the golden sayings-第5章

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LXV







When　a　youth　was　giving　himself　airs　in　the　Theatre　and

saying；　〃I　am　wise；　for　I　have　conversed　with　many　wise　men；〃

Epictetus　replied；　〃I　too　have　conversed　with　many　rich　men；　yet

I　am　not　rich！〃





LXVI





We　see　that　a　carpenter　becomes　a　carpenter　by　learning

certain　things：　that　a　pilot；　by　learning　certain　things；　becomes

a　pilot。　Possibly　also　in　the　present　case　the　mere　desire　to　be

wise　and　good　is　not　enough。　It　is　necessary　to　learn　certain

things。　This　is　then　the　object　of　our　search。　The　Philosophers

would　have　us　first　learn　that　there　is　a　God；　and　that　His

Providence　directs　the　Universe；　further；　that　to　hide　from　Him

not　only　one's　acts　but　even　one's　thoughts　and　intentions　is

impossible；　secondly；　what　the　nature　of　God　is。　Whatever　that

nature　is　discovered　to　be；　the　man　who　would　please　and　obey　Him

must　strive　with　all　his　might　to　be　made　like　unto　him。　If　the

Divine　is　faithful；　he　also　must　be　faithful；　if　free；　he　also

must　be　free；　if　beneficent；　he　also　must　be　beneficent；　if

magnanimous；　he　also　must　be　magnanimous。　Thus　as　an　imitator　of

God　must　he　follow　Him　in　every　deed　and　word。





LXVII





If　I　show　you；　that　you　lack　just　what　is　most　important　and

necessary　to　happiness；　that　hitherto　your　attention　has　been

bestowed　on　everything　rather　than　that　which　claims　it　most；

and；　to　crown　all；　that　you　know　neither　what　God　nor　Man　is　

neither　what　Good　or　Evil　is：　why；　that　you　are　ignorant　of

everything　else；　perhaps　you　may　bear　to　be　told；　but　to　hear

that　you　know　nothing　of　yourself；　how　could　you　submit　to　that？

How　could　you　stand　your　ground　and　suffer　that　to　be　proved？

Clearly　not　at　all。　You　instantly　turn　away　in　wrath。　Yet　what

harm　have　I　done　to　you？　Unless　indeed　the　mirror　harms　the

ill…favoured　man　by　showing　him　to　himself　just　as　he　is；　unless　the

physician　can　be　thought　to　insult　his　patient；　when　he　tells

him：〃Friend；　do　you　suppose　there　is　nothing　wrong　with　you？

why；　you　have　a　fever。　Eat　nothing　to…day；　and　drink　only　water。〃

Yet　no　one　says；　〃What　an　insufferable　insult！〃　Whereas　if　you

say　to　a　man；　〃Your　desires　are　inflamed；　your　instincts　of

rejection　are　weak　and　low；　your　aims　are　inconsistent；　your

impulses　are　not　in　harmony　with　Nature；　your　opinions　are　rash

and　false；〃　he　forthwith　goes　away　and　complains　that　you　have

insulted　him。



LXVIII





Our　way　of　life　resembles　a　fair。　The　flocks　and　herds　are

passing　along　to　be　sold；　and　the　greater　part　of　the　crowd　to

buy　and　sell。　But　there　are　some　few　who　come　only　to　look　at　the

fair；　to　inquire　how　and　why　it　is　being　held；　upon　what

authority　and　with　what　object。　So　too；　in　this　great　Fair　of

life；　some；　like　the　cattle；　trouble　themselves　about　nothing　but

the　fodder。　Know　all　of　you；　who　are　busied　about　land；　slaves

and　public　posts；　that　these　are　nothing　but　fodder！　Some　few

there　are　attending　the　Fair；　who　love　to　contemplate　what　the

world　is；　what　He　that　administers　it。　Can　there　be　no

Administrator？　is　it　possible；　that　while　neither　city　nor

household　could　endure　even　a　moment　without　one　to　administer

and　see　to　its　welfare；　this　Fabric；　so　fair；　so　vast；　should　be

administered　in　order　so　harmonious；　without　a　purpose　and　by

blind　chance？　There　is　therefore　an　Administrator。　What　is　His

nature　and　how　does　He　administer？　And　who　are　we　that　are　His

children　and　what　work　were　we　born　to　perform？　Have　we　any　close

connection　or　relation　with　Him　or　not？



Such　are　the　impressions　of　the　few　of　whom　I　speak。　And

further；　they　apply　themselves　solely　to　considering　and

examining　the　great　assembly　before　they　depart。　Well；　they　are

derided　by　the　multitude。　So　are　the　lookers…on　by　the　traders：

aye；　and　if　the　beasts　had　any　sense；　they　would　deride　those　who

thought　much　of　anything　but　fodder！





LXIX





I　think　I　know　now　what　I　never　knew　beforethe　meaning　of

the　common　saying；　A　fool　you　can　neither　bend　nor　break。　Pray

heaven　I　may　never　have　a　wise　fool　for　my　friend！　There　is

nothing　more　intractable。〃My　resolve　is　fixed！〃Why　so　madman

say　too；　but　the　more　firmly　they　believe　in　their　delusions；　the

more　they　stand　in　need　of　treatment。





LXX





〃O！　when　shall　I　see　Athens　and　its　Acropolis　again？〃

Miserable　man！　art　thou　not　contented　with　the　daily　sights　that

meet　thine　eyes？　canst　thou　behold　aught　greater　or　nobler　than

the　Sun；　Moon；　and　Stars；　than　the　outspread　Earth　and　Sea？　If

indeed　thous　apprehendest　Him　who　administers　the　universe；　if

thou　bearest　Him　about　within　thee；　canst　thou　still　hanker　after

mere　fragments　of　stone　and　fine　rock？　When　thou　art　about　to　bid

farewell　to　the　Sun　and　Moon　itself；　wilt　thou　sit　down　and　cry

like　a　child？　Why；　what　didst　thou　hear；　what　didst　thou　learn？

why　didst　thou　write　thyself　down　a　philosopher；　when　thou

mightest　have　written　what　was　the　fact；　namely；　〃I　have　made　one

or　two　Conpendiums；　I　have　read　some　works　of　Chrysippus；　and　I

have　not　even　touched　the　hem　of　Philosophy's　robe〃！





LXXI





Friend；　lay　hold　with　a　desperate　grasp；　ere　it　is　too　late；

on　Freedom；　on　Tranquility；　on　Greatness　of　soul！　Lift　up　thy

head；　as　one　escaped　from　slavery；　dare　to　look　up　to　God；　and

say：〃Deal　with　me　henceforth　as　Thou　wilt；　Thou　and　I　are　of

one　mind。　I　am　Thine：　I　refuse　nothing　that　seeeth　good　to　Thee；

lead　on　whither　Thou　wilt；　clothe　me　in　what　garb　Thou　pleasest；

wilt　Thou　have　me　a　ruler　or　a　subjectat　home　or　in　exile

poor　or　rich？　All　these　things　will　I　justify　unto　men　for　Thee。

I　will　show　the　true　nature　of　each。　。　。　。〃



Who　would　Hercules　have　been　had　he　loitered　at　home？　no

Hercules；　but　Eurystheus。　And　in　his　wanderings　through　the　world

how　many　friends　and　comrades　did　he　find？　but　nothing　dearer　to

him　than　God。　Wherefore　he　was　believed　to　be　God's　son；　as

indeed　he　was。　So　then　in　obedience　to　Him；　he　went　about

delivering　the　earth　from　injustice　and　lawlessness。



But　thou　art　not　Hercules；　thou　sayest；　and　canst　not

deliver　others　from　their　iniquitynot　even　Theseus；　to　deliver

the　soil　of　Attica　from　its　monsters？　Purge　away　thine　own；　cast

forth　thencefrom　thine　own　mind；　not　robbers　and　monsters；　but

Fear；　Desire；　Envy；　Malignity；　Avarice；　Effeminacy；　Intemperance。

And　these　may　not　be　cast　out；　except　by　looking　to　God　alone；　by

fixing　thy　affections　on　Him　only；　and　by　consecrating　thyself　to

His　commands。　If　thou　choosest　aught　else；　with　sighs　and　groans

thou　wilt　be　forced　to　follow　a　Might　greater　than　thine　own；

ever　seeking　Tranquillity　without；　and　never　able　to　attain　unto

her。　For　thou　seekest　her　where　she　is　not　to　be　found；　and　where

she　is；　there　thou　seekest　her　not！





LXXII







If　a　man　would　pursue　Philosophy；　his　first　task　is　to　throw

away　conceit。　For　it　is　impossible　for　a　man　to　begin　to　learn

what　he　has　a　conceit　that　he　already　knows。





LXXIII





Give　me　but　one　young　man；　that　has　come　to　the　School　with

this　intention；　who　stands　forth　a　champion　of　this　cause；　and

says；　〃All　else　I　renounce；　content　if　I　am　but　able　to　pass　my

life　free　from　hindrance　and　trouble；　to　raise　my　head　aloft　and

face　all　things　as　a　free　man；　to　look　up　to　heaven　as　a　friend

of　God；　fearing　nothing　that　may　come　to　pass！〃　Point　out　such　a

one　to　me；　that　I　may　say；　〃Enter；　young　man；　into　possession　of

that　which　is　thine　own。　For　thy　lot　is　to　adorn　Philosophy。

Thine　are　these　possessions；　thine　these　books；　these

discourses！〃



And　when　our　champion　has　duly　exercised　himself　in　this

part　of　the　subject；　I　hope　he　will　come　back　to　me　and　say：

〃What　I　desire　is　to　be　free　from　passion　and　from　perturbation；

as　one　who　grudges　no　pains　in　the　pursuit　of　piety　and

philosophy；　what　I　desire　is　to　know　my　duty　to　the　Gods；　my　duty

to　my　parents；　to　my　brothers；　to　my　country；　to　strangers。〃



〃Enter　then　on　the　second　part　of　the　subject；　it　is　thine

also。〃



〃But　I　have　already　mastered　the　second　part；　only　I　wished

to　stand　firm　and　unshakenas　firm　when　asleep　as　when　awake；

as　firm　when　elated　with　wine　as　in　despondency　and　dejection。〃



〃Friend；　you　are　verily　a　God！　you　cherish　great　designs。〃





LXXIV







〃The　question　at　stake；〃　said　Epictetus；　〃is　no　common　one；

it　is　this：Are　we　in　our　senses；　or　are　we　not？〃





LXXV







If　you　have　given　way　to　anger；　be　sure　that　over　and　above

the　evil　involved　therein；　you　have　strengthened　the　habit；　and

added　fuel　to　the　fire。　If　overcome　by　a　temptation　of　the　flesh；

do　not　reckon　it　a　single　defeat；　but　that　you　have　also

strengthened　your　dissolute　habits。　Habits　and　faculties　are

necessarily　affected　by　the　corresponding　acts。　Those　that　were

not　there　before；　spring　up：　the　rest　gain　in　strength　and

extent。　This　is　the　account　which　Philosophers　give　of　the　origin

of　diseases　of　the　mind：Suppose　you　have　once　lusted　after

money：　if　reason　sufficient　to　produce　a　sense　of　evil　be

applied；　then　the　lust　is　checked；　and　the　mind　at　once　regains

its　original　authority；　whereas　if　you　have　recourse　to　no

remedy；　you　can　no　longer　look　for　this　returnon　the　contrary；

the　next　time　it　is　excited　by　the　corresponding　object；　the

flame　of　desire　leaps　up　more　quickly　than　before。　By　frequent

repetition；　the　mind　in　the　long　run　becomes　callous；　and　thus

this　mental　disease　produces　confirmed　Avarice。



One　who　has　had　fever；　even　when　it　has　left　him；　is　not　in

the　same　condition　of　health　as　before；　unless　indeed　his　cure　is

complete。　Something　of　the　same　sort　is　true　also　of　diseases　of

the　mind。　Behind；　there　remains　a　legacy　of　traces　and　blisters：

and　unless　these　are　effectually　erased；　subsequent　blows　on　the

same　spot　will　produce　no　longer　mere　blisters；　but　sores。　If　you

do　not　wish　to　be　prone　to　anger；　do　not　feed　the　habit；　give　it

nothing　which　may　tend　its　increase。　At　first；　keep　quiet　and

count　the　days　when　you　were　not　angry：　〃I　used　to　be　angry　every

day；　then　every　other　day：　next　every　two；　next　every　three

days！〃　and　if　you　succeed　in　passing　thirty　days；　sacrifice　to

the　Gods　in　thanksgiving。





LXXVI







How　then　may　this　be　attained？Resolve；　now　if　never

before；　to　approve　thyself　to　thyself；　resolve　to　show　thyself

fair　in　God's　sight；　long　to　be　pure　with　thine　own　pure　self　and

God！





LXXVII







That　is　the　true　athlete；　that　trains　himself　to　resist　such

outward　impressions　as　these。



〃Stay；　wretched　man！　suffer　not　thyself　to　be　carried　away！〃

Great　is　the　combat；　divine　the　task！　you　are　fighting　for

Kingship；　for　Liberty；　for　Happiness；　for　Tranquillity。　Remember

God：　call　upon　Him　to　aid　thee；　like　a　comrade　that　stands　beside

thee　in　the　fight。





LXXVIII





Who　then　is　a　Stoicin　the