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Seneca

Moral Letters to Lucilius Section 24

Section 1,150 of 2,141

Canonical reference 83.24

Latin

Perseus canonical Latin TEI

Quae gloria est capere multum? Cum penes te palma fuerit et propinationes tuas strati somno ac vomitantes recusaverint, cum superstes toti convivio fueris, cum omnes viceris virtute magnifica et nemo vini tam capax fuerit, vincens a dolio.

French

Baillard 1914

Quelle gloire y
a-t-il à loger force vin dans son estomac ? Que la palme te soit demeurée, que nul ne puisse plus répondre à tes rasades provocatrices, qu’au milieu des convives terrassés par le sommeil et vomissants seul tu restes debout, que tu les aies tous vaincus par ton insigne courage, que tu aies tenu plus de vin que pas un ; un tonneau l’emporte sur toi.

English

Richard M. Gummere · Moral Letters to Lucilius

What glory is there in carrying much liquor? When you have won the prize, and the other banqueters, sprawling asleep or vomiting, have declined your challenge to still other toasts; when you are the last survivor of the revels; when you have vanquished every one by your magnificent show of prowess and there is no man who has proved himself of so great capacity as you, - you are vanquished by the cask.

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