1. Falso queritur de natura sua genus humanum quod imbecilla atque aevi brevis[1] forte potius quam virtute regatur. Nam contra reputando neque majus aliud neque praestabilius invenias,[2] magisque naturae industriam hominum quam vim aut tempus deesse. Sed dux atque imperator vitae mortalium animus est, qui, ubi ad gloriam virtutis via grassatur,[3] abunde pollens potensque et clarus est, neque fortuna eget, quippe probitatem, industriam aliasque artes bonas neque dare neque eripere cuiquam potest. Sin captus pravis cupidinibus ad inertiam et voluptates corporis pessumdatus est, perniciosa libidine paulisper[4] usus, ubi per socordiam vires, tempus, ingenium diffluxere, naturae infirmitas accusatur; suam quisque culpam auctores ad negotia transferunt.[5] Quodsi[6] hominibus bonarum rerum tanta cura esset, quanto studio aliena ac nihil profutura multumque etiam periculosa[7] petunt; neque regerentur[8] magis quam regerent casus, et eo magnitudinis[9] procederent, ubi pro mortalibus gloria aeterni fierent. [1] _Aevi brevis_, 'of short duration.' _Aevum_, in the sense of _aetas_, is rather poetical, and does not occur till a rather late period; whence the common expression _medium aevum_, 'the middle ages,' is not exactly in accordance with the best Latinity. [2] _Invenias_; supply _quam naturam humanam_. [3] _Grassatur_, the same as _ingreditur_, 'advances towards;' but _grassari_ has the additional meaning of power and vehemence, whence it is often used to mark the progress of something bad. [4] _Paulisper_, 'for a short time.' [5] _Auctores_ contains a whole clause--'every one transfers his own fault, _though he himself is the author of it_, to circumstances;' that is, to the things which he himself has done. [6] _Quodsi_, 'if, however.' Zumpt, S 807. [7] 'And at the same time very dangerous.' In many cases one feels inclined to assign to the adverb _multum_ the meaning of 'often,' but with adjectives, it is used only to strengthen their meaning. [8] _Regerentur_; supply _casibus_. [9] _Eo magnitudinis_; that is, _ad eam magnitudinem_, 'to that greatness.' See Zumpt, S 434.