Cicero, de Senectute: Cyrus the Great on the soul.

Cyrus the Great (600-530 BC), king of Persia, is one of the most famous figures of Antiquity and is both mentioned in the Bible and in Classical literature. Herodotus is the earliest and not that reliable Greek source and Xenophon has made him immortal in his Cyropaedia, or the Education of Cyrus, a fictional biography of Cyrus serving as an example of good leadership. In that book Xenophon `reports’ what Cyrus has said on his death bed. Cicero made a translation of the part dealing with the immortality of the soul in his De Senectute.

Management guru Peter Drucker has once called the Cyropaedia the first and best management book ever written. I suggest that managers first of all turn to classical literature for their insights: it would free the world of lots of management books.

Cicero, Cato Maior de Senectute, 79-81

XXII. 79. Apud Xenophontem autem moriens Cyrus maior haec dicit: 'Nolite arbitrari, O mihi carissimi filii, me, cum a vobis discessero, nusquam aut nullum fore. Nec enim, dum eram vobiscum, animum meum videbatis, sed eum esse in hoc corpore ex eis rebus quas gerebam intellegebatis. Eundem igitur esse creditote, etiamsi nullum videbitis.

80. Nec vero clarorum virorum post mortem honores permanerent, si nihil eorum ipsorum animi efficerent, quo diutius memoriam sui teneremus. Mihi quidem numquam persuaderi potuit animos, dum in corporibus essent mortalibus, vivere, cum excessissent ex eis, emori, nec vero tum animum esse insipientem, cum ex insipienti corpore evasisset, sed cum omni admixtione corporis liberatus purus et integer esse coepisset, tum esse sapientem. Atque etiam cum hominis natura morte dissolvitur, ceterarum rerum perspicuum est quo quaeque discedat; abeunt enim illuc omnia, unde orta sunt, animus autem solus nec cum adest nec cum discedit, apparet. Iam vero videtis nihil esse morti tam simile quam somnum.

81. Atqui dormientium animi maxime declarant divinitatem suam; multa enim, cum remissi et liberi sunt, futura prospiciunt. Ex quo intellegitur quales futuri sint, cum se plane corporis vinculis relaxaverint. Qua re, si haec ita sunt, sic me colitote,' inquit, 'ut deum; sin una est interiturus animus cum corpore, vos tamen, deos verentes, qui hanc omnem pulchritudinem tuentur et regunt, memoriam nostri pie inviolateque servabitis.'

apud Xenophontem: in his Cyropaedia 8.19

discedo discessi discessum; to leave, depart, die

nusquam aut nullum fore: to be nowhere or nobody

gero gessi gestum: to perform

creditote: 2 pl fut imp, more formal than credidite

honores (honos/honor): tributes, honours

permaneo permansi: to last, remain

animi efficerent, quo diutius memoriam sui teneremus: i.e. the souls of famous men somehow interact with the living to retain the memory of them (sui, gen obj; each soul individual) longer (diutus) alive.

emori: to die utterly

insipiens –entis: senseless, without consciousness

admixtio –onis (f.): mingling (here with the connotation of defilement)

integer gra grum: uncontaminated

coepio coepi coeptum: to begin

ceterarum rerum: the other constituents

quo: where

perspicuus: clear, evident

illuc: to that place

orior ortus: to arise, come into being (probably Cicero means that the elements of which the body consists, water, fire, air and earth return to their respective forms.)

appareo apparui: to be visible

atqui: however, yet

remissus: unstrained

multa futura prospiciunt: see many future things (the idea that the future can be revealed in dreams is common in various cultures, also that the/a soul wanders away from a sleeping body, hence never wake someone suddenly as his or her soul may have not returned yet!)

vinculum: band, fetter

quales futuri sint: how they are in the future

colitote: venerate

sin: but if

una: together with

interiturus: will die (inter –eo)

vereor veritus: to fear, respect

puchritudo –tudinis (f.): beauty (i.e. the world)

tueor tutus: to watch, guard

pie inviolateque servabitis: you shall preserve piously and inviolably

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrus_the_Great

Translation by Evelyn S. Shuckburgh (1909 -1914)

  22. Once more in Xenophon we have the elder Cyrus on his deathbed speaking as follows:—

            “Do not suppose, my dearest sons, that when I have left you I shall be nowhere and no one. Even when I was with you, you did not see my soul, but knew that it was in this body of mine from what I did. Believe then that it is still the same, even though you see it not. The honours paid to illustrious men had not continued to exist after their death, had the souls of these very men not done something to make us retain our recollection of them beyond the ordinary time. For myself, I never could be persuaded that soul while in mortal bodies were alive, and died directly they left them; nor, in fact, that the soul only lost all intelligence when it left the unintelligent body. I believe rather that when, by being liberated from all corporeal admixture, it has begun to be pure and undefiled, it is then that it becomes wise. And again, when man’s natural frame is resolved into its elements by death, it is clearly seen whither each of the other elements departs: for they all go to the place from which they came: but the soul alone is invisible alike when present and when departing. Once more, you see that nothing is so like death as sleep. And yet it is in sleepers that souls most clearly reveal their divine nature; for they foresee many events when they are allowed to escape and are left free. This shows what they are likely to be when they have completely freed themselves from the fetters of the body. Wherefore, if these things are so, obey me as a god. But if my soul is to perish with my body, nevertheless do you from awe of the gods, who guard and govern this fair universe, preserve my memory by the loyalty and piety of your lives.”

Tomb of Cyrus the Great in Pasargadae, Iran.

Cicero: Hunger makes hard beans sweet.

Romans loved extensive meals – as far as they could afford it and most could not – but when you are really hungry or thirsty, anything tastes. In his Tusculanae Disputationes, Cicero gives various examples of this. They serve as illustration for the stoic dictum that one doesn’t need much to live on. This is true, but I hope I will never come in the situation that Spartan black soup seems to me something delicious.

Cicero, Tusculanae Disputationes, 97,98

XXXIV. [97] Darius in fuga cum aquam turbidam et cadaveribus inquinatam bibisset, negavit umquam se bibisse iucundius: numquam videlicet sitiens biberat. Nec esuriens Ptolomaeus ederat; cui cum peragranti Aegyptum comitibus non consecutis cibarius in casa panis datus esset, nihil visum est illo pane iucundius. Socraten ferunt, cum usque ad vesperum contentius ambularet quaesitumque esset ex eo, quare id faceret, respondisse se, quo melius cenaret, obsonare ambulando famem.

[98] Quid? victum Lacedaemoniorum in philitiis nonne videmus? ubi cum tyrannus cenavisset Dionysius, negavit se iure illo nigro, quod cenae caput erat, delectatum. Tum is qui illa coxerat: 'Minime mirum; condimenta enim defuerunt.' 'Quae tandem?' inquit ille. 'Labor in venatu, sudor, cursus ad Eurotam, fames, sitis; his enim rebus Lacedaemoniorum epulae condiuntur.' Atque hoc non ex hominum more solum, sed etiam ex bestiis intellegi potest, quae, ut quicquid obiectum est, quod modo a natura non sit alienum, eo contentae non quaerunt amplius.

Darius: Darius Codomanus fleeing for Alexander

turbidus: muddy

cadaver cadaveris (n.): corpse

inquino (-are): to pollute

iucundius: more pleasantly

videlicet: of course, obviously

biberat: `used to drink’

sitio sitivi : to be thirsty

esurio: to be hungry

edo edi esum: to eat

cui peragranti…panis datus est

peragro: to travel

comitibus non consecutis: i.e. without his probably extensive staff

cibarius panis: black bread, usually given to slaves

casa: cottage

Socraten: Greek acc.

ferunt: they say, it is said

contentius: with very much exertion

quaesitum: still depending on ferunt

quo melius cenaret: he would eat the better

obsonare ambulando famem: `to buy an appetite by walking’, obsonare is to buy provisions (obsonia), cater.

victus -us (m.): food

philitia -ōrum  the public meals of the Lacedœmonians (= Spartans)

iure illo nigro: black soup (ius iuris `juice’) was a Spartan speciality with unknown ingredients, but with an awful taste.

cenae caput: the main dish

coquo coxi coctum: to cook

condimentum: spice, seasoning

ille: Dionysius

venatus –us (m.): hunting

sudor –is (m.): sweat

cursus ad Eurotam: running near the Eurota (the main river of Sparta, where running competitions were held

epulae –arum: meal

condio: to season

ex more hominum: from the habit of people

quicquid obiectum est: whatever is thrown before them

a natura: by their nature

eo contentae: satisfied with that

amplius: further

Translation by Charles Duke Yonge (1877)

When Darius, in his flight from the enemy, had drunk some water which was muddy and tainted with dead bodies, he declared that he had never drunk anything more pleasant; the fact was, that he had never drunk before when he was thirsty. Nor had Ptolemy ever eaten when he was hungry; for as he was travelling over Egypt, his company not keeping up with him, he had some coarse bread presented him in a cottage, upon which he said, “Nothing ever seemed to him pleasanter than that bread.” They relate, too, of Socrates, that, once when he was walking very fast till the evening, on his being asked why he did so, his reply was that he was purchasing an appetite by walking, that he might sup the better. And do we not see what the Lacedæmonians provide in their Phiditia? where the tyrant Dionysius supped, but told them he did not at all like that black broth, which was their principal dish; on which he who dressed it said, “It was no wonder, for it wanted seasoning.” Dionysius asked what that seasoning was; to which it was replied, “Fatigue in hunting, sweating, a race on the banks of Eurotas, hunger and thirst,” for these are the seasonings to the Lacedæmonian banquets. And this may not only be conceived from the custom of men, but from the beasts, who are satisfied with anything that is thrown before them, provided it is not unnatural, and they seek no farther. easily supplied by the ground, and plants in great abundance, and of incomparable sweetness. Add to this strength and health, as the consequence of this abstemious way of living. Now, compare with this those who sweat and belch, being crammed with eating, like fatted oxen; then will you perceive that they who pursue pleasure most attain it least; and that the pleasure of eating lies not in satiety, but appetite.

Cicero on grumpy old men.

Grumpy old men –we all know some – have existed in every period of history. Cicero dwells on these characters in his De Senectute, a dialogue written about 44 BC, but set in 150 BC. The speakers are Cato Maior, Scipio Africanus and Laelius. The latter two are asking Cato – 83 at that moment – about old age. Cato is of course reflecting the opinions of Cicero. Cato – and thus Cicero – was not too harsh for grumpy old men and showed some understanding. Though not the youngest anymore, I try not to become grumpy. Might I however still become grumpy, let people around me read this passage.

Cicero, De Senectute:

[65] At sunt morosi et anxii et iracundi et difficiles senes. si quaerimus, etiam avari; sed haec morum vitia sunt, non senectutis. ac morositas tamen et ea vitia, quae dixi, habent aliquid excusationis, non illius quidem iustae, sed quae probari posse videatur: contemni se putant, despici, illudi; praeterea in fragili corpore odiosa omnis offensio est; quae tamen omnia dulciora fiunt et moribus bonis et artibus, idque cum in vita tum in scaena intellegi potest ex eis fratribus qui in Adelphis sunt. quanta in altero diritas, in altero comitas! Sic se res habet: ut enim non omne vinum, sic non omnis natura vetustate coacescit. severitatem in senectute probo, sed  eam, sicut alia, modicam; acerbitatem nullo modo; avaritia vero senilis quid sibi velit, non intellego. [66] Potest enim quicquam esse absurdius quam, quo viae minus restet, eo plus viatici quaerere?

morosus: peevish, morose, difficult

iracundus: irascible

quaero quaesivi quaesitum: to seek

avarus: avaricious 

morum vitia: faults of character

non illius quidem iusta: though not justified (illius is superfluous in translation, but is standard in Latin when quidem with concessive meaning is followed by sed.)

probo: to approve

posse videatur: note the careful formulation

despicio dispexi dispectum: to despise

illudo illusi illusum: to mock

odiosus: unpleasant, hateful

offensio (f.): offense, blow

dulciora: softer

moribus et artibus: by disposition and cultivation

scaena: stage

Adelphis: the Adelphi (`The Brothers’) is a play by Terence, friend of Scipio and Laelius. Two old man occur in this play of which one is characterized by diritas (f. `harshness), the other by comitas (f. `kindness’)

sic se res habet: the matter is thus

natura: character

coacesco coacescui: to become acid

vetustas vetustatis (f.): old age

severita severitatis (f.): austerity

modicus: not too much

acerbitas acerbitatis (f.): bitterness

avaritia: greed

senilis: of an old man

quid sibi velit: what use is it

quo viae minus restet, eo plus viatici quaerere: to seek the more of provision for a journey (viaticum), as the less of the way shall remain.

Translation by E. S. Shuckburgh (1909–14)

But, it will be said, old men are fretful, fidgety, ill-tempered, and disagreeable. If you come to that, they are also avaricious. But these are faults of character, not of the time of life. And, after all, fretfulness and the other faults I mentioned admit of some excuse—not, indeed, a complete one, but one that may possibly pass muster: they think themselves neglected, looked down upon, mocked. Besides, with bodily weakness every rub is a source of pain. Yet all these faults are softened both by good character and good education. Illustrations of this may be found in real life, as also on the stage in the case of the brothers in the Adelphi. What harshness in the one, what gracious manners in the other! The fact is that, just as it is not every wine, so it is not every life, that turns sour from keeping. Serious gravity I approve of in old age, but, as in other things, it must be within due limits: bitterness I can in no case approve. What the object of senile avarice may be I cannot conceive. For can there be anything more absurd than to seek more journey money, the less there remains of the journey?

Cicero, De oratore: an expert speaking?

With dozens of volumes of the Loeb Classical Library and the Tusculum and Artemis Greek/Latin – German editions within reach, it is easy to think that Classical Antiquity was a culture of the written word.  Of course this is to some extant true, but the spoken word was dominant: reading was done aloud and poets and would-be poets recited there latest poems at street corners – not always to everyone’s delight. No wonder that the art of speaking held an important position within the school curriculum, as power over the spoken word was indispensable for politicians, magistrates, lawyers or anyone with ambition.

In his De oratore (ca 55 BC) Cicero explains what the conditions are for becoming a good orator. The work is composed as a dialogue and in Book 2 Marcus Antonius Orator (143-97 BC), a famous orator, and Quintus Catulus (149-87 BC), Roman general and also orator, are the main speakers. The question is whether an orator should himself be an expert in the subjects he is teaching schoolboys to speak about. Take for instance that orator Phormio, who in front of Hannibal held a speech about military matters. Hannibal had so his ideas about the `expertise’ of this orator. I am afraid there are still a lot of such `experts’ walking around.

Catulus is speaking:

Cicero, de Oratore, 2, 75-76

[75] Nec mihi opus est Graeco aliquo doctore, qui mihi pervulgata praecepta decantet, cum ipse numquam forum, numquam ullum iudicium aspexerit; ut Peripateticus ille dicitur Phormio, cum Hannibal Karthagine expulsus Ephesum ad Antiochum venisset exsul proque eo, quod eius nomen erat magna apud omnis gloria, invitatus esset ab hospitibus suis, ut eum, quem dixi, si vellet, audiret; cumque is se non nolle dixisset, locutus esse dicitur homo copiosus aliquot horas de imperatoris officio et de [omni] re militari. Tum, cum ceteri, qui illum audierant, vehementer essent delectati, quaerebant ab Hannibale, quidnam ipse de illo philosopho iudicaret: hic Poenus non optime Graece, sed tamen libere respondisse fertur, multos se deliros senes saepe vidisse, sed qui magis quam Phormio deliraret vidisse neminem. [76] Neque me hercule iniuria; quid enim aut adrogantius aut loquacius fieri potuit quam Hannibali, qui tot annis de imperio cum populo Romano omnium gentium victore certasset, Graecum hominem, qui numquam hostem, numquam castra vidisset, numquam denique minimam partem ullius publici muneris attigisset, praecepta de re militari dare?

opus est (+ abl.): there is need for

aliquo Graeco doctore: note the derogative tone

pervulgatus: very usual, very common

decanto (-are): to repeat in a singing manner, say the same thing over and again

forum: court

iudicium: trial

praeceptum: precept, instruction

Antiochus: Antiochus Magnus (c. 241 – 187 BC), Seleucid king of Syria

ille dicitur Phormio: as that Phormio is said = as they say about that Phormio

Peripateticus: adherent of the philosophy of Aristotle

exsul: as exile

proque eo, quod: and for this, because = and for the reason that his name (as general) etc.

magna gloria: apposition to nomen eius

ut eum: i.e. Phormio

non nolle dixisset: a double negative is used to emphasise the positive (litotes) `he said he would like to come.’

copiosus: abounding (in words)

delecto (-are): to delight

Graece: in the Greek language

libere: freely

fertur: is said to

delirus: silly, crazy

deliro (-are): to be crazy, deranged

iniuria (verba)

loquacius: more verbosely

Hannibali…Graecum hominen…praecepta de re mlitari dare

Populo Romano, victore

certo (-are): to struggle

minimam partem: even the slightest part

attingo attigi attactum: to come in contact with

E. W. SUTTON, B.C.L., M.A. (1949)

75 Nor do I need any Greek professor to chant at me

a series of hackneyed axioms, when he himself never

had a glimpse of a law-court or judicial proceeding,

as the tale goes of Phormio the well-known Peri-

patetic ; for when Hannibal, banished from Carthage,

had come in exile to Antiochus at Ephesus and, inas-

much as his name was highly honoured all the world

over, had been invited by his hosts to hear the

philosopher in question, if he so pleased, and he had

intimated his willingness to do so, that wordy in-

dividual is said to have held forth for several hours

upon the functions of a commander-in-chief and

military matters in general. Then, when the other

listeners, vastly delighted, asked Hannibal for his

opinion of the eminent teacher, the Carthaginian is

reported to have thereupon replied, in no very good

Greek, but at any rate candidly, that time and again

he had seen many old madmen but never one madder

than Phormio. And upon my word he was right, for

what better example of prating insolence could there

be than for a Greek, who had never seen a foeman or

a camp, or even had the slightest connexion with any

public employment, to lecture on military matters to

Hannibal, who all those years had been disputing

empire with the Roman people, the conquerors of the

world ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Oratore