The De Re Publica by
Cicero was unknown except for the Somniun
Scipionis, which survived because of the commentary of Macrobius. To get
things clear: texts we have from Latin and Greek are not the authors own
handwriting, but copies from 800- 1400 years late, except of course fragments
of papyri. In 1819 Cardinal Angelico Mai, studying an old manuscript with a
text from Augustine, discovered that a text on the parchment was erased and
with some difficulty he found out that it was a lost work from Cicero. Using
crude methods to make the text readable, parts have been lost, but the codex
had not the complete text any way. Such a codex is called a palimpsest: as
parchment was expensive, texts were erased and another text was written on the parchment.
May be some day the lost parts of Livy
or Tacitus will be discovered under some boring text…
The De Re Publica – as the
title already suggests - is a philosophical work loosely modelled after the Plato’s
dialogue with the same name. As for its title, to translate as (About) the
Republic is a bit misleading as Cicero had clearly a broader concept in mind
than we associate with the word republic. Common good, commonwealth, common interest
or something like that is more appropriate.
Book 2 of this work is about the history of Rome with a special
focus on its institutions. The speaker here is P. Cornelius Scipio and he is
telling with what great insight Romulus has chosen the place to found Rome: it
is ideally situated and therefore almost destined to become a world power.
It is interesting what Scipio – through the mouth of Cicero – is saying
about coastal cities: the people there are corrupted by foreign languages and
customs. As examples he takes Carthage and Corinth, being himself the general
who destroyed Carthage in 146 BC.
One and a half century after Cicero, Juvenal is complaining in his third
satire about all the foreign people, languages and customs at Rome, which make
life unbearable there…
After Romulus has beaten king Amulius and subjected Alba Longa,
Scipio continues his story:
Cicero, De Re Publica
2.5-7
(5) Qua gloria parta urbem
auspicato condere et firmare dicitur primum cogitavisse rem publicam. Urbi
autem locum, quod est ei qui diuturnam rem publicam serere conatur
diligentissime providendum, incredibili opportunitate delegit. Neque enim ad
mare admovit, quod ei fuit illa manu copiisque facillimum, ut in agrum
Rutulorum Aboriginumve procederet, aut in ostio Tiberino, quem in locum multis
post annis rex Ancus coloniam deduxit, urbem ipse conderet, sed hoc vir
excellenti providentia sensit ac vidit, non esse opportunissimos situs
maritimos urbibus eis quae ad spem diuturnitatis conderentur atque imperii,
primum quod essent urbes maritimae non solum multis periculis oppositae sed
etiam caecis. (6) Nam terra continens adventus hostium non modo expectatos sed
etiam repentinos multis indiciis et quasi fragore quodam et sonitu ipso ante
denuntiat, neque vero quisquam potest hostis advolare terra, quin eum non modo
<ad>esse sed etiam quis et unde sit scire possimus. Maritimus vero ille
et navalis hostis ante adesse potest quam quisquam venturum esse suspicari
queat, nec vero cum venit prae se fert aut qui sit aut unde veniat aut etiam
quid velit, denique ne nota quidem ulla, pacatus an hostis sit, discerni ac
iudicari potest.
(7) Est autem maritimis urbibus etiam quaedam corruptela ac mutatio
morum; admiscentur enim novis sermonibus ac disciplinis, et inportantur non
merces solum adventiciae sed etiam mores, ut nihil possit in patriis institutis
manere integrum. Iam qui incolunt eas urbes, non haerent in suis sedibus, sed
volucri semper spe et cogitatione rapiuntur a domo longius, atque etiam cum
manent corpore, animo tamen exulant et vagantur. Nec vero ulla res magis
labefactatam diu et Carthaginem et Corinthum pervertit aliquando, quam hic
error ac dissipatio civium, quod mercandi cupiditate et navigandi et agrorum et
armorum cultum reliquerant.
qua gloria parta: after he (Romulus) gained glory
urbem auspicato condere: to found a city after having consulted the auspices (auspicato : abl abs.)
Urbi autem locum, quod est
ei qui diuturnam rem publicam serere conatur diligentissime providendum, incredibili
opportunitate delegit = Urbi autem locum, quod est diligentissime providendum ei qui diuturnam
rem publicam serere conatur, incredibili opportunitate delegit.
diuturnus: everlasting
sero sevi satum: to sow, plant (both words come from a common root *seh1
)
conor conatus sum: to try
provideo: to look after, care for
deligo dilegi dilectum: to choose, elect
illa manu copiisque: with that band and resources
ut…aut: either …or
Rutulorum Aboriginumve: the Rutuli had Ardea as
capital, 35 km south of Rome at the coast. The Aborigines are probably a completely legendary people.
Ancus: Ancus Marcius (r. 642 BC – 617 BC) fourth king of Rome, who
founded the port Ostia.
excellenti providentia: abl. of description
caecis (periculis): not blind (caecus) dangers, but dangers which
cannot be seen
terra continens: adjacent land
repentinus: sudden, unexpected
fragor -oris (m.): crash, noise (from frango:
to break)
advolare terra: fly on land (advolo is of
course a metaphor for describing a quick approach.)
quin eum non modo
<ad>esse sed etiam quis et unde sit scire possimus: without that we not only can know that he is present, but also whom
he is and from where
ante adesse potest quam = adesse potest antequam
queo quivi quitum: to be able, can
prae se fert: he makes known
nota: a means of recognition, sign
corruptela: corruption
merces adventiciae: foreign goods
sed volucri semper spe et
cogitatione rapiuntur a domo longius: but are torn far
away from their home by winged (i.e. idle) hope and thought
animo tamen exulant et
vagantur: still they are absent and roaming with
their mind
Nec vero ulla res magis labefactatam diu et Carthaginem et Corinthum
pervertit aliquando: and not has at any time any cause more ruined for a long
time Carthage and Corinth so that they were destroyed (labefactatam is a resultative adjective)
dissipation –onis (f.): dispersing
mercor mercatus sum: to traffic
The translation is by Francis Barham, reworked by C.D. Yonge and
dates from 1877. Undoubtedly there are more modern translations, but not on
internet. So far the idea that everything can be found on internet, as book
hating managers of the university library here keep telling….
(There are unfortunately two different numberings and the text
copied from The Latin Library differs with the translation.)
III. Having acquired this glory, he conceived the design (as they
tell us) of founding a new city and establishing a new state. As respected the
site of his new city, a point which requires the greatest foresight in him who
would lay the foundation of a durable commonwealth, he chose the most
convenient possible position. For he did not advance too near the sea, which he
might easily have done with the forces under his command, either by entering
the territory of the Rutuli and Aborigines, or by founding his citadel at the
mouth of the Tiber, where many years after Ancus Martius established a colony.
But Romulus, with admirable genius and foresight, observed and perceived that
sites very near the sea are not the most favorable positions for cities which
would attain a durable prosperity and dominion. And this, first, because
maritime cities are always exposed, not only to many attacks, but to perils
they cannot provide against. For the continued land gives notice, by many
indications, not only of any regular approaches, but also of any sudden
surprises of an enemy, and announces them beforehand by the mere sound. There
is no adversary who, on an inland territory, can arrive so swiftly as to
prevent our knowing not only his existence, but his character too, and where he
comes from. But a maritime and naval enemy can fall upon a town on the
sea-coast before any one suspects that he is about to come; and when he does come,
nothing exterior indicates who he is, or whence he comes, or what he wishes;
nor can it even be determined and distinguished on all occasions whether he is
a friend or a foe.
IV. But maritime cities are likewise naturally exposed to corrupt
influences, and revolutions of manners. Their civilization is more or less
adulterated by new languages and customs, and they import not only foreign
merchandise, but foreign fashions, to such a degree that nothing can continue
unalloyed in the national institutions. Those who inhabit these maritime towns
do not remain in their native place, but are urged afar from their homes by
winged hope and speculation. And even when they do not desert their country in
person, still their minds are always expatiating and voyaging round the world.
Nor, indeed, was there any cause which more deeply undermined
Corinth and Carthage, and at last overthrew them both, than this wandering and
dispersion of their citizens, whom the passion of commerce and navigation had
induced to abandon the cultivation of their lands and their attention to
military pursuits.
The original translation by Barham from
1844 contains an interesting history of the text:
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