Ancient Biographical Testimonia on Musonius Rufus Passage 81

One Musonius Rufus, a man of equestrian rank, strongly attached to the pursuit of philosophy and to the tenets of the Stoics, had joined the envoys. He mingled with the troops, and, enlarging on the blessings of peace and the perils of war, began to admonish the armed crowd. Many thought it ridiculous; more thought it tiresome; some were ready to throw him down and trample him under foot, had he not yielded to the warnings of the more orderly and the threats of others, and ceased to display his ill-timed wisdom. The Vestal virgins also presented themselves with a letter from Vitellius to Antonius. He asked for one day of truce before the final struggle, and said, that if they would permit some delay to intervene, everything might be more easily arranged. The sacred virgins were sent back with honour, but the answer returned to Vitellius was, that all ordinary intercourse of war had been broken off by the murder of Sabinus and the conflagration of the Capitol. 81. Miscuerat se legatis Musonius Rufus equestris ordinis, studium philosophiae et placita Stoicorum aemulatus; coeptabatque permixtus manipulis, bona pacis ac belli discrimina disserens, armatos monere. id plerisque ludibrio, pluribus taedio: nec deerant qui propellerent proculcarentque, ni admonitu modestissimi cuiusque et aliis minitantibus omisisset intempestivam sapientiam. obviae fuere et virgines Vestales cum epistulis Vitellii ad Antonium scriptis: eximi supremo certamini unum diem postulabat: si moram interiecissent, facilius omnia conventura. virgines cum honore dimissae; Vitellio rescriptum Sabini caede et incendio Capitolii dirempta belli commercia.

A certain Musonius Rufus, a man of equestrian rank strongly devoted to the study of philosophy and the doctrines of the Stoics, had joined the envoys. Mingling with the troops, he began to admonish the armed crowd by discoursing at length on the benefits of peace and the dangers of war. Many found this ridiculous, and still more found it tiresome. Some were ready to shove him away and trample him underfoot, and would have done so had he not heeded the warnings of the more restrained men and the threats of others and abandoned his ill-timed display of wisdom. The Vestal Virgins also came forward with a letter from Vitellius to Antonius. He requested a single day's respite before the final struggle, saying that if they allowed some delay, everything could be settled more easily. The virgins were dismissed with honor, but the reply sent to Vitellius stated that the murder of Sabinus and the burning of the Capitol had severed the customary relations between enemies in wartime.

81. Musonius Rufus, a man of equestrian rank devoted to the study of philosophy and the doctrines of the Stoics, had joined the envoys. Mingling with the companies, he began to admonish the armed men by discoursing on the benefits of peace and the dangers of war. Most found this ridiculous, and still more found it tiresome. Nor were there lacking men who would have shoved him away and trampled him underfoot, had he not, at the warning of the more restrained among them and under threats from others, abandoned his ill-timed display of wisdom. The Vestal Virgins also came forward with letters written by Vitellius to Antonius. He requested a single day's respite from the final struggle, saying that if they allowed some delay, everything could be settled more easily. The virgins were dismissed with honor; the reply sent to Vitellius stated that the murder of Sabinus and the burning of the Capitol had severed the customary relations between enemies in wartime.

Un certain Musonius Rufus, homme de rang équestre, très attaché à l’étude de la philosophie et aux doctrines des stoïciens, s’était joint aux envoyés. Il se mêla aux troupes et, développant les bienfaits de la paix et les périls de la guerre, entreprit d’admonester la foule en armes. Beaucoup trouvèrent cela ridicule, davantage encore le trouvèrent importun ; certains étaient prêts à le repousser et à le fouler aux pieds, si, cédant aux avertissements des plus disciplinés et aux menaces des autres, il n’avait cessé d’étaler sa sagesse intempestive. Les vierges Vestales se présentèrent elles aussi avec une lettre de Vitellius à Antonius. Il demandait un jour de trêve avant le combat décisif et disait que, si on leur accordait ce délai, tout pourrait être réglé plus aisément. Les vierges sacrées furent renvoyées avec honneur, mais on répondit à Vitellius que le meurtre de Sabinus et l’incendie du Capitole avaient rompu toutes les relations ordinaires qu’autorise la guerre. 81. Musonius Rufus, de l’ordre équestre, qui s’appliquait à l’étude de la philosophie et aux doctrines des stoïciens, s’était mêlé aux envoyés. Se glissant parmi les manipules, il commençait à exposer les bienfaits de la paix et les périls de la guerre, et à admonester des hommes en armes. La plupart en faisaient un objet de risée, un plus grand nombre encore le trouvaient importun ; et il ne manquait pas de gens prêts à le repousser et à le fouler aux pieds, si, averti par les plus disciplinés et menacé par d’autres, il n’avait renoncé à cette sagesse intempestive. Vinrent aussi à leur rencontre les vierges Vestales, porteuses de lettres de Vitellius adressées à Antonius : il demandait qu’un seul jour fût soustrait au combat suprême ; s’ils consentaient à ce délai, tout s’arrangerait plus aisément. Les vierges furent congédiées avec honneur ; on répondit à Vitellius que le meurtre de Sabinus et l’incendie du Capitole avaient rompu les relations qu’autorise la guerre.