Sunday, February 01, 2015

 

Nihil Ab Omni Parte Beatum

Claudian, On Stilicho's Consulship 1.24-33 (tr. Maurice Platnauer):
For truly since man inhabited this globe never has one mortal been granted all earth's blessings without alloy. This man's face is fair but his character is evil; another has a beauteous soul but an ugly body. One is renowned in war but makes peace hideous with his vices. This man is happy in his public but unhappy in his private life. Each takes a part; each owes his fame to some one gift, to bodily beauty, to martial prowess, to strength, to uprightness of life, to knowledge of law, to his offspring and a virtuous wife.

                               Etenim mortalibus ex quo
tellus coepta coli, numquam sincera bonorum        25
sors ulli concessa viro. quem vultus honestat,
dedecorant mores; animus quem pulchrior ornat,
corpus destituit. bellis insignior ille,
sed pacem foedat vitiis. hic publica felix,
sed privata minus. partitum; singula quemque        30
nobilitant: hunc forma decens, hunc robur in armis,
hunc rigor, hunc pietas, illum sollertia iuris,
hunc suboles castique tori.
"Each takes a part," i.e. "Each has received his share."

Horace, Odes 2.16.27-32 (tr. Niall Rudd):
Nothing is happy in every respect. An early death overtook the famous Achilles; a protracted old age wasted Tithonus away; it may be that time will offer me what it has denied to you.

nihil est ab omni
    parte beatum.
abstulit clarum cita mors Achillem,
longa Tithonum minuit senectus,        30
et mihi forsan, tibi quod negarit,
    porriget hora.



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