in hand the earth, not by art, but by nature, according to a god. Nor yet would the weaving together[1] of dwellings nor the whole of house-building, and the manufacture of all kinds of utensils, and copper-work, and the preparing of instruments for carpenters and moulders, and weavers, and trades in general, although possessing what is useful for the common people, be suited for virtue. Nor yet does the whole of hunting, although various and full of art, contribute what is greatly becoming[2] together with what is wise. Nor yet does the diviner's and interpreter's art at all; for such merely knows what is said, but has not learnt whether it is true. Since then we see that the possession of necessaries is worked out indeed by art, but that not one of these arts makes any person wise, there would be left after this a certain sport,[3] imitative for the most part, but by no means a serious pursuit. For persons do with many instruments, [4]and with many imitations, effected by their own bodies,[4] not altogether graceful, make an imitation of things, expressed [5]in prose and verse,[5] and of those, of which painting is the mother, while colours many and various are worked out,[6] by many substances moist and dry; by operating upon none of which with the greatest care does the imitative art render a person wise. [7]And when all has been done,[7] there would be something remaining in the assistance without number given to persons without number; the greatest of which and for the most numerous occasions is the art of war, called by the name of generalship, of the highest repute in the case of need, but requiring the greatest good fortune, and that which is assigned naturally rather to bravery than wisdom. And what persons
- ↑ On the expression οἰκήσεων ξυνυφὴ, see my note on Æsch. Prom. 460, πλινθυφεῖς δόμους—
- ↑ I must leave for others to explain, what I cannot, why τὸ μεγαλοπρεπὲς σὺν τῷ σοφῷ is thus introduced instead of τὸ σοφὸν by itself.
- ↑ The παιδιὰ is here opposed to σπουδὴ, as in Epist. 6, p. 499, where I have referred to Wyttenbach in Epist. Grit. p. 14.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Ficinus has more elegantly "corporum gestibus et figuris—" Did the author write κινήμασι?
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Ast quotes opportunely Legg. viii. §5, p. 835, A., κατὰ λόγον καὶ κατ’ ᾠδὰς—
- ↑ One MS. has, what seems preferable, ἀποτυπουμένων, "put into a form"—similar to "exprimuntur" in Ficinus.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Ficinus has—"imitatione vero sublata—" From which it is difficult to ascertain what he found in his MS.
enim arte sed natura, del quodam favore, terræ culturam aggressi videmur—"
