abdito terris, inimice lamnae
Crispe Sallusti, nisi temperato
splendeat usu.
Vivet extento Proculeius aevo,
notus in fratres animi paterni:
illum aget penna metuente solvi
fama superstes.
Latius regnes avidum domando
spiritum quam si Libyam remotis
Gadibus iungas et uterque Poenus
serviat uni.
Crescit indulgens sibi dirus hydrops,
nec sitim pellit, nisi causa morbi
fugerit venis et aquosus albo
corpore languor.
Redditum Cyri solio Phraaten
dissidens plebi numero beatorum
eximit Virtus populumque falsis
dedocet uti
vocibus, regnum et diadema tutum
deferens uni propriamque laurem,
quisquis ingentis oculo irretorto
spectat acervos.
No luster is with silver hidden away
in earth by misers, Sallustius Crispus
despiser of wealth, unless it shines
refraining from use.
Proculeius will live with a prolonged life,
known for his paternal attitude to his brothers:
surviving fame will drive him on wings
fearing to be released.
Latius, you may rule greed with
a tamed spirit, which, if you may join Libya
with remote Gades, and Poenus may serve
water to one master.
An awful dropsy indulgent to itself comes forth,
nor does it drive out thirst, unless the cause of illness
will flee from the veins and the wet feebleness
from the white body.
Virtue disagreeing with the people removes
Phraaten, restored to the Cyrian throne, from the number of the blessed,
and teaches the people not
to use false
words, restoring on him alone the royal power
and safe crown, and his very own honor,
whoever considers vast treasures with
an undistracted eye.
Thank you so much for this! I'm making a translation of one of Montaigne's essays in english and not only translating french from the XVIth century to english is already a big task in itself, Montaigne has also many latin quotes (and even if I have a good understanding of latin, I can't easily translate it: I'd need a dictionary and at least twenty minutes... which is not something I'm especially eager to spend on a subsidiary latin quote the author wrote because he loves antiquity and believes it could be of interest to anyone able to understand it). So, I truly thank you for this, as now I not only have the translation of the quote but also a better understanding of the opus in itself (and thus, a better understanding of what Montaigne meant with his two lines quote which clearly wasn't sufficient for a clear understanding without having read the text in the first place!). So, thank you!
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