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Sat. 1, 1, 106 sunt certi denique fines quos ultra citraque nequit consistere rectum; cf. Od. 2, 10. NON INTELLEGO NE: for the negatives cf. nn. on 24, 27. MAGISTERIA: generally explained as referring to the practice of appointing at each dinner a 'master of the feast', arbiter bibendi or συμποσιαρχης. This explanation is not quite correct.
"Sane dicerentur si res corporales nil nisi materiale continerent, verissime in fluxu consistere, neque habere substantiale quicquam, quemadmodum et Platonici olim recte agnovere."
The world is nothing but variety and disemblance, vices are all alike, as they are vices, and peradventure the Stoics understand them so; but although they are equally vices, yet they are not all equal vices; and he who has transgressed the ordinary bounds a hundred paces: "Quos ultra citraque nequit consistere rectum,"
I have known many a man pass for a miser, by saving a penny and wrangling for twopence, who was undoing himself at the same time by living above his income, and not attending to essential articles which were above his 'portee'. The sure characteristic of a sound and strong mind, is to find in everything those certain bounds, 'quos ultra citrave nequit consistere rectum'. These boundaries are marked out by a very fine line, which only good sense and attention can discover; it is much too fine for vulgar eyes.
Dominari is a very strong word, 'to tyrannize'; dominatio = τυραννις. For locum cf. Lael. 52 in tyranni vita nullus locus est amicitiae. CONSISTERE: 'find a foothold'. Cf. Fin. 4, 69 sapientia pedem ubi poneret non habebat. FINGERE ANIMO: 'to imagine'. TANTA ... QUANTA ... MAXIMA: 'the greatest that could possibly be enjoyed'. The form of expression is common, e.g.
Essentiam beatitudinis formalis primo ac principaliter consistere in clara Dei visione, in qua, quasi in fonte ac radice tota beatitudinis perfectio continetur.
I shall close this with the answer of Charles the fifth, when he was pressed to break his word with Luther for his safe return from Wormes; Fides rerum promissarum etsi toto mundo exulet, tamen apud imperatorem cam consistere oportet. Though truth be banisht out of the whole world, yet should it alwaies find harbour in an Emperors breast. Car.
If I find any alterations by drinking these waters, now six days, it is rather for the better; but, in six days more, I think I shall find with more certainty what humor they are in with me; if kind, I will profit of, but not abuse their kindness; all things have their bounds, 'quos ultra citrave nequit consistere rectum'; and I will endeavor to nick that point.
His only failing was that which the monks regard as his finest quality, he was religious to excess, and this excess of religion went beyond the bounds where 'nequit consistere rectum'. But which is the better, to go beyond these bounds, or not to come up to them? I cannot venture to decide the question. Horace says, "Nulla est mihi religio!"
Ossa videlicet e pauxillis atque minutis Ossibus sic et de pauxillis atque minutis Visceribus viscus gigni, sanguenque creari Sanguinis inter se multis coeuntibus guttis; Ex aurique putat micis consistere posse Aurum, et de terris terram concrescere parvis; Ignibus ex igneis, humorem humoribus esse. Lib.
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