#  Distichs, Book IV 

 



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\[*Semotam a curis si uis producers uitam*   
*Nec uitiis haerere animi, quae moribus obsunt,*   
*Haec pracepta tibi saepe esse legenda memento.*  
*Inuenies, quo te possis mutare, magistrum*.\]

\[If thou wishest to lead a life free from cares, cling not to   
faults which injure character. Remember that these precepts   
must be read often by thee. Thou wilt find in them a teacher   
through whom thou wilt be able to transform thyself.\]   
  
   
  
1\. *Despice diuitias, si uis animo esse beatus;*  
*Quas qui suspiciunt, mendicant semper auari.*  
Wouldst happy be, scorn wealth. Those always seem  
To beg it greedily who wealth esteem.  
  
2\. *Commoda naturae nullo tibi tempore derunt,*  
*Si contentus eo fueris quod postulat usus.*  
Nature her favors never will deny  
If what thy needs require will satisfy.

3\. *Cum sis incautus nec rem ratione gubernes,*  
*Noli Fortunam, quae non est, dicere caecam.*  
When to poor judgment thou dost failure owe,  
Say not that Fortune's blind, for 't is not so.  
  
4\. *Dilige olens nardum, sed parce; defuge odorem,*  
*Quem nemo Sanctus nec honestus captat habere.*  
Love nard, but use it sparingly; refrain  
From perfumes which all decent men disdain.  
  
5\. *Cum fueris locuples, corpus curare memento:*  
*Aeger diues habet nummos, se non habet ipsum.*  
When rich, well for thy body care. One's wealth  
Is of but small avail if he lack health.  
  
6\.  *Uerbera cum tuleris discens aliquando magistri,*  
*Fer patris imperium, cum uerbis exit in iram.*  
Since thou at school thy teacher's blows hast known,  
Thou'lt better bear thy father's angry tone.  
  
7\. *Res age quae prosunt; rursus uitare memento,*  
*In quis error inest nec spes est certa laboris.*  
What certain profit brings, let that be done;  
Uncertain risks and unsafe projects shun.  
  
8\. *Quod donare potes, gratis concede roganti;*  
*Nam recte fecisse bonis, in parte lucrorum est.*  
Give as thou canst to those who ask, for know  
Thou didst well gain when thou didst well bestow.  
  
9\. *Quod tibi suspectum est, confestim discute quid sit;*  
*Namque solent, primo quae sunt neclecta, nocere.*  
Seek quick the truth when once thou dost suspect,  
Dangers grow large when nourished by neglect.  
  
10\. *Cum te detineat Ueneris damnosa libido,*  
*Indulgere gulae noli, quae uentris amica est.*  
When hurtful lust hath hold of thee, refrain  
From giving to thy appetites free rein.  
  
11\. *Cum tibi praeponas animalia bruta timore,*  
*Unum hominem scito tibi praecipue esse timendum.*  
Thy fear of beasts declares their rule o'er thee;  
Know thou that man alone should dreaded be.  
  
12\.  *Cum tibi praeualidae fuerint in corpore uires,*  
*Fac sapias: sic tu poteris uir fortis haberi.*  
Not strength alone, but wisdom, too, possess;  
Thus thou canst gain a name for manliness.  
  
13\. *Auxilium a notis petito, Si forte labores;*  
*Nec quisquam melior medicus quam fidus amicus.*  
When sick, from friends seek thou relief. Be sure.  
Thy trusted friend can give thee certain cure.  
  
14\. *Cum sis ipse nocens, moritur cur uictima pro te?*  
*Stultitia est morte alterius sperare salutem.*  
Why for thy guilt should guiltless victims bleed?  
'T is vain to think their blood doth cleanse thy deed.  
  
15\. *Cum tibi uel socium uel fidum quaeris amicum,*  
*Non tibi fortuna est hominis sed uita petenda.*  
Whene'er a trusty friend thou dost desire,  
Not of his wealth but of his life enquire,  
  
16\. *Utere quaesitis opibus, fuge nomen auari:*  
*Quid tibi diuitias, Si semper pauper abundes?*  
Employ thy gains; the name of miser flee;  
What good is wealth when want still lives with thee?  
  
17\. *Si famam seruare cupis, dum uiuis, honestam,*  
*Fac fugias animo, quae sunt mala gaudia uitae.*  
If through thy life thou wouldst a good name save,  
Be not to pleasure base an abject slave.  
  
18\. *Cum sapias animo, noli ridere senectam;*  
*Nam quoicumque seni puerilis sensus inhaeret.*  
Flout not old age while thou dost sense possess;  
Age ever brings to all some childishness.  
  
19\. *Disce aliquid; nam cum subito Fortuna rccessit,*  
*Ars remanet uitamque hominis non deserit umquam.*  
Learn thou a trade lest wealth may fly away;  
For skill, once gained, shall ever with thee stay.  
  
20\. *Prospicito tecum tacitus quid quisque loquatur:*  
*Sermo hominum mores et celat et indicat idem.*  
What's said to thee with caution ponder well;  
Men's practice words may hide as well as tell.  
  
21\.  *Exerce studio quamuis perceperis artem:*  
*Ut cura ingenium, sic et manus adiuuat usum.*  
Practice with zeal the skill thou'st learned. Thou'lt find,  
Use trains the hand as study does the mind.  
  
22\. *Multum uenturi ne cures tempora fati:*  
*Non metuit mortem qui scit contempnere uitam.*  
Let not death's sure approach thee terrify;  
Who life despises doth not fear to die.  
  
23\. *Disce sed a doctis, indoctos ipse doceto:*  
*Propaganda etenim est rerum doctrina bonarum.*  
Learn only of the learned: teach th' untaught;  
Knowledge of truth must to all men be brought.  
  
24\. *Hoc adhibe uitae quo possis uiuere sanus:*  
*Morbi causa mali est, nimia est quaecumque uoluptas.*  
If thou wouldst sanely live, take this to heart,  
Avoid excesses; thence diseases start.  
  
25\.  *Laudaris quodcumque palam, quodcumque probaris,*  
*Hoc uide ne rursus leuitatis crimine damnes.*  
Condemn not thou with inconsistency  
What once thou hast approved full publicly.  
  
26\. *Tranquillis rebus semper diuersa timeto,*  
*Rursus in aduersis melius sperare memento.*  
When fortune smiles, forget not she may frown;  
When fortune frowns, be not too much cast down.  
  
27\. *Discere ne cessa; cura sapientia crescit,*  
*Rara datur longo prudentia temporis usu.*  
Cease not to learn; wisdom's through study gained;  
By lapse of years alone 't is ne'er attained.  
  
28\. *Parce laudato; nam quem tu saepe probaris,*  
*Una dies, qualis fuerit, ostendit, amicus.*  
Praise not o'ermuch: one day's enough to show  
If he, oft claimed thy friend, is really so.  
  
29\. *Non pudeat, quae nescieris, te uelle doceri:*  
*Scire aliquid laus est, culpa est nil discere uelle.*  
To wish for knowledge is no cause for shame;  
To have it merits praise; to scorn it, blame.  
  
30\. *Cum Uenere et Baccho lis est et iuncta uoluptas:*  
*Quod lautum est, animo conplectere, sed fuge lites.*  
With love and wine pleasure and strife are knit;  
Cleave to the good in these; the bad omit.  
  
31\. *Demissos animo et tacitos uitare memento:*  
*Quod flumen placidum est, forsan latet altius unda.*  
Who silent is and melancholy, shun;  
Perchance the quiet rivers too deep run.  
  
32\. *Dum fortuna tibist rerum discrimine praua,*  
*Alterius specta cui sit discrimine peior.*  
When fortune's favor seems not thine, take thought  
Of him to whom Dame Fortune less hath brought.  
  
33\. *Quod potes, id tempta; nam litus carpere remis*  
*Utilius multo est quam uelum tendere in altum.*  
Begin what thou to finish canst not fail;  
Safer near shore than on the deep to sail.  
  
34\. *Contra hominem iustum praue contenders noti;*  
*Semper enim deus iniustas ulciscitur iras.*  
Break not against the righteous man the laws,  
For God's th' avenger of the righteous cause.  
  
35\. *Ereptis opibus noli maerere dolendo,*  
*Sed gaude potius, tibi si contingat habere.*  
When wealth takes wings thou shouldst not then repine;  
Rejoice the more that anything is thine.  
  
36\. *Est iactura grauis quaesitum amittere damno;*  
*Sed tibi cum ualeat corpus, superesse putato.*  
Sad is the fate to lose one's hard-won gains,  
But much is saved if only health remains.  
  
37\. *Tempora longa tibi noli promittere uitae:*  
*Quocumque incedis, sequitur mors corporis umbra.*  
Count not on life: howe'er thy way may wend,  
Death shadowlike will everywhere attend.  
  
38\.  *Ture deum placa, uitulum sine crescat aratro:*  
*Ne credas gaudere deum, cum caede litatur.*  
The calf's the plow's; incense doth heaven please;  
Think not the god by slaughter to appease.  
  
39\. *Cede locum laesus Fortunae, cede potenti:*  
*Laedere quo potuit, poterit prodesse aliquando.*  
If thou art beaten, cease then to resist;  
Who could o'ercome will able be t' assist.  
  
40\. *Cum quid peccaris, castiga te ipse subinde:*  
*Uulnera dum sanas, dolor est medicina doloris.*  
When thou hast sinned, at once thyself chastise;  
To cure the hurt thy grief will well suffice.  
  
41\. *Damnaris numquam post longum tempus amicum:*  
*Mutauit mores, sed pignora prima memento.*  
To thy old friend never unfriendly prove;  
Though he be changed, forget not former love.  
  
42\. *Gratior officiis, quo sis mage carior, esto,*  
*Ne nomen subeas quod dicunt officiperdi.*  
To show thy gratitude take ev'ry care,  
Lest on thee fall the shame that ingrates bear.  
  
43\. *Suspectus caue sis, ne sis miser omnibus horis;*  
*Nam timidis et suspectis aptissima mors est.*  
A life of naught but dread can not be sweet;  
For those by terror held, death is most meet.  
  
44\. *Cum seruos fueris proprios mercatus in usus*  
*Et famulos dicas, homines tamen esse memento.*  
When servants thou hast bought, remember then,  
Altho' thou term'st them slaves, they still are men.  
  
45\. *Quam primum rapienda tibi est occasio prona,*  
*Ne rursus quaeras iam, quae neglexeris ante.*  
Secure thy chance when first it be at hand,  
Lest that once scorned thou dost in vain demand.  
  
46\. *Morte repentina noli gaudere malorum:*  
*Felices obeunt, quorum sine crimine uita est.*  
In bad men's sudden death take not delight,  
Those only die well who have lived aright.  
  
47\. *Cum coniux tibi sit, ne res et fama laboret,*  
*Uitandum ducas inimicum nomen amici.*  
Having a wife, be watchful of thy friend,  
Lest false to thee, thy fame and goods he spend.  
  
48*. Cum tibi contigerit studio cognoscere multa,*  
*Fac discas, multa a uita te scire doceri.*  
When thou at last from study hast much lore,  
Recall there's much to learn from life's vast store.  
  
49\.  *Miraris uersus nudis me scribere uerbis?*  
*Hoc breuitas fecit, sensu uno iungere binos.*  
Dost ask why I this form of verses choose?  
Know brevity did bid me couplets use.  
   
  
   
  
   
  
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. 35-43 \[WID Lc 25 42\].