Somnium Scipionis (De Re Publica 6.20)

Rep. 6.20.1Cernis autem eandem terram quasi quibusdam redimītam et circumdatam cingulīs, ē quibus duōs maximē inter sē dīversōs et caelī verticibus ipsīs ex utrāque parte subnīxōs obriguisse pruīnā vidēs, medium autem illum et maximum sōlis ardōre torrērī.

You see the same earth girded and surrounded, as it were, by certain belts, of which you see that two, the most widely separated and resting on the very poles of the heavens at either end, are frozen stiff with frost, while the middle and largest one is scorched by the heat of the sun.

Note. The five zones of the earth: two frozen polar zones, one scorched equatorial zone, and two temperate zones. redimītam et circumdatam cingulīs: 'girdled and encircled by belts'. caelī verticibus ipsīs … subnixōs: 'resting on the very poles of the sky'.

Rep. 6.20.1Duo sunt habitābilēs, quōrum austrālis ille, in quō quī īnsistunt, adversa vōbīs urgent vestīgia, nihil ad vestrum genus;

Two are habitable; of these the southern one, whose inhabitants plant their footprints opposite yours, has nothing to do with your race;

Note. austrālis ille: the southern temperate zone. adversa vōbīs urgent vestīgia: 'press their footprints opposite to yours', that is, they are antipodes. nihil ad vestrum genus: 'nothing (to do) with your race'.

Rep. 6.20.1hic autem alter subiectus aquilōnī, quem incolitis, cerne quam tenuī vōs parte contingat.

as for this other one, lying beneath the north wind, where you live, see how small a part of it touches you.

Note. subiectus aquilōnī: 'lying beneath the north wind', the northern temperate zone. cerne quam tenuī vōs parte contingat: an indirect question, 'see how small a part of it touches you'.

Rep. 6.20.1Omnis enim terra, quae colitur ā vōbīs, angustāta verticibus, lateribus lātior, parva quaedam īnsula est circumfūsa illō marī, quod Atlanticum, quod magnum, quem Ōceanum appellātis in terrīs, quī tamen tantō nōmine quam sit parvus, vidēs.

For the whole land you inhabit, narrow at the poles and broader at the sides, is a kind of small island, surrounded by that sea which on earth you call the Atlantic, the Great Sea, the Ocean; and yet you see how small it is, for all its great name.

Note. The known world (the oikoumenē) is pictured as an island surrounded by Ocean. angustāta verticibus, lateribus lātior: 'narrow at the poles, broader at the sides'. quam sit parvus: indirect question. The irony: the 'Great Sea' is tiny seen from heaven.

Rep. 6.20.22Ex hīs ipsīs cultīs nōtīsque terrīs num aut tuum aut cuiusquam nostrum nōmen vel Caucasum hunc, quem cernis, trānscendere potuit vel illum Gangēn trānatāre?

From these very lands, cultivated and known, has your name or that of any of us been able to cross this Caucasus that you see, or swim across that Ganges?

Note. num introduces a question expecting the answer 'no'. cuiusquam nostrum: 'of any of us'; nostrum is the partitive genitive of nōs. The Caucasus and the Ganges stand for the far edges of the world.

Rep. 6.20.22Quis in reliquīs orientis aut obeuntis sōlis ultimīs aut aquilōnis austrīve partibus tuum nōmen audiet?

Who in the remaining farthest parts of the rising or setting sun, or of the north or the south, will hear your name?

Note. orientis aut obeuntis sōlis: 'of the rising or setting sun', east and west. aquilōnis austrīve: 'of the north or (-ve) the south'.

Rep. 6.20.22quibus amputātīs cernis profectō quantīs in angustiīs vestra sē glōria dīlātārī velit.

Cut these away, and you surely see within what narrow bounds your glory wants to spread itself.

Note. quibus amputātīs: ablative absolute, 'with these cut off'. sē … dīlātārī velit: 'wants to spread itself'.

Rep. 6.20.22Ipsī autem, quī dē nōbīs loquuntur, quam loquentur diū?

And those who do talk about us, how long will they talk?

Note. quam … diū?: 'how long?'