative.
exerce: imperative.
noctibus ac diebus: ablatives of time when or within which.
labore modico: ablative of means/instrument.
ne senectus quidem: ne X quidem means “not even X.”
cura: imperative.
id...quod: note that id is the antecedent of quod.
vetustate: ablative of time when or within which.
[6] Neque ego te iubeo
semper
imminere libro aut pugillaribus: dandum
est aliquod intervallum animo, ita tamen ut non resolvatur, sed
remittatur. Gestatio et corpus concutit et studio non officit:
possis
legere, possis dictare, possis loqui, possis audire, quorum nihil ne
ambulatio quidem vetat fieri.
Seneca extols the benefits of gestatio (being carried around in a
litter or other means of transportation) for body and mind.
imminere: + dat.
dandum est: passive periphrastic.
resolvatur…remittatur: subjunctives of result.
gestatio: “being carried” by boat, cart, litter, or any other
means of
being transported.
et…et: “both…and.”
studio: dat. with officio.
possis: potential subjunctives (A&G 445,6).
nihil: abverbial.
[7] Nec tu intentionem vocis
contempseris, quam veto te per gradus et
certos modos extollere, deinde deprimere. Quid si velis deinde
quemadmodum ambules discere? Admitte istos quos nova artificia
docuit
fames: erit qui gradus tuos temperet et buccas edentis observet et
in
tantum procedat in quantum audaciam eius patientia et credulitate
produxeris. Quid ergo? a clamore protinus et a summa contentione vox
tua incipiet? usque eo naturale est paulatim incitari ut litigantes
quoque a sermone incipiant, ad vociferationem transeant; nemo statim
Quiritium fidem implorat.
Seneca moves on to vocal practice.
contempseris: hortatory subjunctive (aka “jussive”).
“Perfect”
subjunctive is to be translated as present. The hortatory perfect
subjunctive is rare, and occurs mostly, as here, in prohibitions
(A&G 439n.1)
extollere...deprimere: indirect statement with te as
the subject.
Exercising one’s voice takes physical effort, and various techniques
were practiced. Seneca is forbidding Lucilius from using certain
specific technique(s).
quid si velis...discere: direct question which consists of a
future
less vivid condition whose apodosis is not fully expressed, as in
English, “What (sc. would you do) if I should help you?”
deinde: after learning how to talk by using prescribed
techniques,
"next" you would have to learn how to walk using techniques.
ambules: subjunctive of indirect question introduced by quemadmodum.
admitte: this imperative is almost the equivalent of a
protasis to a
condition: try translating si admiseris istos, erit qui gradus
tuos
temperet to get the sense of this sentence.
quos … fames: Seneca is implying that certain novel
techniques have
been invented not because they are worthwhile, but because someone
needed to make a living and so came up with a gimmick to sell to the
gullible. In other words, their necessity led to invention of a
less-than-useful sort.
nova: in typical Roman misoneist fashion, novus, -a, -um
is not just
“new,” but also “unheard of,” “strange,” or “ridiculous.”
temperet...observet...procedat: subjunctives of
characteristic.
edentis: genitive singular participle of edo,
edere, edi, esum.
in tantum...in quantum: correlative phrases like these join
two
clauses, as in English “He had sunk AS
MUCH into depravity AS
is humanly possible.”
produxeris: perfect subjunctive: perfect because the sentence
is in
primary sequence, and the action referred to by produxeris
is prior to
the action of the clause it depends on (procedat);
subjunctive by
attraction to the mood of the verb it is dependent on (procedat
again).
audaciam eius patientia et credulitate: supplying tua
with both patientia and credulitate might help.
usque eo: to such an extent (naturale est paulatim
incitari).
incipiant...transeant: result clause.
quiritium: Summers thinks this particular use
refers to an orator appealing to passersby by raising his voice even
more than in the rest of his speech. The Quirites were the Sabine
inhabitants of the town of
Cures. The term is used of Romans as citizens generally, but it
alludes
to the Sabine element in Romans.
[8] Ergo utcumque tibi
impetus
animi suaserit, modo vehementius fac
vitiis convicium, modo lentius, prout vox te quoque hortabitur _in
id
latus_; modesta, cum recipies illam revocarisque, descendat, non
decidat; _mediatorisui habeat et hoc_ indocto et rustico more
desaeviat. Non enim id agimus ut exerceatur vox, sed ut exerceat.
The first sentence is corrupt and hard to understand: see Reynolds’
and
Summer’s apparatus criticus for textual details. Although it does
not
make perfect sense, what is being discussed, namely moderation in
exercising one's voice, is not entirely unclear.
suaserit: perfect subjunctive in an indirect question
with
utcumque (“however”).
modo...modo...: correlating adverbs, “at one time....at
another.”
fac vitiis convicium: the idiom convicium alicui facere
means “mock,
insult, abuse, make a specimen of someone or something.”
in id latus: Reynolds thinks this can hardly be right and
obelizes it
(i.e. puts “daggers” on either side of it to indicate it is
corrupt).
id in particular seems to have no referent. Summers suggests
an
emendation to the text: inclinatus instead of in id
latus. Inclinatus
would modify the subject of fac, namely Lucilius.
modesta: “moderated” or “controlled," modifying what recent
feminine
noun which has to be supplied?
recipies illam revocarisque: The passage is corrupt. Summers
claims
revocaris does not work
with recipies. One manuscript has revocabis, which
is easier. Perhaps
recipies refers to getting back one's breath, and revocaris/revocabis
refers to bringing one's tone back to normal.
descendat, non decidat: a typical Senecan play on sound. The
difference
is between sudden (decidat) and gradual (descendat)
action. Both are
hortatory (aka “jussive”) subjunctives.
mediatorisui habeat: mediatorisui makes little sense.
Possibly the
original was media oris via habeat; a hortatory subjunctive
with media
via as the subject of habeat.
desaeviat: hortatory.
exerceatur . . . exerceat: present passive and active
subjunctives
juxtaposed for effect, both in purpose clauses. The juxtaposition is
very Senecan. The subject of exerceat is vox, and
the object is nos.
[9] Detraxi tibi non
pusillum
negotii: una mercedula et _unum graecum_
ad haec beneficia accedet. Ecce insigne praeceptum: 'stulta vita
ingrata est, trepida; tota in futurum fertur'. 'Quis hoc' inquis
'dicit?' idem qui supra. Quam tu nunc vitam dici existimas stultam?
Babae et Isionis? Non ita est: nostra dicitur, quos caeca cupiditas
in
nocitura, certe numquam satiatura praecipitat, quibus si quid satis
esse posset, fuisset, qui non cogitamus quam iucundum sit nihil
poscere, quam magnificum sit plenum esse nec ex fortuna pendere.
Fools live in desire and worry about the future: they do not realize
that a state of needing nothing and not depending on being fortunate
is
the best state. Seneca here touches on the notion common to stoicism
and epicureanism that the good life is one of being undisturbed,
free
of pain and fear.
una mercedula et _unum graecum_: Another corrupt passage.
Summers
suggests Detraxi tibi non pusilum negotii: una mercedula et.
Nunc
peculium ad haec beneficia accedet. The words must refer to
the
praeceptum he
is about to bestow upon Lucilius in the next sentence.
haec beneficia: this must refer to previously bestowed 'beneficia'
in
this letter, such as "non pusillum negotii" above.
stulta...est: possibly stulti vita ingrata est.
in futurum fertur: the subject is vita from the
previous line. Fertur
must be understood as a mental act such as concentrating, paying
attention to, vel sim.
idem qui supra: this probably refers to Epicurus, who is
referred to in
the previous letter, XIV.
quam: interrogative adjective in agreement with vitam.
dici: present passive infinitive of indirect discourse; stultam
is the
subject accusative.
Stultam: a predicate accusative (no, it's not a direct
object): why
would it be accusative?
Babae et Isionis: Baba is mentioned at Apocolocynthosis 3 as a court
fool
of this period. Isio is otherwise unknown.
in nocitura ... (in) satiatura: future active participles in
accusative
plural.
quibus: refers to nos of nostra, just as quos
did, and just as the qui
that is coming up will.
posset: imperfect subjunctive of a present contrary to fact
condition.
fuisset: pluperfect subjunctive of a past contrary to fact
condition.
quam: interrogative adverb, "how."
sit ... sit: present active subjunctives in indirect
questions
introduced by quam.
nihil poscere: subject of sit.
plenum esse: subject of sit: the subject of the
infinitive is in
accusative as usual.
ex fortuna pendere: another subject of sit.
[10]
Subinde itaque, Lucili, quam multa sis consecutus recordare; cum
aspexeris quot te antecedant, cogita quot sequantur. Si vis gratus
esse
adversus deos et adversus vitam tuam, cogita quam multos
antecesseris.
Quid tibi cum ceteris? te ipse antecessisti.
In terms of the things you have achieved and want to achieve,
striking
the proper attitude is important: do not dwell on how far short of
your
goals you are. Keep in mind how much you have
already achieved.
multa: this substantive adjective can be translated "many
things," but
given the context, the "things" must be something like "objects of
(your) ambition."
sis consecutus: perfect subjunctive of conse-quor, -qui,
-cutus in
indirect question.
recordare: imperative form of recordor, -ari.
aspexeris: perfect active subjuctive temporal clause
introduced by cum.
quot ... quot: an indeclinable adjective, these refer to the
same
"things" as multa did. They too must be something like
"objects of
(your) ambition."
antecedant: present active subjunctive of indirect question
introduced
by quot.
sequantur: present subjunctive of indirect question
introduced by quot.
adversus: preposition with accusative case meaning "towards."
antecesseris: perfect active subjunctive of indirect question
introduced by quam.
quid tibi cum ceteris: a colloquial expression (see OLD quis
7),
meaning something like "What have you to do with other people?" or
"What are other people to you?"
[11] Finem constitue quem
transire ne possis quidem si velis; discedant aliquando ista
insidiosa
bona et sperantibus meliora quam assecutis. Si quid in illis esset
solidi, aliquando et implerent: nunc haurientium sitim concitant.
Mittantur speciosi apparatus; et quod futuri temporis incerta sors
volvit, quare potius a fortuna impetrem ut det, quam a me ne petam?
Quare autem petam? oblitus fragilitatis humanae congeram? in quid
laborem? Ecce hic dies ultimus est; ut non sit, prope ab ultimo est.
Vale.
A philosophical exhortation to stop coveting possessions, honors,
etc.
all of which are fleeting and less satisfying to those who have them
than they are falsely attractive to those who don't have them. The
solution is to make oneself not want those things, and then one will
be
satisfied. Live life as though there is no tomorrow (an ambiguous
sentiment: Seneca does not mean "live with wild abandon").
constitue: imperative form of constit-uere, -ui, -utum.
ne...quidem: "not...even."
possis ... velis: present subjunctives in a future less vivid
conditional.
aliquando: this word usually means "at some time," but here
in a
jussive command, it means "now at last," or "while there is time."
discedant: jussive subjunctive with ista insidiosa bona
as the subject.
et: this et makes little sense as a simple "and." It
makes better
sense as "and indeed" or just "indeed" adding a reinforcing
afterthought.
sperantis meliora quam assecutis: assecutis is an
assimilated
alternative way to spell adsecutis. Both participles are
datives
dependent on meliora, which is a predicate term agreeing
with bona.
si...esset...impleret: imperfect subjunctive of a contrary to
fact
present condition.
quid: quid = aliquid, and it takes a
genitive. Aliquid boni, for
example, means "some/any goodness."
mittantur: jussive subjunctive.
quare...impetrem: present active subjunctive of indirect
question.
ut...det: impetro, as a verb of effecting, takes an ut
clause. The ut
clause could be either result or purpose (which is why the
negative is sometimes ne, sometimes ut ... non:
in the next clause, the
ne identifies it as a purpose clause). Whether it is purpose
or result
depends on the thought of whoever writes the clause rather than any
"real" situation.
quam: comparative "than" corresponding to potius.
quam a me (impetrem) ne petam? Quare autem petam: Seneca is
suggesting
that there are two ways of "satisfying" my desires for good fortune:
one is to ask fortune to grant them to me; the other is simply to
drop
the issue and not want it any more. The second petam is
deliberative
subjunctive.
oblitus: perfect participle of obliviscor, oblivisci,
oblitus.
congeram: normally transitive, this verb is here used
absolutely.
laborem: deliberative subjunctive.
Ecce hic dies ultimus est: ut non sit (ultimus
dies), prope ab ultimo
(die) est: The thought is that one should live as if
today is one's
last day, whether it is or not. The ut is concessive "even
if" or
"although."
Vocabulary
accedo, -dere, -ssi, -ssum, add
ad(i)icio, -(i)icere, -ieci, -iectum, add, attach
adse-quor, -qui, -cutus, to follow after, attain
aeger, -ri, ill, weak
aequo (1), be equal to
aestus, -us, m., heat
aetas, aetatis, f., time, age
agilis, e, nimble, mobile
aliquando, at any time, once; (in commands) while there is time, now
at
last, before it is too late
aliter, otherwise.
ambulatio, -onis, f., walk
ambulo (1), walk
antece-do, -dere, -ssi, -ssum, go before, precede, outstrip, excel
over
apparatus, us, m., paraphernalia, trappings
artificium, -i, n., craft, art
aspicio, aspicere, aspexi, aspectum, look at
audacia, -ae, f., courage
bibo, bibere, bibi, --, drink
bos, bovis, m. or f., cow, ox
bucca, -ae, f., cheek
cardiacus, -i, m., dyspeptic (someone who has heartburn a lot)
cedo, cedere, cessi, cessus, turn out well, succeed
cervix, -cis, f., neck
cibus, -i, m., food; nourishment
cito, quickly
clamor, -oris, m., loud shouting, cry
concito (1), excite
concutio, -tere, -ssi, -ssum, shake, rouse
cong-ero, -ere, -essi, -estum, collect, bring together
conse-quor, -qui, -cutus, to follow, obtain
constitu-o, -ere, -i, -tum, establish, fix
consto, -are, -iti, -atum, cost (+dat. of person + abl. of price)
contem-no, -nere, -psi, -ptum, despise, contemn
contentio, -onis, f., effort, striving
contumeliosus, insulting, outrageous
convenio, -ire, eni, -entum, agree, harmonize (+ dat.)
convicium, -i, n., shout, clamour
credulitas, -atis, f., credulity
cresco, crescere, crevi, cretus, grow, increase
curo (1), care for, attend to
cursus, -us, m., the action of running
decid-o, -ere, -idi, fall down, sink
ded-o, -ere, -idi, -itum, devote oneself to (+dat.)
deinde, then
demum, precisely
depr-imo, -imere, -essi, -essum, press down, depress
desaev-io, -ire, -ii, -itum, to rage violently
descen-do, -dere, -di, -sum, come down, descend
desudo, -are, -avi, -atus, exert oneself
detra-ho, -here, -xi, -ctum, remove, pull away
dilato, -are, -avi, -atus, expand, broaden
discedo, discedere, discessi, discessum, depart, be separated, leave
ecce, look!, here
edo, edere, edi, esum, eat, devour
effluo, -ere, -xi, run out, issue
elido, -dere, -si, -sum, dash out, destroy
eligo, -ere, -egi, -ectus, choose
ergo, therefore
exerc-eo, -ere, -ui,- itum, cultivate, employ, exercise, keep busy
exercitatio, -onis, f., exercise, practice
exhaurio, -rire, -si, -stum, exhaust, drain
existimo (1), consider
extoll-o, -ere, raise, elevate
fames, -is, f., hunger, famine
feliciter, successfully
fides, fidei, f.., loyalty, confidence
firmo, -are, -avi, -atus, strengthen
fragilitas, -atis, f., frailty, weakness
freneticus, mad, delirious
frigus, -oris, n., cold, winter, inactivity
fullonius, of a fuller (a worker in the cloth industry), i.e. a
launderer
furiosus, mad, frantic
gestatio, -onis, f., being carried
gradus, -us, m., step
Graec-us, -a, -um, Greek
hau-rio, -rire, -si, -stum, drink up, absorb
ieiunum, -i, n., hungry, empty
immineo, -ere, -ui, hang/bend over, pore over (+dat.)
impedio, -ire, -i(v)i, -itum, hamper, hinder
impetr-o, -are, -avi, -atum, obtain by request; succeed in gaining,
obtain
impetus, -us, m., impulse, passion
impl-eo, -ere, -evi, -etum, fulfill, satisfy
imploro (1), invoke, entreat
incipio, incipere, incepi, inceptum, begin
incito (1), excite, inspire
incommodum, -i, n., inconvenience, trouble
indoct-us, -a, -um, untaught, unskilled
ingratus, -a, -um, unwelcome; disagreeable
inhabilis,, -e, unfit (+dat.)
insidios-us, -a, -um, deceitful, treacherous
insignis, -e, distinguished
intentio, -onis, f., concentration, attention; forcing, exertion,
straining (of the voice)
intervallum, -i, n., interval, space
lacertus, -i, m.,upper arm; muscle
lasso (1), tire, fatigue
latus, -eris, n., side, flank, body
laxo (1), loosen
lent-us, -a, -um, calm, mild
levo (1), lighten, ease
litigo (1), dispute, quarrel
litteratus, -a, -um, educated, learned
magisterium, -i, n., instruction
mancipium, -i, n., slave
mediatorisui, *see commentary
mercedula, -ae, f., low wages, rent
mitto, mittere, misi, missum, release, let go; set aside, abandon
modest-us, -a, -um, moderate, orderly
modicus, moderate, middling
mos, moris, 3m., custom
naturalis, -e, natural
negotium, -i, n., business, task, job
noc-eo, -ere, -ui, -itum, harm, hurt (+dat.)
nota, ae, 1f., quality, character (of persons or things)
obliviscor, oblivisci, oblitus, forget
observ-o, -are, -avi, -atum, observe, attend to
occupatio, -onis, f., business
officio, -icere, -eci, -ectum, obstruct, interfere with (+dat.)
oleum, -i, n., olive oil; wrestling school
opimus, -a, -um, fat, rich, in top condition
parco, -cere, peperci, -sum, (+ dat.), spare, forego
patientia, -ae, f., endurance
paulatim adv., gradually, little by little
peculium, i, n., money or property managed as his own by one who is
incapable of legal ownership
pendeo, pendere, pependi, depend on
pet-o, -ere, -ivi, -itum, seek, request
philosophor, -ari, -atus, philosophize
phreneticus, -a, -um,mad, frantic
pondus, -eris, n., weight, mass
posco, poscere, poposci,request, call upon
potio, -onis, f., drink, draught
praecipit-o,- are, -avi, -atum, hurry along
praecipue, especially
praecipuus, -a, -um, special, outstanding
proce-do, -dere, -ssi, -ssum, proceed, advance
produco, -cere, -xi, -ctum, produce, promote
prope adv., near
protinus adv., further, continuously
prout, just as, according as
pugillaris, e, hand-sized (m. pl. and n. pl., notebooks)
pusill-us, -a, -um, tiny, petty
quemadmodum, in what manner, how
quiris, quiritis m., Roman citizen
recordor (1), remember, recollect
recte, well, properly
reddo, -ere, -idi, -itum, render, make (+ dbl. acc.)
redeo, redire, redii, reditum, return, go back
regero, -ere, -essi, -stum, restore; carry or throw back
remitto, -ittere, -isi, -issum, rest, send back
resolvo, -vere, -vi, -utum, loosen, unstring
rudis, -is, plain, coarse
sagina, -ae, f., stuffing, rich food: diet (of gladiators)
saliaris, of the Salii (Roman priests who danced); sumptuous
sarcina, -ae, f., bundle, burden
satio (1), satisfy, fill
secundus, a, um, second
servo (1), preserve
solid-us, -a, -um, solid, complete
sors, sortis, f., prophecy, oracular response
specios-us, -a, -um, beautiful, handsome
spero (1), hope, expect
statim, at once, immediately
stultus, -a, -um, stupid
sua-deo, -dere, -si, -sum, recommend, advise
subinde, adv., now and again, repeatedly
subtilitas, -atis, f., attention to detail, precision of argument
sudo (1), sweat
tempero (1), moderate
torus, -i, m., bulge, muscle
trepid-us, -a, -um, agitated, disturbed
usque, all the way (adv. with ad)
utcumque, whenever, however
valeo, valere, valui, --, to be strong, to be well
valetudo, valetudinis, f., health
validus, -a, -um, strong, sound, healthy
vel, either, or; perhaps
veto (1), forbid, oppose
vetustas, -atis, f., age, old age, antiquity; experience
vociferatio, -onis, f., loud calling, shouting
vol-vo, -vere, -vi, -utum, wind, twist around