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In the comment on Canto XIX. of the "Purgatory" occurs the following striking passage: "Summus Pontificatus, si bene geritur, est summus honor, summum onus, summa servitus, summus labor. Si vero male, est summum periculum animae, summum malum, summa miseria, summus pudor. Ergo dubium est ex omni parte negotium.
Secunda ab hac Diospolis, sive Thebae cognomine Agyptia; quas centum portas habuisse ferunt; sive, at alii ajunt, centum aulas, totidem olim Principum domos; solitasque singulas, ubi negotium exegerat, ducenos armatos milites effundere. Deinde Memphis, regia quondam: juxta quam pyramides, regum sepulchra.
It does not follow that these two classes were mutually exclusive; a man might very well invest his money in both kinds of undertaking, but these two kinds were totally distinct, and called by different names. A public undertaking was called publicum, and the men who undertook it publicani; a private undertaking was negotium, and all private business men were known as negotiatores.
FIERI: A. 331, a; G. 546, Rem. 1; H. 498, I. n. ESSE: emphatic, = vivere; see n. on 21. EGO VERO etc.: 'I however would rather that my old age should be shorter than that I should be old before my time'. MALLEM: see n. on 26 vellem. NEMO CUI FUERIM: cf. Plaut. Mercator 2, 2, 17 quamquam negotium est, numquam sum occupatus amico operam dare. AT: as in 21, where see n.
And they begin to fear thereby that they are not with God in the light but with this devil that the prophet calleth Negotium that is to say, Business walking about in the two times of darknesses.
But this whole plea is no more than that of negotium utile gestum to which any civilized nation is bound by humanity; it is a prudent expensive office, done for the service of others without a gratuitous intention; and this founds no other right, than that to full compensation of all charges and labour employed for the benefit of others.
And thou who art such a one, the truth of him shall so compass thee about with a shield, that thou shalt not be afraid of the business walking about in the darknesses." "Negotium, the business," is here, cousin, the name of the devil who is ever full of busy-ness in tempting folk to much evil business. His time of tempting is in the darknesses.
Birds of a feather flock together. Malum est negotium et est timendum rerum istarum horrendissimum resultatum! Ahem!" Capitan Tinong turned deathly pale at hearing so many words in um; such a sound presaged ill. His wife clasped her hands supplicatingly and said: "Cousin, don't talk to us in Latin now. You know that we're not philosophers like you. Let's talk in Spanish or Tagalog.
When I was consulting him once as to whether or not I should follow the bent of my own inclination in the matter of retiring into a private and solitary life, he, wishing to ascertain by what spirit I was led, answered me in the beautiful words of St. Augustine: Otium sanctum diligit charitas veritatis, et negotium justum suscipit veritas charitatis.
Therefore one ought to take a little heed not to call that force which is only a pretty knack of writing, and that solid which is only sharp, or that good which is only fine: "Quae magis gustata quam potata, delectant," Cicero, Tusc. everything that pleases does not nourish: "Ubi non ingenii, sed animi negotium agitur."