Cornelius Nepos
100-24 BCE
Trans RMBullard
Latin (Republican Era/Golden Age of Latin Literature)
CORNELI NEPOTIS ALCIBIADES
[1] ALCIBIADES, Cliniae filius, Atheniensis.
[Alcibiades was an Athenian, and son of Clinias.]
In hoc, quid natura efficere possit, videtur experta.
[When it came to him, whatever thing nature can accomplish, she seems to know what she's doing.]
Constat enim inter omnes, qui de eo memoriae prodiderunt, nihil illo fuisse excellentius vel in vitiis vel in virtutibus.
[You see, it is agreed among all men who have so memory about the fellow, that there had been nothing more prestigious in a person, than in either his flaws, or his virtues.]
2 Natus in amplissima civitate summo genere,
[He was born from the most prestigious stock, when the city was the most populous,]
omnium aetatis suae multo formosissimus,
[he was very much the most attactrive man in his generation,]
ad omnes res aptus consiliique plenus -
[he was quick to understand any situation, and full of plans-]
namque imperator fuit summus et mari et terra, disertus,
[you see, he was one of the greatest military commanders on land and sea, and eloquent,]
ut in primis dicendo valeret,
[such that he could first win a contest by speaking,]
quod tanta erat commendatio oris atque orationis,
[something which was so valued a quality for one's looks and speech,]
ut nemo ei [dicendo] posset resistere -, dives;
[such that no one could refuse him once he spoke, --he had endless resources;]
3 cum tempus posceret, laboriosus, patiens;
[whenever the occasion demanded it, he was meticulous and patient;]
liberalis, splendidus non minus in vita quam victu;
[he was generous, and not less illustrious in his lifestyle than his habits;]
affabilis, blandus, temporibus callidissime serviens:
[he was friendly, charming, and in the most delectable manner possible, he knew how to have a good time;]
4 idem, simulac se remiserat neque causa suberat,
[At the same, he at times held himself back, and not let himself get carried away by any matter,]
quare animi laborem perferret,
[whenever he performed a mental task,]
luxuriosus, dissolutus, libidinosus, intemperans reperiebatur,
[but he then began to be perceived as a lover of luxury, dissolute, lustful, and immoderate,]
ut omnes admirarentur in uno homine tantam esse dissimilitudinem tamque diversam naturam.
[such that everyone began to wonder how such a great difference in personality, and so diverse an inner nature, could exist in a single man.]
[2] Educatus est in domo Pericli
[He was educated in the house of Pericles]
- privignus enim eius fuisse dicitur -,
[you see, it's said that this fellow was his stepfather--]
eruditus a Socrate;
[he was educated by Socrates;]
socerum habuit Hipponicum, omnium Graeca lingua loquentium ditissimum:
[he had a father in law, Hipponicus, who was the most eloquent man in the Greek tongue of all:]
