Meditations — Page 8
But from his own tone in speaking of the Christians it is clear he knew them only from calumny; and we hear of no measures taken even to secure that they should have a fair hearing.
Pero por el tono que empleaba al hablar de los cristianos, queda claro que solo los conocía a través de la calumnia; y no tenemos noticia de que se tomara medida alguna para garantizar siquiera que tuvieran una audiencia justa.
In this respect Trajan was better than he.
En este sentido, Trajano fue mejor que él.
To a thoughtful mind such a religion as that of Rome would give small satisfaction.
Para una mente reflexiva, una religión como la de Roma ofrecería escasa satisfacción.
Its legends were often childish or impossible; its teaching had little to do with morality.
Sus leyendas eran con frecuencia pueriles o inverosímiles; su doctrina tenía poco que ver con la moral.
The Roman religion was in fact of the nature of a bargain: men paid certain sacrifices and rites, and the gods granted their favour, irrespective of right or wrong.
La religión romana era, en efecto, de naturaleza contractual: los hombres ofrecían ciertos sacrificios y ritos, y los dioses concedían su favor, con independencia del bien o del mal.
In this case all devout souls were thrown back upon philosophy, as they had been, though to a less extent, in Greece.
En tal situación, todas las almas devotas se veían empujadas de nuevo hacia la filosofía, como había ocurrido, aunque en menor medida, en Grecia.
There were under the early empire two rival schools which practically divided the field between them, Stoicism and Epicureanism.
Durante el primer Imperio existían dos escuelas rivales que se repartían prácticamente el terreno entre ellas: el estoicismo y el epicureísmo.
The ideal set before each was nominally much the same.
El ideal propuesto por cada una era, en apariencia, muy similar.
The Stoics aspired to ἁπάθεια, the repression of all emotion, and the Epicureans to ἀταραξία, freedom from all disturbance; yet in the upshot the one has become a synonym of stubborn endurance, the other for unbridled licence.
Los estoicos aspiraban a la ἁπάθεια, la represión de toda emoción, y los epicúreos a la ἀταραξία, la libertad de toda perturbación; sin embargo, con el tiempo la primera ha llegado a ser sinónimo de resistencia tenaz, y la segunda de libertinaje desenfrenado.
With Epicureanism we have nothing to do now; but it will be worth while to sketch the history and tenets of the Stoic sect.
Con el epicureísmo no tenemos nada que ver ahora; pero valdrá la pena trazar un esbozo de la historia y los principios de la escuela estoica.
Zeno, the founder of Stoicism, was born in Cyprus at some date unknown, but his life may be said roughly to be between the years 350 and 250 B.C.
Zenón, el fundador del estoicismo, nació en Chipre en una fecha desconocida, aunque su vida puede situarse aproximadamente entre los años 350 y 250 a. C.
Vocabulary
- Pero
- But; however; expressing contrast or opposition.
- por
- By; through; for; indicating agent or reason.
- el
- The; definite article for masculine singular nouns.
- tono
- Tone; manner of speaking or expressing something.
- que
- That; which; introducing relative clauses or comparisons.
- empleaba
- Was employing; was using; imperfect past tense.
- al
- To the; contraction of 'a' and 'el'.
- hablar
- To speak; to talk; infinitive verb form.
- de
- Of; from; about; indicating possession or origin.
- los
- The; definite article for masculine plural nouns.
- cristianos
- Christians; followers of Christian religion or faith.
- queda
- Remains; is left; third person singular present.
- claro
- Clear; evident; obvious; transparent or understandable.
- solo
- Only; sole; just; exclusively or by oneself.
- conocía
- Knew; was acquainted with; imperfect past tense.
- través
- Through; across; by way of; indicating passage.
- la
- The; definite article for feminine singular nouns.
- calumnia
- Slander; false accusation; defamatory statement against someone.
- no
- No; not; negation or denial of statement.
- tenemos
- We have; possess; first person plural present.
- noticia
- News; information; knowledge or report of events.
- se
- Reflexive pronoun; oneself; indicating reflexive action.
- tomara
- Would take; might take; subjunctive past tense.
- medida
- Measure; step; action taken for specific purpose.
- alguna
- Some; any; a certain; feminine form.
- para
- For; in order to; toward; indicating purpose.
- garantizar
- To guarantee; to ensure; to promise protection.
- siquiera
- Even; at least; expressing minimum condition.
- tuvieran
- Had; would have; subjunctive past form.
- una
- A; one; indefinite article, feminine singular.
- audiencia
- Hearing; audience; judicial session or legal proceeding.
- justa
- Just; fair; equitable; feminine form of justo.
- En
- In; at; within; preposition indicating location.
- este
- This; demonstrative adjective, masculine singular.
- sentido
- Sense; meaning; direction; perception or interpretation.
- fue
- Was; past tense of ser; third person singular.
- mejor
- Better; superior; comparative form of good.
- Para
- For; in order to; toward; indicating purpose.
- mente
- Mind; intellect; mental capacity or thinking faculty.
- reflexiva
- Reflective; thoughtful; given to deep consideration.
- religión
- Religion; faith; system of beliefs and worship.
- como
- Like; as; how; indicating comparison or manner.
- Roma
- Rome; ancient city and capital of empire.
- ofrecería
- Would offer; would provide; conditional future tense.
- escasa
- Scarce; limited; insufficient; meager in quantity.
- satisfacción
- Satisfaction; contentment; fulfillment of desire or need.
- Sus
- His; her; its; their; possessive adjective.
- leyendas
- Legends; myths; traditional stories of people.
- eran
- Were; past tense of ser; third person plural.
- con
- With; accompanied by; in company or association.
- frecuencia
- Frequency; often; rate of occurrence or repetition.
- pueriles
- Childish; immature; silly; lacking seriousness.
- inverosímiles
- Implausible; unlikely; not believable or credible.
- su
- His; her; its; their; possessive adjective.
- doctrina
- Doctrine; teaching; system of beliefs and principles.
- tenía
- Had; possessed; imperfect past tense, third person.
- poco
- Little; few; small in quantity or amount.
- ver
- To see; to watch; to understand or perceive.
- moral
- Moral; ethics; concerning principles of right behavior.
- La
- The; definite article for feminine singular nouns.
- romana
- Roman; of Rome; relating to ancient Rome.
- era
- Was; past tense of ser; third person singular.
- efecto
- Effect; result; consequence of an action.
- naturaleza
- Nature; character; essence; natural world or environment.
- contractual
- Contractual; relating to agreements or contracts.
- hombres
- Men; males; human beings of male gender.
- ofrecían
- Offered; provided; imperfect past tense, third person.
- ciertos
- Certain; some; particular; definite or sure.
- sacrificios
- Sacrifices; offerings; acts of giving up something.
- ritos
- Rites; rituals; ceremonial practices or observances.
- dioses
- Gods; deities; divine beings or supernatural entities.
- concedían
- Granted; awarded; imperfect past tense, third person.
- favor
- Favor; kindness; support or approval shown.
- independencia
- Independence; freedom; state of being self-governing.
- del
- Of the; contraction of 'de' and 'el'.
- bien
- Good; well; benefit; positive or moral quality.
- mal
- Bad; evil; ill; negative or harmful quality.
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