Consolation to Marcia Chapter 13

Ne nimis admiretur Graecia illum patrem, qui in ipso sacrificio nuntiata fili morte tibicinem tantum iussit tacere et coronam capiti detraxit, cetera rite perfecit, Pulvillus effecit pontifex, cui postem tenenti et Capitolium dedicanti mors filii nuntiata est. Quam ille exaudisse dissimulavit et sollemnia pontificii carminis verba concepit gemitu non interrumpente precationem et ad filii sui nomen Iove propitiato. Putasne eius luctus aliquem finem esse debere, cuius primus dies et primus impetus ab altaribus publicis et fausta nuncupatione non abduxit patrem ? Dignus me hercules fuit memorabili dedicatione, dignus amplissimo sacerdotio, qui colere deos ne iratos quidem destitit. Idem tamen ut redit domum, et implevit oculos et aliquas voces flebiles misit et peractis, quae mos erat praestare defunctis, ad Capitolinum illum redit vultum. Paulus circa illos nobilissimi triumphi dies, quo vinctum ante currum egit Persen, incliti regis nomen, duos filios in adoptionem dedit, duos quos sibi servaverat extulit. Quales retentos putas, cum inter commodatos Scipio fuisset ? Non sine motu vacuum Pauli currum populus Romanus aspexit. Contionatus est tamen et egit dis gratias, quod compos voti factus esset ; precatum enim se, ut, si quid ob ingentem victoriam invidiae dandum esset, id suo potius quam publico damno solveretur. Vides quam magno animo tulerit ? Orbitati suae gratulatus est. Et quem magis poterat permovere tanta mutatio ? Solacia simul atque auxilia perdidit. Non contigit tamen tristem Paulum Persi videre.

That Greece cannot boast unduly of that father who, being in the act of offering sacrifice when he heard the news of his son’s death, merely ordered the flute-player to be silent, and removed the garland from his head, but accomplished all the rest of the ceremony in due form, is due to a Roman, Pulvillus the high priest. When he was in the act of holding the doorpost and dedicating the Capitol the news of his son’s death was brought to him. He pretended not to hear it, and pronounced the form of words proper for the high priest on such an occasion, without his prayer being interrupted by a single groan, begging that Jupiter would show himself gracious, at the very instant that he heard his son’s name mentioned as dead. Do you imagine that this man’s mourning knew no end, if the first day and the first shook could not drive him, though a father, away from the public altar of the state, or cause him to mar the ceremony of dedication by words of ill omen? Worthy, indeed, of the most exalted priesthood was he who ceased not to revere the gods even when they were angry. Yet he, after he had gone home, filled his eyes with tears, said a few words of lamentation, and performed the rites with which it was then customary to honour the dead, resumed the expression of countenance which he had worn in the Capitol. Paulus, about the time of his magnificent triumph, in which he drove Perses in chains before his car, gave two of his sons to be adopted into other families, and buried those whom he had kept for himself. What, think you, must those whom he kept have been, when Scipio was one of those whom he gave away? It was not without emotion that the Roman people looked upon Paulus’s empty chariot: nevertheless he made a speech to them, and returned thanks to the gods for having granted his prayer: for he had prayed that, if any offering to Nemesis were due in consequence of the stupendous victory which he had won, it might be paid at his own expense rather than at that of his country. Do you see how magnanimously he bore his loss? he even congratulated himself on being left childless, though who had more to suffer by such a change? he lost at once his comforters and his helpers. Yet Perses did not have the pleasure of seeing Paulus look sorrowful.

Que la Grèce n’accorde pas trop d’admiration à ce père qui, au milieu d’un sacrifice, apprenant que son fils était mort, se contenta de faire taire le joueur de flûte, d’ôter de son front la couronne, et continua jusqu’au bout la cérémonie. Ainsi a fait le pontife Pulvillus. Il présidait à la dédicace du Capitole ; il avait la main sur le jambage de la porte, quand il reçut une semblable nouvelle. Feignant de n’avoir pas entendu, il prononça les mots solennels de la formule pontificale, sans qu’un seul gémissement interrompît sa prière : on lui parlait de son fils mort, et il invoquait Jupiter propice. On pouvait prévoir le terme d’un deuil qui, au premier moment, dans son premier transport, n’avait pu arracher un père des autels de la patrie, d’une inauguration, d’une fête. Il était bien digne de faire cette mémorable dédicace et digne du suprême sacerdoce, celui qui ne cessait d’adorer les dieux, même en éprouvant leur courroux. Il fit plus ; et après que, rentré chez lui, il se fut abreuvé de ses larmes, qu’il eut ouvert passage à quelques sanglots, et accompli les devoirs d’usage envers les morts, son visage redevint le même qu’au Capitole. Paul-Émile, vers le temps du glorieux triomphe où Persée, roi de si grand renom, fut conduit enchaîné devant son char, avait donné en adoption deux de ses fils et s’en était réservé deux qu’il vit mourir. Quels fils s’était-il réservés, quand l’un de ceux qu’il avait cédés était Scipion ! Le peuple romain ne vit pas sans attendrissement le char du triomphateur vide de ses fils. Paul-Émile n’en harangua pas moins la foule, et il remercia les dieux de ce qu’ils avaient couronné ses vœux. Car il avait demandé au ciel que, si son éclatante victoire devait payer tribut à la fortune jalouse, ce fût aux dépens du général plutôt que de la république. Voyez son héroïque résignation ! La perte de ses fils, il l’appelle une grâce. Et quel père pouvait" être plus affecté d’une telle catastrophe ? Ses consolateurs et ses appuis tout à la fois l’abandonnent : et néanmoins Persée n’a pas la joie de voir les pleurs de Paul-Émile.