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III.9. Socrates ad Amicos

 

Parallels: For parallel versions, see Perry 500.

 

Vulgare amici nomen sed rara est fides.

Cum parvas aedes sibi fundasset Socrates

(cuius non fugio mortem si famam adsequar,

et cedo invidiae dummodo absolvar cinis),

ex populo sic nescioquis, ut fieri solet:

"Quaeso, tam angustam talis vir ponis domum?"

"Utinam" inquit "veris hanc amicis impleam!"

 

Here is the poem in a more prose-like word order for easy reading:

 

Nomen amici est vulgare sed fides est rara.

Cum Socrates fundasset sibi parvas aedes

(cuius non fugio mortem si adsequar famam,

et cedo invidiae dummodo cinis absolvar),

nescioquis ex populo sic, ut fieri solet:

"Quaeso, talis vir ponis domum tam angustam?"

Socrates inquit:

"Utinam impleam hanc veris amicis!"

 

Here is the poem with meter marks:

 

Vulgar(e) ~ ami~ci no~men sed ~ rar(a) est ~ fides.

Cum par~vas ae~des sib'~ fundas~set So~crates

(cuius ~ non fug~jo mor~tem si ~ fam(am) ad~sequar,

et ce~d(o) invid~jae dum~mod(o) ab~solvar ~ cinis),

ex pop'~lo sic ~ nescjo~quis, ut ~ fjeri ~ solet:

"Quaeso, ~ t(am) angus~tam ta~lis vir ~ ponis ~ domum?"

"Ut'n(am)" in~quit "ve~ris hanc ~ ami~cis im~pleam!"

 

Translation:

 

The word 'friend' is in common use but faithful friendship is rare. Socrates had erected for himself a very modest house - and I myself would even be willing to die as Socrates died if I could achieve an equal fame, yes, I would be willing to suffer the same public disapproval if I too could be vindicated after death! Anyway, just as you would expect on such an occasion, one of his neighbours had to ask, 'Why is it, Socrates, that a man such as you builds such a tiny little house?' 'Ah,' said Socrates, 'if only I could fill it with true friends!'

 

[This translation is meant as a help in understanding the story, not as a "crib" for the Latin. I have not hesitated to change the syntax to make it flow more smoothly in English, altering the verb tense consistently to narrative past tense, etc.]

 

A Saying of Socrates (trans. C. Smart)

Though common be the name of friend,

Few can to faithfulness pretend,

That Socrates (whose cruel case,

I'd freely for his fame embrace,

And living any envy bear

To leave my character so fair)

Was building of a little cot,

When some one, standing on the spot,

Ask'd, as the folks are apt to do,

" How comes so great a man as you

Content with such a little hole ?"-

"I wish," says he, "with all my soul

That this same little house I build

Was with true friends completely fill'd."

 

Illustration:

 

Here is an image of Socrates: