On Duties Passage 65

Quae autem opera, non largitione beneficia dantur, haec tum in universam rem publicam, tum in singulos cives conferuntur. Nam in iure cavere , consilio iuvare, atque hoc scientiae genere prodesse quam plurimis vehementer et ad opes augendas pertinet et ad gratiam. Itaque cum multa praeclara maiorum, tum quod optime constituti iuris civilis summo semper in honore fuit cognitio atque interpretatio; quam quidem ante hanc confusionem temporum in possessione sua principes retinuerunt, nunc, ut honores, ut omnes dignitatis gradus, sic huius scientiae splendor deletus est, idque eo indignius, quod eo tempore hoc contigit, cum is esset, qui omnes superiores, quibus honore par esset, scientia facile vicisset. Haec igitur opera grata multis et ad beneficiis obstringendos homines accommodata.

Benefits given through personal service rather than largesse are conferred both upon the commonwealth as a whole and upon individual citizens. To give legal protection, assist with advice, and benefit as many people as possible through this kind of knowledge contributes greatly both to influence and to favor. Among the many admirable institutions of our ancestors was this: knowledge and interpretation of a civil law most excellently established was always held in the highest honor. Before the present confusion of the times, leading men retained this distinction as their own possession. Now, just like offices and every rank of dignity, the splendor of this knowledge has been destroyed. This is all the more shameful because it occurred at a time when there was a man who easily surpassed in knowledge all his predecessors whose honor equaled his own. Such service, therefore, is welcome to many and well suited to binding people through benefits.

Les bienfaits rendus par des services plutôt que par des largesses s'adressent tantôt à la République entière, tantôt à des citoyens particuliers. Prévenir les risques juridiques, aider de son conseil et rendre service au plus grand nombre par ce genre de savoir contribuent puissamment à accroître puissance et faveur. Parmi les nombreuses institutions excellentes de nos ancêtres, l'une des meilleures fut que la connaissance et l'interprétation d'un droit civil bien établi restèrent toujours au plus haut degré d'honneur. Avant la confusion de notre époque, les premiers citoyens en conservaient le privilège. Maintenant, comme les honneurs et tous les degrés de dignité, l'éclat de cette science a disparu. Cela est d'autant plus indigne que ce malheur est arrivé au temps d'un homme qui, égal en dignité à tous ses prédécesseurs, les aurait aisément surpassés par son savoir. Ces services sont donc agréables à beaucoup et propres à attacher les hommes par des bienfaits.