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SENECA - College of Stoic Philosophers

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THE EPISTLES OF <strong>SENECA</strong><br />

sanguine manus odium omne in feras verterant.<br />

quos aliquod nemus densum a sole protexerat, qui<br />

adversus saevitiam hiemis aut imbris vili receptaculo<br />

tuti sub fronde vivebant, placidas transigebaiit sine<br />

suspirio noctis. Sollicitudo nos in nostra purpura<br />

versat et acerrimis excitat stimulis ;<br />

at quam mollem<br />

42 somnum illis dura tellus dabat ! Non inpendebant<br />

caelata laquearia, sed in aperto iacentes sidera superlabebantur<br />

et insigne spectaculum noctium mundus<br />

in praeceps agebatur silentio tantum opus ducens. 1<br />

Tarn mterdiu illis<br />

quam nocte patebant 2 prospectus<br />

huius pulcherrimae domus. Libebat intueri signa<br />

ex media caeli parte vergentia, rursus ex occulto alia<br />

43 surgentia. Quidni iuvaret vagari inter tarn late<br />

Ilh<br />

sparsa miracula ?<br />

At vos ad omnem tectorum pavetis<br />

sonum et inter picturas vestras, si<br />

quid increpuit,<br />

fugitis adtoniti. Non habebant domos instar urbium.<br />

Spiritus ac liber inter aperta perflatus et levis umbra<br />

rupis aut arboris et perlucidi fontes rivique non opere<br />

nee fistula nee ullo coacto itinere obsolefacti, sed<br />

sponte currentes et prata sine arte formosa, inter<br />

haec agreste domicilium rustica politum manu.<br />

Haec erat secundum naturam domus, in qua libebat<br />

1<br />

ducens later MSS. ;<br />

diccns BA.<br />

2 patebant MSS. ; patebat an old reading found by<br />

Pincianus.<br />

Cf. Horace, i.<br />

Ep. 10. 20 f. :<br />

426<br />

Purior in vicis aqua tend it<br />

rumpere plumbum<br />

Quam quae per pronum trepidat cum muruiure rivum ?

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