M. Tullius Cicero, Pro Archia Poeta, ed. Albert Curtis Clark, 16

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[16] ex hoc esse¹ hunc² numero quem patres nostri viderunt, divinum hominem, Africanum, ex hoc C. Laelium, L. Furium, moderatissimos³ homines et continentissimos, ex hoc fortissimum virum et illis temporibus doctissimum, M.⁴ Catonem illum senem; qui profecto si nihil ad percipiendam colendamque⁵ virtutem litteris adiuvarentur, numquam se ad earum studium contulissent. quod si non hic tantus fructus ostenderetur, et si ex his studiis delectatio sola peteretur, tamen, ut opinor, hanc animi remissionem⁶ humanissimam ac liberalissimam iudicaretis. nam ceterae neque temporum sunt neque aetatum omnium neque locorum; at⁷ haec studia adulescentiam acuunt⁸, senectutem oblectant, secundas res ornant, adversis perfugium⁹ ac solacium praebent, delectant domi, non impediunt foris, pernoctant nobiscum, peregrinantur, rusticantur.

Pro Archia Poeta. M. Tullius Cicero. ed. Albert Curtis Clark. Oxford. 1911.

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Funding provided by National Endowment For The Humanities (NEH).

Current edition Perseus

Pro Archia Poeta (Latin) (Cicero. M. Tulli Ciceronis Orationes, Volume 6. Clark, Albert Curtis, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1911.)

Translations (1)

For A.L. Archias Perseus (Cicero. The Orations of Marcus Tullius Cicero, Volume 2. Yonge, Charles Duke, translator. London: Bell, 1856.) — 16 focus

[16] such as is seen in that god-like man, whom our fathers saw in their time, Africanus; and in Caius Laelius and Lucius Furius, most virtuous and moderate men; and in that most excellent man, the most learned man of his time, Marcus Cato the elder; and all these men, if they had been to derive no assistance from literature in the cultivation and practice of virtue, would never have applied themselves to the study of it. Though, even if there were no such great advantage to be reaped from it, and if it were only pleasure that is sought from these studies, still I imagine you would consider it a most reasonable and liberal employment of the mind: for other occupations are not suited to every time, nor to every age or place; but these studies are the food of youth, the delight of old age; the ornament of prosperity, the refuge and comfort of adversity; a delight at home, and no hindrance abroad; they are companions by night, and in travel, and in the country.

Notes on the current edition

Pro Archia Poeta

1. esse om. e

2. hunc illum Garatoni

3. modestissimos ςbg

4. M. suppl. Manutius

5. -que om. GEe

6. animadversionem (animi adv. e) codd.: corr. Bonamicus ( Muretus Var. Lect. xii. 15)

7. at GEe: om. cett.

8. acuunt Gulielmius: agunt codd.: alunt ed. Hervag.

9. profugium Gap

Commentary

Commentary on Oration For Archias (Select Orations of Cicero (Allen and Greenough's Edition). Greenough, James Bradstreet; Kittredge, George Lyman, editors. Boston, London: Ginn & Company, 1897.) focus

ex hoc , etc.: Cicero enumerates the most distinguished patrons of the newly introduced Greek culture. Cato is separated from the rest because he was in theory opposed to this tendency on account of its imagined ill effects; hence the rather apologetic tone in which Cicero speaks of him.

Africanum : Scipio the younger (Aemilianus).

Laelium : the younger Laelius (surnamed Sapiens), whose friendship with Scipio Aemilianus forms the groundwork of Cicero's famous treatise De Amicitia.

Furium : L. Furius Philus (cos. B.C. 136), a patron of literature.

Catonem : M. Porcius Cato, called the Censor, was one of the leading men of Rome in the first half of the second century B.C.: a shrewd, hard-headed Roman of the old school, full of prejudices, and priding himself on his blunt manners. He was a distinguished antiquarian, and wrote books on antiquities and agriculture.

senem : he gives the name to Cicero's dialogue on Old Age (Cato Major).

quod si , etc.: even if literature, Cicero argues, had no great practical or ethical value (as it has), it would still be worthy of respect as a means of mental refreshment and diversion. The passage is a very famous tribute to liberal studies.

ceterae , sc. animi adversiones (from 1.17).

adversis [ rebus], dat. with

praebent .

M. Tullius Cicero Pro Archia Poeta 16

ed. Albert Curtis Clark

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