Nepos, Epaminondas 3

Epam. 3.1Ad hanc corporis firmitātem plūra etiam animī bona accesserant.

To this strength of body were added still more gifts of the mind.

Epam. 3.1Erat enim modestus, prūdēns, gravis, temporibus sapienter ūtēns, perītus bellī, fortis manū, animō maximō, adeō vēritātis dīligēns, ut nē iocō quidem mentīrētur.

For he was moderate, sensible, serious, wise in using the moment, skilled in war, brave in action, of the greatest courage, and so devoted to the truth that he did not lie even in jest.

Note. A string of adjectives with ablatives of respect: fortis manū 'brave in action', animō maximō 'of the greatest spirit' (ablative of quality). ut nē ... quidem: 'so that not even'.

Epam. 3.2Īdem continēns, clēmēns patiēnsque admīrandum in modum, nōn sōlum populī, sed etiam amīcōrum ferēns iniūriās, in prīmīs commissa cēlāns, quodque interdum nōn minus prōdest quam disertē dīcere, studiōsus audiendī: ex hōc enim facillimē discī arbitrābātur.

He was also self-controlled, mild, and remarkably patient, putting up with wrongs not only from the people but also from his friends; above all he kept secrets, and, what is sometimes no less useful than speaking well, he was eager to listen: for he believed that this was the easiest way to learn.

Note. patiēnsque: -que 'and' joins the last item of the list. admīrandum in modum: 'in a wonderful way'. quodque ... prōdest: 'and, a thing which sometimes helps no less than speaking well, (he was) eager to listen'. discī: present passive infinitive of discō, 'that things are learned'.

Epam. 3.3Itaque cum in circulum vēnisset, in quō aut dē rē pūblicā disputārētur aut dē philosophiā sermō habērētur, numquam inde prius discessit, quam ad fīnem sermō esset adductus.

So whenever he came into a group where politics was being discussed or a conversation on philosophy was going on, he never left before the talk had been brought to an end.

Note. in quō ... disputārētur: impersonal passive, 'in which there was discussion'. prius ... quam ... esset adductus: 'before the conversation had been brought to an end'.

Epam. 3.4Paupertātem adeō facile perpessus est, ut dē rē pūblicā nihil praeter glōriam cēperit.

He bore poverty so easily that from public life he took nothing but glory.

Note. dē rē pūblicā: 'from public life'. nihil praeter glōriam: Nepos stresses his incorruptibility; public office at Thebes was unpaid.

Epam. 3.4Amīcōrum in sē tuendō caruit facultātibus, fidē ad aliōs sublevandōs saepe sīc ūsus est, ut iūdicārī possit omnia eī cum amīcīs fuisse commūnia.

He did not use his friends' means to support himself, but he often used his credit to help others, in such a way that one could judge that he held everything in common with his friends.

Note. Amīcōrum ... facultātibus caruit: careō takes the ablative: 'he did without his friends' means'. in sē tuendō: gerundive with a pronoun, 'in supporting himself'. fidē ... ūsus est: ūtor + ablative, 'used his credit'.

Epam. 3.5Nam cum aut cīvium suōrum aliquis ab hostibus esset captus aut virgō nūbilis propter paupertātem collocārī nōn posset, amīcōrum concilium habēbat et, quantum quisque daret, prō facultātibus imperābat.

For when one of his fellow citizens had been captured by the enemy, or a girl of marriageable age could not be married because of poverty, he would call a council of his friends and tell each how much to give, according to his means.

Note. cum ... esset captus aut ... posset: 'whenever'; the friends would contribute to ransom a captive or to give a poor girl a dowry. quantum quisque daret: indirect question depending on imperābat, 'he told how much each should give'.

Epam. 3.6Eamque summam cum fēcerat, potius quam ipse acciperet pecūniam, addūcēbat eum, quī quaerēbat, ad eōs, quī cōnferēbant, eīque ut ipsī numerārent faciēbat, ut ille, ad quem ea perveniēbat, scīret quantum cuique dēbēret.

And when he had made up the sum, rather than take the money himself, he would bring the person in need to those who were contributing and have them count it out to him themselves, so that the man it went to would know how much he owed to each.

Note. cum fēcerat: cum with the pluperfect indicative means 'whenever'. potius quam ... acciperet: 'rather than take (it) himself'. ut ipsī numerārent: 'that they themselves count it out'.