Sunday, November 8, 2020

Lucretius on civilization in progress

The next three lines, with which the new section begins in Baily’s oxford edition, are in fact backward looking:

Inque dies magis hi victum vitamque priorem

commutare novis monstrabant rebus et igni

ingenio qui praestabant et corde vigebant.

‘And day by day those who excelled in understanding and were strong in mind showed them more and more how to change their former life and livelihood for new habits and for fire.’

In the preceding discussion of the beginning and the early developments of civilization Lucretius emphasized that all members of the society were involved in the making of those events, which was particularly strongly voiced when he spoke of the beginning and the development of language. In these three lines he qualified it.

What came next was a profound change of direction:

condere coeperunt urbis arcemque locare

praesidium reges ipsi sibi perfugiumque,

‘Kings began to build cities and to found a citadel, to be for themselves a stronghold and a refuge;’

et pecus atqu(e) agros diviser(e) atque dedere

pro facie cuiusqu(e) et viribus ingenioque;

‘and they parcelled out and gave flocks and fields to each man for his beauty or his strength and understanding;’

nam facies multum valuit viresque vigebant.

‘for beauty was then of much avail, and strength stood high.’

 

Then came another momentous development:

posterius res inventast aurumque repertum

‘Thereafter property was invented and gold found,’

quod facil(e) et validis et pulchris dempsit honorem;

‘which easily robbed the strong and beautiful of honour;’

divitioris enim sectam plerumque sequuntur

quamlibet et fortes et pulchro corpore creti.

‘for, for the most part, however strong men are born, however beautiful their body, they follow the lead of the richer man.’

 

Lucretius can’t help remarking that this was not a happy development:

quod siquis vera vitam ratione gubernet,

divitiae grandes homini sunt vivere parce

aequ(o) animo; nequ(e) enim est penuria parvi.

‘Yet if a man would steer his life by true reasoning, it is great riches to a man to live thriftily with calm mind; for never can he lack for a little.’

 

But men were driven to vie for fame and power:

at claros homines voluerunt se atque potentis,

‘But men wished to be famous and powerful,’

ut fundamento stabili fortuna maneret

‘that their fortune might rest on a sure foundation,’

et placidam possent opulenti degere vitam

‘and they might in wealth lead a peaceful life;’

nequiquam, quoni(am) ad summum succeeder(e) honorem

certantes iter infestum fecere viai,

‘all in vain, since struggling to rise to the heights of honour, they made the path of their journey beset with danger,’

et tamen e summo, quasi fulmen, deicit ictos

invidi(a) interdum contempt(im) in Tartara taetra;

‘and yet from the top, like lightening, envy smites them and casts them down anon in scorn to a noisome Hell;’

invidia quoniam, ceu fulmine, summa vaporant

plerumqu(e) et quae sunt aliis magis edita cumque;

‘since by envy, as by lightening, the topmost heights are most often set ablaze, and all places that rise high above others;’

ut satius multo iam sit parere quietum

quam reger(e) imperio res vell(e) et regna tenere.

‘so that it is far better to obey in peace than to long to rule the world with kingly power and to sway kingdoms.’

proinde sin(e) incassum defessi sanguine sudent,

angustum per iter luctantes ambitionis;

‘Wherefore let them sweat out their life-blood, worn away to no purpose, battling their way along the narrow path of ambition;’

quandoquidem sapiunt alien(o) ex ore petuntque

res ex auditis potius quam sensibus ipsis,

nec magis id nunc est nequ(e) erit mox quam fuit ante.

‘inasmuch as their wisdom is but from the lips of others, and they seek things rather through hearsay than from their own feelings, and that is of no more avail now nor shall be hereafter than it was of old.’

(1105-1135)

 

Dramatic developments followed; kings were killed, their glory destroyed.

Ergo regibus occisis subversa iacebat

pristina maiestas solior(um) et sceptra superba,

‘And so the kings were put to death and the ancient majesty of thrones and proud sceptres was overthrown and lay in ruins,’

et capitis summi praeclar(um) insigne cruentum

sub pedibus vulgi magnum lugebat honorem;

‘and the glorious emblem of the head of kings was stained with blood, and beneath the feet of the mob mourned the loss of its high honour;’

nam cupide conculcatur nimis ante metutum.

‘for once dreaded overmuch, eagerly now it is trampled.’

 

Anarchy with its life of violence ensued, tired of which, men became ready to establish laws and obey them:

res itaqu(e) ad summam faecem turbasque redibat,

‘And so things would pass to the utmost dregs of disorder,’

imperium sibi c(um) ac summatum quisque petebat.

‘when every man sought for himself the power and the headship.’

inde maistratum partim docuere creare

‘Then some of them taught men to appoint magistrates’

iuraque constituere, ut vellent legibus uti.

‘and establish laws that they might consent to obey ordinances.’

nam genus humanum, defessum vi colere aevum

‘For the race of men, worn out with leading a life of violence,’

ex inimicitiis languebat; quo magis ipsum

sponte sua cecidit sub leges artaque iura.

‘lay faint from its feuds; wherefore the more easily of its own will it gave in to ordinances and the close mesh of laws.’

acrius ex ira quod enim se quisque parabat

ulcisci quam nunc concessumst legibus aequis,

‘For since each man set out to avenge himself more fiercely in his passion than is now suffered by equal laws,’

hanc ob rem est homines pertaesum vi coler(e) aevum.

‘for this cause men were weary of leading a life of violence.’

inde metus maculat poenarum praemia vitae.

‘Thence fear of punishment taints the prizes of life.’

circumretit enim vis atqu(e) iniuria quemque

atqu(e), und(e) exortast, ad eum plerumque revertit,

‘For violence and hurt tangle everyman in their toils, and for the most part fall on the head of him, from whom they had their rise,’

nec facilest placid(am) ac pacatam degere vitam

qui violat factis communia foedera pacis.

‘nor is it easy for one who by his act breaks the common pact of peace to lead a calm and quiet life.’

etsi fallit enim divum genus humanumque,

perpetuo tamen id fore clam diffidere debet;

‘For though he be unnoticed of the race of gods and men, yet he must needs mistrust that his secret will be kept forever;’

quipp(e) ubi se multi per somnia saepe loquentes

aut morbo delirantes protraxe ferantur

et celata <di(u)> in medium peccata dedisse.

‘nay indeed, many by speaking in their sleep or raving in fever have often, so ‘tis said, betrayed themselves, and brought to light misdeeds long hidden.’

(1136-1160)

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