Meditations — Page 9

English → It Preface Level 9/10

Cyprus has been from time immemorial a meeting-place of the East and West, and although we cannot grant any importance to a possible strain of Phoenician blood in him (for the Phœnicians were no philosophers), yet it is quite likely that through Asia Minor he may have come in touch with the Far East.

Cipro è stata da tempo immemorabile un luogo d'incontro tra Oriente e Occidente, e sebbene non possiamo attribuire alcuna importanza a una possibile vena di sangue fenicio in lui (poiché i Fenici non erano filosofi), è tuttavia abbastanza probabile che attraverso l'Asia Minore egli possa essere venuto in contatto con l'Estremo Oriente.

He studied under the cynic Crates, but he did not neglect other philosophical systems.

Studiò sotto il cinico Cratete, ma non trascurò altri sistemi filosofici.

After many years' study he opened his own school in a colonnade in Athens called the Painted Porch, or Stoa, which gave the Stoics their name.

Dopo molti anni di studio aprì la propria scuola in un colonnato ad Atene chiamato il Portico Dipinto, o Stoà, che diede agli Stoici il loro nome.

Next to Zeno, the School of the Porch owes most to Chrysippus (280--207 b.c.), who organised Stoicism into a system.

Dopo Zenone, la Scuola del Portico deve di più a Crisippo (280--207 a.C.), che organizzò lo Stoicismo in un sistema.

Of him it was said,

Di lui si diceva,

'But for Chrysippus, there had been no Porch.'

«Senza Crisippo, non ci sarebbe stato alcun Portico.»

The Stoics regarded speculation as a means to an end and that end was, as Zeno put it, to live consistently (ὁμολογουμένος ζῆν), or as it was later explained, to live in conformity with nature (ὁμολογουμένος τῇ φύσει ζῆν).

Gli Stoici consideravano la speculazione come un mezzo per un fine, e quel fine era, come lo espresse Zenone, vivere coerentemente (ὁμολογουμένος ζῆν), o come fu in seguito spiegato, vivere in conformità con la natura (ὁμολογουμένος τῇ φύσει ζῆν).

This conforming of the life to nature was the Stoic idea of Virtue.

Questo adeguare la vita alla natura era il concetto stoico di Virtù.

This dictum might easily be taken to mean that virtue consists in yielding to each natural impulse; but that was very far from the Stoic meaning.

Questo detto potrebbe facilmente essere inteso nel senso che la virtù consiste nel cedere a ogni impulso naturale; ma questo era ben lontano dal significato stoico.

Vocabulary

è: EH — Third person singular present tense of 'essere' (to be).
stata: STAH-tah — Past participle of 'essere'; been (feminine form).
da: DAH — Preposition meaning from, by, since, or for.
tempo: TEM-poh — Time or weather; a very common Italian noun.
immemorabile: im-meh-moh-RAH-bee-leh — Immemorial; beyond the reach of memory or record.
un: OON — Indefinite article meaning a or an (masculine).
luogo: LWOH-goh — Place, location, or site.
d': D — Contracted form of 'di'; of or from.
incontro: in-KON-troh — Meeting, encounter, or coming together of parties.
tra: TRAH — Preposition meaning between or among.
Oriente: oh-ree-EN-teh — The East; eastern regions of the world.
e: EH — Conjunction meaning and.
Occidente: ok-chee-DEN-teh — The West; western regions of the world.
sebbene: seb-BEH-neh — Conjunction meaning although or even though.
non: NOHN — Negation word meaning not.
possiamo: pos-SYAH-moh — We can; first person plural of 'potere'.
attribuire: at-tree-boo-EE-reh — To attribute or assign a quality to something.
alcuna: al-KOO-nah — Any or some (feminine singular); used in negation.
importanza: im-por-TAHN-tsah — Importance, significance, or relevance.
a: AH — Preposition meaning to, at, or in.
una: OO-nah — Indefinite article meaning a or an (feminine).
possibile: pos-SEE-bee-leh — Possible; capable of happening or existing.
vena: VEH-nah — Vein; also a strain or thread of something.
di: DEE — Preposition meaning of or from.
sangue: SAHN-gweh — Blood; bodily fluid or ancestral lineage.
in: IN — Preposition meaning in or into.
lui: LWEE — Third person masculine singular pronoun meaning him or he.
poiché: poy-KEH — Conjunction meaning since or because.
i: EE — Definite article meaning the (masculine plural).
erano: EH-rah-noh — They were; third person plural imperfect of 'essere'.
filosofi: fee-LOH-zoh-fee — Philosophers; thinkers who pursue wisdom and knowledge.
tuttavia: toot-tah-VEE-ah — Nevertheless, however, or yet; concessive adverb.
abbastanza: ab-bah-STAHN-tsah — Enough, quite, or fairly; indicates sufficiency or degree.
probabile: proh-BAH-bee-leh — Probable or likely; expected to occur.
che: KEH — Conjunction or pronoun meaning that, which, or who.
attraverso: at-trah-VER-soh — Through or across; passing from one side to another.
l': L — Contracted definite article the before a vowel.
Minore: mee-NOH-reh — Minor or lesser; here refers to Asia Minor (Anatolia).
egli: EH-lyee — Third person masculine pronoun he; formal literary form.
possa: POS-sah — May or might; subjunctive form of 'potere'.
essere: ES-seh-reh — To be; fundamental Italian auxiliary and linking verb.
venuto: veh-NOO-toh — Come; past participle of 'venire' (to come).
contatto: kon-TAT-toh — Contact; touching or communication between two things.
con: KON — Preposition meaning with.
Estremo: es-TREH-moh — Extreme or far; here part of 'Estremo Oriente' (Far East).
Studiò: stoo-DYOH — He/she studied; third person singular remote past of 'studiare'.
sotto: SOT-toh — Under, below, or beneath; also used for studying under someone.
il: IL — Definite article meaning the (masculine singular).
cinico: CHEE-nee-koh — Cynic; relating to the ancient Greek Cynic philosophy.
ma: MAH — But; conjunction expressing contrast or opposition.
trascurò: trahs-koo-ROH — He/she neglected; third person singular remote past of 'trascurare'.
altri: AL-tree — Other or others; masculine plural adjective or pronoun.
sistemi: sis-TEH-mee — Systems; organized sets of principles or methods.
filosofici: fee-loh-ZOH-fee-chee — Philosophical; relating to philosophy (masculine plural adjective).
Dopo: DOH-poh — After or later; preposition or adverb of time.
molti: MOL-tee — Many; masculine plural adjective indicating large quantity.
anni: AN-nee — Years; plural of 'anno'.
studio: STOO-dyoh — Study, studio, or office; act of learning.
aprì: ah-PREE — He/she opened; third person singular remote past of 'aprire'.
la: LAH — Definite article meaning the (feminine singular).
propria: PROH-pryah — Own; feminine adjective indicating possession or belonging.
scuola: SKWOH-lah — School; place or institution of learning.
colonnato: koh-lon-NAH-toh — Colonnade; a row of columns supporting a roof or walkway.
ad: AD — Preposition 'a' used before vowels; at, in, or to.
chiamato: kyah-MAH-toh — Called or named; past participle of 'chiamare'.
Portico: POR-tee-koh — Portico; a porch with columns at the entrance of a building.
Dipinto: dee-PIN-toh — Painted; past participle of 'dipingere'; here Painted Porch.
o: OH — Or; conjunction expressing an alternative.
diede: DYEH-deh — He/she gave; third person singular remote past of 'dare'.
agli: AH-lyee — Contraction of 'a' and 'gli'; to the (masculine plural).
loro: LOH-roh — Their or them; third person plural possessive or pronoun.
nome: NOH-meh — Name; the word used to identify a person or thing.
Scuola: SKWOH-lah — School; an institution or tradition of thought or learning.
del: DEL — Contraction of 'di' and 'il'; of the (masculine singular).
deve: DEH-veh — Must or owes; third person singular present of 'dovere'.
più: PYOO — More; comparative adverb indicating greater degree or quantity.
organizzò: or-gah-nid-ZOH — He/she organized; third person singular remote past of 'organizzare'.
lo: LOH — Definite article or pronoun meaning the or him (masculine).
sistema: sis-TEH-mah — System; organized framework of ideas or principles.
Di: DEE — Of; preposition indicating origin, possession, or belonging.
si: SEE — Reflexive pronoun meaning oneself or each other.
diceva: dee-CHEH-vah — He/she/it was said; imperfect tense of 'dire'.
Senza: SEN-tsah — Without; preposition indicating absence of something.
ci: CHEE — Reflexive or locative pronoun meaning us, here, or there.
sarebbe: sah-REB-beh — Would be; conditional form of 'essere'.
stato: STAH-toh — Been or state; past participle of 'essere' or noun.
alcun: al-KOON — Any or some (masculine singular); used in negative contexts.
Gli: LYEE — Definite article or pronoun the or to him (masculine plural).
consideravano: kon-see-deh-RAH-vah-noh — They considered; third person plural imperfect of 'considerare'.
speculazione: speh-koo-lah-TSYOH-neh — Speculation; theoretical reasoning or philosophical inquiry.
come: KOH-meh — As, like, or how; versatile conjunction or adverb.
mezzo: MED-dzoh — Means, medium, or half; tool used to achieve an end.
per: PER — For, through, or in order to; common Italian preposition.
fine: FEE-neh — End, purpose, or goal; noun indicating conclusion or aim.
quel: KWEL — That; masculine singular demonstrative adjective.
era: EH-rah — Was; third person singular imperfect of 'essere'.
espresse: es-PRES-seh — He/she expressed; third person singular remote past of 'esprimere'.
vivere: VEE-veh-reh — To live; the infinitive of the verb meaning to be alive.
coerentemente: koh-eh-ren-teh-MEN-teh — Coherently or consistently; in a logical, unified manner.
fu: FOO — Was; third person singular remote past of 'essere'.
seguito: seh-GWEE-toh — Followed or sequel; past participle of 'seguire'.
spiegato: spyeh-GAH-toh — Explained or clarified; past participle of 'spiegare'.
conformità: kon-for-mee-TAH — Conformity; the state of agreeing or complying with something.
natura: nah-TOO-rah — Nature; the natural world or innate character of things.
Questo: KWES-toh — This; masculine singular demonstrative pronoun or adjective.
adeguare: ah-deh-GWAH-reh — To adapt or adjust; to make something fit a standard.
vita: VEE-tah — Life; the state of being alive or one's existence.
alla: AL-lah — Contraction of 'a' and 'la'; to the (feminine singular).
concetto: kon-CHET-toh — Concept or idea; an abstract notion or mental construct.
stoico: STOH-ee-koh — Stoic; relating to Stoicism or enduring hardship without complaint.
Virtù: veer-TOO — Virtue; moral excellence and righteousness of character.
detto: DET-toh — Said or called; past participle of 'dire'.
potrebbe: poh-TREB-beh — Could or might; conditional form of 'potere'.
facilmente: fah-chil-MEN-teh — Easily; in a way that requires little effort.
inteso: in-TEH-zoh — Understood or intended; past participle of 'intendere'.
nel: NEL — Contraction of 'in' and 'il'; in the (masculine singular).
senso: SEN-soh — Sense or meaning; the significance or direction of something.
virtù: veer-TOO — Virtue; moral excellence, goodness, and ethical behavior.
consiste: kon-SIS-teh — Consists; third person singular present of 'consistere'.
cedere: CHEH-deh-reh — To yield, give way, or surrender to something.
ogni: OH-nyee — Every or each; adjective indicating totality without exception.
impulso: im-POOL-soh — Impulse; a sudden urge or drive to act instinctively.
naturale: nah-too-RAH-leh — Natural; existing in or caused by nature; not artificial.
questo: KWES-toh — This; masculine singular demonstrative adjective or pronoun.
ben: BEN — Well or quite; adverb emphasizing degree or manner.
lontano: lon-TAH-noh — Far or distant; adjective or adverb indicating great distance.
dal: DAL — Contraction of 'da' and 'il'; from the (masculine singular).
significato: see-nyee-fee-KAH-toh — Meaning or significance; what a word or action denotes.

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