Letter 1601: It is not the person who has no opportunity to do injustice who deserves to be called just — but the one who,...
It is madness. Therefore it is necessary that those who are consecrated keep themselves, like temples, inaccessible to every tyrannical and shameful passion. To Maron. Rumors for the most part spring from actual deeds. The true ones are not easily, and perhaps not at all, extinguished. But the false ones, contrived by enemies out of envy, are dissolved more quickly than spider webs. Cease therefore from your improper actions; but if you will not, do not be indignant at the report that mocks you everywhere. For it is impossible that branches should not spring forth from a root.
AI-assisted translation — This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.
Latin / Greek Original
ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΑΡΟΥΜ ΛΙΒ. V.
μανίαν ἔχει. Χρὴ τοιγαροῦν τοὺς ἱερωμένους, ὥσπερ ἀνάκτορα, παντὸς τυραννικοῦ καὶ αἰσχροῦ πάθους ἀβάτους ἑαυτοὺς διατηρεῖν.
ΥΟΓ'. – ΜΑΡΩΝΙ.
Ἐκ τῶν πραγμάτων ὡς τὰ πολλὰ αἱ φῆμαι φύονται· αἱ μὲν οὖν ἀληθεῖς οὐ ῥᾳδίως, τάχα δὲ οὐδ᾽ ὅλως σβέννυνται. Αἱ δὲ ψευδεῖς, καὶ παρὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν φθόνου ἕνεκεν πραττόμεναι, ὡς τὰ ἀράχνεια ὑφάσματα, θᾶττον διαλύονται. Πέπαυσο τοίνυν τῶν ἀτόπων πράξεων· εἰ δὲ μὴ, μὴ ἀγανάκτει κατὰ τῆς φήμης, ὡς πανταχόσε κωμῳδούσης. Οὐδὲ γὰρ οἷόν τε βίζης (48) κλάδους μὴ ἀναφύναι.
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