Marcus Tullius Cicero · Complete work
Chapter 7
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SECTION 23cumque plurimas et maximas commoditates amicitia contineat, tum illa nimirum praestat omnibus, quod bonam spem praelucet in posterum, nec debilitari animos aut cadere patitur. verum etiam amicum qui intuetur, tamquam exemplar aliquod intuetur sui. quocirca et absentes adsunt et egentes abundant et imbecilli valent et, quod difficilius dictu est, mortui vivunt; tantus eos honos memoria desiderium prosequitur amicorum, ex quo illorum beata mors videtur, horum vita laudabilis. quod si exemeris ex rerum natura benevolentiae coniunctionem, nec domus ulla nec urbs stare poterit, ne agri quidem cultus permanebit. id si minus intellegitur, quanta vis amicitiae concordiaeque sit, ex dissensionibus atque discordiis percipi potest. quae enim domus tam stabilis, quae tam firma civitas est, quae non odiis et discidiis funditus possit everti?ex quo, quantum boni sit in amicitia, iudicari potest.
SECTION 24agrigentinum quidem doctum quendam virum carminibus Graecis vaticinatum ferunt, quae in rerum natura totoque mundo constarent quaeque moverentur, ea contrahere amicitiam, dissipare discordiam. atque hoc quidem omnes mortales et intellegunt et re probant. itaque, si quando aliquod officium exstitit amici in periculis aut adeundis aut communicandis, quis est qui id non maximis efferat laudibus? qui clamores tota cavea nuper in hospitis et amici mei M. Pacuvi nova fabula, cum ignorante rege uter Orestes esset, Pylades Orestem se esse diceret, ut pro illo necaretur, Orestes autem, ita ut erat, Orestem se esse perseveraret! stantes plaudebant in re ficta; quid arbitramur in vera facturos fuisse? facile indicabat ipsa natura vim suam, cum homines, quod facere ipsi non possent, id recte fieri in altero iudicarent.hactenus mihi videor de amicitia quid sentirem potuisse dicere; si quae praeterea sunt—credo autem esse multa—ab eis, si videbitur, qui ista disputant, quaeritote.
SECTION 25FANNIUS. Nos autem a te potius. quamquam etiam ab istis saepe quaesivi et audivi non invitus equidem, sed aliud quoddam filum orationis tuae.SCAEVOLA. Tum magis id diceres, Fanni, si nuper in hortis Scipionis, cum est de re publica disputatum, affuisses. qualis tum patronus iustitiae fuit contra accuratam orationem Phili!FANNIUS. Facile id quidem fuit iustitiam iustissimo viro defendere.SCAEVOLA. Quid? amicitiam nonne facile ei, qui ob eam summa fide, constantia iustitiaque servatam maximam gloriam ceperit?
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SECTION 23Although friendship embraces advantages of the greatest number and magnitude, this one unquestionably surpasses them all: it shines before us with bright hope for the future and does not allow our spirits to grow weak or fall. Indeed, he who looks upon a true friend looks, as it were, upon an image of himself. Therefore the absent are present, the needy have abundance, the weak are strong, and—what is harder to say—the dead live: so great are the honor, remembrance, and longing of their friends that attend them. From this, the death of the departed seems blessed, while the life of those who remain is worthy of praise. But if you remove from the universe the bond of goodwill, no household and no city will be able to stand; not even the cultivation of the fields will endure. If it is not sufficiently understood how great the power of friendship and concord is, that power may be perceived from dissension and discord. For what household is so stable, what state so secure, that it cannot be utterly overthrown by hatred and division?From this one may judge how much good there is in friendship.
SECTION 24They say that a certain learned man of Acragas proclaimed in Greek verse that, among all the things which stand firm or move in nature and throughout the universe, friendship draws them together and discord scatters them. All mortals both understand this and confirm it by their conduct. Thus, whenever a friend has performed some duty by facing dangers or sharing them, who does not exalt that deed with the highest praise? What cries of applause rang through the entire theater not long ago at the new play of my guest-friend and friend Marcus Pacuvius, when, the king not knowing which of the two was Orestes, Pylades declared himself to be Orestes so that he might be killed in his place, while Orestes, as he truly was Orestes, persisted in declaring that he was! The audience stood and applauded a fictitious deed; what do we suppose they would have done at a real one? Nature herself readily revealed her power when men judged that something was rightly done by another which they could not have done themselves.Thus far, I think I have been able to tell you what I myself believe about friendship. If there are further questions—and I believe there are many—ask them, if you please, of those who make such matters the subject of formal debate.
SECTION 25FANNIUS. No, we would rather ask you. Though I have often questioned those men too, and have heard them with no reluctance, to be sure; but the thread of your discourse is of a different kind.SCAEVOLA. You would say so all the more, Fannius, if you had recently been present in Scipio’s gardens when the commonwealth was under discussion. What a champion of justice he proved himself then against Philus’s carefully prepared speech!FANNIUS. It was easy, certainly, for the most just of men to defend justice.SCAEVOLA. Well, then? Is it not easy for him to defend friendship, when he has won the greatest glory by preserving it with the utmost fidelity, steadfastness, and justice?
Mouseia
Mouseia’s complete Plain English edition, made independently and directly from all 27 Latin chapters and 104 sections.
SECTION 23Although friendship embraces advantages of the greatest number and importance, this unquestionably surpasses them all: it shines the light of good hope into the future and does not allow our spirits to weaken or collapse. Indeed, whoever looks upon a friend looks, as it were, upon a reflection of himself. Therefore, friends who are absent are present; those in need have abundance; the weak are strong; and, what is harder to say, the dead are alive. So great are the honor, remembrance, and longing of their friends that attend them. Because of this, the death of the former seems blessed, while the life of the latter is worthy of praise. But if you remove from the natural world the bond of goodwill, no household and no city will be able to stand; not even the cultivation of the fields will continue. If it is not sufficiently understood from this how great the power of friendship and harmony is, it can be grasped from dissensions and conflicts. For what household is so stable, or what state so secure, that it cannot be utterly overthrown by hatred and division?
From this it can be judged how much good there is in friendship.
SECTION 24We are told that a certain learned man of Acragas proclaimed in Greek verse that, among the things that exist and move in nature and throughout the entire universe, friendship draws them together and discord scatters them. All mortals both understand this and prove it by their actions. And so, whenever a friend has performed some service by facing dangers or sharing them, who does not extol it with the highest praise? What shouts recently filled the entire theater at the new play by my guest-friend and friend Marcus Pacuvius, when, because the king did not know which man was Orestes, Pylades declared that he was Orestes so that he might be killed in Orestes’ place, while Orestes, as he truly was Orestes, persisted in declaring that he was Orestes! The audience stood and applauded at a fictional event. What do we suppose they would have done at a real one? Nature herself easily revealed her power, since people judged that something was rightly done by another even though they could not have done it themselves.
Up to this point, I think I have been able to say what I believe about friendship. If there are further questions—and I believe there are many—then, if you wish, ask them of those who discuss such subjects.
SECTION 25FANNIUS. No, we would rather ask you. Although I have often asked those men too, and have certainly listened to them willingly, your discourse has a different sort of thread.
SCAEVOLA. You would say that all the more, Fannius, if you had recently been present in Scipio’s gardens when the republic was discussed. What an advocate of justice he was then against Philus’ carefully reasoned speech!
FANNIUS. It was certainly easy for the most just of men to defend justice.
SCAEVOLA. What about friendship? Is it not easy for a man who has won the highest glory by preserving it with the greatest loyalty, steadfastness, and justice to defend that as well?