Book 4, Chapter 10
Original Latin
Quem ad modum, cum sanguis corruptus est aut pituita redundat aut bilis, in corpore morbi aegrotationesque nascuntur, sic pravarum opinionum conturbatio et ipsarum inter se repugnantia sanitate spoliat animum morbisque perturbat;
23 ex perturbationibus autem primum morbi conficiuntur, quae vocant illi νοσήματα, eaque quae sunt eis morbis contraria, quae habent ad res certas vitiosam offensionem atque fastidium, deinde aegrotationes , quae appellantur a Stoicis ἀρρωστήματα, isque item oppositae contrariae offensiones. hoc loco nimium operae consumitur a Stoicis, maxime a Chrysippo, dum morbis corporum comparatur morborum animi similitudo; qua oratione praetermissa minime necessaria ea, quae rem continent, pertractemus.
24 intellegatur igitur perturbationem iactantibus se opinionibus inconstanter et turbide in motu esse semper; cum autem hic fervor concitatioque animi inveteraverit et tamquam in venis medullisque insederit, tum existet et morbus et aegrotatio et offensiones eae, quae sunt eis morbis aegrotationibusque contrariae.
Musean translation
Complete machine-assisted translation from the Latin. Latin transcription by the Perseus Project, Trustees of Tufts University, CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Just as diseases and illnesses arise in the body when the blood is corrupted or phlegm or bile overflows, so the turmoil of false beliefs, and their conflict with one another, rob the soul of health and trouble it with diseases.
23 “From disturbances arise, first, diseases, which they call νοσήματα, and their opposites, which involve a defective aversion and disgust toward particular things; then infirmities, called ἀρρωστήματα by the Stoics, and, likewise, their opposite aversions. The Stoics, especially Chrysippus, spend far too much labor here in comparing diseases of the soul with diseases of the body. Let us leave aside this wholly unnecessary discussion and examine what bears on the substance of the matter.
24 “Let it be understood, then, that a disturbance is always in motion, as beliefs toss about in an unstable and turbulent way. But when this feverish excitement of the soul has grown chronic and settled, as it were, into its veins and marrow, then disease and infirmity arise, along with those aversions which are the opposites of these diseases and infirmities.”
Plain English translation
Complete independent machine-assisted translation directly from the Latin. Latin transcription by the Perseus Project, Trustees of Tufts University, CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Corrupted blood, too much phlegm, or overflowing bile make the body develop diseases and illnesses. The mind loses its health in much the same way: wrong beliefs throw it into confusion, clash among themselves, and trouble it with diseases.
23 “Disturbances first produce diseases, which they call nosēmata, together with their opposites: defective aversions and disgust directed at particular things. Next come illnesses, which the Stoics call arrōstēmata, again with their corresponding opposite aversions. The Stoics spend far too much effort here, especially Chrysippus, working out resemblances between diseases of the mind and those of the body. Let’s skip that entirely unnecessary discussion and deal with what matters.
24 “We should understand, then, that a disturbance is always in motion, with beliefs tossing about in an unstable, turbulent way. But when this mental heat and agitation has grown old and settled, as though in the veins and marrow, then disease and illness develop, along with the aversions that are their opposites.”
About this section
Book 4, Chapter 10 is part of Tusculan Disputations 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 120 of 189 in the work, which is kept in the Roman tradition.
Open the work page for the full contents, every edition, and the download links, or go back to Explore to browse other complete works in the Roman tradition. The reader keeps your place when you are signed in and lets you compare the original with each translation, one edition at a time.