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Book eleven. These are the propertiesof the rational soul. It sees itself,
analysis it self, and makes itself, such as it chooses the fruit
which it bears itself enjoys for thefruits of plants, and that in animals,
which corresponds to fruits others enjoy.It obtains its own end wherever the
limit of life may be fixed,not as in a dance and in a
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play, and in such like thingswhere the whole action is incomplete, if
anything cuts it short, but inevery part, and wherever it may be
stopped, it makes what has beenset before it full and complete, so
that it can say, I havewhat is my own. And further,
it traverses the whole universe and thesurrounding vacuum, and surveys its form,
And it extends itself into the infinityof time, and embraces and comprehends the
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periodical renovation of all things. Andit comprehends that those who come after us
will see nothing new, nor havethose before us seen anything more. But
in a manner, he who isforty years old, if he has any
understanding at all, has, byvirtue of the uniformity that prevails all things,
which have been and all that willbe. This too is a property
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of the rational soul, love ofone's neighbor, and truth and modesty,
and to value nothing more more thanitself, which is also the property of
law. Thus, then right reasondiffers not at all from the reason of
justice. Thou wilt set little valueon pleasing song and dancing in the pancreatium.
If thou wilt distribute the melody ofthe voice into its several sounds,
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and ask thyself as to each,if thou art mastered by this, for
thou wilt be prevented by shame fromconfessing it. And in the matter of
dancing, if at each movement andattitude thou wilt do the same, and
the like also in the matter ofthe pancratium. In all things, then,
except virtue and the acts of virtue, remember to apply thyself to there
are several parts, and by thisdivision to come to value them little.
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And apply this rule also to thywhole life. What a soul that is
which is ready, if at anymoment must be separated from the body,
and ready either to be extinguished ordispersed, or continue to exist. But
so that this readiness comes from aman's own judgment, not from mere obstinacy,
as with the Christians, but consideratelyand with dignity, and in a
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way to persuade another without tragic show. Have I done something for the general
interest? Well, then I havehad my reward. Let this always be
present to thy mind, and neverstop doing such good? And what is
thy art to be good? Andhow is this accomplished? Well? Except
by general principles, some about thenature of the universe, and others about
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the proper constitution of man. Atfirst, tragedies were brought on the stage
as means of reminding men of thethings which happened to them, and that
it is according to nature for thingsto happen so, and that if you
are delighted with what is shown onthe stage, you should not be troubled
with that which takes place on thelarger stage. For you see that these
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things must be a scomplished thus,and that even they bear them who cry
out O sksthyron. And indeed somethings are said well by the dramatic writers,
of which kind is the following,especially me and my children. If
the gods neglect this has its reasontoo. And again we must not chail
and fret at that which happens,and life's harvest reap like the wheat's fruitful
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ear, and other things of thesame kind. After tragedy, the old
comedy was introduced, which had amagisterial freedom of speech, and by its
very plainness of speaking, was usefulin reminding men to beware of insolence.
And for this purpose too, Diogenesused to take from these writers. But
as to the middle comedy which camenext, observe what it was, and
again for what object the new comedywas introduced, which gradually sunk down into
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a mere mimic artifice. That somegood things are said, even by these
writers, everybody knows. But thewhole plan of such poetry and dramaturgy,
to what end does it look?And how plain does it appear? That
there is not another condition of lifeso well suited for philosophizing as them in
which thou now happenest to be abranch cut off from the adjacent branch,
must of necessity be cut off fromthe whole tree. Also so to a
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man, when he is separated fromanother man, has fallen off from the
whole social community. Now, asto a branch another cuts it off.
But a man by his own actseparates himself from his neighbor when he hates
him and turns away from him,and he does not know that he has
at the same time cut himself offfrom the whole social system. Yet he
has this privilege, certainly from Zeus, who framed society, for it is
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in our power to grow again tothat which is near to us, and
be to come a part which helpsto make up the whole. However,
if it often happens this kind ofseparation, it makes it difficult for that
which detaches itself to be brought tounity and to be restored to its former
condition. Finally, the branch,which from the first grew together with the
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tree and has continued to have onelife with it, is not like that
which, after being cut off,is then in graph. For this is
something like what the gardeners and itmean when they say that it grows with
the rest of the tree, butthat it has not the same mind with
it as those who try to standin thy way. When thou art proceeding
according to right reason, will notbe able to turn thee aside from thy
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proper action. So neither let themdrive THEE from thy benevolent feelings towards them,
But be on thy guard equally inboth matters, not only in the
matter of steady judgment and action,but also in the matter of gentleness towards
those who try to hinder or otherwisetrouble THEE. For this also is a
weakness to be vexed at them,as well as to be diverted from thy
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course of action, and to giveway through fear. For both are equally
deserters from their post, the manwho does it through fear and the man
who is alienated from him, whois by nature a kinsman and a friend.
There is no nature which is inferiorto art, for the arts imitate
the nature of things. But ifthis is so, so, that nature,
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which is the most perfect and themost comprehensive of all natures, cannot
fall short of the skill of art. Now all arts do the inferior things
for the sake of the superior.Therefore the universal nature does so too,
And indeed hence is the origin ofjustice, and injustice the other virtues have
their foundation. For justice will notbe observed if we either care for middle
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things, things indifferent, or areeasily deceived and careless and changeable. If
the things do not come to THEE, the pursuits and avoidances of which disturb
THEE still in a manner, Thougoest to them. Let then thy judgment
about them be at rest, andthey will remain quiet, and thou wilt
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not be seen either pursuing or avoiding. The spherical form of the soul maintains
its figure when it is neither extendedtowards any object, nor contracted inwards,
nor dispersed, nor sinks down,but is illuminated by light by which it
sees them truth, the truth ofall things, and the truth that is
in itself. Suppose any man shalldespise me, let him look to that
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himself. But I will look tothis, that I be not discovered doing
or saying anything deserving of contempt.Shall any man hate me, let him
look to it. But I willbe mild and benevolent towards every man,
and ready to show even him hismistake, not reproachfully, nor yet as
making a display of my endurance,but nobly and honestly, like the great
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Phocion, unless indeed he only assumedit. For the interior parts ought to
be such and a man ought tobe seen by the gods, neither dissatisfied
with anything, nor complaining, Forwhat evil is it to thee? If
thou art now doing what is agreeableto thy own nature, and art satisfied
with that which, at this momentis suitable to the nature of the universe,
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since thou art a human being placedat thy post in order that what
is for the common advantage may bedone. In some way, men spies
one another and flatter one another,and men wish to raise themselves above one
another and crouch before one another.How unsound and insincere is he who says,
I have determined to deal with THEEin a fair way? What art
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thou doing? Man? There isno occasion to give this notice. It
will soon show itself by acts.The voice ought to be plainly written on
the forehead, such as a man'scharacter is, and he immediately shows it
in his eyes, just as hewho is beloved forthwith reads everything in the
eyes of lovers. The man whois honest and good ought to be exactly
like a man who smells strong,so that the bystander, as soon as
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he comes near him, must smell, whether he choose or not. But
the affectation of simplicity is like acrooked stick. Nothing is more disgraceful than
a wolfish friendship, false friendship.Avoid this most of all. The good
and simple and benevolent. Show allthese things in the eyes, and there
is no mistaking as to living inthe best way. This power is in
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the soul. If it be indifferentto things which are indifferent, and it
will be indifferent. And if itlooks on each of these things separately and
altogether, and if it remembers thatnot one of them produces in us an
opinion about itself, nor comes tous. But these things remain immovable.
And it is we ourselves who producethe judgments about them, And as we
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may say, write them in ourselves, it being in our power not to
write them, and it being inour power if perchance these judgments have imperceptibly
God admission to our minds to wipethem out. And if we remember also
that such attention will only be fora short time, and then life will
be at an end. Besides,what trouble is there at all in doing
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this? For if these things areaccording to nature, rejoice in them,
and they will be easy to thee. But if contrary to nature, seek
what is conformable to thy own nature, and strive towards this, even if
it bring no reputation. For everyman is allowed to seek his own good.
Consider whence each thing has come,and of what it consists, and
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into what it changes, and whatkind of a thing it will be when
it has changed, and that itwill sustain no harm. If any have
offended against thee, consider first whatis my relation to men? And that
we are made for one another.And in another respect, I was made
to be set over them, asa ram over the flock, or a
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bulve over the herd. But examinethe matter from first principles. From this,
if all things are not mere atoms, it is nature which orders all
things. If this is so,the inferior things exist for the sake of
the superior, and these for thesake of one another. Second, consider
what kind of men they are attable, in bed and sew forth,
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and particularly under what compulsions, inrespective opinions they are, And as to
their acts, consider with what pridethey do what they do. Third,
that if men do rightly what theydo, we ought not to be displeased.
But if they do not write itis plain that they do so involuntarily
and in ignorance. Where As everysoul is unwillingly deprived of the truth,
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so also is it unwillingly deprived ofthe power of behaving to each man according
to his deserts. Accordingly, menare pained when they are called unjust,
ungrateful, and greedy, and ina word, wrongdoers to their neighbors.
Fourth, consider that thou also doestmany things wrong, and that thou art
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a man like others. And evenif thou dost abstain from certain faults,
still thou hast the disposition to committhem, though, either through cowardice or
concern about reputation, or some suchmean motive, thou dost abstain from such
faults. Fifth, consider that thoudost not even understand whether men are and
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doing wrong or not, For manythings are done with a certain reference to
circumstances, And in short, aman must learn a great deal to enable
him to pass a correct judgment onanother man's acts. Sixth, consider when
thou art much vexed or grieved,that man is only a moment, and
after a short time we are alllaid out dead. Seventh, that it
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is not men's acts which disturb us, For those acts have their foundation in
men's ruling principles, But it isour own opinions which disturb us. Take
away these opinions, then, andresolve to dismiss thy judgment about an act
as if it were something grievous,and thy anger is gone. How then,
shall I take away these opinions byreflecting that no wrongful act of another
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brings shame on THEE. For unlessthat which is shameful is alone bad,
thou also, must of necessity domany things wrong and become a robber in
everything else. Eighth, consider howmuch more pain is brought on us by
the anger and vexation caused by suchacts than by the acts themselves at which
we are angry and vexed. Ninth, consider that a good disposition is invincible
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if it be genuine and not anaffected smile and acting apart. For what
will the most violent man do toTHEE if thou continuest to be of a
kind disposition towards him, And if, as opportunity offers, thou gently admonishest
him and calmly correctest his errors atthe very time when he is trying to
do THEE harm, saying, notso, my child. We are constituted
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by nature for something else. Ishall certainly not be injured. But thou
art injuring thyself, my child,and show him with gentle tact and by
general principles, that this is so, and that even bees do not do
as he does, nor any animalswhich are formed by nature to be gregarious.
And thou must do this, neitherwith any double meaning, nor in
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the way of reproach, but affectionatelyand without any rancor in thy soul.
And not as if thou wert lecturinghim, nor yet that any bystander may
admire, but either when he isalone and if others are present. Remember
these nine rules as if thou hadstreceived them as a gift from the muses,
and begin at last to be aman while thou livest. But thou
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must equally avoid flattering men and beingvague at them, for both are unsocial
and lead to harm. And letthis truth be present to THEE in the
excitement of anger, that to bemoved by passion is not manly, but
that mildness and gentleness, as theyare more agreeable to human nature, so
also are they more manly, andhe who possesses these qualities possesses strength,
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nerves, and courage, and notthe man who is subject to fits of
passion and discontent. For in thesame degree in which a man's mind is
nearer to freedom from all passion,in the same degree also is it nearer
to strength. And as the senseof pain is a characteristic of weakness,
so also is anger. For hewho yields to pain and he who yields
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to anger, both are wounded,and both submit. But if thou wilt
receive also a tenth present from theleader of the muses, Apollo. And
it is this that to expect badmen not to do wrong is madness.
For he who expects this desires andimpossibility. But to allow men to behave
so to others, and to expectthem not to do thee any wrong,
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is irrational and tyrannical. There arefour principal aberrations of the superior faculty,
against which thou shouldst be constantly onthy guard, And when thou hast detected
them, thou shouldst wipe them out, and say, on each occasion,
thus this thought is not necessary.This tends to destroy social union. This
which thou art going to say comesnot from the real thoughts, for thou
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shouldst consider it among the most absurdof things for a man not to speak
from his real thoughts. But thefourth is when thou shalt reproach thyself for
anything, For this is an evidenceof the diviner part within thee being overpowered
and yielding to the less honorable andto the perishable part the body, and
to its gross pleasures. Thy aerialpart, and all the fiery parts which
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are mingled in THEE, though bynature they have an upward tendency, still
in obedience to the disposition of theuniverse, they are overpowered here in the
compound mass the body, and alsothe whole of the earthy part in THEE.
In the watery, though their tendencyis downward, still are raised up
and occupy a position which is nottheir natural one. In this manner,
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then the elemental parts obey the Universal. For when they have been fixed in
any place perforce, they remain thereuntil set again the Universal shall sound the
signal for dissolution. Is it notthen strange that thy intelligent part only should
be disobedient and discontented with its ownplace, And yet no force is imposed
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on it, but only those thingswhich are conformable to its nature. Still
it does not submit, but iscarried in the opposite direction. For the
movement towards injustice and intemperance, andto anger and grief and fear, is
nothing else than the act of onewho deviates from nature. And also when
the ruling faculty is discontented with anythingthat happens, then too it deserts its
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post. For it is constituted forpiety and reverence towards the gods, no
less than for justice. For thesequalities also are comprehended under the generic term
of contentment with the constitution of things, And indeed they are prior to acts
of justice. He who has notone and always the same object in life
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cannot be one and the same allthrough his life. But what I have
said is not enough unless this alsohas added what this object ought to be.
For as there it is not thesame opinion about all the things which,
in some way or other are consideredby the majority to be good,
but only about some certain things,that is, things which concern the common
interest. So also ought we topropose to ourselves an object which shall be
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of a common kind, social andpolitical. For he who directs all his
own efforts to this object will makeall his acts alike, and thus will
always be the same. Think ofthe country mouse and of the town mouse,
and of the alarm and trepidation ofthe town mouse. Socrates used to
call the opinions of the many bythe name of lamier bugbears to frightened children.
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The Lacedaemonians, at their public spectacles, used to set seats in the
shade for strangers, but themselves satdown anywhere. Socrates excused himself to predict
us for not going to him,saying, it is because I would not
perish by the worst of all ends, that is that I would not receive
a favor and then be unable toreturn it. In the writings of the
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Ephesians there was this precept constantly tothink of someone of the men of former
times who practiced virtue. The Pythagoreansbid us in the morning, look to
the heavens, that we may bereminded of those bodies which continually do the
same things and in the same mannerperform their work, and also be reminded
of their purity and nudity, Forthere is no veil over a star of
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it. Consider what a man's Socrateswas when he dressed himself in a skin,
after Xanthipy had taken his cloak andgone out, And what Socrates said
to his friends, who are ashamedof him and drew back from him when
they saw him dressed. Thus,neither in writing nor in reading wilt thou
be able to lay down rules forothers, before thou shalt have first learned
to obey rules thyself. Much moreis this so in life a slave thou
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art. Free speech is not forthee and my heart laughed within, and
virtue they will curse. Speaking harshwords. To look for the fig in
winter is a madman's act, suchas he who looks for his child when
it is no longer allowed. Whena man kisses his child, said Epictetus,
he should whisper to himself tomorrow perchancethou wilt die. But those are
words of bad omen. No wordis a word of bad omen, said
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Epictetes, which expresses any work ofnature, Or if it is so,
it is also a word of badomen. To speak of the ears of
corn being reaped, the unripe grape, the ripe bunch, the dried grape.
All are changes not into nothing,but into something which exists. Not
yet, no man can rob usof our free will. Epictetus also said,
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a man must discover in art orrules with respect to giving his assent,
and in respect to his movements,he must be careful that they be
made, with regard to circumstances,that they be consistent with social interests that
they have. Regard to the valueof the object, And as to sensual
desire, he should altogether keep awayfrom it, and as to avoidance aversion,
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he should not show it with respectto any of the things which are
not in our power. The dispute, then, he said, is not
about any common matter, but aboutbeing mad or not. And Socrates used
to say, what do you want? Souls of rational men? Are irrational?
Souls of rational men? Of whatrational men sound or unsound sound?
Why then do you not seek forthem? Because we have them? Why
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then do you fight in quarrel
Book eleven. These are the propertiesof the rational soul. It sees itself,
analysis it self, and makes itself, such as it chooses the fruit
which it bears itself enjoys for thefruits of plants, and that in animals,
which corresponds to fruits others enjoy.It obtains its own end wherever the
limit of life may be fixed,not as in a dance and in a
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play, and in such like thingswhere the whole action is incomplete, if
anything cuts it short, but inevery part, and wherever it may be
stopped, it makes what has beenset before it full and complete, so
that it can say, I havewhat is my own. And further,
it traverses the whole universe and thesurrounding vacuum, and surveys its form,
And it extends itself into the infinityof time, and embraces and comprehends the
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periodical renovation of all things. Andit comprehends that those who come after us
will see nothing new, nor havethose before us seen anything more. But
in a manner, he who isforty years old, if he has any
understanding at all, has, byvirtue of the uniformity that prevails all things,
which have been and all that willbe. This too is a property
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of the rational soul, love ofone's neighbor, and truth and modesty,
and to value nothing more more thanitself, which is also the property of
law. Thus, then right reasondiffers not at all from the reason of
justice. Thou wilt set little valueon pleasing song and dancing in the pancreatium.
If thou wilt distribute the melody ofthe voice into its several sounds,
(01:29):
and ask thyself as to each,if thou art mastered by this, for
thou wilt be prevented by shame fromconfessing it. And in the matter of
dancing, if at each movement andattitude thou wilt do the same, and
the like also in the matter ofthe pancratium. In all things, then,
except virtue and the acts of virtue, remember to apply thyself to there
are several parts, and by thisdivision to come to value them little.
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And apply this rule also to thywhole life. What a soul that is
which is ready, if at anymoment must be separated from the body,
and ready either to be extinguished ordispersed, or continue to exist. But
so that this readiness comes from aman's own judgment, not from mere obstinacy,
as with the Christians, but consideratelyand with dignity, and in a
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way to persuade another without tragic show. Have I done something for the general
interest? Well, then I havehad my reward. Let this always be
present to thy mind, and neverstop doing such good? And what is
thy art to be good? Andhow is this accomplished? Well? Except
by general principles, some about thenature of the universe, and others about
(02:36):
the proper constitution of man. Atfirst, tragedies were brought on the stage
as means of reminding men of thethings which happened to them, and that
it is according to nature for thingsto happen so, and that if you
are delighted with what is shown onthe stage, you should not be troubled
with that which takes place on thelarger stage. For you see that these
(02:58):
things must be a scomplished thus,and that even they bear them who cry
out O sksthyron. And indeed somethings are said well by the dramatic writers,
of which kind is the following,especially me and my children. If
the gods neglect this has its reasontoo. And again we must not chail
and fret at that which happens,and life's harvest reap like the wheat's fruitful
(03:20):
ear, and other things of thesame kind. After tragedy, the old
comedy was introduced, which had amagisterial freedom of speech, and by its
very plainness of speaking, was usefulin reminding men to beware of insolence.
And for this purpose too, Diogenesused to take from these writers. But
as to the middle comedy which camenext, observe what it was, and
again for what object the new comedywas introduced, which gradually sunk down into
(03:45):
a mere mimic artifice. That somegood things are said, even by these
writers, everybody knows. But thewhole plan of such poetry and dramaturgy,
to what end does it look?And how plain does it appear? That
there is not another condition of lifeso well suited for philosophizing as them in
which thou now happenest to be abranch cut off from the adjacent branch,
must of necessity be cut off fromthe whole tree. Also so to a
(04:09):
man, when he is separated fromanother man, has fallen off from the
whole social community. Now, asto a branch another cuts it off.
But a man by his own actseparates himself from his neighbor when he hates
him and turns away from him,and he does not know that he has
at the same time cut himself offfrom the whole social system. Yet he
has this privilege, certainly from Zeus, who framed society, for it is
(04:31):
in our power to grow again tothat which is near to us, and
be to come a part which helpsto make up the whole. However,
if it often happens this kind ofseparation, it makes it difficult for that
which detaches itself to be brought tounity and to be restored to its former
condition. Finally, the branch,which from the first grew together with the
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tree and has continued to have onelife with it, is not like that
which, after being cut off,is then in graph. For this is
something like what the gardeners and itmean when they say that it grows with
the rest of the tree, butthat it has not the same mind with
it as those who try to standin thy way. When thou art proceeding
according to right reason, will notbe able to turn thee aside from thy
(05:15):
proper action. So neither let themdrive THEE from thy benevolent feelings towards them,
But be on thy guard equally inboth matters, not only in the
matter of steady judgment and action,but also in the matter of gentleness towards
those who try to hinder or otherwisetrouble THEE. For this also is a
weakness to be vexed at them,as well as to be diverted from thy
(05:40):
course of action, and to giveway through fear. For both are equally
deserters from their post, the manwho does it through fear and the man
who is alienated from him, whois by nature a kinsman and a friend.
There is no nature which is inferiorto art, for the arts imitate
the nature of things. But ifthis is so, so, that nature,
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which is the most perfect and themost comprehensive of all natures, cannot
fall short of the skill of art. Now all arts do the inferior things
for the sake of the superior.Therefore the universal nature does so too,
And indeed hence is the origin ofjustice, and injustice the other virtues have
their foundation. For justice will notbe observed if we either care for middle
(06:23):
things, things indifferent, or areeasily deceived and careless and changeable. If
the things do not come to THEE, the pursuits and avoidances of which disturb
THEE still in a manner, Thougoest to them. Let then thy judgment
about them be at rest, andthey will remain quiet, and thou wilt
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not be seen either pursuing or avoiding. The spherical form of the soul maintains
its figure when it is neither extendedtowards any object, nor contracted inwards,
nor dispersed, nor sinks down,but is illuminated by light by which it
sees them truth, the truth ofall things, and the truth that is
in itself. Suppose any man shalldespise me, let him look to that
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himself. But I will look tothis, that I be not discovered doing
or saying anything deserving of contempt.Shall any man hate me, let him
look to it. But I willbe mild and benevolent towards every man,
and ready to show even him hismistake, not reproachfully, nor yet as
making a display of my endurance,but nobly and honestly, like the great
(07:30):
Phocion, unless indeed he only assumedit. For the interior parts ought to
be such and a man ought tobe seen by the gods, neither dissatisfied
with anything, nor complaining, Forwhat evil is it to thee? If
thou art now doing what is agreeableto thy own nature, and art satisfied
with that which, at this momentis suitable to the nature of the universe,
(07:50):
since thou art a human being placedat thy post in order that what
is for the common advantage may bedone. In some way, men spies
one another and flatter one another,and men wish to raise themselves above one
another and crouch before one another.How unsound and insincere is he who says,
I have determined to deal with THEEin a fair way? What art
(08:13):
thou doing? Man? There isno occasion to give this notice. It
will soon show itself by acts.The voice ought to be plainly written on
the forehead, such as a man'scharacter is, and he immediately shows it
in his eyes, just as hewho is beloved forthwith reads everything in the
eyes of lovers. The man whois honest and good ought to be exactly
like a man who smells strong,so that the bystander, as soon as
(08:35):
he comes near him, must smell, whether he choose or not. But
the affectation of simplicity is like acrooked stick. Nothing is more disgraceful than
a wolfish friendship, false friendship.Avoid this most of all. The good
and simple and benevolent. Show allthese things in the eyes, and there
is no mistaking as to living inthe best way. This power is in
(08:56):
the soul. If it be indifferentto things which are indifferent, and it
will be indifferent. And if itlooks on each of these things separately and
altogether, and if it remembers thatnot one of them produces in us an
opinion about itself, nor comes tous. But these things remain immovable.
And it is we ourselves who producethe judgments about them, And as we
(09:16):
may say, write them in ourselves, it being in our power not to
write them, and it being inour power if perchance these judgments have imperceptibly
God admission to our minds to wipethem out. And if we remember also
that such attention will only be fora short time, and then life will
be at an end. Besides,what trouble is there at all in doing
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this? For if these things areaccording to nature, rejoice in them,
and they will be easy to thee. But if contrary to nature, seek
what is conformable to thy own nature, and strive towards this, even if
it bring no reputation. For everyman is allowed to seek his own good.
Consider whence each thing has come,and of what it consists, and
(10:00):
into what it changes, and whatkind of a thing it will be when
it has changed, and that itwill sustain no harm. If any have
offended against thee, consider first whatis my relation to men? And that
we are made for one another.And in another respect, I was made
to be set over them, asa ram over the flock, or a
(10:20):
bulve over the herd. But examinethe matter from first principles. From this,
if all things are not mere atoms, it is nature which orders all
things. If this is so,the inferior things exist for the sake of
the superior, and these for thesake of one another. Second, consider
what kind of men they are attable, in bed and sew forth,
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and particularly under what compulsions, inrespective opinions they are, And as to
their acts, consider with what pridethey do what they do. Third,
that if men do rightly what theydo, we ought not to be displeased.
But if they do not write itis plain that they do so involuntarily
and in ignorance. Where As everysoul is unwillingly deprived of the truth,
(11:01):
so also is it unwillingly deprived ofthe power of behaving to each man according
to his deserts. Accordingly, menare pained when they are called unjust,
ungrateful, and greedy, and ina word, wrongdoers to their neighbors.
Fourth, consider that thou also doestmany things wrong, and that thou art
(11:22):
a man like others. And evenif thou dost abstain from certain faults,
still thou hast the disposition to committhem, though, either through cowardice or
concern about reputation, or some suchmean motive, thou dost abstain from such
faults. Fifth, consider that thoudost not even understand whether men are and
(11:43):
doing wrong or not, For manythings are done with a certain reference to
circumstances, And in short, aman must learn a great deal to enable
him to pass a correct judgment onanother man's acts. Sixth, consider when
thou art much vexed or grieved,that man is only a moment, and
after a short time we are alllaid out dead. Seventh, that it
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is not men's acts which disturb us, For those acts have their foundation in
men's ruling principles, But it isour own opinions which disturb us. Take
away these opinions, then, andresolve to dismiss thy judgment about an act
as if it were something grievous,and thy anger is gone. How then,
shall I take away these opinions byreflecting that no wrongful act of another
(12:28):
brings shame on THEE. For unlessthat which is shameful is alone bad,
thou also, must of necessity domany things wrong and become a robber in
everything else. Eighth, consider howmuch more pain is brought on us by
the anger and vexation caused by suchacts than by the acts themselves at which
we are angry and vexed. Ninth, consider that a good disposition is invincible
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if it be genuine and not anaffected smile and acting apart. For what
will the most violent man do toTHEE if thou continuest to be of a
kind disposition towards him, And if, as opportunity offers, thou gently admonishest
him and calmly correctest his errors atthe very time when he is trying to
do THEE harm, saying, notso, my child. We are constituted
(13:13):
by nature for something else. Ishall certainly not be injured. But thou
art injuring thyself, my child,and show him with gentle tact and by
general principles, that this is so, and that even bees do not do
as he does, nor any animalswhich are formed by nature to be gregarious.
And thou must do this, neitherwith any double meaning, nor in
(13:35):
the way of reproach, but affectionatelyand without any rancor in thy soul.
And not as if thou wert lecturinghim, nor yet that any bystander may
admire, but either when he isalone and if others are present. Remember
these nine rules as if thou hadstreceived them as a gift from the muses,
and begin at last to be aman while thou livest. But thou
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must equally avoid flattering men and beingvague at them, for both are unsocial
and lead to harm. And letthis truth be present to THEE in the
excitement of anger, that to bemoved by passion is not manly, but
that mildness and gentleness, as theyare more agreeable to human nature, so
also are they more manly, andhe who possesses these qualities possesses strength,
(14:20):
nerves, and courage, and notthe man who is subject to fits of
passion and discontent. For in thesame degree in which a man's mind is
nearer to freedom from all passion,in the same degree also is it nearer
to strength. And as the senseof pain is a characteristic of weakness,
so also is anger. For hewho yields to pain and he who yields
(14:41):
to anger, both are wounded,and both submit. But if thou wilt
receive also a tenth present from theleader of the muses, Apollo. And
it is this that to expect badmen not to do wrong is madness.
For he who expects this desires andimpossibility. But to allow men to behave
so to others, and to expectthem not to do thee any wrong,
(15:03):
is irrational and tyrannical. There arefour principal aberrations of the superior faculty,
against which thou shouldst be constantly onthy guard, And when thou hast detected
them, thou shouldst wipe them out, and say, on each occasion,
thus this thought is not necessary.This tends to destroy social union. This
which thou art going to say comesnot from the real thoughts, for thou
(15:26):
shouldst consider it among the most absurdof things for a man not to speak
from his real thoughts. But thefourth is when thou shalt reproach thyself for
anything, For this is an evidenceof the diviner part within thee being overpowered
and yielding to the less honorable andto the perishable part the body, and
to its gross pleasures. Thy aerialpart, and all the fiery parts which
(15:48):
are mingled in THEE, though bynature they have an upward tendency, still
in obedience to the disposition of theuniverse, they are overpowered here in the
compound mass the body, and alsothe whole of the earthy part in THEE.
In the watery, though their tendencyis downward, still are raised up
and occupy a position which is nottheir natural one. In this manner,
(16:11):
then the elemental parts obey the Universal. For when they have been fixed in
any place perforce, they remain thereuntil set again the Universal shall sound the
signal for dissolution. Is it notthen strange that thy intelligent part only should
be disobedient and discontented with its ownplace, And yet no force is imposed
(16:33):
on it, but only those thingswhich are conformable to its nature. Still
it does not submit, but iscarried in the opposite direction. For the
movement towards injustice and intemperance, andto anger and grief and fear, is
nothing else than the act of onewho deviates from nature. And also when
the ruling faculty is discontented with anythingthat happens, then too it deserts its
(16:56):
post. For it is constituted forpiety and reverence towards the gods, no
less than for justice. For thesequalities also are comprehended under the generic term
of contentment with the constitution of things, And indeed they are prior to acts
of justice. He who has notone and always the same object in life
(17:17):
cannot be one and the same allthrough his life. But what I have
said is not enough unless this alsohas added what this object ought to be.
For as there it is not thesame opinion about all the things which,
in some way or other are consideredby the majority to be good,
but only about some certain things,that is, things which concern the common
interest. So also ought we topropose to ourselves an object which shall be
(17:41):
of a common kind, social andpolitical. For he who directs all his
own efforts to this object will makeall his acts alike, and thus will
always be the same. Think ofthe country mouse and of the town mouse,
and of the alarm and trepidation ofthe town mouse. Socrates used to
call the opinions of the many bythe name of lamier bugbears to frightened children.
(18:04):
The Lacedaemonians, at their public spectacles, used to set seats in the
shade for strangers, but themselves satdown anywhere. Socrates excused himself to predict
us for not going to him,saying, it is because I would not
perish by the worst of all ends, that is that I would not receive
a favor and then be unable toreturn it. In the writings of the
(18:26):
Ephesians there was this precept constantly tothink of someone of the men of former
times who practiced virtue. The Pythagoreansbid us in the morning, look to
the heavens, that we may bereminded of those bodies which continually do the
same things and in the same mannerperform their work, and also be reminded
of their purity and nudity, Forthere is no veil over a star of
(18:51):
it. Consider what a man's Socrateswas when he dressed himself in a skin,
after Xanthipy had taken his cloak andgone out, And what Socrates said
to his friends, who are ashamedof him and drew back from him when
they saw him dressed. Thus,neither in writing nor in reading wilt thou
be able to lay down rules forothers, before thou shalt have first learned
to obey rules thyself. Much moreis this so in life a slave thou
(19:14):
art. Free speech is not forthee and my heart laughed within, and
virtue they will curse. Speaking harshwords. To look for the fig in
winter is a madman's act, suchas he who looks for his child when
it is no longer allowed. Whena man kisses his child, said Epictetus,
he should whisper to himself tomorrow perchancethou wilt die. But those are
words of bad omen. No wordis a word of bad omen, said
(19:38):
Epictetes, which expresses any work ofnature, Or if it is so,
it is also a word of badomen. To speak of the ears of
corn being reaped, the unripe grape, the ripe bunch, the dried grape.
All are changes not into nothing,but into something which exists. Not
yet, no man can rob usof our free will. Epictetus also said,
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a man must discover in art orrules with respect to giving his assent,
and in respect to his movements,he must be careful that they be
made, with regard to circumstances,that they be consistent with social interests that
they have. Regard to the valueof the object, And as to sensual
desire, he should altogether keep awayfrom it, and as to avoidance aversion,
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he should not show it with respectto any of the things which are
not in our power. The dispute, then, he said, is not
about any common matter, but aboutbeing mad or not. And Socrates used
to say, what do you want? Souls of rational men? Are irrational?
Souls of rational men? Of whatrational men sound or unsound sound?
Why then do you not seek forthem? Because we have them? Why
(20:41):
then do you fight in quarrel
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