Book 2, Chapter 69
Original Latin
142 Nunc quidem propter intermissionem forensis operae et lucubrationes detraxi et meridiationes addidi, quibus uti antea non solebam, nec tam multum dormiens ullo somnio sum admonitus, tantis praesertim de rebus, nec mihi magis umquam videor, quam cum aut in foro magistratus aut in curia senatum video, somniare.
Etenim (ex divisione hoc secundum est) quae est continuatio coniunctioque naturae, quam, ut dixi, vocant συμπάθειαν, eius modi, ut thensaurus ex ovo intellegi debeat? Nam medici ex quibusdam rebus et advenientis et crescentis morbos intellegunt, non nullas etiam valetudinis significationes, ut hoc ipsum, pleni enectine simus, ex quodam genere somniorum intellegi posse dicunt. Thensaurus vero et hereditas et honos et victoria et multa generis eiusdem qua cum somniis naturali cognatione iunguntur?
143 Dicitur quidam, cum in somnis complexu Venerio iungeretur, calculos eiecisse. Video sympathian; visum est enim tale obiectum dormienti, ut id, quod evenit, naturae vis, non opinio erroris effecerit. Quae igitur natura obtulit illam speciem Simonidi, a qua vetaretur navigare? aut quid naturae copulatum habuit Alcibiadis quod scribitur somnium? qui paulo ante interitum visus est in somnis amicae esse amictus amiculo. Is cum esset proiectus inhumatus ab omnibusque desertus iaceret, amica corpus eius texit suo pallio. Ergo hoc inerat in rebus futuris et causas naturalis habebat, an, et ut videretur et ut eveniret, casus effecit?
Musean translation
Complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from the Latin in separate source-only tasks and reviewed throughout against it. Both books, all 130 chapters and 282 numbered sections; no historical English translation used. Latin transcription credited to the Perseus Project under CC BY-SA 4.0, Müller’s 1915 Teubner edition.
142 “Now, indeed, with my work in the courts interrupted, I have curtailed my late-night studies and added midday naps, which I did not formerly take. Yet with all this sleep I have received no warning in a dream, especially about matters of such consequence. Nor do I ever feel more as though I am dreaming than when I see the magistrates in the Forum or the senate in its chamber.
“For—and this is the second branch of our division—what continuity and interconnection in nature, which, as I said, they call συμπάθεια, ‘sympathy,’ could require us to infer treasure from an egg? Doctors do recognize approaching or developing illnesses from certain symptoms. They also say that some signs of health, such as whether we are overfull or famished, can be understood from certain kinds of dreams. But what natural affinity links dreams to treasure, an inheritance, public office, victory, and many other things of that kind?
143 “A man is said to have passed stones while dreaming of sexual intercourse. I see the sympathetic connection: a vision was presented to the sleeper such that natural force, not a deluded belief, produced what happened. But what natural force presented Simonides with the apparition that forbade him to sail? And what connection with nature had that recorded dream of Alcibiades? Shortly before his death, he dreamed that he was wrapped in his mistress’s little cloak. When he lay cast out, unburied and abandoned by everyone, his mistress covered his body with her mantle. Was this, then, inherent in future events, with natural causes? Or did chance bring about both the vision and its fulfillment?
Plain English translation
Complete machine-assisted Plain English translation, made independently and directly from the Latin, never from the Musean edition. Both books and every numbered section; a separate Latin-source model review covered the entire text. No human specialist review is claimed.
142 “Now, because I have stopped working in the courts, I have cut back on working late at night and added afternoon naps, which I never used to take. Yet with all this sleep, no dream has warned me of anything, especially in such serious matters. I never feel more as if I am dreaming than when I see magistrates in the forum or the senate in its meeting house.
“And now for the second part of our division. What continuous connection in nature—what they call ‘sympathy,’ as I said—could require treasure to be understood from an egg? Doctors recognize the approach and growth of diseases from certain signs. They also say certain kinds of dream can reveal signs of health, for instance whether we are overfed or starving. But what natural relationship connects dreams with treasure, an inheritance, public office, victory, and many other such things?
143 “Someone is said to have passed small stones while dreaming of sexual intercourse. I see the sympathy there. A vision of that kind appeared to the sleeper because nature's force, not a mistaken belief, produced what happened. So what natural force presented Simonides with the figure that forbade him to sail? And what natural connection was there in the dream recorded about Alcibiades? Shortly before his death, he seemed in a dream to be wrapped in his mistress' cloak. His body was thrown out, left unburied, and deserted by everyone. His mistress then laid her own cloak over it. Was this, then, already present in the future and based on natural causes? Or did chance bring about both the dream and the event?
About this section
Book 2, Chapter 69 is part of On Divination by Marcus Tullius Cicero. This page sets the Latin original beside 2 direct-source translations, so any line can be checked against the source. It is chapter 127 of 130 in the work, which is kept in the Roman tradition.
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