De Officiis 1.36

Dignity in appearance and bearing

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Off. 1.36.1Cum autem pulchritūdinis duo genera sint, quōrum in alterō venustās sit, in alterō dignitās, venustātem muliebrem dūcere dēbēmus, dignitātem virīlem.Since there are two kinds of beauty, in one of which there is charm and in the other dignity, we ought to regard charm as feminine and dignity as masculine. Off. 1.36.1Ergō et ā fōrmā removeātur omnis virō nōn dignus ōrnātus, et huic simile vitium in gestū mōtūque caveātur.Therefore let every adornment unworthy of a man be removed from his appearance, and let a similar fault be guarded against in gesture and movement. Off. 1.36.1Nam et palaestricī mōtūs sunt saepe odiōsiōrēs, et histriōnum nōn nūllī gestus ineptiīs nōn vacant, et in utrōque genere quae sunt rēcta et simplicia, laudantur.For the movements of the wrestling school are often rather offensive, and some of the gestures of actors are not free from affectation, and in both kinds what is upright and simple wins praise. Off. 1.36.1Fōrmae autem dignitās colōris bonitāte tuenda est, color exercitātiōnibus corporis.Dignity of appearance, moreover, is to be maintained by a good complexion, and complexion by bodily exercise. Off. 1.36.1Adhibenda praetereā munditia est nōn odiōsa neque exquīsīta nimis, tantum quae fugiat agrestem et inhūmānam neglegentiam.Besides, we must practise a cleanliness that is not offensive or too elaborate, only such as avoids boorish and uncivilised neglect.

Off. 1.36.1Eadem ratiō est habenda vestītūs, in quō, sīcut in plērīsque rēbus, mediocritās optima est.The same principle must be followed in dress, in which, as in most things, the mean is best. Off. 1.36.131Cavendum autem est, nē aut tarditātibus ūtāmur in ingressū molliōribus, ut pompārum ferculīs similēs esse videāmur, aut in festīnātiōnibus suscipiāmus nimiās celeritātēs, quae cum fīunt, anhēlitūs moventur, vultūs mūtantur, ōra torquentur;We must take care, however, neither to adopt in our walk too languid a slowness, so as to seem like the litters carried in processions, nor in haste to take on excessive speed; when this happens, the breath grows short, the expression changes, the face is distorted; Off. 1.36.131ex quibus magna significātiō fit nōn adesse cōnstantiam.and from these things comes a strong indication that steadiness is lacking. Off. 1.36.131Sed multō etiam magis ēlabōrandum est, nē animī mōtūs ā nātūrā recēdant;But much more still must we labour that the movements of the mind do not depart from nature; Off. 1.36.131quod assequēmur, sī cavēbimus, nē in perturbātiōnēs atque exanimātiōnēs incidāmus, et sī attentōs animōs ad decoris cōnservātiōnem tenēbimus.this we shall achieve if we take care not to fall into disturbances and agitations, and if we keep our minds intent on preserving decorum.

Off. 1.36.132Mōtūs autem animōrum duplicēs sunt, alterī cōgitātiōnis, alterī appetītūs;The movements of minds are of two kinds, some of thought, others of appetite; Off. 1.36.132cōgitātiō in vērō exquīrendō maximē versātur, appetītus impellit ad agendum.thought is chiefly occupied in seeking out the truth, appetite drives us to action. Off. 1.36.132Cūrandum est igitur, ut cōgitātiōne ad rēs quam optimās ūtāmur, appetītum ratiōnī oboedientem praebeāmus.We must take care, therefore, to use thought for the best possible ends, and to make appetite obedient to reason.

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Grammar in this passage: gerunds and gerundives ×8, purpose clauses ×1

Latin vocabulary for this passage (128 words)

cum, conj.	when, while, after; since; although
autem, conj.	moreover; but, however; now
pulchritūdō, -inis f.	beauty
duo, -ae, -o, plur. adj.	two
genus, generis, n.	kind, nature
sum, esse, fuī, futūrus	be
quī, quae, quod, rel. pron.	who, which
in, prep. with acc. and abl.	with acc.: into, onto, against; with abl.: in, on
alter, -era, -erum	one or the other (of two); another, second
venustās, -ātis f.	charm, grace, beauty
dignitās, -ātis f.	rank, standing, prestige
muliebris, -e	of a woman, womanly; (n. pl.) a woman's part
dūcō, dūcere, dūxī, ductus	lead; make, dig; with or without in mātrimōnium, marry
dēbeō, -ēre, -uī, -itus	owe; with infin., ought
virīlis, -e	of a man, male; n. pl. as noun: a man's private parts
ergō (adv.)	therefore, then; quid ergō? what then?
et, conj.	and; et ... et, both ... and
ā, ab (prep. + abl.)	away from, from; by (ā only before consonants)
fōrma, -ae, f.	form, appearance; beauty
removeō, -movēre, -mōvī, -mōtus	move back, remove
omnis, -e	all, every
vir, virī, m.	man
nōn, adv.	not
dignus, -a, -um (+ abl.)	worthy (of), deserving
ōrnātus, -a, -um	equipped, fitted out
hic, haec, hoc, dem. pron.	this; ille ... hīc, that ... this, the former ... the latter
similis, -e	like, similar (vērī similis: likely)
vitium, -ī n.	fault, vice
gestus, -ūs m.	gesture, movement, bearing
mōtus, -ūs m.	motion, movement; uprising
que, enclitic conj.	and
caveō, cavēre, cāvī, cautus	beware, take care; be on one's guard against, beware of
nam, conj.	for
palaestricus, -a, -um	of the wrestling school, gymnastic
saepe, adv.	often, frequently
odiōsus, -a, -um	hateful, offensive, tiresome
histriō, -ōnis m.	actor, player
nūllus, -a, -um	not any, none, no
gerō, gerere, gessī, gestus	carry, wear; carry on, do
ineptiae, -ārum f. pl.	silliness, absurdities, trifles, nonsense
vacō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum	be empty, be unoccupied
uterque, utraque, utrumque	each, either, both
rēctus, -a, -um	direct, straight
simplex, -icis	simple, unmixed, pure
laudō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum	praise
color, -ōris, m.	color
bonitās, -ātis f.	goodness, fertility (of land)
tueor, -ērī, tuitus sum	watch over, protect, defend
exercitātiō, -ōnis, f.	exercise
corpus, corporis, n.	body
adhibeō, -hibēre, -hibuī, -hibitus	hold to, employ, show
praetereā, adv.	besides this, besides, moreover
munditia, -ae f.	neatness, elegance; pl. simple elegance
neque or nec, conj.	and not, nor; neque ... neque, neither ... nor; neque enim, for ... not
exquīrō, -ere, -quīsīvī, -quīsītum	search out, find out
nimis (adv.)	too much, too
tantum, adv.	so much or far, only
fugiō, fugere, fūgī, fugitūrus	flee, run away
agrestis, -e	of the country, rustic; boorish
inhūmānus, -a, -um	inhuman, savage, cruel
neglegentia, -ae f.	carelessness, neglect
īdem, eadem, idem, dem. pron.	the same; sometimes to be translated likewise, also
ratiō, -ōnis, f.	plan, means, method, manner; reason; account
habeō, -ēre, -uī, -itus	have, hold; consider
vestītus, -ūs, m.	clothing
sīcut (conj.)	just as
plērīque, plēraeque, plēraque	most, very many
rēs, reī, f.	thing, matter, affair, circumstance, situation; rē vērā, in truth, in fact, really
mediocritās, -ātis f.	the middle course, moderation, the mean
bonus, -a, -um	good
nē, adv.	not; nē ... quidem, not ... even; conj., that not, lest
aut, conj.	or; aut ... aut, either ... or
tarditās, -ātis f.	slowness
ūtor, ūtī, ūsus	use
ingressus, -ūs m.	a going in, entrance; access
mollis, -e	soft, weak
ut, conj.	as; when; that; ita ut, as
pompa, -ae f.	procession, parade
ferculum, -ī n.	frame or litter for carrying (spoils, images) in procession
videō, vidēre, vīdī, vīsus	see; pass., seem
festīnātiō, -ōnis f.	haste, hurry
suscipiō, -cipere, -cēpī, -ceptus	undertake
nimius, -a, -um	excessive, too great
celeritās, -tātis, f.	swiftness, quickness, speed
fīō, fierī, factus sum	be done or made, become, happen
anhēlitus, -ūs m.	panting, breath
moveō, movēre, mōvī, mōtus	move
vultus, -ūs m.	face, expression
mūtō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	change
ōs, ōris, n.	mouth
torqueō, torquēre, torsī, tortus	turn
ex, ē (prep. + abl.)	out of, from; of (ē only before consonants)
magnus, -a, -um	large, big, great, mighty; loud
significātiō, -ōnis f.	signal
adsum, adesse, adfuī	be present, be at hand
cōnstantia, -ae f.	steadiness, firmness
sed, conj.	but
multō, adv.	by much or far, much, far
etiam, adv.	and now, also, too, even
magis, comp. adv.	more, rather
ēlabōrō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	work out, produce with effort
animus, -ī, m.	mind; heart; spirit, courage
nātūra, -ae, f.	nature, character
recēdō, -ere, -cessī, -cessum	go back, withdraw, retire
assequor, -sequī, -secūtus sum	overtake; attain, accomplish
sī, conj.	if
perturbātiō, -ōnis f.	confusion, disorder
atque, ac (conj.)	and; after comparisons: as, than (ac only before consonants)
exanimātiō, -ōnis f.	panic, terror, consternation
incidō, -cidere, -cidī	fall into or upon
attendō, -tendere, -tendī, -tentus	turn one's mind to, pay attention, notice
ad, prep. with acc.	to, toward; at, near; for
decus, -oris n.	honour, glory; what is fitting, propriety
cōnservātiō, -ōnis f.	preservation, keeping, maintenance
teneō, -ēre, -uī, -tus	hold, keep; hold back, restrain, stop
duplex, -icis	double
cōgitātiō, -ōnis f.	thought, reflection; plan, intention
appetītus, -ūs m.	desire, craving, longing
vērum (conj.)	but, but in fact; nōn modo ... vērum etiam: not only ... but also
maximē, adv.	very greatly, exceedingly, especially
versor, -ārī, -ātus	keep turning, be busy or employed, be
impellō, -pellere, -pulī, -pulsus	drive or urge on, incite, urge
agō, agere, ēgī, āctus	drive; do; pass, lead; grātiās agere, see grātia
cūrō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum	take care of; (+ gerundive) have something done
igitur, conj.	therefore
quam, adv.	how? as; than; with superl., as ... as possible
oboediō, -īre, -īvī, -ītum	obey (+ dat.)
praebeō, -ēre, -uī, -itus	hold forth, supply, furnish, give; show, present, exhibit

Cicero, De Officiis I. Latin text: W. Miller, Cicero: De Officiis (Loeb, 1913), public domain; digital text from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA. Word analysis: drafted by our own tagger (trained on the hand-checked texts on this site), with every doubtful word checked by hand. English translation and section titles: written for this app, each checked against the Latin by a second reader.