1.1 Quaeris you ask ā from mē me mī my Lūcīlī Lucilius quid what in in Campāniā Campania agam I am doing et and putās you think mē me quī who tot so many librōs books dē about tranquillitāte the tranquillity animī of the mind et and vītā the life beātā happy scrīpsī have written in on lītore the shore Bāiānō of Baiae ōtiōsum at leisure et and beātum happy iacēre to be lying
1.2 Errās you are wrong sed but errōre with an error amīcō friendly quī which mē me meliōrem better crēdit believes quam than sum I am
1.3 Nārrābō I shall tell tibi to you quattuor four diēs days nōn not continuōs continuous sed but eiusdem of the same itineris journey quibus on which corpus the body meum my et and locus place et and tenebrae darkness animum the mind meum my temptāvērunt tested
1.4 In on ūnōquōque each single diē day aliquid something didicī I learned nōn not quod which sapiēns a wise man docet teaches sed but quod which aeger a sick man fatētur confesses
1.5 Nōlī do not be willing enim for exspectāre to expect ut that tibi to you victōrem as victor mē me ostendam I should show mīlitem a soldier tibi to you ostendam I shall show et and quidem indeed saepius more often vulnerātum wounded quam than vincentem conquering
1.6 Nēmō no one ut as opīnor I suppose prōficit makes progress quī who vulnera wounds sua his own cēlat hides
2.1 Prīmum first fatēbor I shall confess quod something which rīdeās you may laugh at persuāsum est it was persuaded mihi to me ut that nāvigārem I should sail
2.2 Mare the sea languidum sluggish erat was caelum the sky autem however sordidīs with dirty nūbibus clouds grave heavy quae which ferē usually aut either in into aquam water aut or in into ventum wind solvuntur are dissolved
2.3 Putābam I was thinking enim for brevem short esse to be cursum the run ā from Neāpolī Naples Puteolōs to Puteoli eumque and it priusquam before caelum the sky mūtārētur should be changed celeriter quickly cōnficī to be completed posse to be able
2.4 Cum when iam already tam so longē far prōcessissem I had gone forward ut that nihil nothing meā to my interesset it mattered utrum whether īrem I went on an or redīrem I went back aequālitās the evenness illa that maris of the sea quae which mē me corrūperat had corrupted subitō suddenly periit perished
2.5 Nōndum not yet erat there was tempestās a storm sed but fluctūs waves crēbriōrēs more frequent veniēbant were coming et and nāvis the ship in onto latus her side inclīnābātur was being tilted
2.6 Rogāre to ask coepī I began gubernātōrem the helmsman ut that mē me in on aliquō some lītore shore expōneret he should put out
2.7 Ille he respondit replied lītora the shores ibi there aspera rough esse to be et and importuōsa without harbours nec and not sē himself quicquam anything in in tempestāte a storm aequē equally timēre to fear quam as terram the land
2.8 Nautās sailors enim for ut as aiunt they say nōn not mare the sea perdit destroys sed but saxa the rocks
2.9 Ego I autem however peius worse vexābar was being troubled quam than ut that perīculum the danger cōgitārem I could think of nausea seasickness enim for mē me torquēbat was twisting quae which bīlem the bile movet moves nec and not effundit pours out
2.10 Īnstitī I pressed igitur therefore gubernātōrī the helmsman et and vellet whether he wanted nōllet or did not want ad to lītus the shore eum him tendere to make for coēgī I forced
2.11 Cum when propius nearer accessissēmus we had approached nōn not exspectāvī I waited dum until quicquam anything eōrum of those things fieret should be done quae which nautae sailors iubent order memor mindful artificiī of skill meī my vetus an old frīgidae of cold water cultor devotee mē myself in into mare the sea mīsī I sent
2.12 Quae what things putās do you think mē me passum esse to have suffered dum while per over saxa the rocks ērēpō I crawl out dum while viam a way quaerō I seek dum while faciō I make one
2.13 Intellēxī I understood nautās sailors nōn not sine without causā cause terram the land timēre to fear
2.14 Ubi when tandem at last in on siccō dry ground cōnstitī I stood nōn not statim at once mihi to me redditus est was given back stomachus my stomach mōtus motion enim for ille that in in membrīs the limbs mānsit remained ut as post after nāvigātiōnem a voyage fierī to happen solet it is accustomed
2.15 Tum then dum while ūmidus wet in on harēnā the sand sedeō I sit cōgitāre to think coepī I began quam how fēlīciter fortunately corpus the body vitia faults sua its own sentiat feels
2.16 Nausea seasickness enim for sē itself ipsa by itself prōdit betrays nēmō no one nauseat is seasick quī who nesciat does not know sē himself nauseāre to be seasick
2.17 Animus the mind autem however quō by how much gravius more gravely aegrōtat it is sick eō by so much minus less sē itself aegrōtāre to be sick sentit feels
2.18 Quārē why vitia faults sua his own nēmō no one cōnfitētur confesses quia because etiam even nunc now in in illīs them est he is somnium a dream nārrāre to tell vigilantis of one awake est is
2.19 Hoc this prīmum first didicī I learned Lūcīlī Lucilius et and madidus soaked didicī I learned nāvigātiōnem a voyage fugere to flee possum I can animum mind meum my nōn not possum I can
3.1 Paucīs by few post afterwards diēbus days cum since bīlis bile mihi to me in in faucibus the throat īnsēdisse to have settled vidērētur seemed medicī the doctors iussērunt ordered mē me lectīcā in a litter gestārī to be carried ut so that corpus the body concuterētur might be shaken
3.2 Sedēre to sit autem however et and portārī to be carried labor toil est is nec and not minor less quam than ambulāre to walk nātūra nature enim for pedēs feet nōbīs to us dedit gave ut so that per through nōs ourselves ambulārēmus we might walk
3.3 Portābar I was being carried per along lītus the shore quod which inter between Cūmās Cumae et and vīllam the villa Servīliī of Servilius Vatiae Vatia curvātur is curved et and hinc on this side marī by the sea illinc on that side lacū by a lake cingitur is bounded
3.4 Vīllam villa illam that numquam never praeterīre to pass possum I can quīn without dē about dominō the master eius of it cōgitem I think
3.5 Vatia Vatia homō a man praetōrius of praetorian rank et and dīves rich nūllā by no aliā other rē thing quam than ōtiō by leisure nōtus known ibi there cōnsenuit grew old
3.6 Ferunt they report hominēs men quotiēns as often as aliōs some Seiānī of Sejanus amīcitia friendship aliōs others odium hatred eius of him mersisset had sunk exclāmāsse to have cried out Ō O Vatia Vatia sōlus alone scīs you know how vīvere to live
3.7 Ego I autem however Vatiā Vatia vīvō being alive hanc this vīllam villa numquam never aliter otherwise praeterībam used to pass quam than ut so that dīcerem I said Vatia Vatia hīc here situs est has been laid
3.8 Hoc this enim for sepulcrī of a tomb verbum a word est is nōn not vītae of life
3.9 Ille he latēre to hide sciēbat knew how nōn not vīvere to live
3.10 Multum much autem however interest it matters utrum whether vīta life tua your ōtiōsa at leisure sit is an or ignāva idle
3.11 Hōc on this tamen however diē day dum while lectīca the litter mē me praeter past eam it portat carries aliud something else mihi to me in into mentem mind vēnit came quod which nōn not libenter gladly tibi to you scrībō I write
3.12 Nōnne surely ego I quoque also ex from aulā the court prīncipis of the emperor recēdēns withdrawing latēre to hide volō wish
3.13 Nōnne surely quī those who vīllam villa meam my praetereunt pass idem the same thing dē about mē me dīcere to say possunt can quod which ego I dē about Vatiā Vatia dīxī said
3.14 Rīsī I laughed prīmum at first deinde then nōn not rīsī I laughed
3.15 Nōn not enim for locus the place efficit brings about ut that quis anyone vīvat lives aut or lateat hides sed but quid what quisque each one in in locō the place agat does
3.16 Vatia Vatia sē himself abdidit hid away ut so that nihil nothing timēret he might fear ego I mē myself recipiō withdraw ut so that aliquid something discam I may learn et and sī if potuerō I shall have been able aliquid something tē you doceam I may teach
3.17 Hoc this saltem at least mihi to myself persuādeō I persuade sed but meminī I remember Vatiam Vatia quoque also sibi to himself aliquid something persuāsisse to have persuaded
3.18 Itaque and so ex out of lectīcā the litter dēscendī I got down et and reliquum the rest viae of the road pedibus on feet cōnfēcī I finished ut so that nātūrae to nature quae which pedēs feet dedit gave aliquid something redderem I might give back
4.1 Nunc now mī my Lūcīlī Lucilius iterum again rīdēbis you will laugh nam for ex out of lectīcā the litter in into clāmōrem uproar vēnī I came
4.2 Bāiīs at Baiae enim for hospitium a lodging habēbam I had suprā above ipsum the very balneum bath
4.3 Prōpōne set before nunc now tibi yourself omnia all genera kinds vōcum of voices quae which in into odium hatred possunt can aurēs the ears addūcere lead
4.4 Cum when fortiōrēs the stronger men plumbō with lead gravēs heavy manūs hands iactant swing gemitūs the groans eōrum of them audiō I hear cum when spīritum breath remittunt they let out sībilōs hissings et and acerbās harsh respīrātiōnēs gaspings
4.5 Accēdit there comes ālipilus the armpit-plucker quī who tenuem thin et and strīdulam shrill vōcem voice quō so that nōtābilior more noticeable sit he may be subinde again and again exprimit squeezes out nec and not umquam ever tacet is silent nisi except dum while ālās armpits vellit he plucks et and alium another prō in place of sē himself clāmāre to shout cōgit forces
4.6 Iam now crustulārius the pastry-seller et and botulārius the sausage-seller et and omnēs all popīnārum of the cookshops īnstitōrēs the hawkers mercem ware suam their own variā with varied quādam a certain et and propriā particular modulātiōne chant vēndunt sell
4.7 Est there is etiam also quī one who in in balneō the bath vōcem voice suam his own libenter gladly audiat hears et and cantet sings quasi as if in in theātrō a theatre sit he were
4.8 Haec these things omnia all audiēbam I was hearing et and mihi to myself dīcēbam I was saying Peream may I perish sī if tam so necessārium necessary est is silentium silence in for studia studies sēpositō to one withdrawn quam as vidētur it seems
4.9 Animum the mind enim for cōgēbam I was forcing sibi on itself intentum intent esse to be nec and not āvocārī to be called away ad to externa outward things omnia all things licet may forīs outside resonent resound dum provided that intus within nihil nothing tumultuētur is in uproar
4.10 Et and ut that vērum the truth fatear I may confess aliquot several hōrās hours scrīpsī I wrote nec and not ūllum any botulāriī of the sausage-seller verbum word in into epistulam letter meam my irrēpsit crept
4.11 Noctū by night autem however cum when omnia all things tacērent were silent nōn not dormiēbam I was sleeping
4.12 Tum then intellēxī I understood silentium silence nōn not dare to give quiētem rest nam for in in silentiō the silence animus mind meus my ipse itself clāmābat was shouting et and cūrās cares suās its own quās which clāmor the uproar aliēnus of others operuerat had covered tōtās entire ostendēbat was showing
4.13 Quid what prōdest does it profit tōtīus of a whole regiōnis district silentium the silence sī if affectūs the passions fremunt roar
4.14 Haec these things tibi to you bene well dicta said vidēbuntur will seem et and sunt they are sed but quod what sequitur follows nōn not tacēbō I shall keep silent
4.15 Postrīdiē on the next day hospitium lodging mūtāvī I changed
4.16 Nōn not quia because clāmōrem the uproar ferre to bear nōn not poteram I was able sed but quia because semper always probāre to prove velle to want quantum how much ferre to bear possīs you can vānitās vanity est is
4.17 Experīrī to test sē oneself et and exercēre to train licet it is allowed in in proeliō a battle habitāre to live stultum foolish est is
5.1 Cum when ā from Bāiīs Baiae Neāpolim to Naples redīre to return dēbērem I had to facile easily mihi to myself persuāsī I persuaded tempestātem a storm esse to be nē so that not iterum again nāvigārem I should sail
5.2 Viā by road igitur therefore terrestrī by land īre to go cōnstituī I decided per through cryptam the tunnel Neāpolītānam Neapolitan quae which per through montem a hill ante before urbem the city excīsa est has been cut
5.3 Viae of the road prīma the first pars part tam so lutōsa muddy fuit was ut that nihilōminus nonetheless nāvigāsse to have sailed vidērer I seemed
5.4 Tōtam the whole illō on that diē day athlētārum of athletes sortem lot passus sum I suffered post after cērōma the wrestler's ointment pulvis the dust
5.5 Nihil nothing illō than that carcere prison longius longer nihil nothing obscūrius darker facēs the torches enim for quās which portābāmus we were carrying nōn not efficiēbant brought about ut that per through tenebrās the darkness vidērēmus we should see sed but ut that ipsās the very tenebrās darkness
5.6 Pulvis the dust quoque also quī which in in apertō the open gravis heavy est is et and molestus troublesome ibi there ubi where nūllus no ventus wind eum it dispergit scatters in onto eōs those ipsōs very men quī who eum it excitāvērunt stirred up recidit falls back
5.7 Dum while lentē slowly in in illā that nocte night prōcēdō I go forward sēnsī I felt quendam a certain ictum blow animī of the mind et and sine without metū fear mūtātiōnem a change
5.8 Nihil nothing enim for timēbam I was fearing nūllus no latrō robber aderat was present nūllum no perīculum danger nisi except quod that iūmenta the beasts of burden interdum now and then inter among sē themselves concurrēbant collided
5.9 Cor heart tamen nevertheless meum my aliter differently pulsābat was beating et and horror a shudder quīdam a certain per through membra the limbs currēbat was running quem which ego I nōn not arcessīveram had summoned
5.10 Prīmum at first mē me pudēbat it shamed ego I quī who tot in so many librīs books mortem death contempseram had despised tenebrās darkness nōn not ferēbam I was bearing
5.11 Deinde then dum while per through pulverem the dust spīrō I breathe rem the matter cōnsīderāvī I considered
5.12 Hic this ictus blow nōn not iūdicium a judgement erat was sed but nātūra nature nōn not ego I eum it fēceram had made sed but in upon mē me ceciderat it had fallen
5.13 Sunt there are enim for quaedam certain things mī my Lūcīlī Lucilius quae which nūlla no virtūs virtue effugere to escape potest can sapiēns the wise man quoque also sī if quis anyone eum him subitō suddenly aspergit splashes oculōs eyes claudit shuts et and in in altō a high locō place stāns standing vertīginem dizziness sentit feels
5.14 Nōn not est is hoc this vitium a vice sed but admonitiō a reminder nātūra nature virtūtem virtue admonet reminds mortālem mortal esse to be eum him in in quō whom habitat it dwells
5.15 Vitium vice incipit begins cum when animus the mind ictuī to blow illī that assentītur assents et and tremōrem trembling in into timōrem fear vertit turns
5.16 Tandem at last lūx light procul far off appāruit appeared parva small quasi as if stella a star quae which crēscēbat was growing dum while prōcēdimus we go forward
5.17 Ad at prīmum the first redditae of restored lūcis light cōnspectum sight alacritās cheerfulness mihi to me rediit returned incōgitāta unthought quae which nōn not magis more mea mine erat was quam than horror shudder ille that
5.18 Tunc then vērē truly didicī I learned quid what sentiam I feel nōn not est is in in potestāte the power meā my quid what dē about eō that quod which sentiō I feel iūdicem I judge in in potestāte the power meā my est is
6.1 Habēs you have Lūcīlī Lucilius quattuor four diēs days meōs my in on marī the sea in in lectīcā the litter in in balneō the bath in in cryptā the tunnel
6.2 In on marī the sea corpus the body mē me vīcit defeated in in lectīcā the litter exemplum example aliēnum another's mē me terruit frightened in in balneō the bath vānitās vanity mea my mē me paene almost dēcēpit deceived in in cryptā the tunnel tenebrae darkness animum the mind percussērunt struck
6.3 Nusquam nowhere sapiēns wise fuī I was ubīque everywhere aliquid something prōfēcī I progressed
6.4 Dīcunt say Stōicī Stoics nostrī our sapientem the wise man nūllā by no rē thing commovērī to be disturbed quod which vērum true esse to be crēdō I believe sed but dē about sapiente the wise man nōn not dē about mē me
6.5 Ego I enim for nōn not sapiēns wise sum am sed but prōficiēns progressing et and quod what fatērī to confess nōn not pudet it shames me saepe often dēficiēns failing
6.6 Itaque and so quamquam although magistrōs teachers nostrōs our sequor I follow hoc this amplius further cēnseō I hold
6.7 Fortem brave nōn not eum him putō I think quī who numquam never tremit trembles sed but eum him quī who trementem trembling sē himself videt sees nec and not tremōrī the trembling crēdit trusts
6.8 Phaedra Phaedra mea my quam whom in onto scaenam the stage addūxī I brought dīcit says animum mind suum her scientem knowing in into praeceps the headlong drop īre to go ego I in in tenebrīs darkness sciēns knowing cōnstitī stood firm nec and not in into praeceps the headlong drop iī I went
6.9 Nōlō I do not wish tamen however glōriārī to boast Phaedrae of Phaedra enim for tenebrae the darkness longiōrēs longer erant was quam than crypta tunnel mea my et and lūx the light eī to her nōn not rediit returned
6.10 Nec nor sciō do I know sī if tam so longae long fuissent it had been quid what ego I factūrus fuerim would have done
6.11 Hoc this igitur therefore fac do mī my Lūcīlī Lucilius cum when ictum a blow animī of the mind sentiēs you will feel nōlī do not be willing tē yourself damnāre to condemn nec nor tibi yourself statim at once ignōscere to pardon sed but exspectā wait for lūcem the light et and tum then iūdicā judge
6.12 Ego I quoque also crās tomorrow iterum again temptābor shall be tested nam for quī he who hodiē today vīcit has conquered crās tomorrow rūrsus again pugnat fights
6.13 Valē farewell