commutandis: commutare,to exchange; having been captured along with other Romans, Regulus was sent to Rome to see whether the Romans would ransom those held by the Carthaginians. In a meeting of the senate Regulus argued against the ransom of himself and his fellow captives, and then, loyal to his oath, returned voluntarily to Carthage and to certain death (see below, lines 448–69).
iurasset: = iuravisset (see on aequarunt, 10).
171. propinquis: propinquus, kinsman, relative.
173. fallere: to deceive, be false to, violate.
174. meminerimus: JUSSIVE SUBJUNCT. of the defective vb. meminisse, let us remember.
175. infimos: the lowest, basest (superlative of inferus).
176. quibus: = et eis, abl. with uti.
qui…mercennariis (177): = qui iubent uti quibus ( = servis) ita ut mercennariis(hired men, employees).
177. operam exigendam: sc. esse, (saying that) service ought to be….
iusta:their just deserts, e.g., food, clothing, shelter.
179. elatio: exaltation.
180. iustitia: ABL. OF SEPARATION with vacat.
(2) Duties in war and toward the enemy. Sunt autem quaedam officia etiam adversus eos servanda a quibus iniuriam acceperis. Est enim ulciscendi et puniendi modus; atque haud scio an satis sit eum qui lacessierit iniuriae suae paenitere, ut et ipse 165 ne quid tale posthac et ceteri sint ad iniuriam tardiores. Atque in re publica maxime conservanda sunt iura belli. Etiam si quid singuli, temporibus adducti, hosti promiserunt, est in eo ipso fides conservanda, ut primo Punico bello Regulus, captus a Poenis, cum de captivis commutandis Romam missus esset 170 iurassetque se rediturum, primum, ut venit, captivos reddendos in senatu non censuit, deinde, cum retineretur a propinquis et ab amicis, ad supplicium redire maluit quam fidem hosti datam fallere.
(3) Justice toward slaves. Meminerimus autem etiam 175 adversus infimos iustitiam esse servandam. Est autem infima condicio et fortuna servorum, quibus non male praecipiunt qui ita iubent uti ut mercennariis: operam exigendam, iusta praebenda. (I.31–41, excerpts)
Physical and moral courage.
(a) Courage must be based on justice. Ea animi elatio, quae 180 cernitur in periculis et laboribus, si iustitia vacat pugnatque non pro salute communi, sed pro suis commodis, in vitio est. Quocirca nemo qui fortitudinis gloriam consecutus est insidiis et malitia laudem est adeptus; nihil enim honestum esse potest quod iustitia vacat. Praeclarum igitur illud Platonis: “Non,” 185 inquit, “solum scientia quae est remota ab iustitia calliditas potius quam sapientia est appellanda, verum etiam animus paratus ad periculum, si sua cupiditate, non utilitate communi, impellitur, audaciae potius nomen habeat quam fortitudinis.” Difficile autem est, cum praestare omnibus concupieris, servare aequitatem, 190 quae est iustitiae maxime propria. Sed quo difficilius, hoc praeclarius; nullum enim est tempus quod iustitia vacare debeat. Fortes igitur et magnanimi sunt habendi, non qui faciunt, sed qui propulsant, iniuriam. Vera autem et sapiens animi magnitudo honestum illud, quod maxime natura sequitur, in factis 195 positum non in gloria iudicat, principemque se esse mavult quam videri. (I.62–65, excerpts)
181. commodis: commodum, convenience, advantage.
in vitio: = vitiosa.
182. consecutus est: consequi, to follow, pursue, gain.
183. adeptus: adipisci, to acquire, obtain.
184. illud: that (remark).
185. calliditas: cunning, cleverness.
189. concupieris: = concupiveris, in the indef. 2nd pers. sg., you or one.
190. quo…praeclarius (191): the more difficult (it is), the more admirable (lit., by what…by this); ABL. OF DEGREE OF DIFFERENCE.
191. tempus: here, occasion.
195. positum: pred. adj. agreeing with honestum illud.
principem: i.e., foremost; the truly magnanimous person prefers moral action to the mere appearance of morality.
198. despicientia: contempt (of), indifference (to).
199. persuasum est: impers. pass.; lit., it has been persuaded = a person has been persuaded.
nihil…succumbere (202): the infs. are subjs. of the impers. vb. oportere, which in turn is subj. of persuasum est, i.e., oportere (it is necessary) hominem admirari (optare, expetere) nihil nisi quod…sit and (oportere hominem) succumbere nulli homini neque perturbationi nec fortunae.
204. ut…geras: RESULT CL., dependent on altera est res, the other characteristic is such (that).
cum…animo: i.e., when one has true greatness of spirit.
206. cum…tum: not only…but also.
207. ea…parva ducere (208): to regard those things…as trivial; this inf. and ea…contemnere are the subjs. of ducendum est, should be considered.
plerisque: plerique, pl., the majority, most people.
209. fortis animi: (characteristic) of a brave mind, PRED. GEN. OF POSSESSION; for the construction, cp. robusti…constantiae (207) and angusti…parvi (212).
210. versantur: lit., are turned = are encountered.
211. nihil: = a strong non.
213. non est…consentaneum: it is not consistent (for) + acc./inf.
214. frangatur: frangere, to break, shatter, subdue.