Ep. 10.1Sīc est, nōn mūtō sententiam: fuge multitūdinem, fuge paucitātem, fuge etiam ūnum.That is how it is; I do not change my opinion: flee the crowd, flee the few, flee even the one. Ep. 10.1Nōn habeō, cum quō tē commūnicātum velim.I have no one with whom I would wish you to share yourself. Ep. 10.1Et vidē, quod iūdicium meum habeās: audeō tē tibi crēdere.And see what judgement of mine you hold: I dare to entrust you to yourself. Ep. 10.1Cratēs, ut aiunt, huius ipsīus Stilbōnis audītor, cuius mentiōnem priōre epistulā fēcī, cum vīdisset adulēscentulum sēcrētō ambulantem, interrogāvit, quid illīc sōlus faceret?Crates, as they say, a pupil of this very Stilpo whom I mentioned in my previous letter, on seeing a young man walking apart by himself, asked what he was doing there alone. Ep. 10.1"Mēcum," inquit, "loquor."'I am talking with myself,' he said. Ep. 10.1Cui Cratēs "Cavē," inquit, "rogō, et dīligenter adtende;To which Crates said, 'Take care, I beg you, and pay careful attention; Ep. 10.1cum homine malō loqueris."you are talking with a bad man.' Ep. 10.2Lūgentem timentemque custōdīre solēmus, nē sōlitūdine male ūtātur.We are accustomed to keep watch over someone who is grieving or afraid, so that he does not make bad use of solitude.
Ep. 10.2Nēmō est ex inprūdentibus, quī relinquī sibi dēbeat;There is no one among the unwise who ought to be left to himself; Ep. 10.2tunc mala cōnsilia agitant, tunc aut aliīs aut ipsīs futūra perīcula struunt;it is then that they turn over bad plans, then that they contrive dangers to come either for others or for themselves; Ep. 10.2tunc cupiditātēs improbās ōrdinant;then they set their wicked desires in order; Ep. 10.2tunc quicquid aut metū aut pudōre cēlābat, animus expōnit, tunc audāciam acuit, libīdinem inrītat, īrācundiam īnstīgat.then the mind lays bare whatever it used to hide through fear or shame; then it sharpens boldness, provokes lust, goads anger. Ep. 10.2Dēnique quod ūnum sōlitūdō habet commodum, nihil ūllī committere, nōn timēre indicem, perit stultō;Finally, the one advantage that solitude has, to entrust nothing to anyone and not to fear an informer, is lost to the fool; Ep. 10.2ipse sē prōdit.he betrays himself. Ep. 10.2Vidē itaque, quid dē tē spērem, immō quid spondeam mihi, spēs enim incertī bonī nōmen est: nōn inveniō, cum quō tē mālim esse quam tēcum.See, then, what I hope for you, or rather what I promise myself, for hope is the name of an uncertain good: I find no one with whom I would rather you were than with yourself.
Ep. 10.3Repetō memoriā, quam magnō animō quaedam verba prōiēcerīs, quantī rōboris plēna.I recall in memory with what great spirit you flung out certain words, how full of strength they were. Ep. 10.3Grātulātus sum prōtinus mihi et dīxī: "Nōn ā summīs labrīs ista vēnērunt, habent hae vōcēs fundāmentum.At once I congratulated myself and said: 'Those words did not come from the tips of the lips; these utterances have a foundation. Ep. 10.3Iste homō nōn est ūnus ē populō, ad salūtem spectat."That man is not one of the crowd; he has his eye on salvation.' Ep. 10.4Sīc loquere, sīc vīve;Speak so, live so; Ep. 10.4vidē nē tē ūlla rēs dēprimat.see that nothing beats you down. Ep. 10.4Vōtōrum tuōrum veterum licet dīs grātiam faciās, alia dē integrō suscipe;As for your old prayers, you may let the gods off them; take up others afresh; Ep. 10.4rogā bonam mentem, bonam valitūdinem animī, deinde tunc corporis.pray for a sound mind, for good health of the soul, and only then of the body. Ep. 10.4Quidnī tū ista vōta saepe faciās?Why should you not make these prayers often? Ep. 10.4Audācter deum rogā;Boldly ask God; Ep. 10.4nihil illum dē aliēnō rogātūrus es.you will be asking him for nothing that belongs to another.
Ep. 10.5Sed ut mōre meō cum aliquō mūnusculō epistulam mittam, vērum est, quod apud Athēnodōrum invēnī: "Tunc scītō esse tē omnibus cupiditātibus solūtum, cum eō pervēneris, ut nihil deum rogēs, nisi quod rogāre possīs palam."But to send off my letter, as is my custom, with some little gift, what I found in Athenodorus is true: 'Know that you are freed from all desires when you have reached the point of asking God for nothing except what you could ask openly.' Ep. 10.5Nunc enim quanta dēmentia est hominum!For as things are, how great is the madness of men! Ep. 10.5Turpissima vōta dīs īnsusurrant;They whisper the most shameful prayers to the gods; Ep. 10.5sī quis admōverit aurem, conticēscent.if anyone puts his ear close, they will fall silent. Ep. 10.5Et quod scīre hominem nōlunt, deō narrant.And what they do not want a man to know, they tell to God. Ep. 10.5Vidē ergō, nē hoc praecipī salūbriter possit: sīc vīve cum hominibus, tamquam deus videat;See, then, whether this precept could not wholesomely be given: live with men as if God were watching; Ep. 10.5sīc loquere cum deō, tamquam hominēs audiant.speak with God as if men were listening.
Ep. 10.5Valē.Farewell.