2. For we—but, perhaps, you would rob and deprive us of common-sense—feel and perceive that none of these has divine power, or possesses a form of its own;845    The ms. here inserts a mark of interrogation.    Lit., “is contained in a form of its own kind.” but that, on the contrary, they are the excellence of manhood,846    So the ms. si facto et, corrected, however, by a later copyist, si facio ut, “if I cause that,” etc.    i.e., manliness. the safety of the safe, the honour of the respected, the victory of the conqueror, the harmony of the allied, the piety of the pious, the recollection of the observant, the good fortune, indeed, of him who lives happily and without exciting any ill-feeling. Now it is easy to perceive that, in speaking thus, we speak most reasonably when we observe847    Lit., “which it is easy to perceive to be said by us with the greatest truth from,” etc.,—so most edd. reading nobis; but the ms., according to Crusius, gives vobis—“you,” as in Orelli and Oberthür. the contrary qualities opposed to them, misfortune, discord, forgetfulness, injustice, impiety, baseness of spirit, and unfortunate848    Lit., “less auspicious.” weakness of body. For as these things happen accidentally, and849    The ms., first four edd., and Elmenhorst, read, quæ—“which;” the rest, as above, que. depend on human acts and chance moods, so their contraries, named850    Lit., “what is opposed to them named,” nominatum; a correction by Oehler for the ms. nominatur—“is named.” after more agreeable qualities, must be found in others; and from these, originating in this wise, have arisen those invented names.

II. Nos enim, nisi forte communem tollitis nobis atque eripitis sensum, nihil horum sentimus et cernimus habere vim numinis, neque in aliqua contineri sui generis forma; sed esse virtutem viri, salutem salvi, honorem honorati, victoris victoriam, concordis 1008A concordiam, pietatem pii, memoriam memoris: feliciter vero viventis ac sine ullis offensionibus felicitatem. Quod a vobis verissime dici ex contrariis promptum est oppositionibus noscitare, infelicitate, discordia, oblivione, iniquitate , impietate, ignavia pectoris, et valetudine corporis minus fausta. Ut enim haec accidunt, hominumque sunt posita in actionibus, affectibus fortuitus; ita quod illis adversum est ex qualitatibus benignioribus nominatur, in aliis 1009A necesse est haereat, ex quibus ita formatis figuratio ista concepta est nominum.