Prosa 2

section 1

1: A solemn new beginning; cf. 3M9.22.
recepta: "withdrawn."

section 2

quo: quo . . . adepto: ablative absolute; translate, "when that good has been acquired . . ." Note that adepto is passive in meaning, although adipiscor is deponent; so also adeptis (sec. 5 infra).
quis: = aliquis.
adepto: quo . . . adepto: ablative absolute; translate, "when that good has been acquired . . ." Note that adepto is passive in meaning, although adipiscor is deponent; so also adeptis (sec. 5 infra).

section 3

Quod: = Et id.
cui: antecedent is quod.
aforet: = abesset.
congregatione: "gathering together, assembling."

section 5

5: This list of sought-after goods provides the framework for the rest of Book 3; the five (diuitiae - dignitates - regna - gloria - uoluptates) constantly recur in the same order.
Quorum: sc. hominum.
summum bonum esse nihilo indigere: accusative/infinitive following credentes: "the highest good is to lack for nothing."
ueneratione: ablative with dignissimum (delete comma between the two words).
reuerendi: nominative plural, "to be revered."
ciuibus suis: dative of agent with reuerendi.

section 6

6: This list of sought-after goods provides the framework for the rest of Book 3; the five (diuitiae - dignitates - regna - gloria - uoluptates) constantly recur in the same order.
regnantibus: dative with compound verb adhaerere, "to cling to."

section 7

7: This list of sought-after goods provides the framework for the rest of Book 3; the five (diuitiae - dignitates - regna - gloria - uoluptates) constantly recur in the same order.
diffluere: "to be dissolved in, abandoned to."

section 8

alterutro: "with each other" (they confuse cause and effect).
ut: "such as, like."
causa: "for the sake of"; takes two genitives, pecuniae and proferendi nominis.

section 9

ueluti: "such as, for example," introducing examples to define In his . . . ceterisque talibus.
gratia: "for the sake of," with genitive.
amicorum: sc. genus (attracted into the relative clause that follows); cf. 2P8.
reliquum: sc. genus.

section 10

promptum est: "it is obvious," with ut + subjunctive (instead of accusative/infinitive).

section 11

prae ceteris: "ahead of [all] other things."
definiuimus: in sec. 3 of this prosa.

section 12

Epicurus: Greek philosopher (341 - 270 B.C.); this familiar oversimplification of his views was already common in late antiquity, when there was little accurate knowledge of or living devotion to his teachings.
quod: "because," followed by the subjunctive when (as here) the reason given is not that of the writer but that of another person whose views are being represented.

section 13

caligante memoria: ablative absolute (caligante: "fading, growing dim"). Platonic dependence on memory is especially important in Book 3.
domum: accusative of place-to-which governed by reuertatur; the preposition is regularly to be omitted with domus.

section 14

14: All five bona are sought for the reputed ability to bring some abstract good: sufficientia - reuerentia - potentia - claritudo - laetitia: cf. 19 infra).
quod: relative pronoun.

section 15

15: All five bona are sought for the reputed ability to bring some abstract good: sufficientia - reuerentia - potentia - claritudo - laetitia: cf. 19 infra).
cultu: "worshipful attention," with epexegetic genitive (reuerentiae).

section 16

16: All five bona are sought for the reputed ability to bring some abstract good: sufficientia - reuerentia - potentia - claritudo - laetitia: cf. 19 infra).
Quid igitur: "What then," introducing the question that follows.

section 17

17: All five bona are sought for the reputed ability to bring some abstract good: sufficientia - reuerentia - potentia - claritudo - laetitia: cf. 19 infra).
nihili: genitive of value.
sequestrari: < sequestro, "remove, take away."
quin: same construction as a clause of prevention.

section 18

18: All five bona are sought for the reputed ability to bring some abstract good: sufficientia - reuerentia - potentia - claritudo - laetitia: cf. 19 infra).
esse: esse . . . subiectam: indirect statement, depends on dicere.
subiectam: esse . . . subiectam: indirect statement, depends on dicere.
attinet: "matter, be of importance."
quod: object of both habere and frui (though if the latter verb were alone it would take an ablative).

section 20

cum: "since"; the use with the indicative is irregular in classical Latin, but common later.
licet: "although" (taken only with uariae dissidentesque).