academica of cicero. - 912 Freedom Library
academica of cicero. - 912 Freedom Library
academica of cicero. - 912 Freedom Library
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Ratum: cf. 141.<br />
§28. Perceptum: thoroughly known and grasped. Similar arguments are very frequent in Sextus,<br />
e.g. Adv. Math. VIII. 281, where the dogmatist argues that if pro<strong>of</strong> be impossible, as the sceptic<br />
says, there must be a pro<strong>of</strong> to show it impossible; the sceptic doctrine must be provable. Cf. 109<br />
<strong>of</strong> this book. Postulanti: making it a necessity for the discussion; cf. De Leg. I. 21. Consentaneum<br />
esse: a???????? e??a?. Ut alia: although others. Tantum abest ut—ut: cf. Madv. Gram. 440 a.<br />
§29. Pressius: cf. De Fato 31, 33, N.D. II. 20, T.D. IV. 14, Hortensius fragm. 46 ed. Nobbe. The<br />
word is mocked in 109. Decretum: <strong>of</strong> course the Academics would say they did not hold this d??<br />
µa as stabile fixum ratum but only as probabile. Sextus however Pyrrh. Hyp. I. 226 (and<br />
elsewhere) accuses them <strong>of</strong> making it in reality what in words they pr<strong>of</strong>essed it not to be, a fixed<br />
dogma. Sentitis enim: cf. sentis in D.F. III. 26. Fluctuare: "to be at sea," Halm fluctuari, but the<br />
deponent verb is not elsewhere found in Cic. Summa: cf. summa philosophiae D.F. II. 86. Veri<br />
falsi: cf. n. on 92. Quae visa: so Halm for MSS. quaevis, which edd. had changed to quae a<br />
quovis. Repudiari: the selection depended on the probabile <strong>of</strong> course, with the Academics. Veri<br />
falsique: these words were used in different senses by the dogmatist and the sceptic, the former<br />
meant by them "the undestructibly true and false." This being so, the statements in the text are in<br />
no sense arguments, they are mere assertions, as Sext. says, ???? fase? ?s?? fe?eta? ???? fas??<br />
(A.M. VII. 315), fase? µe? fas?? ep?s?e??seta? (ib. 337). Cognoscendi initium: cf. 26, "This I<br />
have," the Academic would reply, "in my probabile." Extremum expetendi: a rather unusual<br />
phrase for the ethical finis. Ut moveri non possint: so ???e?s?a? is perpetually used in Sext. Est<br />
ut opinor: so Halm after Ernesti for sit <strong>of</strong> the MSS. I think it very likely that the MSS. reading is<br />
right, and that the whole expression is an imitation <strong>of</strong> the Greek ???a??? e???s?? and the like.<br />
The subj. is supported by D.F. III. 20, De Off. I. 8, Ad Att. XIII. 14, 3, where ut opinor is thrown in<br />
as here, and by Ac. II. 17, D.F. III. 21, 24, N.D. I. 109, where si placet is appended in a similar<br />
way.<br />
§§30—36. Summary. With respect to physical science, we might urge that nature has<br />
constructed man with great art. His mind is naturally formed for the attainment <strong>of</strong><br />
knowledge (30). For this purpose the mind uses the senses, and so gradually arrives<br />
at virtue, which is the perfection <strong>of</strong> the reason. Those then who deny that any<br />
certainty can be attained through the senses, throw the whole <strong>of</strong> life into confusion<br />
(31). Some sceptics say "we cannot help it." Others distinguish between the absolute<br />
absence <strong>of</strong> certainty, and the denial <strong>of</strong> its absolute presence. Let us deal with these<br />
rather than with the former (32). Now they on the one hand pr<strong>of</strong>ess to distinguish<br />
between true and false, and on the other hold that no absolutely certain method for<br />
distinguishing between true and false is possible (33). This is absurd, a thing cannot<br />
be known at all unless by such marks as can appertain to no other thing. How can a<br />
thing be said to be "evidently white," if the possibility remains that it may be really<br />
black? Again, how can a thing be "evident" at all if it may be after all a mere<br />
phantom (34)? There is no definite mark, say the sceptics, by which a thing may be<br />
known. Their "probability" then is mere random guess work (35). Even if they only<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>ess to decide after careful pondering <strong>of</strong> the circumstances, we reply that a<br />
decision which is still possibly false is useless (36).<br />
§30. Physicis: neuter not masc.; cf. I. 6. Libertatem et licentiam: et = "and even." Libertas = pa??<br />
?s?a as <strong>of</strong>ten in Tacitus. Abditis rebus et obscuris: cf. n. on I. 15, and the word s??es??asµe???<br />
Sext. Adv. Math. VII. 26. Lucem eripere: like tollere (n. on 26), cf. 38, 103 and N.D. I. 6. For the<br />
sense see n. on 16, also 61. Artificio: this word is used in Cic. as equivalent to ars in all its<br />
senses, cf. 114 and De Or. II. 83. Fabricata esset: the expression is sneered at in 87. Quem ad<br />
modum primum: so Halm rightly for MSS. prima or primo, which latter is not <strong>of</strong>ten followed by<br />
deinde in Cicero. Primum is out <strong>of</strong> position, as in 24. Appetitio pulsa: = mota, set in motion. For<br />
???µ? see 24. Intenderemus: as in the exx. given in 20. Fons: "reservoir," rather than "source"<br />
here. It will be noted that s???ata?es?? must take place before the ???µ? is roused. Ipse sensus<br />
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