Des devoirs Passage 14

Adde ductus aquarum, derivationes fluminum, agrorum irrigationes, moles oppositas fluctibus, portus manu factos, quae unde sine hominum opere habere possemus? Ex quibus multisque aliis perspicuum est, qui fructus quaeque utilitates ex rebus iis,quae sint inanimae,percipiantur,eas nosnullo modo sine hominum manu atque opera capere potuisse. Qui denique ex bestiis fructus aut quae commoditas, nisi homines adiuvarent, percipi posset? Nam et qui principes inveniendi fuerunt, quem ex quaque belua usum habere possemus, homines certe fuerunt, nec hoc tempore sine hominum opera aut pascere eas aut domare aut tueri aut tempestivos fructus ex iis capere possemus; ab eisdemque et, quae nocent, interficiuntur et, quae usui possunt esse, capiuntur.

Add aqueducts, diversions of rivers, irrigation of fields, breakwaters set against the waves, and harbors made by hand. How could we possess these without human labor? From these and many other examples it is clear that we could never have obtained, without human hands and labor, the fruits and benefits derived from inanimate things. Finally, what fruit or advantage could be obtained from beasts unless people assisted? Those who first discovered what use we could derive from each animal were certainly human beings, and even now we could not feed, tame, or protect them, or obtain their seasonable products, without human labor. By human beings, too, harmful animals are killed and useful ones captured.

Ajoute les aqueducs, les dérivations des fleuves, l’irrigation des champs, les digues opposées aux flots et les ports construits de main d’homme. Comment pourrions-nous les avoir sans le travail humain? Ces exemples et beaucoup d’autres montrent clairement que nous n’aurions pu tirer aucunement, sans la main et le travail des hommes, les fruits et les avantages que procurent les choses inanimées. Enfin, quel fruit ou quel avantage pourrait-on obtenir des bêtes si des hommes n’y contribuaient? Ceux qui découvrirent les premiers quel usage nous pouvions tirer de chaque animal furent assurément des hommes; et aujourd’hui encore, sans le travail humain, nous ne pourrions ni les nourrir, ni les dompter, ni les protéger, ni en recueillir les produits au moment opportun. Ce sont également les hommes qui tuent les animaux nuisibles et capturent ceux qui peuvent être utiles.