67. nec…est: i.e., nec illa vis (here, manifestation) naturae rationisque est parva; with the quod cl. in appos., nor is that…a slight thing, the fact that.
68. quid sit quod deceat (69): decet, impers., is decorous, appropriate, decent; i.e., what (moral and aesthetic) propriety is.
69. qui modus: sc. sit; modus here = moderation.
71. venustatem: venustas, charm, loveliness.
convenientiam: lit., coming together, here = harmony.
quam similitudinem:this resemblance, i.e., the resemblance of the physical world to the spiritual world.
72. natura ratioque: the two are regarded as a single concept (= that which makes man distinctly different from other animals), and so they are modified by the sg. transferens and serve as the subj. of the sg. putat, cavet, etc.
multo: ABL. OF DEGREE OF DIFFERENCE with magis.
73. constantiam: consistency, constancy.
74. conservanda: sc. esse; n. pl. to modify collectively the three subjs. of the IND. STATE.
cavet: cavere,to beware, be careful (to), regularly takes a JUSSIVE NOUN CL.
75. tum: here, and at the same time, and also.
76. libidinose: adv., impulsively, capriciously.
78. conflatur: conflare, to blow together, forge.
quaerimus: here, investigate, inquire into.
honestum…honestum (79): we here have first id honestum (n. as a noun) meaning virtue, moral excellence, and then honestum (adj.), honorable, proper; cp. Cicero’s comment in De Finibus II.45, honestum igitur id intellegimus quod tale est ut, detracta omni utilitate sine ullis praemiis fructi-busve per se ipsum possit iure laudari.
79. nobilitatum…sit: nobilitare, to make famous (i.e., praised by the multitude); cp. nobilis, well known.
82. ut ait Plato (83): the Greek philosopher Plato makes a similar point in Phaedrus 250D.
(d) Truth. In primisque hominis est propria veri inquisitio atque investigatio. Itaque cum sumus necessariis negotiis curisque vacui, tum avemus aliquid videre, audire, addiscere cognitionemque rerum aut occultarum aut admirabilium ad beate 60 vivendum necessariam ducimus. Ex quo intellegitur quod verum, simplex, sincerumque sit, id esse naturae hominis aptissimum.
(e) Independence. Huic veri videndi cupiditati adiuncta est appetitio quaedam principatus, ut nemini parere animus bene informatus a natura velit nisi praecipienti aut docenti aut 65 utilitatis causa iuste et legitime imperanti; ex quo magnitudo animi existit humanarumque rerum contemptio.
(f) Beauty and harmony. Nec vero illa parva vis naturae est rationisque, quod unum hoc animal sentit quid sit ordo, quid sit quod deceat, in factis dictisque qui modus. Itaque eorum 70 ipsorum quae aspectu sentiuntur, nullum aliud animal pulchritudinem, venustatem, convenientiam partium sentit. Quam similitudinem natura ratioque ab oculis ad animum transferens multo etiam magis pulchritudinem, constantiam, ordinem in consiliis factisque conservanda putat cavetque ne quid indecore effeminateve 75 faciat, turn in omnibus et opinionibus et factis ne quid libidinose aut faciat aut cogitet.
(g) Hence the concept of moral excellence. Quibus ex rebus conflatur et efficitur id, quod quaerimus, honestum, quod etiamsi nobilitatum non sit, tamen honestum sit, quodque vere 80 dicimus, etiamsi a nullo laudetur, natura esse laudabile. (I.11–14)
The four cardinal virtues: wisdom, justice, courage, temperance.
Formam quidem ipsam, Marce fili, et tamquam faciem honesti vides, “Quae si oculis cerneretur, mirabiles amores,” ut ait Plato, “excitaret sapientiae.” Sed omne quod est honestum, id quattuor partium oritur ex aliqua: (1) aut enim in perspicientia 85 veri sollertiaque versatur, (2) aut in hominum societate tuenda tribuendoque suum cuique et rerum contractarum fide, (3) aut in animi excelsi atque invicti magnitudine ac robore, (4) aut in omnium quae fiunt quaeque dicuntur ordine et modo, in quo inest modestia et temperantia. (I.15)
84. quattuor partium: of four sources; in Greek thought there were four cardinal virtues, which Cicero translates as sapientia (prudentia), iustitia, fortitudo, and temperantia, and generally defines in the following list.
perspicientia:clear perception.
85. sollertia: skillful mastery, intellectual development.
versatur:is engaged in, concerned with.
86. tribuendo…cuique: i.e., in respecting the rights of others.
fide: i.e., the faithful observation (of).
87. excelsi: lofty, noble.
invicti:unconquered, and therefore unconquerable.
robore: robur,oak, and therefore strength.
89. modestia: moderation, restraint.
90. locis: here, topics, divisions.
92. attingit: attingere = ad + tangere.
93. pulchrum: n. pred. adj. to agree with excellere, we think it (is) admirable to excel; the same construction is found in the next cl.
95. genere: kind (of activity).
97. temere: adv., rashly, heedlessly.
quod vitium: see on quae cura (54).