Lettres à Lucilius Section 1

Ubi illa prudentia tua? Ubi in dispiciendis rebus subtilitas? Ubi magnitudo? Iam pusilla te res angit? Servi occupationes tuas occasionem fugae putaverunt. Si amici deciperent - habeant enim sane nomen, quod illis noster error inposuit, et vocentur, quo turpius non sint - omnibus rebus tuis desset aliquid; nunc desunt illi, qui et operam tuam conterebant et te aliis molestum esse credebant.

Qu’est devenue ta rare prudence ? Et cette sagacité qui appréciait si bien les choses ? Où est ton grand courage ? Une bagatelle te désole ! Tes esclaves, te voyant si affairé, ont cru le moment bon pour s’enfuir. Prends que c’étaient de faux amis, (et en vérité laissons-leur le nom d’amis que leur donne ce bon Épicure) ; pour qu’ils ne compromettent pas plus scandaleusement tous tes intérêts, passe-toi de gens qui mettaient ta surveillance aux abois, et faisaient de toi un maître aussi fâcheux que ses valets.

Where is that common-sense of yours? Where that deftness in examining things? That greatness of soul? Have you come to be tormented by a trifle? Your slaves regarded your absorption in business as an opportunity for them to run away. Well, if your friends deceived you (for by all means let them have the name which we mistakenly bestowed upon them, and so call them, that they may incur more shame by not being such friends) - if your friends, I repeat, deceived you, all your affairs would lack something; as it is, you merely lack men who damaged your own endeavours and considered you burdensome to your neighbours.