Aloisia Aguilar de Varrone Aloisia Aguilar de Varrone Aloisia Aguilar de Varro Aloisia Aguilar de Varrone Aloisia Aguilar de Varrone Aloisia Aguilar de Varrone 알로이시아 아길라르 드 Varrone Aloisia Aguilar de Varrone Алоизия Агилар де Варроне Алоїзія Агілар де Варроне

Is dīcit in suō opere dē linguā latīna-- He says in his work in the Latin language Він говорить у своїй праці про латинську мову--

ō, nōn fungitur!-- ||it is done It doesn't work!-- ō, ні, це працює!--

bene, well

bene, scrībit Varrō in suō opere dē linguā latīnā well, Varro writes in his work on the Latin language

verbum 'laetārī' the word 'laetārī'

ab eō venīre come from him

quod cor vel pectus the heart or breast

propter gaudium lātius pateat. for the sake of joy it is more widely known.

Ergō hodiē ego valdē laetor Therefore today I am very glad

et est mihi ingentī gaudiō and it is a great joy for me

hīc vōbīscum versārī Stay with you here

inter tot tantōsque hominēs among so many and so many people

cum professōrēs illūstrēs with famous professors

tum nōn minus prūdentēs discipulōs not less prudent students

inter quōs ut dixit-- among whom as he said--

--ah yes, thank you! so-- --ah yes, thank you! so--

verbum laetārī, nōnne, the word happy, isn't it?

lae-tā-rī, lae-tā-rī

ab eō venīre quod that came from him

cor vel pectus propter gaudium heart or breast for joy

lātius pateat, nōnne? It should be more clear, isn't it?

Ergō ut dīcēbam So I guessed

mihi vidētur maximus esse cōnsēnsus It seems to me that it is the most important agreement

atque convenientia inter nōs |agreement|| and compatibility between us

ut hodiē māne Iāsō dīcēbat, nōnne? |||Iaso|| as Iasō was saying this morning, wasn't he?

Nam idem est nōbīs cōnsilium atque dēstinātum, For our counsel and destiny are the same.

id est hūmānitātem colere that is to worship humanity

dum ea meditāmur quae while we are meditating on those things

antīquī posteritātī trādidērunt. which they handed down to posterity.

Ad quam mētam nōs To what goal are we?

nisi optima doctrīna linguārum antīquārum except the best doctrine of the ancient languages

nihil ēdūcet. nothing eats.

Ergō in hōc conventū Therefore, in this meeting

tam bene et optimē et apprīmē ōrdinātō so well and best and apprīmē ordinātō

vidēmur rēvērā |indeed we will see each other again

duōs aprōs ūnō saltū capere. to catch two aprōs ūnō leaptū.

Bene, eundem scopum antīquitātis colendae Well, the same goal of worshiping the ancients

multī persequī vidēmur we will be seen in many pursuits

licet nōs dīversās viās ad hoc prōpōnāmus. although we propose different ways to this end.

Sunt enim auctōrēs antīquī For there are ancient authors

eōrumque opera and their works

ut illae viae quae as those roads which

sīve longiōrēs sint sīve breviōrēs whether they be longer or shorter

sīve mūnītae or protected

sīve perquam incertae atque praecipitēs, or extremely uncertain and precipitous,

sed semper videntur nōs ad aliquod bonum dūcere. but they always seem to lead us to some good.

Et ūnusquisque nostrum suam viam facit. And each of us makes his own way.

Mihi abhinc paucōs annōs sēlēgī ||||I selected I chose a few years ago

viam haud ita expedītam a road not so hurried

cum dēcrēverim opera Varrōnis Reātīnī ēmētīrī, when I decided the works of Varrōnis Reātīnī ēmētīrī,

cūius librī nōn dēlūsērunt invidiam temporis, the envy of the time

neque salvī et integrī nōbīs pervēnērunt nor did they reach us safe and sound

sed dētruncātī atque dēminūtī omnēs. but cut down and cut down everything.

Tamen in tantō naufragiō litterārum However, in such a breakdown of letters

vīsae sunt mihi adhūc quaedam scintillae micāre, ||||||spark I saw some sparks shining here and there,

quasi vestīgia like traces

illīus dē commūne salūte cūrae apud antīquōs, that day of common health care among the ancients,

quās sequī īnstituī, which should be instituted

ut ad indicia hūmānitātis as to the indications of humanity

minus fortasse nōta atque minus cōnspicua perhaps less noticeable and less conspicuous

pervenīrem. I would arrive.

Ut vidētis, titulus hūius ōrātiunculae est As you can see, the title is his ōrātiuncula

"Varrōnis negōtia salsa," "Varrone's business is salty."

quod titulus refert verba Cicerōnis that the title refers to the words of Cicero

dē quōdam opere Varrōnis of a certain work of Varron

quod ille iūcundum iūdicābat. which he judged very agreeable.

Sed ego velim But I would

illa verba mūtāre, dīcere potius: to change those words, rather to say:

"Varrōnis negōtia salsa atque hūmāna," "Varro's business is salty and human."

nam hoc potissimum, for this above all

hūmāna multa atque multum hūmānitātis hūmāna many and many hūmānities

librīs Varrōnis continentur. are contained in the books of Varron.

Attamen vērum est nōs parum, However, it is true that we have little

nimis parum servāvisse to have saved too little

ex ingentī acervō operum Varrōnis, from the vast collection of the works of Varro,

quae inopia monumentōrum fortasse exprobrētur which insufficiency of monuments may perhaps be reproached

ab hīs quōrum spēs ēvānēscit from these whose powers he learns

in quantulācunque memoriā auctōris. in any memory of the author.

Sed tamen quantus Varrō fuerit But still how great was Varro

iam antīquī iactābant, they were already boasting

inter eōs Augustīnus, among them Augustine

quī dīligentiam Varrōnis which the diligence of Varro

bellē commemorat hīs verbīs. He mentions the war in these words.

Dīcit: He says:

"Quī tam multa lēgit "He reads so much

ut aliquid eī scrībere vacuisse mīrēmur, that we should be surprised to write something in it

et tam multa scrīpsit, and he wrote so much

quam multa vix quemquam legere potuisse crēdāmus." we believed that hardly anyone could read how much."

Ergō dīligentia atque industria et sēdulitās Varrōnis Hence the diligence and industry and sedateness of Varro

apud antīquōs fuērunt illūstrēs, with the ancients they were

nam nōn tantum Augustīnus hoc commemorat, for not only does Augustine mention this,

sed etiam multī aliī. but also in many other places.

Et quidem dīversīs cōgnāmentīs Varrōnem appellant. And indeed they call Varrone in different cognates.

Cicerō verbī grātiā Cicero is grateful for his words

eum appellat polygraphotaton, nōnne, Graecē. he calls him polygraphotaton, nònne, in Greek.

Et Plūtarchus verbī grātiā And Plutarch is grateful for the word

eum appellat bibliakotaton he calls him bibliakotaton

et quoque polymathestaton, and also polymathestaton

id est quī volēbat omnia discere. that is, he wanted to learn everything.

Bene, ex aliīs testimōniīs vērō Well, I saw from other witnesses

nōn industria Varrōnis laudātur, Varro's industry is praised

sed ingenium ipsīus hominis. but the genius of the man himself.

Opera Varrōnis The works of Varro

nōbīs lūbrica atque incerta it is slippery and uncertain

quippe quae tantum per fragmenta nōta since it is known only in fragments

habita sunt apud antīquōs ēgregia they were held among the ancients

et magna. and great

Et sīc verbī grātiā And so with the word grace

Iōannēs Salisburgiēnsis dīcit: John of Salzburg says:

"Īnferior nūllī Graecōrum Varrō fuisse scrībitur. "It will be written that Varrō was the inferior nūllī of the Greeks.

Hunc patrem Rōma vocāre solet. He usually calls this father Rōma.

Plūra quidem nūllus scrīpsit, Indeed, no one wrote more,

et nūllus meliōra." and no better."

Ergō sunt multa testimōnia hūius generis, Therefore there are many testimonies of this kind.

quae Varrōnem ita laudant, which so praise Varro

quae Varrōnem ita commemorant. which thus mention Varro.

Et habētis, ut crēdō, And you have, as I believe,

indicem, nōnne, distribūta sunt, list, isn't it, they are distributed

distribūtae sunt pāginae, habētis? Are the pages distributed?

Indicem list

habētis, you have

id indicem eius operum, nōnne, ita: that is the list of his works, isn't it, thus:

nam dignitās for dignities

atque hūmānitās Varrōnis and the hūmānitās of Varrōni

nōn conclūditur tantum It is not concluded so much

in iīs verbīs pulchris, in those beautiful words

quae antīquī dē eō iactāvērunt, which they boasted of that day

sed in ipsīs fragmentīs auctōris. but in the fragments of the author.

Quantum colligere possumus, As far as we can gather,

is semper he always

hūmānitātem atque dignitātem hominis coluit. He worshiped humanity and the dignity of man.

Ut vidētis, To see

ille operam dedit multifōrmibus disciplīnīs, he gave attention to various disciplines,

sīve lingae latīnae or the Latin linga

et rēbus rūsticīs and rustic things

et rēbus polīticīs et antīquitātibus: and political matters and antiquities:

et in omnibus hīs operibus and in all these works

videntur esse quaedam nōtae pecūliārēs, there seem to be some peculiar notes

quaedam nōtae commūnēs atque perennēs, some common and permanent notes

commūnēs in hōc auctōre. common in this author.

Prīmum omnium First of all

dīxerim Varrōnem semper I would always love Varro

ūtilitātem commūnem persecūtum esse. that the common utility should be pursued.

Ille multa litterīs mandāvit, He sent many letters,

verbī grātiā words of grace

dē orīgine īnstitūtōrum Rōmānōrum, on the origin of Roman institutions,

dē linguā latīnā, of the Latin language,

dē bellīs the days of war

aut dē rēbus gestīs Rōmānōrum. or of the deeds of the Romans.

Et haec vidētur scrīpsisse And these things are seen to have been written

nōn quod fāmam praecipuam not that the chief fame

atque prīvātam glōriam quaereret and would seek private glory

sed tantum ut prōdesset cīvibus suīs. but only so as to benefit his citizens.

Nam--verbī grātiā--quis scrībit dē bibliothēcīs For--with words of grace--who will write about libraries

nisi coāctus necessitāte ipsā unless compelled by necessity itself

librōrum dēspondendōrum? books to be delivered?

Est Varrō opus dē bibliothēcīs. It is Varro's work of libraries.

Sīve quis dēscrībit ōram maritimam Or will anyone describe the sea coast

inter Ītaliam atque Hispāniam-- between Italy and Spain

quod Varrō fēcit-- what Varro did--

nisi is quī hoc iter passus est except he who has suffered this journey

atque vult viam aliīs mūnīre? and wants to light the way for others?

In secundō locō dīxerim I would put it in the second place

opera Varrōnis works of Varro

ē cōnspectū hominis cōnscrīpta esse. to be written in the sight of man.

etenim nōn esse Varrō umbrāticus quīdam indeed, Varro is not a shadowy one

in suō scrīptōriō inclūsus included in his script

et quī operam det and who will give attention

rēbus ad hominēs minimē pertinentibus: things that least concern men:

sed ex fragmentīs ēius but from its fragments

scaenae cottīdiānae dēprehenduntur

atque colloquia plēna salīs and conversations in full halls

quae possunt nōs dūcere which can lead us

ad illud tempus in quō scrīpta sunt. at that time in which they were written.

Deinde noster nōn ūtitur exemplīs Then our example is not used

ā sēnsibus vel ā mente hominibus to old men or to men of mind

aliēnīs atque sēmōtīs alienated and isolated

sed familiāribus iīs, but to those familiar

quibus haec opera scrīpta sunt. by whom these works were written.

Sunt quī prōpōnant There are those who propose

illam sententiam Prōtagorae that opinion of Protagoras

'hominem esse mēnsūram omnium rērum' 'man is the measure of all things'

ut fundāmentum aut prīncipium hūmānismī. as the foundation or principle of humanism.

Et ita mihi vidētur apud Varrōnem ēvēnisse: And so it seems to me that it happened with Varron:

nam omnia videntur ē cōnspectū hominum discēdere for all things seem to depart from the gaze of men

et ad hominēs redīre and to return to men

sub speciē alicūius commodī, under the guise of someone else's convenience,

alicūius beneficiī sīve ēmolumentī. any benefit or emolument.

Et tunc in tertiō locō And then in the third place

dīxerim dē operā Varrōnis I would have thought of the work of Varro

semper aliquid māius continēre videntur. they always seem to contain something greater.

Dē quācumque rē vel māteriē Give to any object or matter

Varrō scrībit, Varro will write

vidētur semper locum atque viam invenīre it will always be seen to find a place and a way

ut frūstula illīus hūmānitātis as a fruit of his humanity

quam antīquī in virtūtibus pōnēbant which formerly they possessed in their virtues

semper legentibus praebēre always provide readers

vel excitāre illās flammās or to stir up those flames

quae restīncta erant in animō nostrō, which were restrained in our hearts,

nam nōn agitur tantum for it is not only the case

dē nōtiōnibus dēscrībendīs et perstringendīs, with these notions he will describe and grasp

neque in contemplātiōne eārum commorātur, nor dwells in the contemplation of them,

sed semper vidētur but it will always be seen

doctrīnam velle dīvulgāre atque eam exercēre. to want to spread the doctrine and practice it.

Tamen videāmus aliqua exempla However, we have seen some examples

quae possunt haec cōnsilia dēmōnstrāre. which these councils can demonstrate.

Incipiam I will begin

ā librīs Varrōnis dē rēbus rūsticīs. in the books of Varro on rustic matters.

Quōrum prīmum cōnsilium est Whose first counsel is

hominēs docēre labōrēs rūsticōs, certe. to teach men rustic labors, certainly.

Tamen However

ēminet praeterea moreover, he stands out

quam multīs modīs in many ways

cōnētur noster ours is known

illa officia rūstica those rustic duties

splendōre atque glōriā splendor and glory

atque quādam dignitāte afficere. and to affect a certain dignity.

Et sīc vidētur, And so it will be seen

verbī grātiā words of grace

ita,

sīc verbī grātiā so with the word of grace

hominēs rūsticōs semper ignāviōrēs habet, rustic men are always ignorant,

et urbānōs habet desidiōsiōrēs, and he has lazy cities,

nam "relictīs falce et arātrō--"

hominēs urbānī, nōnne-- urban people, don't they--

"māluērunt manūs movēre in theātrō ac circō

quam in segetibus atque in vinētīs":

est laus hominum rūsticōrum.

Et addit deinde quoque--

addit deinde: hominēs rūsticōs--

hominēs quī terram colēbant, nōnne--

"piam et ūtilem agere vītam

atque eōs sōlōs relīquōs esse

ex stirpe Saturnī rēgis":

ergo eōs habet ex stirpe rēgia,

illam dignitātem tribuēns

eōrum officiīs.

Sed ad eandem mētam But to the same end

videntur quoque spectāre they seem to be watching too

multae aliae similitūdinēs many other similarities

atque comparātiōnēs and compare

quibus noster to whom our

hōs librōs rērum rūsticārum exōrnat. He expounds these books on rustic matters.

Cōnātur verbī grātia dēmōnstrāre He tries to show grace in words

quam illūstrēs habitī sint pāstōrēs antīquitus. than those shepherds of ancient times.

Quam rem ut faciat What a thing to do

verbī grātiā dīcit: with words of grace he says:

nec sī tantae dignitātis essent pāstōrēs, nor were the pastors of such dignity

eōrum vocābulīs in caelō dēscrībendō writing their words in heaven

astrologī nōn ūsī essent.

Nam ut nunc ad stēllās, For now to the stars

quae ab ariete et taurō appellantur-- which are called from the ram and the bull

id est, ā rēbus rūsticīs appellantur. that is, they are called rustic things.

Et deinde neque eōrum nōmina dīcit in maribus terrīsque essent, And then he does not say their names were in the seas or on the land,

"ut in marī, "as in the sea

quod nōmināvērunt ā caprīs Aegaeum pelagus." which they named after goats the Aegean sea."

Et commemorat tandem Varrō And finally he mentions Varro

stirpem Rōmānam, Roman stock

quanta est, what is it

ā pāstōribus esse ortam dicit, nam: He says that he came from the shepherds, for:

"Quis Faustulum nescit pāstōrem fuisse nūtrīcium, "Whoever does not know that Faustulus was a shepherd,

quī Rōmulum et Remum ēdūcāvit?" Who killed Romulus and Remus?"

Ergo veniāmus nunc ad librōs eius de linguā latīnā Therefore we come now to his books on the Latin language

in quā disciplīnā dīcitur Varrō In what discipline is Varro studied?

ēruditissimus fuisse apud antīquōs. He was the most learned among the ancients.

Sed etiam hoc argūmentum But also this argument

minus fortasse commūne, perhaps less commonly

magis 'scientificum', ut ita dīcāmus, more 'scientific', so to speak

minus propinquum hominibus, less close to people

etiam hoc argūmentum hanc māteriem vidētur This argument will also be seen in this matter

ē cōnspectū hominum Varrō aggredī. At the sight of the men, Varro attacked.

Verbī grātiā exemplum pōnam hīc: Here is an example of the words:

ut dē mūtātiōnibus vocābulōrum as in the case of changes in vocabulary

in lāpsū temporis dīcat in the course of time

ad aetātēs hominis venit He came to the ages of man

et cum iīs vocābula comparat et dīcit: and with them he compares the words and says:

"Quem puerum vīdistī fōrmōsum, "What handsome boy did you see,

hunc vidēs dēfōrmem in senectā; you will see this deformity in old age;

tertium saeculum nōn videt eum hominem the third century does not see that man

quem vīdit prīmum." whom he saw first."

Et idem fit in vocābulīs. And the same thing happens in vocabulary.

Ergō homō et hominēs semper, Therefore man and men always

semper in mediō pōnuntur. they are always in the middle.

Ex aliīs fragmentīs verbī grātiā From other fragments of the word grace

patet eum voluisse ūtilitātem commūnem quaerere, it is clear that he wanted to seek common utility

atque recūsat pervestīgāre and refused to investigate

tantum vocābula poētica: only poetic vocabulary:

et vult quoque pervestīgāre vocābula ūtilia, and he also wants to study useful vocabulary

vocābula quae ad omnēs hominēs pertinent. words which belong to all men.

Et sīc dīcit verbī grātiā: And thus he says with the word of grace:

"Voluī praeterīre eōs quī "I wanted to pass those who

poētārum modo verba ut sint ficta expediunt. in the manner of poets, they expedient the words as if they were fictitious.

Nōn enim vidēbātur cōnsentāneum For no consent was seen

quaerere mē in eō verbō to look for mē in that word

quod fīnxisset Ennius causam that Ennius had invented the cause

neglegere quod anteā rēx Latīnus fīnxisset, neglecting what the Latin king had done before,

cum poēticīs multīs verbīs magis dēlecter quam ūtar, with many poetical words more lovely than ūtar,

antīquīs magis ūtar quam dēlecter." in the old days it was more ûtar than dèlectre."

Ergō semper illa ūtilitās omnium est in suō opere. Therefore it is always the benefit of all in its work.

Quid nunc? What now?

Āh, ita, est in librīs dē linguā latīnā Ah, yes, it is in the books of the Latin language

fragmentum in quō Varrō the fragment in which Varrō

ūtitur sīve, ita, ūtitur It is used in itself, so, it is used

nōtiōne vocābulō hūmānitātis. nōtiōne vocābulō hūmānītātis.

Patet eum sibi nōn voluisse It is clear that he did not want him

illam philanthrōpiam that philanthropy

vel cāritātem generis hūmānī or charity of the hūmānī kind

quae valet nostrīs temporibus, which is valid in our times

sed tamen ego putō but still I think so

eum illō vocābulō he called him that

velle significāre to want to mean

quid discernat genus hūmānum what distinguishes the human race

ā cēterīs generibus animantium; to the other kinds of animals;

nam hūmānum est, sive hominum est for it is human, whether it is of men

aliquid aliud, something else

aliquid māius et dignitātem quaerere to seek something greater and more dignified

in rēbus, in āctiōnibus, in commerciīs. in things, in actions, in commerce.

Et sīc dīcit: And so he says:

"Nōn sōlum vestītī esse volumus ut vītēmus frīgus, "We don't just want to be dressed to avoid the cold,

sed etiam ut videāmur vestītī esse honestē; but also that we may be seen to be decently dressed;

nōn domum habēre ut sīmus in tēctō et tūtō sōlum, not to have a house so that we are under the roof and all alone

quō necessitās contrūserit, when he broke his ties

sed etiam ubi voluptās retinērī possit, but also where pleasures can be withheld

et nōn sōlum vāsa ad vīctum habilia, and not only vāsa to vine

sed etiam figūra bella but also a beautiful figure

atque ab artifice ficta, and forged by an artist

quod aliud hominī, what else in man

aliud hūmānitātī satis est." another hūmānitātī is enough."

Et veniāmus nunc ad etymologiās quās And now we come to etymologies

etiam Varrō prōpōnit in suīs librīs dē linguā latīnā. also Varro proposes in his books on the Latin language.

Eās, hās etymologiās, hās orīginātiōnēs verbōrum Those, these etymologies, these origins of words

hominēs doctī ēiēcērunt, they cast out learned men

nam puerīlēs sunt for they are children

atque orbae omnī fundāmentō. and all the foundations of the orbs.

Sed licet sint falsae etymologiae, But though the etymologies are false,

tamen hūmānae mihi esse appārent yet they appeared to me to be human

nam ex eō oriuntur for they arise from it

quod hominēs possunt oculīs sēnsibus percipere, what men can perceive with their eyes

mente fingere, nōnne,

et vidētur ille bene nōvisse

quid hominēs percipiant, quid sentiant, quōmodo omnia, what men perceive, what they feel, how everything

mundum suum, percipiant. let them perceive their world.

Ergō hāc dē causā dīcit verbī grātiā: Therefore on this occasion he says with the word grace:

"''Ager' dictus in quam terram quid agēbant frūctūs causā"-- "'Field' was called 'the field' because of what the earth was doing and what the fruits were doing"--

ergō ex verbō agendī 'ager' dictus--

et "'Prāta' dicta ab eō, and "'Prāta' said by him,

quod sine opere parāta"--sunt p(ā)rata, ita; that without ready work"--they are prepared, thus;

et "Quod in agrīs quotquot annīs rūrsum facienda eadem, and "that the same thing should be done repeatedly in the fields as many years as

ut rūrsum capiās frūctum, to get the fruit back

appellāta 'rūra'"-- called 'rūra'"--

ita, hāc dē causā appellāta rūra. thus, on this occasion it was called rūra.

Et deinde dīcit quoque: "'Latrōnēs' And then he also says: "'Latrōnēs'

quod lateant ad īnsidiās faciendās"-- that they hide to make ambushes"--

ergō latēre--'latrōnēs." therefore later--'latrones.'

Et: "'vulpēs' And: "'foxes'

quod volat pedibus," that flies with its feet

vul- pēs, nōnne, volat pedibus, the fox, doesn't he, flies with his feet,

facillimum est. it is very easy.

Et nunc haec, And now this

quae nunc veniunt, sunt mihi in dēliciīs: the things that now come are in my delight.

dīcit "'cūrāre' says "'care'

quod cor ūrat," nōnne, that the heart is burning, isn't it

propter necess--propter sollicitūdinēs, ita. because of necessity--because of concern, so

Et "''volō' ā voluntāte dictum, And "I will" is said with will,

et ā volātū, and by flying

quod animus ita est, ut that the mind is such that

pūnctō temporis pervolet quō volt." at the point of time he will fly where he will."

Nōnne haec hūmānitātem redolent? Do not these reek of humanity?

Et ut vīdimus sunt in hīs operibus, And as we have seen in these works,

in hīs fragmentīs igniculī quīdam, in these pieces of fire

quī splendōrem atque lūmen hūius ingeniī nōbīs indicant. which show us the splendor and light of his genius.

Attamen sī ad opus satiricum Varrōnis venimus, However, if we come to the satirical work of Varro,

vestīgia illīus ignis traces of that fire

accenduntur, are lit

et māiōre ārdōre renovantur. and they are renewed with greater ardor.

Opus satiricum Varrōnis tamen The satirical work of Varrōnis, however

nōn magis integrum nōbīs pervēnit nōn more complete nōbīs arrived

quam cētera hūius opera, than his other works

sed omnīnō comminūtum but everything is crushed

atque in eō locō ut potius opus mūsīvum videātur: and in that place that the work of Moses should rather be seen:

fragmenta ēius colligere opus mūsīvum vidētur, the work of collecting its fragments will be seen,

artificem potius postulāns quam studiōsum litterārum. requiring an artist rather than a student of letters.

Sed tamen in tantā perniciē But still in such destruction

illa cōnsilia quae initiō commemorābāmus those counsels which we mentioned at the beginning

adhūc valēre videntur,

licet noster ea minus per doctrīnam et īnstitūtiōnem although ours is less through doctrine and institution

et magis per aliās viās iūcundiōrēs et subtīliōrēs persequātur. and rather it is pursued by other more subtle and subtle ways.

Sed etiam hominēs in mediō pōnuntur, But men are also placed in the middle,

ūtilitās commūnis quaeritur, common interests are sought

et aliquid māius, aliquid dignum continēre videntur. and they seem to contain something greater, something worthy.

Et inter omnia fragmenta illīus operis satiricī And among all the fragments of that satirical work

velim collūstrāre ea fragmenta quae philosophiam aggrediuntur, I would like to collude those fragments which attack philosophy

quam vellet Varrō-- what would Varrō--

fortasse exemplum secūtus Sōcratis, -- perhaps following the example of Socrates, --

vellet inter hominēs rūrsus collocāre. he would like to place himself among men.

Hāc dē causā philosophī On this day the cause of the philosopher

eōrumque cōnsuētūdinēs mīrae and their wondrous customs

ācerrimē taxantur They are very taxed

magna cum sollertiā, with great skill

nam vellet Varrō philosophōs tālem philosophiam colere, for Varro wanted the philosophers to worship such a philosophy,

quae docēret omnēs quid et ubi sit bonum, which would teach everyone what and where good is

nōn quae dē rēbus inānibus disputet. not that he should dispute about vain things.

Et est inter ea fragmenta And it is among those pieces

satyra cūius nōmen est 'Armōrum iūdicium' the satire whose name is 'Judgment of Armour'

in quā illud Homērī revocātur in which it is recalled to Homer

dē pugnā prō armīs Achillis; fight for the arms of Achilles;

ita, in titulō hoc revocātur. so, in this title it is recalled.

Tamen in fragmentīs nōn erunt Āiāx et Ulixēs However, Aiax and Ulysses will not be in pieces

quī prō armīs ferōciter pugnent, who fight fiercely for arms

sed philosophī, but the philosopher

quī sua praecepta et sua cōnsilia ut meliōra contendunt. who strive to improve their precepts and their counsels.

Et sīc dīcit Varrō: And so says Varro:

"Ut in lītore cancrī digitīs prīmōribus stāre, "To stand with the first fingers of a crab in the lake,

illīc virōs hortārī, those men

ut rixārent praeclārī philosophī." that they should quarrel with the great philosopher."

Ergō tālēs pugnae inter philosophōs erant frequentissimae, Therefore, such conflicts among philosophers were very frequent.

et eās Varrō ācerrimē reprehendit, and Varro sharply rebuked them,

nam philosophōs se gerunt nimis tenācēs for philosophers behave too tenaciously

suārum sententiārum, their opinions

dum hominēs iuvāre et dūcere neglegunt omnīnō. while they neglect to help and guide men at all.

In aliīs satyrīs nōn illae pugnae dēprehenduntur, In other satires those battles are not caught,

notantur, are marked

sed cōnsuētūdinēs philosophōrum, but the custom of the philosophers

quae ā vītā hominum, which in the lives of men

ā commūnibus cōnsuētūdinibus, by common customs

ā commūnibus ratiōnibus by common accounts

philosophōs arcēbant, they shunned philosophers

et philosophī vidēbantur potius dēsipere ante oculōs hominum, and in the philosopher they were seen rather to be lost before the eyes of men.

et iīs dē rēbus praecellēbant magis [quam?] prō and they preferred these things more [than?] pro

suīs ergā hominēs beneficiīs. for his benefit to men.

Et hīc verbī grātiā dīcit Varrō: And with these words of grace Varro says:

"Nōn quaerenda est hominī "It is not to be sought in man

quī habet virtūtem who has strength

paenula in imbrī." a little girl in the rain."

Id est, That is,

hoc dēbent philosophī facere: This is what a philosopher should do:

sī volunt virtūtem comparāre, they want to compare strength

dēbent frīgora patī. they must be kept cold.

Nōn est philosophī vestīmenta gerere, It is not for a philosopher to wear clothes,

sed dēbent tālēs rēs patī. but they must admit such things.

Et ut famem dīcit: And to satisfy his hunger:

"praesertim cum ventrem meum "Especially with my belly."

coerceam nec murmurārī patiar," I will restrain myself and not allow myself to murmur."

tamen However

oleum in lūcubrātiōnēs servābō: I will keep the oil in the lamps:

"Oleum servābimus in lūcubrātiōnem, "We will save the oil for lighting,

quam in asparagōs tōtam lēcythum ēvertāmus." which we turned into asparagus.

Id est, sunt cōnsuētūdinēs mīrae That is, there are strange customs

quae philosophī, quibus potius philosophī which philosophers, to whom rather philosophers

sēparantur ā vītā commūnī. they are separated by common life.

Et hoc nōn est quod philosphia prōmittit: And this is not what philosophy promises:

philosophia prōmittit vītam beātam inter hominēs, nōnne? philosophy promises a happy life among men, does it not?

Ergō philosophī nōn valēbant suōs cīvēs allicere ad praecepta, Therefore the philosophers were not able to attract their citizens to the precepts,

et nōn tantum propter illās pugnās quās agēbant, and not only because of those fights which they were engaged in,

neque tantum propter hās cōnsuētūdinēs nor only because of these customs

atque īnsāniās atque ineptiās, and insanities and ineptitudes,

sed quoque propter īnsolentiam atque ferōciam but also because of insolence and ferocity

quibuscum hominēs alloquēbantur. with whom they spoke.

Cūius reī nōbīs est testī We are a witness to this matter

satyra quaedam quae vocātur 'Cavē canem' a satire called 'Beware the Dog'

in quā philosophus cynicus revocātur: in which the Cynic philosopher is recalled:

ergō hominēs dēbent cavēre canem, id est philosophum cynicum, therefore men ought to beware of the dog, that is the cynical philosopher,

quī tam ferōciter hominēs petit. who so ferociously seeks men.

Et deinde satyra nōmine 'Eumenidēs' And then a satire called the Eumenides

in quā philosophī tamquam Eumenidēs in which philosopher as Eumenides

Orestem ad īnsāniam redigunt They reduce Orestes to insanity

suīs āmentibus ratiōnibus vīvendī.

Bene, ergō ut crēdō probātur Well, then, let the faith be proved

Varrōnem semper voluisse He had always wanted Varrone

lūmen suae doctrīnae ad ūtilitātem commūnem appōnere. to apply the light of his doctrine to the common utility.

Hāc dē causā Petrarcha dīxit On this day Petrarch decided

eum fuisse "tertium lūmen Rōmānōrum--" that he was "the third light of the Romans--"

post Cicerōnem et Vergilium after Cicero and Virgil

et quod ad īnstitūtiōnem, and that to the institution

quod ad restitūtiōnem hūmānitātis attinet. which concerns the restitution of humanity.

Et ipse Cicerō, And Cicero himself

quī Varrōnem indūxit in suā acadēmiā, who brought Varro into his academy

dīxit dē eō: He said on that day:

"Nam nōs, "For we

in nostrā urbe peregrīnantēs pilgrims in our city

errantēsque wanderers

tamquam hospitēs, as guests

tuī librī quasi domum dēdūxērunt, in your book it is as if they brought home

ut possēmus aliquandō that we might have some time

quī et ubi essēmus agnōscere. to recognize who and where we were.

Et ergō: And therefore:

Quis est melior vel hūmānior magister Who is a better or more humane teacher?

quam is quī valet than that which is worth

hominēs docēre to teach men

quī sint? who are they?

Grātiās vōbīs! Obrigado a vocês!| Thank you!