Metrum 4

Meter: Glyconic.

line 1

Porticus: "The Porch," i.e., the Stoa of Athens, where under Zeno was born the Stoicism that is attacked in these lines.

line 4

corporibus: second syllable scanned long here.
extimis: "outermost," i.e., alien from the spirit within.

line 6

6: Lines 6-9: The image is from the stylus-marked wax tablet, the everyday writing material of antiquity.
ut: "just as."
quondam: "sometimes."

line 7

aequore: any smooth, level surface; ablative of place where with figere (line 9).

line 10

propriis: propriis . . . motibus: "by its own activity."

line 11

motibus: propriis . . . motibus: "by its own activity."

line 13

notis: here, the impressions made on the senses.

line 14

cassas: "empty, insubstantial."
in speculi uicem: "in the manner of a mirror."

line 18

singula: singula . . . cognita . . . diuisa: accusative plural.

line 19

cognita: singula . . . cognita . . . diuisa: accusative plural.

line 20

diuisa: singula . . . cognita . . . diuisa: accusative plural.

line 22

22: Lines 22-23: Compare the description of P. in 1P1.2.

line 24

sese referens sibi: "bringing itself back to itself," after considering all things lofty and deep.

line 26

efficiens magis: = efficientior. efficiens . . . causa: technical term of logic: "efficient cause."

line 27

longe: with potentior, for emphasis.
causa: efficiens . . . causa: technical term of logic: "efficient cause."

line 28

quae: sc. causa.
materiae modo: "in the manner of matter."

line 32

passio: "suffering, experience" (cf. patitur); some bodily experience (at least sensory impression) precedes mental activity.

line 36

species: object of both uocans and applicat, attracted into the relative clause.

line 38

notis: notis . . . exteris: "notae [coming from] outside."
exteris: notis . . . exteris: "notae [coming from] outside."

line 39

introrsum: adverb with reconditis.