the golden sayings-第10章

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CXL







Why　art　thou　thus　insatiable？　why　thus　unreasonable？　why

encumber　the　world？〃Aye；　but　I　fain　would　have　my　wife　and

children　with　me　too。〃What；　are　they　then　thine；　and　not　His

that　gave　themHis　that　made　thee？　Give　up　then　that　which　is

not　thine　own：　yield　it　to　One　who　is　better　than　thou。　〃Nay；　but

why　did　He　bring　one　into　the　world　on　these　conditions？〃If　it

suits　thee　not；　depart！　He　hath　no　need　of　a　spectator　who　finds

fault　with　his　lot！　Them　that　will　take　part　in　the　Feast　he

needeththat　will　lift　their　voices　with　the　restm　that　men　may

applaud　the　more；　and　exalt　the　Great　Assembly　in　hymns　and　songs

of　praise。　But　the　wretched　and　the　fearful　He　will　not　be

displeased　to　see　absent　from　it：　for　when　they　were　present；

they　did　not　behave　as　at　a　Feast；　nor　fulfil　their　proper

office；　but　moaned　as　though　in　pain；　and　found　fault　with　their

fate；　their　fortune　and　their　companions；　insensible　to　what　had

fallen　to　their　lot；　insensible　to　the　powers　they　had　received

for　a　very　different　purposethe　powers　of　Magnanimity；　Nobility

of　Heart；　of　Fortitude；　or　Freedom！





CXLI





Art　thou　then　free？　a　man　may　say。　So　help　me　heaven；　I　long

and　pray　for　freedom！　But　I　cannot　look　my　masters　boldly　in　the

face；　I　still　value　the　poor　body；　I　still　set　much　store　on　its

preservation　whole　and　sound。



But　I　can　point　thee　out　a　free　man；　that　thou　mayest　be　no

more　in　search　of　an　example。　Diogenes　was　free。　How　so？　Not

because　he　was　of　free　parentage　（for　that；　indeed；　was　not　the

case）；　but　because　he　was　himself　free。　He　had　cast　away　every

handle　whereby　slavery　might　lay　hold　of　him　to　enslave　him；　nor

was　it　possible　for　any　to　approach　and　take　hold　of　him　to

enslave　him。　All　things　sat　loose　upon　himall　things　were　to

him　attached　by　but　slender　ties。　Hadst　thou　siezed　upon　his

possessions；　he　would　rather　have　let　them　go　than　have　followed

thee　for　themaye；　had　it　been　even　a　limb；　or　mayhap　his　whole

body；　and　in　like　manner；　relatives；　friends；　and　country。　For　he

knew　whence　they　camefrom　whose　hands　and　on　what　terms　he　had

received　them。　His　true　forefathers；　the　Gods；　his　true　Country；

he　never　would　have　abandoned；　nor　would　he　have　yielded　to　any

man　in　obedience　and　submission　to　the　one　nor　in　cheerfully

dying　for　the　other。　For　he　was　ever　mindful　that　everything　that

comes　to　pass　has　its　source　and　origin　there；　being　indeed

brought　about　for　the　weal　of　that　his　true　Country；　and　directed

by　Him　in　whose　governance　it　is。





CXLII





Ponder　on　thison　these　convictions；　on　these　words：　fix

thine　eyes　on　these　examples；　if　thou　wouldst　be　free；　if　thou

hast　thine　heart　set　upon　the　matter　according　to　its　worth。　And

what　marvel　if　thou　purchase　so　great　a　thing　at　so　great　and

high　a　price？　For　the　sake　of　this　that　men　deem　liberty；　some

hang　themselves；　others　cast　themselves　down　from　the　rock；　aye；

time　has　been　when　whole　cities　came　utterly　to　an　end：　while　for

the　sake　of　Freedom　that　is　true；　and　sure；　and　unassailable；

dost　thou　grudge　to　God　what　He　gave；　when　He　claims　it？　Wilt

thou　not　study；　as　Plato　saith；　to　endure；　not　death　alone；　but

torture；　exile；　stripesin　a　word；　to　render　up　all　that　is　not

thine　own？　Else　thou　wilt　be　a　slave　amid　slaves；　wert　thou　ten

thousand　times　a　consul；　aye；　not　a　whit　the　less；　though　thou

climb　the　Palace　steps。　And　thou　shalt　know　how　true　the　saying

of　Cleanthes；　that　though　the　words　of　philosophers　may　run

counter　to　the　opinions　of　the　world；　yet　have　they　reason　on

their　side。





CXLII





Asked　how　a　man　should　best　grieve　his　enemy；　Epictetus

replied；　〃By　setting　himself　to　live　the　noblest　life　himself。〃





CXLIV







I　am　free；　I　am　a　friend　of　God；　ready　to　render　Him　willing

obedience。　Of　all　else　I　may　set　store　by　nothingneither　by

mine　own　body；　nor　possessions；　nor　office；　nor　good　report；　nor；

in　a　word；　aught　else　beside。　For　it　is　not　His　Will；　that　I

should　so　set　store　by　these　things。　Had　it　been　His　pleasure；　He

would　have　placed　my　Good　therein。　But　now　He　hath　not　done　so：

therefore　I　cannot　transgress　one　jot　of　His　commands。　In

everything　hold　fast　to　that　which　is　thy　Goodbut　to　all　else

（as　far　as　is　given　thee）　within　the　measure　of　Reason　only；

contented　with　this　alone。　Else　thou　wilt　meet　with　failure；　ill

success；　let　and　hindrance。　These　are　the　Laws　ordained　of　God

these　are　His　Edicts；　these　a　man　should　expound　and　interpret；

to　these　submit　himself；　not　to　the　laws　of　Masurius　and

Cassius。





CXLV





Remember　that　not　the　love　of　power　and　wealth　sets　us　under

the　heel　of　others；　but　even　the　love　of　tranquillity；　of

leisure；　of　change　of　sceneof　learning　in　general；　it　matters

not　what　the　outward　thing　may　beto　set　store　by　it　is　to　place

thyself　in　subjection　to　another。　Where　is　the　difference　then

between　desiring　to　be　a　Senator；　and　desiring　not　to　be　one：

between　thirsting　for　office　and　thirsting　to　be　quit　of　it？

Where　is　the　difference　between　crying；　Woe　is　me；　I　know　not

what　to　do；　bound　hand　and　foot　as　I　am　to　my　books　so　that　I

cannot　stir！　and　crying；　Woe　is　me；　I　have　not　time　to　read！　As

though　a　book　were　not　as　much　an　outward　thing　and　independent

of　the　will；　as　office　and　power　and　the　receptions　of　the　great。



Or　what　reason　hast　thou　（tell　me）　for　desiring　to　read？　For

if　thou　aim　at　nothing　beyond　the　mere　delight　of　it；　or　gaining

some　scrap　of　knowledge；　thou　art　but　a　poor；　spiritless　knave。

But　if　thou　desirest　to　study　to　its　proper　end；　what　else　is

this　than　a　life　that　flows　on　tranquil　and　serene？　And　if　thy

reading　secures　thee　not　serenity；　what　profits　it？〃Nay；　but　it

doth　secure　it；〃　quoth　he；　〃and　that　is　why　I　repine　at　being

deprived　of　it。〃And　what　serenity　is　this　that　lies　at　the

mercy　of　every　passer…by？　I　say　not　at　the　mercy　of　the　Emperor

or　Emperor's　favorite；　but　such　as　trembles　at　a　raven's　croak

and　piper's　din；　a　fever's　touch　or　a　thousand　things　of　like

sort！　Whereas　the　life　serene　has　no　more　certain　mark　than　this；

that　it　ever　moves　with　constant　unimpeded　flow。





CXLVI





If　thou　hast　put　malice　and　evil　speaking　from　thee；

altogether；　or　in　some　degree：　if　thou　hast　put　away　from　thee

rashness；　foulness　of　tongue；　intemperance；　sluggishness：　if　thou

art　not　moved　by　what　once　moved　thee；　or　in　like　manner　as　thou

once　wert　movedthen　thou　mayest　celebrate　a　daily　festival；

to…day　because　thou　hast　done　well　in　this　manner；　to…morrow　in

that。　How　much　greater　cause　is　here　for　offering　sacrifice；　than

if　a　man　should　become　Consul　or　Prefect？





CXLVII





These　things　hast　thou　from　thyself　and　from　the　Gods：　only

remember　who　it　is　that　giveth　themto　whom　and　for　what　purpose

they　were　given。　Feeding　thy　soul　on　thoughts　like　these；　dost

thou　debate　in　what　place　happiness　awaits　thee？　in　what　place

thou　shalt　do　God's　pleasure？　Are　not　the　Gods　nigh　unto　all

places　alike；　see　they　not　alike　what　everywhere　comes　to　pass？





CXLVIII





To　each　man　God　hath　granted　this　inward　freedom。　These　are

the　principles　that　in　a　house　create　love；　in　a　city　concord；

among　nations　peace；　teaching　a　man　gratitude　towards　God　and

cheerful　confidence；　wherever　he　may　be；　in　dealing　with　outward

things　that　he　knows　are　neither　his　nor　worth　striving　after。





CXLIX





If　you　seek　Truth；　you　will　not　seek　to　gain　a　victory　by

every　possible　means；　and　when　you　have　found　Truth；　you　need　not

fear　being　defeated。





CL





What　foolish　talk　is　this？　how　can　I　any　longer　lay　claim　to

right　principles；　if　I　am　not　content　with　being　what　I　am；　but

am　all　aflutter　about　what　I　am　supposed　to　be？





CLI





God　hath　made　all　things　in　the　world；　nay；　the　world

itself；　free　from　hindrance　and　perfect；　and　its　parts　for　the

use　of　the　whole。　Not　other　creature　is　capable　of　comprehending

His　administration　thereof；　but　the　reasonable　being　Man

possesses　faculties　for　the　consideration　of　all　these　things

not　only　that　he　is　himself　a　part；　but　what　part　he　is；　and　how

it　is　meet　that　the　parts　should　give　place　to　the　whole。　Nor　is

this　all。　Being　naturally　constituted　noble；　magnanimous；　and

free；　he　sees　that　the　things　which　surround　him　are　of　two

kinds。　Some　are　free　from　hindrance　and　in　the　power　of　the　will。

Other　are　subject　to　hindrance；　and　depend　on　the　will　of　other

men。　If　then　he　place　his　own　good；　his　own　best　interest；　only

in　that　which　is　free　from　hindrance　and　in　his　power；　he　will　be

free；　tranquil；　happy；　unharmed；　noble…hearted；　and　pious；　giving

thanks　to　all　things　unto　God；　finding　fault　with　nothing　that

comes　to　pass；　laying　no　charge　against　anything。　Whereas　if　he

place　his　good　in　outward　things；　depending　not　on　the　will；　he

must　perforce　be　subject　to　hindrance　and　restraint；　the　slave　of

those　that　have　power　over　the　things　he　desires　and　fears；　he

must　perforce　be　impious；　as　deeming　himself　injured　at　the　hands

of　God；　he　must　be　unjust；　as　ever　prone　to　claim　more　than　his

due；　he　must　perforce　be　of　a　mean　and　abject　spirit。





CLII





Whom　then　shall　I　fear？　the　lords　of　the　Bedchamber；　lest

they　should　shut　me　out？　If　they　find　me　desirous　of　entering　in；

let　them　shut　me　out；　if　they　will。



〃Then　why　comest　thou　to　the　door？〃



Beacause　I　think　it　meet　and　right；　so　long　as　the　Play

lasts；　to　take　part　therein。



〃In　what　sense　art　thou　then　shut　out？〃



Because；　unless　I　am　admitted；　it　is　not　my　will　to　enter：

on　the　contrary；　my　will　is　simply　that　which　comes　to　pass。　For

I　esteem　what　God　wills　better　than　what　I　will。　To　Him　will　I

cleave　as　His　minister　and　attendant；　having　the　same　movements；

the　same　desires；　in　a　word　the　same　Will　as　He。　There　is　no　such

thing　as　being　shut　out　for　me；　but　only　for　them　that　would

force　their　way　in。



CLIII





But　what　says　Socrates？〃One　man　finds　pleasure　in

improving　his　land；　another　his　horses。　My　pleasure　lies　in

seeing　that　I　myself　grow　better　day　by　day。〃





CLIV





The　dress　is　suited　to　the　craft；　the　craftsman　takes　his

name　from　the　craft；　not　from　the　dress。　For　this　reason

Euphrates　was　right　in　saying；　〃I　long　endeavoured　to　conceal　my

following　the　philosophic　life；　and　this　profited　me　much。　In　the

first　place；　I　knew　that　what　I　did　aright；　I　did　not　for　the

sake　of　lookers…on；　but　for　my　own。　I　ate　arightunto　myself；　I

kept　the　even　tenor　of　my　walk；　my　glance　composed　and　serene

all　unto　myself　and　unto　God。　Then　as　I　fought　alone；　I　was　alone

in　peril。　If　I　did　anything　amiss　or　shameful；　the　cause　of

Philosophy　was　not　in　me　endangered；　nor　did　I　wrong　the

multitude　by　transgressing　as　a　professed　philosopher。　Wherefore

those　that　knew　not　my　purpos