Somnium Scipionis (De Re Publica 6.26)

Rep. 6.26.1Cum pateat igitur aeternum id esse, quod ā sē ipsō moveātur, quis est, quī hanc nātūram animīs esse tribūtam neget?

Since, then, it is clear that what moves itself is eternal, who is there who would deny that this nature has been given to souls?

Note. Cum pateat: 'since it is clear'. quis est, quī … neget?: a relative clause of characteristic, 'who is there who would deny'. animīs esse tribūtam: 'has been given to souls'.

Rep. 6.26.1Inanimum est enim omne, quod pulsū agitātur externō;

For everything that is driven by an impulse from outside is soulless;

Note. Inanimum: 'lifeless, without a soul'. pulsū … externō: 'by an outside impulse'.

Rep. 6.26.1quod autem est animal, id mōtū ciētur interiōre et suō;

but whatever has a soul is stirred by a motion within, its own;

Note. quod autem est animal: 'whatever is alive'. mōtū … interiōre et suō: 'by a motion within and of its own'.

Rep. 6.26.1nam haec est propria nātūra animī atque vīs;

for this is the proper nature and power of the soul.

Note. haec … propria nātūra animī: self-motion is what defines the soul.

Rep. 6.26.1quae sī est ūna ex omnibus, quae sēsē moveat, neque nāta certē est et aeterna est.

And if the soul is the one thing of all that moves itself, it certainly was not born and is eternal.

Note. quae sī est ūna ex omnibus: 'if it is the only one of all things'. neque nāta certē est et aeterna est: 'it certainly was not born, and it is eternal'.

Rep. 6.26.29Hanc tū exercē optimīs in rēbus!

Exercise it in the best pursuits!

Note. Hanc tū exercē: 'exercise it' (the soul). optimīs in rēbus: 'in the best pursuits'.

Rep. 6.26.29sunt autem optimae cūrae dē salūte patriae, quibus agitātus et exercitātus animus vēlōcius in hanc sēdem et domum suam pervolābit;

And the best are cares for the safety of one's country; the soul that is busied and trained in these will fly more swiftly to this, its dwelling and home;

Note. sunt autem optimae cūrae dē salūte patriae: the dream returns to its political purpose: service to the state is the best exercise of the soul. pervolābit: 'will fly through' to its home.

Rep. 6.26.29idque ōcius faciet, sī iam tum, cum erit inclūsus in corpore, ēminēbit forās et ea, quae extrā erunt, contemplāns quam maximē sē ā corpore abstrahet.

and it will do so the faster if, even while it is shut in the body, it reaches out beyond it and, contemplating what lies outside, draws itself away from the body as much as possible.

Note. eminēbit forās: 'it will reach out beyond'; the soul should look beyond the body even in this life. quam maximē: 'as much as possible'.

Rep. 6.26.29Namque eōrum animī, quī sē corporis voluptātibus dēdidērunt eārumque sē quasi ministrōs praebuērunt inpulsūque libīdinum voluptātibus oboedientium deōrum et hominum iūra violāvērunt, corporibus ēlāpsī circum terram ipsam volūtantur nec hunc in locum nisi multīs exagitātī saeculīs revertuntur.

For the souls of those who have given themselves up to the pleasures of the body and made themselves their servants, as it were, and under the impulse of desires that obey pleasure have violated the laws of gods and men, after slipping out of their bodies roll about the earth itself, and do not return to this place until they have been driven about for many ages.'

Note. The fate of the wicked: souls given over to bodily pleasure wander near the earth for ages before returning, a Platonic idea. eōrum animī, quī …: 'the souls of those who …'. lībīdinum voluptātibus oboedientium: 'of desires that obey pleasures'. volūtantur: 'roll about'.

Rep. 6.26.29Ille discessit;

He departed;

Note. Ille discessit: the dream ends abruptly, as it began.

Rep. 6.26.29ego somnō solūtus sum.

I awoke from sleep.

Note. ego somnō solūtus sum: 'I was released from sleep', 'I woke up'. With this sentence Cicero's On the Republic ends.