Somnium Scipionis (De Re Publica 6.17)

Rep. 6.17.1Quam cum magis intuērer, Quaesō, inquit Āfricānus, quoūsque humī dēfīxa tua mēns erit?

As I gazed at it more intently, Africanus said: 'Tell me, how long will your mind be fixed on the ground?

Note. quoūsque: 'how long?', an echo of Cicero's own Quō ūsque tandem in the First Catilinarian. humī: locative, 'on the ground'.

Rep. 6.17.1Nōnne aspicis, quae in templa vēnerīs?

Do you not see into what temples you have come?

Note. quae in templa: quae is the interrogative adjective, 'into what temples'. vēneris: perfect subjunctive in an indirect question.

Rep. 6.17.1Novem tibi orbibus vel potius globīs cōnexa sunt omnia, quōrum ūnus est caelestis, extumus, quī reliquōs omnēs complectitur, summus ipse deus arcēns et continēns cēterōs;

Everything is joined together by nine circles, or rather spheres, of which one is the heavenly, the outermost, which embraces all the rest; it is itself the supreme god, enclosing and holding in the others;

Note. The nine spheres: the outermost, of the fixed stars, then the seven planets, and the earth at the centre. extumus is the older spelling of extimus, 'outermost'. summus ipse deus: the outer heaven is itself the supreme god. arcēns et continēns: present participles, 'enclosing and holding in'.

Rep. 6.17.1in quō sunt īnfīxī illī, quī volvuntur, stellārum cursūs sempiternī;

in it are fixed those stars whose courses revolve for ever;

Note. in quō sunt īnfīxī …: the fixed stars are set in the outermost sphere and turn with it.

Rep. 6.17.1cui subiectī sunt septem, quī versantur retrō contrāriō mōtū atque caelum;

beneath it lie seven spheres, which turn backwards with a motion opposite to that of the heavens.

Note. contrāriō mōtū atque caelum: atque after a word of difference means 'than' or 'from': 'with a motion opposite to (that of) the sky'. The planets drift eastward against the daily westward turning of the heavens.

Rep. 6.17.1ex quibus ūnum globum possidet illa, quam in terrīs Sāturniam nōminant.

Of these, one sphere belongs to the star which on earth they call Saturn's.

Note. illa, quam … Sāturniam nōminant: supply stēlla, 'the star they call Saturn's'. The planets were named after gods.

Rep. 6.17.1Deinde est hominum generī prosperus et salūtāris ille fulgor, quī dīcitur Iovis;

Next comes that bright light, prosperous and healthful for the human race, which is called Jupiter's;

Note. fulgor … quī dīcitur Iovis: Jupiter's star, thought to bring good fortune.

Rep. 6.17.1tum rutilus horribilisque terrīs, quem Mārtium dīcitis;

then the red one, dreadful to the earth, which you call Mars';

Note. rutilus: 'reddish'. Mars' star was thought to bring war and disaster. quem Mārtium dīcitis: supply fulgōrem.

Rep. 6.17.1deinde subter mediam ferē regiōnem sōl obtinet, dux et prīnceps et moderātor lūminum reliquōrum, mēns mundī et temperātiō, tantā magnitūdine, ut cūncta suā lūce lūstret et compleat.

next, below it, the sun holds almost the middle region, the leader, chief and ruler of the other lights, the mind and regulating principle of the universe, so great in size that it lights up and fills all things with its light.

Note. The sun is described with a string of titles in apposition: dux et prīnceps et moderātor …, mēns mundī et temperātiō. tantā magnitūdine: ablative of description. ut … lūstret: result clause.

Rep. 6.17.1Hunc ut comitēs cōnsequuntur Veneris alter, alter Mercuriī cursūs, in īnfimōque orbe lūna radiīs sōlis accēnsa convertitur.

It is followed, like companions, by the courses of Venus on one side and Mercury on the other, and in the lowest sphere the moon revolves, kindled by the rays of the sun.

Note. Hunc ut comitēs cōnsequuntur: 'follow the sun like companions'. Venus and Mercury never stray far from the sun in the sky. lūna rādiīs sōlis accēnsa: the moon is lit by the sun's rays.

Rep. 6.17.1Īnfrā autem iam nihil est nisi mortāle et cadūcum praeter animōs mūnere deōrum hominum generī datōs, suprā lūnam sunt aeterna omnia.

Below it there is nothing but what is mortal and perishable, except the souls given to the human race by the gift of the gods; above the moon all things are eternal.

Note. Īnfrā: adverb, 'below (it)'. cadūcum: 'liable to fall, perishable'. Below the moon all is changeable; above it everything is eternal: an idea of Aristotle's.

Rep. 6.17.1Nam ea, quae est media et nōna, tellūs, neque movētur et īnfima est, et in eam feruntur omnia nūtū suō pondera.

For the ninth, the earth, which is in the centre, does not move and is the lowest, and all weights are drawn towards it by their own inclination.'

Note. ea, quae est media et nōna, tellūs: 'the ninth, the earth, which is in the middle'. nūtū suō: 'by their own tendency'; heavy things fall towards the centre of the universe, which is why the earth stays put.