Moral Letters to Lucilius Section 12

Ista, mi Lucili, condenda in animum sunt, ut contemnas voluptatem ex plurium adsensione venientem. Multi te laudant. Ecquid habes, cur placeas tibi, si is es, quem intellegant multi? Introrsus bona tua spectent. Vale.

» Garde cela, Lucilius, au plus profond de ton âme, et tu dédaigneras ce chatouillement qu’excite la louange sortant de plusieurs bouches. La foule t’applaudit ! Eh ! qu’as-tu à te complaire si tu es de ces hommes que la foule comprend ? C’est au dedans de toi que tes mérites doivent briller.

Lay these words to heart, Lucilius, that you may scorn the pleasure which comes from the applause of the majority. Many men praise you; but have you any reason for being pleased with yourself, if you are a person whom the many can understand? Your good qualities should face inwards. Farewell.