Lettres à Lucilius Section 25

Vides, quemadmodum extrema quoque mancipia, ubi illis stimulos adegit dolor, excitentur et intentissimas custodias fallant? Ille vir magnus est, qui mortem sibi non tantum imperavit, sed invenit. Ex eodem tibi munere plura exempla promisi.

Vois les derniers des esclaves : quand l’aiguillon du désespoir les presse, comme leur génie s’éveille et met en défaut toute la vigilance de leurs gardiens ! Celui-là est grand qui s’impose pour loi le trépas et qui sait le trouver.

Je t’ai promis plusieurs exemples de gladiateurs. Voici le dernier.

See how even the lowest class of slave, when suffering goads him on, is aroused and discovers a way to deceive even the most watchful guards! He is truly great who not only has given himself the order to die, but has also found the means. I have promised you, however, some more illustrations drawn from the same games.