Book 5, Chapter 32
Original Latin
hic vero ipse quam parvo est contentus! nemo de tenui victu plura dixit. etenim, quae res pecuniae cupiditatem adferunt, ut amori, ut ambitioni, ut cotidianis sumptibus copiae suppetant, cum procul ab his omnibus rebus absit, cur pecuniam magnopere desideret vel potius cur curet omnino?
90 an Scythes Anacharsis potuit pro nihilo pecuniam ducere, nostrates philosophi facere non poterunt? illius epistula fertur his verbis: ‘Anacharsis Hannoni salutem. Mihi amictui est Scythicum tegimen, calciamentum solorum callum, cubile terra, pulpamentum fames, lacte caseo carne vescor. quare ut ad quietum me licet venias. munera autem ista, quibus es delectatus, vel civibus tuis vel diis inmortalibus dona.’ omnes fere philosophi omnium disciplinarum, nisi quos a recta ratione natura vitiosa detorsisset, eodem hoc animo esse potuerunt.
91 Socrates, in pompa cum magna vis auri argentique ferretur, ‘quam multa non desidero!’ inquit. Xenocrates, cum legati ab Alexandro quinquaginta ei talenta attulissent, quae erat pecunia temporibus illis, Athenis praesertim, maxuma, abduxit legatos ad cenam in Academiam; is apposuit tantum, quod satis esset, nullo apparatu. cum postridie rogarent eum, cui numerari iuberet, ‘quid? vos hesterna’ inquit ‘cenula non intellexistis me pecunia non egere?’ quos cum tristioris vidisset, triginta minas accepit, ne aspernari regis liberalitatem videretur.
92 at vero Diogenes liberius, ut Cynicus, Alexandro roganti, ut diceret, si quid opus esset, ‘nunc quidem paululum’ inquit ‘a sole.’ offecerat videlicet apricanti. et hic quidem disputare solebat, quanto regem Persarum vita fortunaque superaret; sibi nihil deesse, illi nihil satis umquam fore; se eius voluptates non desiderare, quibus numquam satiari ille posset, suas eum consequi nullo modo posse.
Musean translation
Complete machine-assisted translation from the Latin. Latin transcription by the Perseus Project, Trustees of Tufts University, CC BY-SA 4.0.
“With how little this man himself is content! No one has said more about a frugal diet. The things that breed a desire for money are the wish for ample means to meet the demands of love, ambition, and daily expenditure. Since he stands far apart from all these, why should he greatly desire money—or rather, why should he care about it at all?
90 “Could Anacharsis the Scythian think nothing of money, while our philosophers cannot? A letter of his circulates in these words: ‘Anacharsis to Hanno, greetings. My clothing is a Scythian cloak, my shoes the calluses on my soles, my bed the earth, my relish hunger. I live on milk, cheese, and meat. You may therefore visit me as a man at peace. But those gifts that have delighted you—give them to your fellow citizens or to the immortal gods.’ Almost all philosophers of every school could have been of this same mind, except those whose flawed nature turned them aside from sound reason.
91 “When a great quantity of gold and silver was being carried in a procession, Socrates said, ‘How many things I do not want!’ When envoys from Alexander brought Xenocrates fifty talents—a vast sum in those days, especially at Athens—he took them to dinner at the Academy. He set before them just enough, with no elaborate preparations. When they asked next day to whom he wished the money paid, he said, ‘What? Did you not understand from last night’s little dinner that I have no need of money?’ When he saw that they were rather downcast, he accepted thirty minas, so as not to seem to scorn the king’s generosity.
92 “But Diogenes, with the greater freedom of a Cynic, answered Alexander, who asked him to say if he needed anything: ‘For the moment, just move a little out of the sun.’ Alexander had, of course, blocked his sunlight while he was basking. Diogenes used to argue how far he surpassed the Persian king in life and fortune: he himself lacked nothing, whereas nothing would ever be enough for the king; he had no desire for the pleasures of which the king could never have his fill, while the king could never attain his own.”
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.
“Epicurus himself makes do with so very little! Nobody has written more about a modest diet. What makes people hungry for money is the wish to pay for love, get ahead in public life, and cover their daily spending. None of that comes anywhere near him. Why would he have any strong desire for money? Why would he even give it a thought?
90 “Was Anacharsis the Scythian able to think nothing of money, while our philosophers won’t be able to? A letter of his is circulated in these words: ‘Anacharsis sends greetings to Hanno. A Scythian wrap is my clothing; the hard skin on my soles is my footwear; the ground is my bed; hunger is my relish. I live on milk, cheese, and meat. So you can visit me as someone living in peace. But give those gifts that you’ve enjoyed so much to your fellow citizens or to the immortal gods.’ Nearly all philosophers from every school could have had this same attitude, except those whose flawed nature had twisted them away from right reasoning.
91 “At the sight of gold and silver passing in great quantities in a procession, Socrates exclaimed, ‘All those things I have no wish for!’ Alexander once sent envoys to bring Xenocrates a gift of fifty talents. That was a huge amount then, particularly in Athens. Xenocrates invited the visitors to eat at the Academy and provided only what they needed, with no elaborate preparations. Next morning they wanted instructions about who should receive the payment. He replied, ‘What? After that small meal yesterday, didn’t you realize I have no need for money?’ They looked unhappy, so he took thirty minas. He didn’t want to appear to spurn the king’s generous offer.
92 “Diogenes, though, was franker, as a Cynic would be. Alexander asked him to say if there was anything he needed. ‘For now,’ he said, ‘just move a little out of my sunlight.’ Alexander had, you see, blocked the sun while he was sunning himself. Diogenes used to argue how much his life and lot were better than the Persian king’s. He himself lacked nothing, while the king would never have enough of anything. He had no desire for the king’s pleasures, which the king could never get his fill of. And the king couldn’t possibly attain the pleasures Diogenes had.”
About this section
Book 5, Chapter 32 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 180 of 189 in the work, which is kept in the Roman tradition.
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