the golden sayings-第7章

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done：　to　have　lost　the　faithfulness；　the　reverence；　the　modesty

that　is　in　thee！　Greater　loss　than　this　seek　not　to　find！





XCII





〃His　son　is　dead。〃



What　has　happened？



〃His　son　is　dead。〃



Nothing　more？



〃Nothing。〃



〃His　ship　is　lost。〃



〃He　has　been　haled　to　prision。〃



What　has　happened？



〃He　has　been　haled　to　prision。〃





But　that　any　of　these　things　are　misfortunes　to　him；　is　an

addition　which　every　one　makes　of　his　own。　But　（you　say）　God　is

unjust　is　this。Why？　For　having　given　thee　endurance　and

greatness　of　soul？　For　having　made　such　things　to　be　no　evils？

For　placing　happiness　within　thy　reach；　even　when　enduring　them？

For　open　unto　thee　a　door；　when　things　make　not　for　thy　good？

Depart；　my　friend　and　find　fault　no　more！



XCIII







You　are　sailing　to　Rome　（you　tell　me）　to　obtain　the　post　of

Governor　of　Cnossus。　You　are　not　content　to　stay　at　home　with

the　honours　you　had　before；　you　want　something　on　a　larger　scale；

and　more　conspicuous。　But　when　did　you　ever　undertake　a　voyage

for　the　purpose　of　reviewing　your　own　principles　and　getting　rid

of　any　of　them　that　proved　unsound？　Whom　did　you　ever　visit　for

that　object？　What　time　did　you　ever　set　yourself　for　that？　What

age？　Run　over　the　times　of　your　lifeby　yourself；　if　you　are

ashamed　before　me。　Did　you　examine　your　principles　when　a　boy？

Did　you　not　do　everything　just　as　you　do　now？　Or　when　you　were　a

stripling；　attending　the　school　of　oratory　and　practising　the　art

yourself；　what　did　you　ever　imagine　you　lacked？　And　when　you　were

a　young　man；　entered　upon　public　life；　and　were　pleading　causes

and　making　a　name；　who　any　longer　seemed　equal　to　you？　And　at

what　moment　would　you　have　endured　another　examining　your

principles　and　proving　that　they　were　unsound？　What　then　am　I　to

say　to　you？　〃Help　me　in　this　matter！〃　you　cry。　Ah；　for　that　I

have　no　rule！　And　neither　did　you；　if　that　was　your　object；　come

to　me　as　a　philosopher；　but　as　you　might　have　gone　to　a　herb…seller

or　a　cobbler。〃What　do　philosophers　have　rules　for；

then？〃Why；　that　whatever　may　betide；　our　ruling　faculty　may　be

as　Nature　would　have　it；　and　so　remain。　Think　you　this　a　small

matter？　Not　so！　but　the　greatest　thing　there　is。　Well；　does　it

need　but　a　short　time？　Can　it　be　grasped　by　a　passer…by？grasp

it；　if　you　can！



Then　you　will　say；　〃Yes；　I　met　Epictetus！〃



Aye；　just　as　you　might　a　statue　or　a　monument。　You　saw　me！

and　that　is　all。　But　a　man　who　meets　a　man　is　one　who　learns　the

other's　mind；　and　lets　him　see　is　in　turn。　Learn　my　mindshow　me

yours；　and　then　go　and　say　that　you　met　me。　Let　us　try　each

other；　if　I　have　any　wrong　principle；　rid　me　of　it；　if　you　have；

out　with　it。　That　is　what　meeting　a　philosopher　means。　Not　so；

you　think；　this　is　only　a　flying　visit；　while　we　are　hiring　the

ship；　we　can　see　Epictetus　too！　Let　us　see　what　he　has　to　say。

Then　on　leaving　you　cry；　〃Out　on　Epictetus　for　a　worthless

fellow；　provincial　and　barbarous　of　speech！〃　What　else　indeed　did

you　come　to　judge　of？





XCIV







Whether　you　will　or　no；　you　are　poorer　than　I！



〃What　then　do　I　lack？〃



What　you　have　not：　Constancy　of　mind；　such　as　Nature　would

have　it　be：　Tranquillity。　Patron　or　no　patron；　what　care　I？　but

you　do　care。　I　am　richer　than　you：　I　am　not　racked　with　anxiety

as　to　what　Caesar　may　think　of　me；　I　flatter　none　on　that

account。　This　is　what　I　have；　instead　of　vessels　of　gold　and

silver！　your　vessels　may　be　of　gold；　but　your　reason；　your

principles；　your　accepted　views；　your　inclinations；　your　desires

are　of　earthenware。





XCV







To　you；　all　you　have　seems　small：　to　me；　all　I　have　seems

great。　Your　desire　is　insatiable；　mine　is　satisfied。　See　children

thrusting　their　hands　into　a　narrow…necked　jar；　and　striving　to

pull　out　the　nuts　and　figs　it　contains：　if　they　fill　the　hand；

they　cannot　pull　it　out　again；　and　then　they　fall　to　tears。

〃Let　go　a　few　of　them；　and　then　you　can　draw　out　the　rest！〃

You；　too；　let　your　desire　go！　covet　not　many　things；　and　you　will

obtain。





XCVI





Pittacus　wronged　by　one　whom　he　had　it　in　his　power　to

punish；　let　him　go　free；　saying；　Forgiveness　is　better　than

revenge。　The　one　shows　native　gentleness；　the　other　savagery。





XCVII







〃My　brother　ought　not　to　have　treated　me　thus。〃



True：　but　he　must　see　to　that。　However　he　may　treat　me；　I

must　deal　rightly　by　him。　This　is　what　lies　with　me；　what　none

can　hinder。





XCVIII







Nevertheless　a　man　should　also　be　prepared　to　be　sufficient

unto　himselfto　dwell　with　himself　alone；　even　as　God　dwells

with　Himself　alone；　shares　His　repose　with　none；　and　considers

the　nature　of　His　own　administration；　intent　upon　such　thoughts

as　are　meet　unto　Himself。　So　should　we　also　be　able　to　converse

with　ourselves；　to　need　none　else　beside；　to　sigh　for　no

distraction；　to　bend　our　thoughts　upon　the　Divine　Administration；

and　how　we　stand　related　to　all　else；　to　observe　how　human

accidents　touched　us　of　old；　and　how　they　touch　us　now；　what

things　they　are　that　still　have　power　to　hurt　us；　and　how　they

may　be　cured　or　removed；　to　perfect　what　needs　perfecting　as

Reason　would　direct。





XCIX







If　a　man　has　frequent　intercourse　with　others；　either　in　the

way　of　conversation；　entertainment；　or　simple　familiarity；　he

must　either　become　like　them；　or　change　them　to　his　own　fashion。

A　live　coal　placed　next　a　dead　one　will　either　kindle　that　or　be

quenched　by　it。　Such　being　the　risk；　it　is　well　to　be　cautious　in

admitting　intimacies　of　this　sort；　remembering　that　one　cannot

rub　shoulders　with　a　soot…stained　man　without　sharing　the　soot

oneself。　What　will　you　do；　supposing　the　talk　turns　on

gladiators；　or　horses；　or　prize…fighters；　or　（what　is　worse）　on

persons；　condemning　this　and　that；　approving　the　other？　Or

suppose　a　man　sneers　and　jeers　or　shows　a　malignant　temper？　Has

any　among　us　the　skill　of　the　lute…player；　who　knows　at　the　first

touch　which　strings　are　out　of　tune　and　sets　the　instrument

right：　has　any　of　you　such　power　as　Socrates　had；　in　all　his

intercourse　with　men；　of　winning　them　over　to　his　own

convictions？　Nay；　but　you　must　needs　be　swayed　hither　and　thither

by　the　uninstructed。　How　comes　it　then　that　they　prove　so　much

stronger　than　you？　Because　they　speak　from　the　fulness　of　the

hearttheir　low；　corrupt　views　are　their　real　convictions：

whereas　your　fine　sentiments　are　but　from　the　lips；　outwards；

that　is　why　they　are　so　nerveless　and　dead。　It　turns　one's

stomach　to　listen　to　your　exhortations；　and　hear　of　your

miserable　Virtue；　that　you　prate　of　up　and　down。　Thus　it　is　that

the　Vulgar　prove　too　strong　for　you。　Everywhere　strength；

everywhere　victory　waits　your　conviction！





C





In　general；　any　methods　of　discipline　applied　to　the　body

which　tend　to　modify　its　desires　or　repulsions；　are　goodfor

ascetic　ends。　But　if　done　for　display；　they　betray　at　once　a　man

who　keeps　an　eye　on　outward　show；　who　has　an　ulterior　purpose；

and　is　looking　for　spectators　to　shout；　〃Oh　what　a　great　man！〃

This　is　why　Apollonius　so　well　said：　〃If　you　are　bent　upon　a

little　private　discipline；　wait　till　you　are　choking　with　heat

some　daythen　take　a　mouthful　of　cold　water；　and　spit　it　out

again；　and　tell　no　man！〃







CI





Study　how　to　give　as　one　that　is　sick：　that　thou　mayest

hereafter　give　as　one　that　is　whole。　Fast；　drink　water　only；

abstain　altogether　from　desire；　that　thou　mayest　hereafter

conform　thy　desire　to　Reason。





CII







Thou　wouldst　do　good　unto　men？　then　show　them　by　thine　own

example　what　kind　of　men　philosophy　can　make；　and　cease　from

foolish　trifling。　Eating；　do　good　to　them　that　eat　with　thee；

drinking；　to　them　that　drink　with　thee；　yield　unto　all；　give　way；

and　bear　with　them。　Thus　shalt　thou　do　them　good：　but　vent　not

upon　them　thine　own　evil　humour！





CIII







Even　as　bad　actors　cannot　sing　alone；　but　only　in　chorus：　so

some　cannot　walk　alone。





Man；　if　thou　art　aught；　strive　to　walk　alone　and　hold

converse　with　thyself；　instead　of　skulking　in　the　chorus！　at

length　think；　look　aroung　thee；　bestir　thyself；　that　thou　mayest

know　who　thou　art！





CIV







You　would　fain　be　victor　at　the　Olympic　games；　you　say。　Yes；

but　weigh　the　conditions；　weigh　the　consequences；　then　and　then

only；　lay　to　your　handif　it　be　for　your　profit。　You　must　live

by　rule；　submit　to　diet；　abstain　from　dainty　meats；　exercise　your

body　perforce　at　stated　hours；　in　heat　or　in　cold；　drink　no　cold

water；　nor；　it　may　be；　wine。　In　a　word；　you　must　surrender

yourself　wholly　to　your　trainer；　as　though　to　a　physician。





Then　in　the　hour　of　contest；　you　will　have　to　delve　the

ground；　it　may　chance　dislocate　an　arm；　sprain　an　ankle；　gulp

down　abundance　of　yellow　sand；　be　scourge　with　the　whipand　with

all　this　sometimes　lose　the　victory。　Count　the　costand　then；　if

your　desire　still　holds；　try　the　wrestler's　life。　Else　let　me

tell　you　that　you　will　be　behaving　like　a　pack　of　children

playing　now　at　wrestlers；　now　at　gladiators；　presently　falling　to

trumpeting　and　anon　to　stageplaying；　when　the　fancy　takes　them

for　what　they　have　seen。　And　you　are　even　the　same：　wrestler；

gladiator；　philosopher；　orator　all　by　turns　and　none　of　them　with

your　whole　soul。　Like　an　ape；　you　mimic　what　you　see；　to　one

thing　constant　never；　the　thing　that　is　familiar　charms　no　more。

This　is　because　you　never　undertook　aught　with　due　consideration；

nor　after　strictly　testing　and　viewing　it　from　every　side；　no；

your　choice　was　thoughtless；　the　glow　of　your　desire　had　waxed

cold　。　。　。　。





Friend；　bethink　you　first　what　it　is　you　would　do；　and　then

what　your　own　nature　is　able　to　bear。　Would　you　be　a　wrestler；

consider　your　shoulders；　your　thighs；　your　lionsnot　all　men　are

formed　to　the　same　end。　Think　you　to　be　a　philosopher　while

acting　as　you　do？　think　you　go　on　thus　eating；　thus　drinking；

giving　way　in　like　manner　to　wrath　and　to　displeasure？　Nay；　you

must　watch；　you　must　labour；　overcome　certain　desires；　quit　your

familiar　friends；　submit　to　be　despised　by　your　slave；　to　be　held

in　derision　by　them　that　meet　you；　to　take　the　lower　place　in　all

things；　in　office；　in　positions　of　authority；　in　courts　of　law。





Weigh　these　things　fully；　and　then；　if　you　will；　lay　to　your

hand；　if　as　the　price　of　these　things　you　would　gain　Freedom；

Tranquillity；　and　passionless　Serenity。





CV





He　that　hath　no　musical　instruction　is　a　child　in　Music；　he

that　hath　no　letters　is　a　child　in　Learning；　he　that　is　untaught

is　a　child　in　Life。





CVI





Can　any　profit　be　derived　from　these　men？　Aye；　from　all。



〃What；　even　from　a　reviler？〃



〃Why；　tell　me　what　profit　a　wrestler　gains　from　him　you

exercises　him　b