Clem. 1.8.1Grave putās ēripī loquendī arbitrium rēgibus, quod humillimī habent.You think it a hardship that kings should be robbed of the freedom of speech which the humblest have. Clem. 1.8.1" Ista," inquis, " servitūs est, nōn imperium."'That,' you say, 'is slavery, not sovereignty.' Clem. 1.8.1Quid ?What? Clem. 1.8.1tū nōn experīris istud nōbīs esse, tibi servitūtem ?do you not find that the sovereignty is ours, and the slavery yours? Clem. 1.8.1Alia condiciō est eōrum, quī in turbā, quam nōn excēdunt, latent, quōrum et virtūtēs, ut appāreant, diū luctantur et vitia tenebrās habent ;Different is the situation of those who lie hidden in a crowd which they do not rise above, whose virtues struggle long to become visible and whose vices have darkness to cover them; Clem. 1.8.1vestra facta dictaque rūmor excipit, et ideō nūllīs magis cūrandum est, quālem fāmam habeant, quam quī, quālemcumque meruerint, magnam habitūrī sunt.your deeds and words are taken up by rumour, and so none should care more what reputation they have than those who, whatever reputation they deserve, are bound to have a great one. Clem. 1.8.2Quam multa tibi nōn licent, quae nōbīs beneficiō tuō licent !How many things are not permitted to you which, thanks to you, are permitted to us!
Clem. 1.8.2Possum in quālibet parte urbis sōlus incēdere sine timōre, quamvīs nūllus sequātur comes, nūllus sit domī, nūllus ad latus gladius ;I can walk alone in any part of the city without fear, though no companion follows me, though I have none at home, no sword at my side; Clem. 1.8.2tibi in tuā pāce armātō vīvendum est.you must live armed in your own peace. Clem. 1.8.2Aberrāre ā fortūnā tuā nōn potes ;You cannot stray from your fortune; Clem. 1.8.2obsidet tē et, quōcumque dēscendis, magnō apparātū sequitur.it besieges you and, wherever you go down, follows you with great pomp. Clem. 1.8.3Est haec summae magnitūdinis servitūs nōn posse fierī minōrem;This is the slavery of supreme greatness, that it cannot become smaller; Clem. 1.8.3sed cum dīs tibi commūnis ipsa necessitās est.but this very constraint you share with the gods. Clem. 1.8.3Nam illōs quoque caelum alligātōs tenet, nec magis illīs dēscendere datum est quam tibi tūtum ;For heaven holds them too in bonds, and it is no more granted to them to descend than it is safe for you; Clem. 1.8.3fastīgiō tuō adfīxus es.you are fixed to your pinnacle. Clem. 1.8.4Nostrōs mōtūs paucī sentiunt, prōdīre nōbīs ac recēdere et mūtāre habitum sine sēnsū pūblicō licet ;Few notice our movements; we may come forth and withdraw and change our dress without the public noticing; Clem. 1.8.4tibi nōn magis quam sōlī latēre contingit.you can no more hide than the sun can.
Clem. 1.8.4Multa circā tē lūx est, omnium in istam conversī oculī sunt.There is much light around you; all eyes are turned upon it. Clem. 1.8.4Prōdīre tē putās ?You think you are going out? Clem. 1.8.4Orīris.You are rising. Clem. 1.8.5Loquī nōn potes, nisi ut vōcem tuam, quae ubīque sunt gentēs, excipiant ;You cannot speak without the nations everywhere catching your voice; Clem. 1.8.5īrāscī nōn potes, nisi ut omnia tremant, quia nēminem adflīgere, nisi ut, quidquid circā fuerit, quatiātur.you cannot be angry without everything trembling, because you cannot strike anyone without whatever is around him being shaken. Clem. 1.8.5Ut fulmina paucōrum perīculō cadunt, omnium metū, sīc animadversiōnēs magnārum potestātum terrent lātius quam nocent, nōn sine causā ;As thunderbolts fall with danger to few but fear to all, so the punishments of great powers terrify more widely than they harm, and not without reason; Clem. 1.8.5nōn enim, quantum fēcerit, sed quantum factūrus sit, cōgitātur in eō, quī omnia potest.for in one who can do all things men think not of how much he has done, but of how much he may do. Clem. 1.8.6Adice nunc, quod prīvātōs hominēs ad accipiendās iniūriās opportūniōrēs acceptārum patientia facit, rēgibus certior est ex mānsuētūdine sēcūritās, quia frequēns vindicta paucōrum odium opprimit, omnium irrītat.Add now that, whereas private men are made more open to receiving injuries by enduring those received, for kings there is surer security in gentleness, because frequent vengeance crushes the hatred of a few but provokes that of all.
Clem. 1.8.7Voluntās oportet ante saeviendī quam causa dēficiat ;The will to rage should give out before the cause does; Clem. 1.8.7aliōquī, quemadmodum praecīsae arborēs plūrimīs rāmīs repullulant et multa satōrum genera, ut dēnsiōra surgant, reciduntur, ita rēgia crūdēlitās auget inimīcōrum numerum tollendō ;otherwise, just as trees that are cut back sprout again with very many branches, and many kinds of crops are cut down so that they may come up thicker, so royal cruelty increases the number of enemies by removing them; Clem. 1.8.7parentēs enim līberīque eōrum, quī interfectī sunt, et propinquī et amīcī in locum singulōrum succēdunt.for the parents and children of those who have been killed, and their kinsmen and friends, step into the place of each one.