alia causa: sc. amicitiae esset.
amor…est (114): more etymologizing (see above on line 88).
114. princeps est: lit., is foremost = is the chief principle.
coniungendam: coniungere,to unite, here generate, show.
115. ab eis percipiuntur: are gained from those.
116. observantur: here, are honored.
temporis causa:for the purposes of the moment.
117. quidquid est: i.e., in amicitia.
118. voluntarium: spontaneous.
119. orta: sc. esse.
applicatione: applicatio,attachment, inclination.
120. cogitatione: from a consideration (of).
utilitatis: with quantum.
121. quod: = et hoc (i.e., this instinct which gives rise to friendship), conjunctive use of rel., subj. of the IND. QUEST.
122. animadverti: animadvertere, to notice, observe.
125. caritate: caritas, affection, love.
dirimi: dirimere,to sunder, break off, end.
127. nacti sumus: nancisci, to find.
128. congruamus: congruere, to come together, harmonize, agree.
lumen:light.
130. adliciat: adlicere, to allure, attract.
quippe: adv. common in explanations, indeed, certainly; quippe cum, inasmuch as.
132. C. Fabrici…M’. Curi: Gaius Fabricius Luscinus and Manius Curius Dentatus, popular heroes in the war against Pyrrhus, were regarded as exemplars of honesty and virtuous living.
133. usurpet: usurpare, to use, employ; with memoriam, cherish.
134. Tarquinium Superbum: Tarquinius Superbus, Rome’s last king, an Etruscan hated by the Romans and expelled in 510 B.C. (see Livy’s “Legends of Early Rome” below).
FANNIUS. Nos autem a te potius: quamquam etiam ab 105 istis saepe quaesivi et audivi non invitus equidem, sed aliud quoddam filum orationis tuae. (24–25)
The origin and basis of friendship is love, not practical advantage.
LAELIUS. Saepissime igitur mihi de amicitia cogitanti maxime illud considerandum videri solet, utrum propter imbecillitatem atque inopiam desiderata sit amicitia ut dandis 110 recipiendisque meritis, quod quisque minus per se ipse posset, id acciperet ab alio vicissimque redderet, an esset hoc quidem proprium amicitiae, sed antiquior et pulchrior et magis a natura ipsa profecta alia causa. Amor enim, ex quo amicitia nominata est, princeps est ad benevolentiam coniungendam. Nam 115 utilitates quidem etiam ab eis percipiuntur saepe qui simulatione amicitiae coluntur et observantur temporis causa. In amicitia autem nihil fictum est, nihil simulatum; et quidquid est, id est verum et voluntarium. Quapropter a natura mihi videtur potius quam indigentia orta amicitia, applicatione magis animi cum 120 quodam sensu amandi quam cogitatione quantum illa res utilitatis esset habitura. Quod quidem quale sit etiam in bestiis quibusdam animadverti potest, quae ex se natos ita amant ad quoddam tempus et ab eis ita amantur ut facile earum sensus appareat. Quod in homine multo est evidentius—primum ex ea 125 caritate quae est inter natos et parentes, quae dirimi nisi detestabili scelere non potest; deinde, cum similis sensus exstitit amoris, si aliquem nacti sumus cuius cum moribus et natura congruamus, quod in eo quasi lumen aliquod probitatis et virtutis perspicere videamur. Nihil est enim virtute amabilius; nihil 130 quod magis adliciat ad diligendum, quippe cum propter virtutem et probitatem etiam eos quos numquam vidimus quodam modo diligamus. Quis est qui C. Fabrici, M’. Curi non cum caritate aliqua et benevolentia memoriam usurpet, quos numquam viderit? Quis autem est qui Tarquinium Superbum non oderit? 135 Cum duobus ducibus de imperio in Italia est decertatum, Pyrrho et Hannibale: ab altero propter probitatem eius non nimis alienos animos habemus; alterum propter crudelitatem semper haec civitas oderit.
135. est decertatum: impers. pass., it was fought to the finish = we fought to the finish.
Pyrrho et Hannibale (136):Pyrrhus, king of the Greek state of Epirus, led the Greeks of south Italy in their resistance to Roman encroachment (280–275 B.C.); Hannibal, of course, was the Carthaginian leader in the Second Punic War (218–201 B.C.—see Livy’s “Hannibal and the Second Punic War,” below).
136. propter probitatem: Pyrrhus was respected by the Romans, not least for an incident in which he returned to them a number of prisoners of war without ransom.
137. alienos: here, unfriendly.
crudelitatem: Roman views of Hannibal were especially hostile, as he had brought their empire to the brink of disaster.
142. usu: by experience, i.e., by close social contact.
perspicere:to observe, note.
144. studio: here, affection.
145. consecutae sunt: consequi, to follow, result, follow up, pursue, gain.
147. eius: = amicitiae.
148. conglutinaret: conglutinare, to cement together.
dissolveret: sc. amicitiam; friendship would not be able to stand the test of adversity.
