Second Treatise of Government — Page 3
To this purpose, I think it may not be amiss, to set down what I take to be political power; that the power of a MAGISTRATE over a subject may be distinguished from that of a FATHER over his children, a MASTER over his servant, a HUSBAND over his wife, and a LORD over his slave.
A questo scopo, ritengo che non sia inopportuno stabilire ciò che considero potere politico; affinché il potere di un MAGISTRATO su un suddito possa essere distinto da quello di un PADRE sui suoi figli, di un PADRONE sul suo servo, di un MARITO sulla sua moglie e di un SIGNORE sul suo schiavo.
All which distinct powers happening sometimes together in the same man, if he be considered under these different relations, it may help us to distinguish these powers one from wealth, a father of a family, and a captain of a galley.
Tutti questi poteri distinti, che talvolta si trovano insieme nel medesimo uomo, se questi viene considerato sotto queste diverse relazioni, possono aiutarci a distinguere tali poteri l'uno dalla ricchezza, un padre di famiglia e un capitano di galea.
Sect. 3. POLITICAL POWER, then, I take to be a RIGHT of making laws with penalties of death, and consequently all less penalties, for the regulating and preserving of property, and of employing the force of the community, in the execution of such laws, and in the defence of the commonwealth from foreign injury; and all this only for the public good.
Sez. 3. Il POTERE POLITICO, dunque, lo considero come il DIRITTO di emanare leggi con pene di morte, e di conseguenza tutte le pene minori, per regolamentare e preservare la proprietà, e di impiegare la forza della comunità nell'esecuzione di tali leggi e nella difesa dello Stato dai danni stranieri; e tutto ciò soltanto per il bene pubblico.
CHAPTER. II.
CAPITOLO II.
OF THE STATE OF NATURE.
DELLO STATO DI NATURA.
Sect. 4. TO understand political power right, and derive it from its original, we must consider, what state all men are naturally in, and that is, a state of perfect freedom to order their actions, and dispose of their possessions and persons, as they think fit, within the bounds of the law of nature, without asking leave, or depending upon the will of any other man.
Sez. 4. Per comprendere correttamente il potere politico e derivarlo dalla sua origine, dobbiamo considerare in quale stato si trovino naturalmente tutti gli uomini, ovvero uno stato di perfetta libertà di regolare le proprie azioni e di disporre dei propri beni e della propria persona come ritengono opportuno, entro i limiti della legge di natura, senza chiedere il permesso né dipendere dalla volontà di alcun altro uomo.
Vocabulary
- questo
- This; this one (demonstrative pronoun/adjective)
- scopo
- Purpose; aim; goal or objective
- ritengo
- I believe; I consider; I think or hold
- che
- That; which; what (conjunction/relative pronoun)
- non
- Not; negation particle used before verbs
- sia
- Be; subjunctive form of essere (to be)
- inopportuno
- Inopportune; untimely; not appropriate or suitable
- stabilire
- To establish; to set; to determine or fix
- ciò
- That; this thing (demonstrative pronoun neuter)
- considero
- I consider; I regard; I think about
- potere
- Power; ability; can (noun or auxiliary verb)
- politico
- Political; relating to politics or government
- affinché
- So that; in order that; so as to
- il
- The (masculine singular definite article)
- di
- Of; from; about (preposition)
- un
- A; an (masculine singular indefinite article)
- MAGISTRATO
- Magistrate; judge; official administrator of justice
- su
- On; over; upon; above (preposition)
- suddito
- Subject; one who is under authority
- possa
- Can; may; subjunctive form of potere
- essere
- To be; fundamental auxiliary verb in Italian
- distinto
- Distinct; separate; clearly different or distinguished
- da
- From; by; used in passive voice
- quello
- That; that one (demonstrative pronoun)
- PADRE
- Father; male parent; paternal authority figure
- suoi
- His; her; one's (possessive plural adjective/pronoun)
- figli
- Children; sons and daughters; offspring
- PADRONE
- Master; owner; employer or proprietor
- suo
- His; her; one's (possessive singular adjective)
- servo
- Servant; slave; one in service to another
- MARITO
- Husband; married man; spouse
- sua
- His; her; one's (possessive feminine adjective)
- moglie
- Wife; married woman; spouse
- SIGNORE
- Lord; sir; gentleman or person of authority
- schiavo
- Slave; enslaved person; one without freedom
- Tutti
- All; everyone; all persons or things
- questi
- These; these ones (demonstrative plural)
- poteri
- Powers; abilities; plural of potere
- distinti
- Distinct; separate; plural of distinto
- talvolta
- Sometimes; occasionally; at times
- si
- Oneself; himself; reflexive pronoun
- trovano
- Are found; find themselves; are located
- insieme
- Together; jointly; at the same time
- medesimo
- Same; identical; one and the same
- uomo
- Man; human being; male adult person
- se
- If; whether; conditional particle
- viene
- Is; comes; third person singular present
- considerato
- Considered; regarded; thought about or examined
- sotto
- Under; beneath; below or underneath
- queste
- These; these ones feminine (demonstrative)
- diverse
- Different; various; diverse or distinct
- relazioni
- Relations; relationships; connections or associations
- possono
- Can; are able; third person plural potere
- aiutarci
- Help us; assist us; aid us
- distinguere
- To distinguish; to differentiate; to separate
- tali
- Such; such ones; of this or that kind
- uno
- One; a single; indefinite article
- ricchezza
- Wealth; richness; abundance or prosperity
- famiglia
- Family; household; group of related persons
- capitano
- Captain; commander; leader of ship or troops
- DIRITTO
- Right; law; privilege or entitlement
- emanare
- To emanate; to issue forth; to decree
- leggi
- Laws; rules; regulations or statutes
- con
- With; accompanied by; together with
- pene
- Penalties; punishments; consequences for wrongdoing
- morte
- Death; dying; end of life
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