BookSeven
Whatisbadness?Itisthatwhichthouhastoftenseen.Andontheoccasionofeverythingwhichhappenskeepthisinmind,thatitisthatwhichthouhastoftenseen.Everywhereupanddownthouwiltfindthesamethings,withwhichtheoldhistoriesarefilled,thoseofthemiddleagesandthoseofourownday;withwhichcitiesandhousesarefillednow.Thereisnothingnew:allthingsarebothfamiliarandshort-lived.
Howcanourprinciplesbecomedead,unlesstheimpressions(thoughts)whichcorrespondtothemareextinguished?Butitisinthypowercontinuouslytofanthesethoughtsintoaflame.Icanhavethatopinionaboutanything,whichIoughttohave.IfIcan,whyamIdisturbed?Thethingswhichareexternaltomymindhavenorelationatalltomymind-Letthisbethestateofthyaffects,andthoustandesterect.Torecoverthylifeisinthypower.Lookatthingsagainasthoudidstusetolookatthem;forinthisconsiststherecoveryofthylife.
Theidlebusinessofshow,playsonthestage,flocksofsheep,herds,exerciseswithspears,abonecasttolittledogs,abitofbreadintofish-ponds,labouringsofantsandburden-carrying,runningsaboutoffrightenedlittlemice,puppetspulledbystrings-allalike.Itisthydutytheninthemidstofsuchthingstoshowgoodhumourandnotaproudair;tounderstandhoweverthateverymanisworthjustsomuchasthethingsareworthaboutwhichhebusieshimself.
Indiscoursethoumustattendtowhatissaid,andineverymovementthoumustobservewhatisdoing.Andintheonethoushouldstseeimmediatelytowhatenditrefers,butintheotherwatchcarefullywhatisthethingsignified.
Ismyunderstandingsufficientforthisornot?Ifitissufficient,Iuseitfortheworkasaninstrumentgivenbytheuniversalnature.Butifitisnotsufficient,theneitherIretirefromtheworkandgivewaytohimwhoisabletodoitbetter,unlesstherebesomereasonwhyIoughtnottodoso;orIdoitaswellasIcan,takingtohelpmethemanwhowiththeaidofmyrulingprinciplecandowhatisnowfitandusefulforthegeneralgood.ForwhatsoevereitherbymyselforwithanotherIcando,oughttobedirectedtothisonly,tothatwhichisusefulandwellsuitedtosociety.
Howmanyafterbeingcelebratedbyfamehavebeengivenuptooblivion;andhowmanywhohavecelebratedthefameofothershavelongbeendead.
Benotashamedtobehelped;foritisthybusinesstodothydutylikeasoldierintheassaultonatown.Howthen,ifbeinglamethoucanstnotmountuponthebattlementsalone,butwiththehelpofanotheritispossible?
Letnotfuturethingsdisturbthee,forthouwiltcometothem,ifitshallbenecessary,havingwiththeethesamereasonwhichnowthouusestforpresentthings.
Allthingsareimplicatedwithoneanother,andthebondisholy;andthereishardlyanythingunconnectedwithanyotherthing.Forthingshavebeenco-ordinated,andtheycombinetoformthesameuniverse(order).Forthereisoneuniversemadeupofallthings,andoneGodwhopervadesallthings,andonesubstance,andonelaw,onecommonreasoninallintelligentanimals,andonetruth;ifindeedthereisalsooneperfectionforallanimalswhichareofthesamestockandparticipateinthesamereason.
Everythingmaterialsoondisappearsinthesubstanceofthewhole;andeverythingformal(causal)isverysoontakenbackintotheuniversalreason;andthememoryofeverythingisverysoonoverwhelmedintime.
Totherationalanimalthesameactisaccordingtonatureandaccordingtoreason.
Bethouerect,orbemadeerect.
Justasitiswiththemembersinthosebodieswhichareunitedinone,soitiswithrationalbeingswhichexistseparate,fortheyhavebeenconstitutedforoneco-operation.Andtheperceptionofthiswillbemoreapparenttothee,ifthouoftensayesttothyselfthatIamamember(melos)ofthesystemofrationalbeings.Butif(usingtheletterr)thousayestthatthouartapart(meros)thoudostnotyetlovemenfromthyheart;beneficencedoesnotyetdelighttheeforitsownsake;thoustilldoestitbarelyasathingofpropriety,andnotyetasdoinggoodtothyself.
Lettherefallexternallywhatwillonthepartswhichcanfeeltheeffectsofthisfall.Forthosepartswhichhavefeltwillcomplain,iftheychoose.ButI,unlessIthinkthatwhathashappenedisanevil,amnotinjured.Anditisinmypowernottothinkso.
Whateveranyonedoesorsays,Imustbegood,justasifthegold,ortheemerald,orthepurplewerealwayssayingthis,Whateveranyonedoesorsays,Imustbeemeraldandkeepmycolour.
Therulingfacultydoesnotdisturbitself;Imean,doesnotfrightenitselforcauseitselfpain.Butifanyoneelsecanfrightenorpainit,lethimdoso.Forthefacultyitselfwillnotbyitsownopinionturnitselfintosuchways.Letthebodyitselftakecare,ifitcan,thatissuffernothing,andletitspeak,ifitsuffers.Butthesoulitself,thatwhichissubjecttofear,topain,whichhascompletelythepowerofforminganopinionaboutthesethings,willsuffernothing,foritwillneverdeviateintosuchajudgement.Theleadingprincipleinitselfwantsnothing,unlessitmakesawantforitself;andthereforeitisbothfreefromperturbationandunimpeded,ifitdoesnotdisturbandimpedeitself.
Eudaemonia(happiness)isagooddaemon,oragoodthing.Whatthenartthoudoinghere,Oimagination?Goaway,Ientreattheebythegods,asthoudidstcome,forIwanttheenot.Butthouartcomeaccordingtothyoldfashion.Iamnotangrywiththee:onlygoaway.
Isanymanafraidofchange?Whywhatcantakeplacewithoutchange?Whatthenismorepleasingormoresuitabletotheuniversalnature?Andcanstthoutakeabathunlessthewoodundergoesachange?Andcanstthoubenourished,unlessthefoodundergoesachange?Andcananythingelsethatisusefulbeaccomplishedwithoutchange?Dostthounotseethenthatforthyselfalsotochangeisjustthesame,andequallynecessaryfortheuniversalnature?
Throughtheuniversalsubstanceasthroughafurioustorrentallbodiesarecarried,beingbytheirnatureunitedwithandcooperatingwiththewhole,asthepartsofourbodywithoneanother.HowmanyaChrysippus,howmanyaSocrates,howmanyanEpictetushastimealreadyswallowedup?Andletthesamethoughtoccurtotheewithreferencetoeverymanandthing.
Onethingonlytroublesme,lestIshoulddosomethingwhichtheconstitutionofmandoesnotallow,orinthewaywhichitdoesnotallow,orwhatitdoesnotallownow.
Nearisthyforgetfulnessofallthings;andneartheforgetfulnessoftheebyall.
Itispeculiartomantoloveeventhosewhodowrong.Andthishappens,ifwhentheydowrongitoccurstotheethattheyarekinsmen,andthattheydowrongthroughignoranceandunintentionally,andthatsoonbothofyouwilldie;andaboveall,thatthewrong-doerhasdonetheenoharm,forhehasnotmadethyrulingfacultyworsethanitwasbefore.
Theuniversalnatureoutoftheuniversalsubstance,asifitwerewax,nowmouldsahorse,andwhenithasbrokenthisup,itusesthematerialforatree,thenforaman,thenforsomethingelse;andeachofthesethingssubsistsforaveryshorttime.Butitisnohardshipforthevesseltobebrokenup,justastherewasnoneinitsbeingfastenedtogether.
Ascowlinglookisaltogetherunnatural;whenitisoftenassumed,theresultisthatallcomelinessdiesaway,andatlastissocompletelyextinguishedthatitcannotbeagainlightedupatall.Trytoconcludefromthisveryfactthatitiscontrarytoreason.Forifeventheperceptionofdoingwrongshalldepart,whatreasonisthereforlivinganylonger?
Naturewhichgovernsthewholewillsoonchangeallthingswhichthouseest,andoutoftheirsubstancewillmakeotherthings,andagainotherthingsfromthesubstanceofthem,inorderthattheworldmaybeevernew.
Whenamanhasdonetheeanywrong,immediatelyconsiderwithwhatopinionaboutgoodorevilhehasdonewrong.Forwhenthouhastseenthis,thouwiltpityhim,andwiltneitherwondernorbeangry.Foreitherthouthyselfthinkestthesamethingtobegoodthathedoesoranotherthingofthesamekind.Itisthydutythentopardonhim.Butifthoudostnotthinksuchthingstobegoodorevil,thouwiltmorereadilybewelldisposedtohimwhoisinerror.
Thinknotsomuchofwhatthouhastnotasofwhatthouhast:butofthethingswhichthouhastselectthebest,andthenreflecthoweagerlytheywouldhavebeensought,ifthouhadstthemnot.Atthesametimehowevertakecarethatthoudostnotthroughbeingsopleasedwiththemaccustomthyselftoovervaluethem,soastobedisturbedifeverthoushouldstnothavethem.
Retireintothyself.Therationalprinciplewhichruleshasthisnature,thatitiscontentwithitselfwhenitdoeswhatisjust,andsosecurestranquility.
Wipeouttheimagination.Stopthepullingofthestrings.Confinethyselftothepresent.Understandwellwhathappenseithertotheeortoanother.Divideanddistributeeveryobjectintothecausal(formal)andthematerial.Thinkofthylasthour.Letthewrongwhichisdonebyamanstaytherewherethewrongwasdone.
Directthyattentiontowhatissaid.Letthyunderstandingenterintothethingsthataredoingandthethingswhichdothem.
Adornthyselfwithsimplicityandmodestyandwithindifferencetowardsthethingswhichliebetweenvirtueandvice.Lovemankind.FollowGod.ThepoetsaysthatLawrulesall-AnditisenoughtorememberthatLawrulesall.
Aboutdeath:Whetheritisadispersion,oraresolutionintoatoms,orannihilation,itiseitherextinctionorchange.
Aboutpain:Thepainwhichisintolerablecarriesusoff;butthatwhichlastsalongtimeistolerable;andthemindmaintainsitsowntranquilitybyretiringintoitself,andtherulingfacultyisnotmadeworse.Butthepartswhichareharmedbypain,letthem,iftheycan,givetheiropinionaboutit.
Aboutfame:Lookatthemindsofthosewhoseekfame,observewhattheyare,andwhatkindofthingstheyavoid,andwhatkindofthingstheypursue.Andconsiderthatastheheapsofsandpiledononeanotherhidetheformersands,soinlifetheeventswhichgobeforearesooncoveredbythosewhichcomeafter.
FromPlato:Themanwhohasanelevatedmindandtakesaviewofalltimeandofallsubstance,dostthousupposeitpossibleforhimtothinkthathumanlifeisanythinggreat?itisnotpossible,hesaid-Suchamanthenwillthinkthatdeathalsoisnoevil-Certainlynot.
FromAntisthenes:Itisroyaltodogoodandtobeabused.
Itisabasethingforthecountenancetobeobedientandtoregulateandcomposeitselfasthemindcommands,andforthemindnottoberegulatedandcomposedbyitself.
Itisnotrighttovexourselvesatthings,
Fortheycarenoughtaboutit.
Totheimmortalgodsandusgivejoy.
Lifemustbereapedliketheripeearsofcorn:
Onemanisborn;anotherdies.
Ifgodscarenotformeandformychildren,
Thereisareasonforit.
Forthegoodiswithme,andthejust.
Nojoiningothersintheirwailing,noviolentemotion.
FromPlato:ButIwouldmakethismanasufficientanswer,whichisthis:Thousayestnotwell,ifthouthinkestthatamanwhoisgoodforanythingatalloughttocomputethehazardoflifeordeath,andshouldnotratherlooktothisonlyinallthathedoes,whetherheisdoingwhatisjustorunjust,andtheworksofagoodorabadman.
Forthusitis,menofAthens,intruth:whereveramanhasplacedhimselfthinkingitthebestplaceforhim,orhasbeenplacedbyacommander,thereinmyopinionheoughttostayandtoabidethehazard,takingnothingintothereckoning,eitherdeathoranythingelse,beforethebasenessofdesertinghispost.
But,mygoodfriend,reflectwhetherthatwhichisnobleandgoodisnotsomethingdifferentfromsavingandbeingsaved;forastoamanlivingsuchorsuchatime,atleastonewhoisreallyaman,considerifthisisnotathingtobedismissedfromthethoughts:andtheremustbenoloveoflife:butastothesemattersamanmustintrustthemtothedeityandbelievewhatthewomensay,thatnomancanescapehisdestiny,thenextinquirybeinghowhemaybestlivethetimethathehastolive.
Lookroundatthecoursesofthestars,asifthouwertgoingalongwiththem;andconstantlyconsiderthechangesoftheelementsintooneanother;forsuchthoughtspurgeawaythefilthoftheterrenelife.
ThisisafinesayingofPlato:Thathewhoisdiscoursingaboutmenshouldlookalsoatearthlythingsasifheviewedthemfromsomehigherplace;shouldlookatthemintheirassemblies,armies,agriculturallabours,marriages,treaties,births,deaths,noiseofthecourtsofjustice,desertplaces,variousnationsofbarbarians,feasts,lamentations,markets,amixtureofallthingsandanorderlycombinationofcontraries.
Considerthepast;suchgreatchangesofpoliticalsupremacies.Thoumayestforeseealsothethingswhichwillbe.Fortheywillcertainlybeoflikeform,anditisnotpossiblethattheyshoulddeviatefromtheorderofthethingswhichtakeplacenow:accordinglytohavecontemplatedhumanlifeforfortyyearsisthesameastohavecontemplateditfortenthousandyears.Forwhatmorewiltthousee?
Thatwhichhasgrownfromtheearthtotheearth,
Butthatwhichhassprungfromheavenlyseed,
Backtotheheavenlyrealmsreturns.Thisiseitheradissolutionofthemutualinvolutionoftheatoms,orasimilardispersionoftheunsentientelements.
Withfoodanddrinksandcunningmagicarts
Turningthechannel-scourseto-scapefromdeath.
Thebreezewhichheavenhassent
Wemustendure,andtoilwithoutcomplaining.
Anothermaybemoreexpertincastinghisopponent;butheisnotmoresocial,normoremodest,norbetterdisciplinedtomeetallthathappens,normoreconsideratewithrespecttothefaultsofhisneighbours.
Whereanyworkcanbedoneconformablytothereasonwhichiscommontogodsandmen,therewehavenothingtofear:forwhereweareabletogetprofitbymeansoftheactivitywhichissuccessfulandproceedsaccordingtoourconstitution,therenoharmistobesuspected.
Everywhereandatalltimesitisinthypowerpiouslytoacquiesceinthypresentcondition,andtobehavejustlytothosewhoareaboutthee,andtoexertthyskilluponthypresentthoughts,thatnothingshallstealintothemwithoutbeingwellexamined.
Donotlookaroundtheetodiscoverothermen-srulingprinciples,butlookstraighttothis,towhatnatureleadsthee,boththeuniversalnaturethroughthethingswhichhappentothee,andthyownnaturethroughtheactswhichmustbedonebythee.Buteverybeingoughttodothatwhichisaccordingtoitsconstitution;andallotherthingshavebeenconstitutedforthesakeofrationalbeings,justasamongirrationalthingstheinferiorforthesakeofthesuperior,buttherationalforthesakeofoneanother.
Theprimeprincipletheninman-sconstitutionisthesocial.Andthesecondisnottoyieldtothepersuasionsofthebody,foritisthepeculiarofficeoftherationalandintelligentmotiontocircumscribeitself,andnevertobeoverpoweredeitherbythemotionofthesensesoroftheappetites,forbothareanimal;buttheintelligentmotionclaimssuperiorityanddoesnotpermititselftobeoverpoweredbytheothers.Andwithgoodreason,foritisformedbynaturetouseallofthem.Thethirdthingintherationalconstitutionisfreedomfromerrorandfromdeception.Letthentherulingprincipleholdingfasttothesethingsgostraighton,andithaswhatisitsown.
Considerthyselftobedead,andtohavecompletedthylifeuptothepresenttime;andliveaccordingtonaturetheremainderwhichisallowedthee.
Lovethatonlywhichhappenstotheeandisspunwiththethreadofthydestiny.Forwhatismoresuitable?
Ineverythingwhichhappenskeepbeforethyeyesthosetowhomthesamethingshappened,andhowtheywerevexed,andtreatedthemasstrangethings,andfoundfaultwiththem:andnowwherearethey?Nowhere.Whythendostthoutoochoosetoactinthesameway?Andwhydostthounotleavetheseagitationswhichareforeigntonature,tothosewhocausethemandthosewhoaremovedbythem?Andwhyartthounotaltogetherintentupontherightwayofmakinguseofthethingswhichhappentothee?Forthenthouwiltusethemwell,andtheywillbeamaterialfortheetoworkon.Onlyattendtothyself,andresolvetobeagoodmanineveryactwhichthoudoest:andremember
Lookwithin.Withinisthefountainofgood,anditwilleverbubbleup,ifthouwilteverdig.
Thebodyoughttobecompact,andtoshownoirregularityeitherinmotionorattitude.Forwhatthemindshowsinthefacebymaintaininginittheexpressionofintelligenceandpropriety,thatoughttoberequiredalsointhewholebody.Butallofthesethingsshouldbeobservedwithoutaffectation.
Theartoflifeismorelikethewrestler-sartthanthedancer-s,inrespectofthis,thatitshouldstandreadyandfirmtomeetonsetswhicharesuddenandunexpected.
Constantlyobservewhothosearewhoseapprobationthouwishesttohave,andwhatrulingprinciplestheypossess.Forthenthouwiltneitherblamethosewhooffendinvoluntarily,norwiltthouwanttheirapprobation,ifthoulookesttothesourcesoftheiropinionsandappetites.
Everysoul,thephilosophersays,isinvoluntarilydeprivedoftruth;consequentlyinthesamewayitisdeprivedofjusticeandtemperanceandbenevolenceandeverythingofthekind.Itismostnecessarytobearthisconstantlyinmind,forthusthouwiltbemoregentletowardsall.
Ineverypainletthisthoughtbepresent,thatthereisnodishonourinit,nordoesitmakethegoverningintelligenceworse,foritdoesnotdamagetheintelligenceeithersofarastheintelligenceisrationalorsofarasitissocial.IndeedinthecaseofmostpainsletthisremarkofEpicurusaidthee,thatpainisneitherintolerablenoreverlasting,ifthoubearestinmindthatithasitslimits,andifthouaddestnothingtoitinimagination:andrememberthistoo,thatwedonotperceivethatmanythingswhicharedisagreeabletousarethesameaspain,suchasexcessivedrowsiness,andthebeingscorchedbyheat,andthehavingnoappetite.Whenthenthouartdiscontentedaboutanyofthesethings,saytothyself,thatthouartyieldingtopain.
Takecarenottofeeltowardstheinhuman,astheyfeeltowardsmen.
HowdoweknowifTelaugeswasnotsuperiorincharactertoSocrates?ForitisnotenoughthatSocratesdiedamorenobledeath,anddisputedmoreskilfullywiththesophists,andpassedthenightinthecoldwithmoreendurance,andthatwhenhewasbidtoarrestLeonofSalamis,heconsidereditmorenobletorefuse,andthathewalkedinaswaggeringwayinthestreets-thoughastothisfactonemayhavegreatdoubtsifitwastrue.Butweoughttoinquire,whatkindofasoulitwasthatSocratespossessed,andifhewasabletobecontentwithbeingjusttowardsmenandpioustowardsthegods,neitheridlyvexedonaccountofmen-svillainy,noryetmakinghimselfaslavetoanyman-signorance,norreceivingasstrangeanythingthatfelltohisshareoutoftheuniversal,norenduringitasintolerable,norallowinghisunderstandingtosympathizewiththeaffectsofthemiserableflesh.
Naturehasnotsomingledtheintelligencewiththecompositionofthebody,asnottohaveallowedtheethepowerofcircumsc**ngthyselfandofbringingundersubjectiontothyselfallthatisthyown;foritisverypossibletobeadivinemanandtoberecognisedassuchbynoone.Alwaysbearthisinmind;andanotherthingtoo,thatverylittleindeedisnecessaryforlivingahappylife.Andbecausethouhastdespairedofbecomingadialecticianandskilledintheknowledgeofnature,donotforthisreasonrenouncethehopeofbeingbothfreeandmodestandsocialandobedienttoGod.
Itisinthypowertolivefreefromallcompulsioninthegreatesttranquilityofmind,evenifalltheworldcryoutagainsttheeasmuchastheychoose,andevenifwildbeaststearinpiecesthemembersofthiskneadedmatterwhichhasgrownaroundthee.Forwhathindersthemindinthemidstofallthisfrommaintainingitselfintranquilityandinajustjudgementofallsurroundingthingsandinareadyuseoftheobjectswhicharepresentedtoit,sothatthejudgementmaysaytothethingwhichfallsunderitsobservation:Thisthouartinsubstance(reality),thoughinmen-sopinionthoumayestappeartobeofadifferentkind;andtheuseshallsaytothatwhichfallsunderthehand:ThouartthethingthatIwasseeking;fortomethatwhichpresentsitselfisalwaysamaterialforvirtuebothrationalandpolitical,andinaword,fortheexerciseofart,whichbelongstomanorGod.ForeverythingwhichhappenshasarelationshipeithertoGodorman,andisneithernewnordifficulttohandle,butusualandaptmattertoworkon.
Theperfectionofmoralcharacterconsistsinthis,inpassingeverydayasthelast,andinbeingneitherviolentlyexcitednortorpidnorplayingthehypocrite.
Thegodswhoareimmortalarenotvexedbecauseduringsolongatimetheymusttoleratecontinuallymensuchastheyareandsomanyofthembad;andbesidesthis,theyalsotakecareoftheminallways.Butthou,whoartdestinedtoendsosoon,artthouweariedofenduringthebad,andthistoowhenthouartoneofthem?
Itisaridiculousthingforamannottoflyfromhisownbadness,whichisindeedpossible,buttoflyfromothermen-sbadness,whichisimpossible.
Whatevertherationalandpolitical(social)facultyfindstobeneitherintelligentnorsocial,itproperlyjudgestobeinferiortoitself.
Whenthouhastdoneagoodactandanotherhasreceivedit,whydostthoulookforathirdthingbesidesthese,asfoolsdo,eithertohavethereputationofhavingdoneagoodactortoobtainareturn?
Nomanistiredofreceivingwhatisuseful.Butitisusefultoactaccordingtonature.Donotthenbetiredofreceivingwhatisusefulbydoingittoothers.
ThenatureoftheAnmovedtomaketheuniverse.Butnoweithereverythingthattakesplacecomesbywayofconsequenceorcontinuity;oreventhechiefthingstowardswhichtherulingpoweroftheuniversedirectsitsownmovementaregovernedbynorationalprinciple.Ifthisisremembereditwillmaketheemoretranquilinmanythings.