Off. 1.35.1Sed quoniam decōrum illud!in omnibus factīs dictīs, in, corporis dēnique mōtū et statū cernitur id que positum est in tribus rēbus, fōrmōsitāte, ōrdine, ōrnātū ad āctiōnem aptō, difficilibus ad ēloquendum, sed satis erit intellegī, in hīs autem tribus continētur cūra etiam illa, ut probēmur iīs, quibuscum apud quōsque vīvāmus, hīs quoque dē rēbus pauca dīcantur.But since that decorum is seen in all deeds and words, and finally in the movement and posture of the body, and consists in three things, beauty, order, and adornment suited to action, things hard to put into words, but it will be enough for them to be understood, and since in these three is also contained that concern to win the approval of those with whom and among whom we live, let a few words be said on these matters too. Off. 1.35.1Prīncipiō corporis nostrī magnam nātūra ipsa vidētur habuisse ratiōnem, quae fōrmam nostram reliquamque figūram, in quā esset speciēs honesta, eam posuit in prōmptū, quae partēs autem corporis ad nātūrae necessitātem datae aspectum essent dēfōrmem habitūrae atque foedum, eās contēxit atque abdidit.To begin with, nature herself seems to have taken great account of our body, for she placed in plain view our outward appearance and the rest of our figure, in which there was an honourable appearance, whereas those parts of the body which, given for nature's needs, would have had an ugly and foul aspect, she covered and hid away.
Off. 1.35.127Hanc nātūrae tam dīligentem fabricam imitāta est hominum verēcundia.This so careful design of nature human modesty has imitated. Off. 1.35.127Quae enim nātūra occultāvit, eadem omnēs, quī sānā mente sunt, removent ab oculīs ipsīque necessitātī dant operam ut quam occultissimē pāreant;For what nature has hidden, all who are of sound mind likewise keep from sight, and they take care to attend to necessity itself as secretly as possible; Off. 1.35.127quārumque partium corporis ūsūs sunt necessāriī, eās neque partēs neque eārum ūsūs suīs nōminibus appellant;and those parts of the body whose functions are necessary they call neither the parts nor their functions by their own names; Off. 1.35.127quodque facere turpe nōn est, modo occultē, id dīcere obscēnum est.and what it is not shameful to do, provided it is done in secret, it is obscene to speak of. Off. 1.35.127Itaque nec āctiō rērum illārum apertā petulantiā vacat nec ōrātiōnis obscēnitās.So neither is the open performance of those acts free from indecency, nor is obscenity of speech. Off. 1.35.128Nec vērō audiendī sunt Cynicī, aut sī quī fuērunt Stōicī paene Cynicī, quī reprehendunt et irrīdent, quod ea, quae turpia nōn sint, verbīs flāgitiōsa dūcāmus, illa autem, quae turpia sint, nōminibus appellēmus suīs.Nor indeed should we listen to the Cynics, or to those Stoics who were almost Cynics, who censure and mock us because we consider shameful in words things that are not disgraceful, while we call by their own names things that are disgraceful.
Off. 1.35.128Latrōcinārī, fraudāre, adulterāre rē turpe est, sed dīcitur nōn obscēnē;Robbery, fraud and adultery are shameful in fact, but are spoken of without obscenity; Off. 1.35.128līberīs dare operam rē honestum est, nōmine obscēnum;begetting children is honourable in fact, obscene in name; Off. 1.35.128plūraque in eam sententiam ab eīsdem contrā verēcundiam disputantur.and many more arguments to this effect are put forward by the same men against modesty. Off. 1.35.128Nōs autem nātūram sequāmur et ab omnī, quod abhorret ab oculōrum auriumque approbātiōne, fugiāmus;But let us follow nature and shun everything that offends the approval of eyes and ears; Off. 1.35.128status incessus, sessiō accubitiō, vultus oculī manuum mōtus teneat illud decōrum.let standing, walking, sitting, reclining, the face, the eyes, the movement of the hands, keep to that decorum. Off. 1.35.129Quibus in rēbus duo maximē sunt fugienda, nē quid effēminātum aut molle et nē quid dūrum aut rūsticum sit.In these matters two things above all are to be avoided: that anything be effeminate or soft, and that anything be harsh or boorish. Off. 1.35.129Nec vērō histriōnibus ōrātōribusque concēdendum est, ut iīs haec apta sint, nōbīs dissolūta.Nor should we concede to actors and orators that these rules are fitting for them, but of no concern to us.
Off. 1.35.129Scaenicōrum quidem mōs tantam habet vetere disciplīnā verēcundiam, ut in scaenam sine subligāculō prōdeat nēmō;The custom of actors, indeed, from old discipline involves such modesty that no one goes on stage without a loincloth; Off. 1.35.129verentur enim, nē, sī quō cāsū ēvēnerit, ut corporis partēs quaedam aperiantur, aspiciantur nōn decōrē.for they fear that, if by some chance it should happen that certain parts of the body are exposed, they may be seen indecently. Off. 1.35.129Nostrō quidem mōre cum parentibus pūberēs fīliī, cum socerīs generī nōn lavantur.By our custom, indeed, grown sons do not bathe with their fathers, nor sons-in-law with their fathers-in-law. Off. 1.35.129Retinenda igitur est huius generis verēcundia, praesertim nātūrā ipsā magistrā et duce.Modesty of this kind must therefore be kept, especially with nature herself as teacher and guide.