Off. 1.23.1Omnīnō illud honestum, quod ex animō excelsō magnificōque quaerimus, animī efficitur, nōn corporis vīribus.In general, that honourable quality which we look for from a lofty and magnificent spirit is produced by strength of mind, not of body. Off. 1.23.1Exercendum tamen corpus et ita afficiendum est, ut oboedīre cōnsiliō ratiōnīque possit in exsequendīs negōtiīs et in labōre tolerandō.Yet the body must be exercised and so trained that it can obey counsel and reason in carrying out business and in enduring toil. Off. 1.23.1Honestum autem id, quod exquīrimus, tōtum est positum in animī cūrā et cōgitātiōne;But that honourable quality which we are examining lies wholly in the care and thought of the mind; Off. 1.23.1in quō nōn minōrem ūtilitātem afferunt, quī togātī reī pūblicae praesunt, quam quī bellum gerunt.and in this, those who preside over the state in the toga render no less service than those who wage war. Off. 1.23.1Itaque eōrum cōnsiliō saepe aut nōn suscepta aut cōnfecta bella sunt, nōn numquam etiam illātā, ut M. Catōnis bellum tertium Pūnicum, in quō etiam mortuī valuit auctōritās.And so by their counsel wars have often either not been undertaken or been ended, and sometimes even been begun, as the Third Punic War was by Marcus Cato, in which his authority prevailed even after he was dead.
Off. 1.23.80Quārē expetenda quidem magis est dēcernendī ratiō quam dēcertandī fortitūdō, sed cavendum, nē id bellandī magis fugā quam ūtilitātis ratiōne faciāmus.Therefore the art of deciding is indeed more to be sought than the courage of fighting, but we must beware of doing this from an aversion to war rather than from a consideration of advantage. Off. 1.23.80Bellum autem ita suscipiātur, ut nihil aliud nisi pāx quaesīta videātur.War, moreover, should be undertaken in such a way that nothing but peace may seem to have been sought. Off. 1.23.80Fortis vērō animī et cōnstantis est nōn perturbārī in rēbus asperīs nec tumultuantem dē gradū dēicī, ut dīcitur, sed praesentī animō ūtī et cōnsiliō nec ā ratiōne discēdere.It is the mark of a brave and steadfast spirit not to be disturbed in hard circumstances, nor to be thrown off one's footing in confusion, as the saying goes, but to keep presence of mind and counsel and not to depart from reason. Off. 1.23.81Quamquam hoc animī, illud etiam ingeniī magnī est, praecipere cōgitātiōne futūra et aliquantō ante cōnstituere, quid accidere possit in utramque partem, et quid agendum sit, cum quid ēvēnerit, nec committere, ut aliquandō dīcendum sit: "Nōn putāram."And though this is the mark of a great spirit, that is the mark of a great intellect as well: to anticipate the future in thought, and to decide some time in advance what may happen either way, and what must be done when something has happened, and never to let it come about that one must say at some point, 'I had not thought of it.' Off. 1.23.81Haec sunt opera magnī animī et excelsī et prūdentiā cōnsiliōque fīdentis;These are the works of a spirit great and lofty and trusting in foresight and counsel; Off. 1.23.81temerē autem in aciē versārī et manū cum hoste cōnflīgere immāne quiddam et bēluārum simile est;but to rush about rashly in the battle line and fight hand to hand with the enemy is something savage and like the beasts; Off. 1.23.81sed cum tempus necessitāsque postulat, dēcertandum manū est et mors servitūtī turpitūdinīque antepōnenda.but when the occasion and necessity demand it, we must fight hand to hand and prefer death to slavery and disgrace.