Claudian, volume 1 (of 2): With an English translation by Maurice PlatnauerClaudianus, Claudius
General
Claudian, volume 1 (of 2): With an English translation by Maurice Platnauer
Claudianus, Claudius
Claudianus, Claudius -- Translations into English
two he set below the neck in a place befitting their functions, where
it is their part to obey the commands of the directing soul. Doubtless
our creator, fearing to mix the heavenly with the mortal, placed the
different souls in different parts and kept their dwelling-places
distinct. Near to the heart whence springs our blood there is within
the breast a place where fiery anger lurks, eager to hurt and
uncontrolled. This cavity swells when heated by rage and contracts
when cooled by fear. Then, since anger swept everything away with it
and in its fury gave the limbs no rest, Prometheus invented the lungs
to aid the body and applied their humidity to the raging of anger to
soothe our wrath-swollen flesh. Lust, that asks for everything and
gives nought, was driven down into the liver and of necessity occupied
the lowest room. Like a beast, opening its capacious jaws, lust can
never be full fed nor satisfied; it is a prey now to the cruel lash of
sleepless avarice, now to the fiery goads of love; is swayed now by
joy, now by misery, and is no sooner fed than fain to be fed again,
returning with more insistence than the oft-beheaded hydra.
“Can any assuage this tumult he will assure an inviolable sanctuary
for a spotless soul. Thou mayest hold sway o’er farthest India, be
obeyed by Mede, unwarlike Arab or Chinese, yet, if thou fearest, hast
evil desires, art swayed by anger, thou wilt bear the yoke of slavery;
within thyself thou wilt be a slave to tyrannical rule. When thou canst
be king over thyself then shalt thou hold rightful rule over the world.
The easier way often trod leads to worse; liberty begets licence and,
when uncontrolled, leads to vice. Then is a chaste
* * * * *
Page 306
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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