Dante Alighieri [Dante]
1265-1321 AD Italy
Trans RMBullard
Latin (Medieval Era)
DANTIS ALAGHERII MONARCHIA LIBER PRIMUS
I. 1. Omnium hominum quos ad amorem veritatis natura superior impressit hoc maxime interesse videtur:
[A higher nature, that inspires all men to the love of truth, seems most of all to involve this:]
ut, quemadmodum de labore antiquorum ditati sunt,
[such that, to whatever degree they were enriched by the labor of their forerunners,]
ita et ipsi posteris prolaborent,
[so too these very same men should work hard for their descendents,[
quatenus ab eis posteritas habeat quo ditetur.
[to whatever point posterity might possess from them something that can enrich them.]
2. Longe nanque ab offitio se esse non dubitet
[On that account, one might not doubt himself derelict of his duty, by far,]
qui, publicis documentis imbutus, ad rem publicam aliquid afferre non curat;
[whoever, once imbued with the documents of the public, does not take care to carry anything out for the sake of their commonwealth;]
non enim est lignum,
[you see, it is not wood,]
quod secus decursus aquarum fructificat in tempore suo,
[that bears fruit at its proper time, when separated from the downpour of water,]
sed potius perniciosa vorago semper ingurgitans
[but rather, it is a pernicious whirlpool, always gurgling around,]
et nunquam ingurgitata refundens.
[and gurgling, never overflows.]
3. Hec igitur sepe mecum recogitans,
[And often recognizing things like these, along with me,]
