#  Distichs, Book I 

 



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1\. *Si deus est animus, nobis ut carmina dicunt,*   
*Hic tibi praecipue sit pura mente colendus.*  
If God is a spirit is as poets sing,  
With mind kept pure make thou thy offering.   
  
2\. *Plus uigila semper neu somno deditus esto;*  
*Nam diuturna quies uitiis alimenta ministrat.*  
Be oft awake: from too much sleep abstain,   
For vice from sloth doth ever nurture gain.   
  
3\. *Uirtutem primam esse puto, conpescere linguam:*   
*Proximus ille deo est, qui scit ratione tacere.*   
Who rules his tongue doth highest praises reap:   
Godlike is he who silence well doth keep.   
  
4\.  *Sperne repugnando tibi tu contrarius esse:*   
*Conueniet nulli, qui secum dissidet ipse.*   
Ne'er with thyself perversely disagree;   
Who's out with self in peace with none will be.   
  
5\. *Si uitam inspicias hominum, Si denique mores,*   
*Cum culpant alios: nemo sine crimine uiuit.*  
If on men's lives and deeds thou look'st, thou'lt see   
That from those faults they blame, not one is free.   
  
6\. *Quae nocitura tenes, quamuis sint cara, relinque:*   
*Utilitas opibus praeponi tempore debet.*   
Shun that which harms, e'en tho thy love is caught;   
Before mere wealth should safety first be sought.   
  
7\. *Clemens et constans, ut res expostulate esto:*   
*Temporibus mores sapiens sine crimine mutat.*  
Be ever kind or stern to suit the time:   
The wise may change his practice without crime.   
  
8\. *Nil temere uxori de seruis crede querenti:*   
*Semper enim mulier quem coniux diligit odit.*  
Heed not when of thy slave thy wife complains,   
For whom her husband loves, she aye disdains.   
  
9\. *Cum moneas aliquem nec se uelit ille moneri,*  
*Si tibi sit carus, noli desistere coeptis.*    
When thou giv'st counsel, cease not till the end,   
Though it unwelcome be, e'en to thy friend.   
  
10\. *Contra uerbosos noli contendere uerbis:*   
*Sermo datur cunctis, animi sapientia paucis.*  
Try not with words the talker to outdo;   
On all is speech bestowed: good sense on few.   
  
11\. *Dilige sic alios, ut sis tibi carus amicus;*  
*Sic bonus esto bonis, ne te mala damna sequantur.*    
Love others so that thou'rt to self a friend;   
Prefer the good and thus dire harm forfend.   
  
12\.  *Rumores fuge neu studeas nouus auctor haberi;*   
*Nam nulli tacuisse nocet, nocet esse locutum.*   
Spread not vain talk lest thou be thought its spring;   
Silence ne'er harms but speech may trouble bring.   
  
13\. *Spem tibi polliciti certam promittere noli:*   
*Rara fides ideo est, quia multi multa locuntur.*   
On others' promise do not base thine own;   
Talk doth abound: good faith is rarely shown.   
  
14\. *Cum te aliquis laudat, iudex tuus esse memento;*   
*Plus aliis de te quam tu tibi credere noli.*  
When praised, thou of thyself the judge must be;   
Accept no praise not spoken truthfully.   
  
15\. *Officium alterius multis narrare memento;*   
*At quaecumque aliis benefeceris ipse, sileto.*    
Fail not another's kindness to proclaim;   
Thine own good deeds 't is better not to name.   
  
16\. *Multorum cum facta senex et dicta reprendis,*   
*Fac tibi succurrant, iuuenis quae feceris ipse.*  
Dost thou when old another's faults proclaim?   
Recall that young thou gavest cause for blame.   
  
17\. *Ne cures, si quis tacito sermone loquatur:*   
*Conscius ipse sibi de se putat omnia dici.*  
`T is self-conceit the whisperer to mind,   
As if what's whispered were for thee designed.   
  
18\.  *Cum fueris felix, quae sunt aduersa caueto:*   
*Non eodem cursu respondent ultima primis.*  
When fortune smiles, beware lest some ill strike;   
End and beginning often are unlike.   
  
19\. *Cum dubia et fragilis nobis sit uita tributa,*  
*In morte alterius spem tu tibi ponere noli.*   
Since with so frail a thread thy life is spun,   
Thou hope of gain from other's death shouldst shun.   
  
20\. *Exiguum munus cum dat tibi pauper amicus,*   
*Accipito laetus, plene et laudare memento.*    
Thy poor friend's present from his scanty store,   
Take gratefully as if the gift were more.   
  
21\. *Infantem nudum cum te natura crearit,*  
*Paupertatis onus patienter ferre memento.*  
Since naked thou wast born, then patient be   
If doomed to bear the load of poverty.   
  
22\. *Ne timeas illam, quae uitae est ultima finis:*   
*Qui mortem metuit, quod uiuit, perdit id ipsum.*  
Dread not the day that endeth all life's ills;   
For fear of death all joy in living kills.   
  
  
23\. *Si tibi pro meritis nemo succurrit amicus,*   
*Incusare deos noli, sed te ipse coerce.*   
When in thy time of need friends fail to come,   
Blame not the gods, because the fault's at home.   
  
24\. *Ne tibi quid desit, quod quaesisti, utere parce;*  
*Utque, quod est, serues, semper tibi desse putato.*    
Nurse what thou hast, that it may farther go;   
Deem thyself poor and thus miss being so.   
  
25\. *Quod dare non possis, uerbis promittere noli,*  
*Ne sis uentosus, dum uir bonus esse uideris.*   
Promise no more than thou canst sure redeem,   
Lest thus thou fail to be what thou wouldst seem.   
  
26\. *Qui simulat uerbis nec corde est fidus amicus,*  
*Tu quoque fac simules: sic ars deluditur arte.*  
Him who is smooth in speech, but false in heart,   
In his own coin repay, with art for art.   
  
27\. *Noli homines blando nimium sermone probare:*   
*Fistula dulce canit, uolucrem dum decipit auceps.*    
No trust in smooth-tongued men's professions lay;   
Sweet sounds the fowler's pipe to lure the prey.   
  
28\. *Cum tibi sint nati nec opes, tunc artibus illos*  
*Instrue, quo possint inopem defenders uitam.*   
If to thy sons thou canst not riches give,   
Then teach them trades that they may safely live.   
  
29\. *Quod uile est, carum, quod carum, uile putato:*  
*Sic tu nec cupidus nec auarus nosceris ulli.*  
Despise the dear and value the mean thing;   
So harm to none thy greed and lust shall bring.   
  
30\. *Quae culpare soles, ea tu ne feceris ipse:*  
*Turpe est doctori, cum culpa redarguat ipsum.*    
Do not thyself what thou art wont to blame;   
When teachers slip themselves, 't is double shame.   
  
31\. *Quod iustum est petito uel quod uideatur honestum;*  
*Nam stultum petere est quod possit iure negari.*  
Ask what is right and fair, no more beside;   
'Tis vain to crave what may be well denied.   
  
32\. *Ignotum notis noli praeponere amicis:*  
*Cognita iudicio constant, incognita casu.*    
Change not known friends for those thou dost not know;   
Tried friends are sure, untried may not be so.   
  
33\. *Cum dubia in certis uersetur uita periclis,*  
*Pro lucro tibi pone diem, quicumque sequetur.*    
Since naught is sure but life's uncertainty,   
Prize well the day that now is given thee.   
  
34\.  *Uincere cum possis, interdum cede sodali,*   
*Obsequio quoniam dulces retinentur amici.*   
Though thou canst win, yield sometimes to thy friend;   
Thus yielding, strength to friendship thou wilt lend.   
  
35\. *Ne dubita, cum magna petes, impendere parua:*   
*His etenim pressos contingit gloria raro.*   
In quest of greater matters spare not small;   
On those by trifles ruled fame doth not call.   
  
36\. *Litem inferre caue, cum quo tibi gratia iuncta est:*   
*Ira odium generate Concordia nutrit amorem.*  
Strive not with him whom friendship bound to thee;   
Anger breeds hate, love thrives in harmony.   
  
37\. *Seruorum culpa cum te dolor urguet in iram,*   
*Ipse tibi moderare, tuis ut parcere possis.*   
When thy slaves' failings make thine anger warm,   
Thine anger check, lest thou thy interests harm.   
  
38\. *Quem superare potes, interdum uince ferendo;*   
*Maxima enim est hominum semper patientia uirtus.*  
Tho' thou at once couldst win, a while await,   
Of human virtues patience is most great.   
  
39\. *Conserua potius, quae sunt iam parta, labore:*  
*Cum labor in damno est, crescit mortalis egestas.*  
Save what thou'st earned: when thou must needs replace  
A loss incurred, dire want comes on apace.  
  
40\.  *Dapsilis interdum notis et largus amicis*   
*Cum fueris, dando semper tibi proximus esto.*   
To all thy friends give freely of thy self;   
But always duly mind the needs of self.  
  
   
  
   
  
The text is from *The Distichs of Cato: a famous medieval textbook*, tr. Wayland Johnson Chase, Univ. of Wisconsin Studies in the Social Sciences and History, Number 7, 1922, pp. 16-23 \[WID Lc 25 42\].