13. It is solitude to be in the condition of a helpless person. For he who is alone is not therefore solitary, any more than one in a crowd is the contrary. When, therefore, we lose a son, or a brother, or a friend, on whom we have been used to repose, we often say we are left solitary, even in the midst of Rome, where such a crowd is continually meeting us; where we live among so many, and where we have, perhaps, a numerous train of servants. For he is understood to be solitary who is helpless, and exposed to such as would injure him. Hence, in a journey especially, we call ourselves solitary when we fall among thieves; for it is not the sight of a man that removes our solitude, but of an honest man, a man of honor, and a helpful companion. If merely being alone is sufficient for solitude, Zeus may be said to be solitary at the great conflagration, and bewail himself that he hath neither Here, nor Athene, nor Apollo, nor brother, nor son, nor descendant, nor relation. This, some indeed say, he doth when he is alone at the conflagration. Such as these, moved by some natural principle, some natural desire of society and mutual love, and by the pleasure of conversation, do not rightly consider the state of a person who is alone. But none the less should we be prepared for this also, to suffice unto ourselves, and to bear our own company. For as Zeus converses with himself, acquiesces in himself, and contemplates his own administration, and is employed in thoughts worthy of himself; so should we too be able to talk with ourselves, and not to need the conversation of others, nor suffer ennui; to attend to the divine administration; to consider our relation to other beings; how we have formerly been affected by events, how we are affected now; what are the things that still press upon us; how these too may be cured, how removed; if anything wants completing, to complete it according to reason. You perceive that Caesar has procured us a profound peace; there are neither wars nor battles, nor great robberies nor piracies; but we may travel at all hours, and sail from east to west. But can Caesar procure us peace from a fever too; from a shipwreck; from a fire; from an earthquake; from a thunder-storm; nay, even from love? He cannot. From grief; from envy? No, not from any one of these. But the doctrine of philosophers promises to procure us peace from these too. And what doth it say? “If you will attend to me, O mortals! wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, you shall neither grieve, nor be angry, nor be compelled, nor restrained; but you shall live serene, and free from all.” Shall not he who enjoys this peace proclaimed, not by Caesar (for how should he have it to proclaim?), but by God, through Reason, be contented when he is alone, reflecting and considering, “To me there can now no ill happen; there is no thier, no earthquake. All is full of peace, all full of tranquillity; every road, every city, every assembly, neighbor, companion, is powerless to hurt me”? Another, whose care it is, provides you with food, with clothes, with senses, with ideas. Whenever he doth not provide what is necessary, he sounds a retreat; he opens the door and says to you, “Come.” Whither? To nothing dreadful; but to that whence you were made,—to what is friendly and congenial, to the elements. What in you was fire goes away to fire; what was earth, to earth; what air, to air; what water, to water. There is no Hades, nor Acheron, nor Cocytus, nor Pyriphlegethon; but all is full of gods and divine beings. He who can have such thoughts, and can look upon the sun, moon, and stars, and enjoy the earth and sea, is no more solitary than he is helpless. “Well; but suppose any one should come and murder me when I am alone.” Foolish man!—not you, but that insignificant body of yours. What solitude is there then left; what destitution? Why do we make ourselves worse than children? What do they do when they are left alone? They take up shells and dust; they build houses, then pull them down; then build something else; and thus never want amusement. Suppose you were all to sail away; am I to sit and cry because I am left alone and solitary? Am I so unprovided with shells and dust? But children do this from folly; and shall we be wretched through wisdom? Every great gift is dangerous to a beginner. Study first how to live like a person in sickness; that in time you may know how to live like one in health. Abstain from food. Drink water. Totally repress your desire for some time, that you may at length use it according to reason; and if so, when you are stronger in virtue, you will use it well. No; but we would live immediately as men already wise, and be of service to mankind. Of what service? What are you doing? Why, have you been of so much service to yourself that you would exhort them? You exhort! Would you be of service to them, show them by your own example what kind of men philosophy makes, and do not trifle. When you eat, be of service to those who eat with you; when you drink, to those who drink with you. Be of service to them by giving way to all, yielding to them, bearing with them; and not by venting upon them your own ill-humor.
13. ἐρημία ἐστὶ κατάστασίς τις ἀβοηθήτου. οὐ γὰρ ὁ μόνος ὢν εὐθὺς καὶ ἔρημος, ὥσπερ οὐδʼ ὁ ἐν πολλοῖς ὢν οὐκ ἔρημος. ὅταν γοῦν ἀπολέσωμεν ἢ ἀδελφὸν ἢ υἱὸν ἢ φίλον, ᾧ προσαναπαυόμεθα, λέγομεν ἀπολελεῖφθαι ἔρημοι, πολλάκις ἐν Ῥώμῃ ὄντες, τοσούτου ὄχλου ἡμῖν ἀπαντῶντος καὶ τοσούτων συνοικούντων, ἔσθʼ ὅτε πλῆθος δούλων ἔχοντες. θέλει γὰρ ὁ ἔρημος κατὰ τὴν ἔννοιαν ἀβοήθητός τις εἶναι καὶ ἐκκείμενος τοῖς βλάπτειν βουλομένοις. διὰ τοῦτο, ὅταν ὁδεύωμεν, τότε μάλιστα ἐρήμους λέγομεν ἑαυτούς, ὅταν εἰς λῃστὰς ἐμπέσωμεν. οὐ γὰρ ἀνθρώπου ὄψις ἐξαιρεῖται ἐρημίας, ἀλλὰ πιστοῦ καὶ αἰδήμονος καὶ ὠφελίμου. ἐπεὶ εἰ τὸ μόνον εἶναι ἀρκεῖ πρὸς τὸ ἔρημον εἶναι, λέγε ὅτι καὶ ὁ Ζεὺς ἐν τῇ ἐκπυρώσει ἔρημός ἐστι καὶ κατακλαίει αὐτὸς ἑαυτοῦ· τάλας ἐγώ, οὔτε τὴν Ἥραν ἔχω οὔτε τὴν Ἀθηνᾶν οὔτε τὸν Ἀπόλλωνα οὔτε ὅλως ἢ ἀδελφὸν ἢ υἱὸν ἢ ἔγγονον ἢ συγγενῆ. ταῦτα καὶ λέγουσί τινες ὅτι ποιεῖ μόνος ἐν τῇ ἐκπυρώσει. οὐ γὰρ ἐπινοοῦσι διεξαγωγὴν μόνου καὶ ἀπό τινος φυσικοῦ ὁρμώμενοι, ἀπὸ τοῦ φύσει κοινωνικοῦ εἶναι καὶ φιλαλλήλου καὶ ἡδέως συναναστρέφεσθαι ἀνθρώποις. ἀλλʼ οὐδὲν ἧττον δεῖ τινα καὶ πρὸς τοῦτο παρασκευὴν ἔχειν τὸ δύνασθαι αὐτὸν ἑαυτῷ ἀρκεῖν, δύνασθαι αὐτὸν ἑαυτῷ συνεῖναι· ὡς ὁ Ζεὺς αὐτὸς ἑαυτῷ σύνεστιν καὶ ἡσυχάζει ἐφʼ ἑαυτοῦ καὶ ἐννοεῖ τὴν διοίκησιν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ οἵα ἐστὶ καὶ ἐν ἐπινοίαις γίνεται πρεπούσαις ἑαυτῷ, οὕτως καὶ ἡμᾶς δύνασθαι αὐτοὺς ἑαυτοῖς λαλεῖν, μὴ προσδεῖσθαι ἄλλων, διαγωγῆς μὴ ἀπορεῖν· ἐφιστάνειν τῇ θείᾳ διοικήσει, τῇ αὑτῶν πρὸς τἆλλα σχέσει· ἐπιβλέπειν, πῶς πρότερον εἴχομεν πρὸς τὰ συμβαίνοντα, πῶς νῦν· τίνα ἐστὶν ἔτι τὰ θλίβοντα· πῶς ἂν θεραπευθῇ καὶ ταῦτα, πῶς ἐξαιρεθῇ· εἴ τινα ἐξεργασίας δεῖται τούτων, κατὰ τὸν αὐτῶν λόγον ἐξεργάζεσθαι. ὁρᾶτε γάρ, ὅτι εἰρήνην μεγάλην ὁ Καῖσαρ ἡμῖν δοκεῖ παρέχειν, ὅτι οὐκ εἰσὶν οὐκέτι πόλεμοι οὐδὲ μάχαι οὐδὲ λῃστήρια μεγάλα οὐδὲ πειρατικά, ἀλλʼ ἔξεστιν πάσῃ ὥρᾳ ὁδεύειν, πλεῖν ἀπʼ ἀνατολῶν ἐπὶ δυσμάς. μή τι οὖν καὶ ἀπὸ πυρετοῦ δύναται ἡμῖν εἰρήνην παρασχεῖν, μή τι καὶ ἀπὸ ναυαγίου, μή τι καὶ ἀπὸ ἐμπρησμοῦ ἢ ἀπὸ σεισμοῦ ἢ ἀπὸ κεραυνοῦ; ἄγε ἀπʼ ἔρωτος; οὐ δύναται. ἀπὸ πένθους; οὐ δύναται. ἀπὸ φθόνου; οὐ δύναται. ἀπʼ οὐδενὸς ἁπλῶς τούτων· ὁ δὲ λόγος ὁ τῶν φιλοσόφων ὑπισχνεῖται καὶ ἀπὸ τούτων εἰρήνην παρέχειν. καὶ τί λέγει; ἄν μοι προσέχητε, ὦ ἄνθρωποι, ὅπου ἂν ἦτε, ὅ τι ἂν ποιῆτε, οὐ λυπηθήσεσθε, οὐκ ὀργισθήσεσθε, οὐκ ἀναγκασθήσεσθε, οὐ κωλυθήσεσθε, ἀπαθεῖς δὲ καὶ ἐλεύθεροι διάξετε ἀπὸ πάντων. ταύτην τὴν εἰρήνην τις ἔχων [οὐχὶ] κεκηρυγμένην οὐχ ὑπὸ τοῦ Καίσαρος (πόθεν γὰρ αὐτῷ ταύτην κηρύξαι;), ἀλλʼ ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ κεκηρυγμένην διὰ τοῦ λόγου οὐκ ἀρκεῖται, ὅταν ᾖ μόνος, ἐπιβλέπων καὶ ἐνθυμούμενος νῦν ἐμοὶ κακὸν οὐδὲν δύναται συμβῆναι, ἐμοὶ λῃστὴς οὐκ ἔστιν, ἐμοὶ σεισμὸς οὐκ ἔστιν, πάντα εἰρήνης μεστά, πάντα ἀταραξίας· πᾶσα ὁδός, πᾶσα πόλις, πᾶς[α] σύνοδος, γείτων, κοινωνὸς ἀβλαβής. ἄλλος παρέχει τροφάς, ᾧ μέλει, ἄλλος ἐσθῆτα, ἄλλος αἰσθήσεις ἔδωκεν, ἄλλος προλήψεις. ὅταν δὲ μὴ παρέχῃ τἀναγκαῖα, τὸ ἀνακλητικὸν σημαίνει, τὴν θύραν ἤνοιξεν καὶ λέγει σοι ἔρχου. ποῦ; εἰς οὐδὲν δεινόν, ἀλλʼ ὅθεν ἐγένου, εἰς τὰ φίλα καὶ συγγενῆ, εἰς τὰ στοιχεῖα. ὅσον ἦν ἐν σοὶ πυρός, εἰς πῦρ ἄπεισιν, ὅσον ἦν γῃδίου, εἰς γῄδιον, ὅσον πνευματίου, εἰς πνευμάτιον, ὅσον ὑδατίου, εἰς ὑδάτιον. οὐδεὶς Ἅιδης οὐδʼ Ἀχέρων οὐδὲ Κωκυτὸς οὐδὲ Πυριφλεγέθων, ἀλλὰ πάντα θεῶν μεστὰ καὶ δαιμόνων; ταῦτά τις ἐνθυμεῖσθαι ἔχων καὶ βλέπων τὸν ἥλιον καὶ σελήνην καὶ ἄστρα καὶ γῆς ἀπολαύων καὶ θαλάσσης ἔρημός ἐστιν οὐ μᾶλλον ἢ καὶ ἀβοήθητος. τί οὖν; ἄν τις ἐπελθών μοι μόνῳ ἀποσφάξῃ με; μωρέ, σὲ οὔ, ἀλλὰ τὸ σωμάτιον. ποία οὖν ἔτι ἐρημία, ποία ἀπορία; τί χείρονας ἑαυτοὺς ποιῶμεν τῶν παιδαρίων; ἅ τινα ὅταν ἀπολειφθῇ μόνα, τί ποιεῖ; ἄραντα ὀστράκια καὶ σποδὸν οἰκοδομεῖ τί ποτε, εἶτα καταστρέφει καὶ πάλιν ἄλλο οἰκοδομεῖ· καὶ οὕτως οὐδέποτε ἀπορεῖ διαγωγῆς. ἐγὼ οὖν, ἂν πλεύσητε ὑμεῖς, μέλλω καθήμενος κλαίειν ὅτι μόνος ἀπελείφθην καὶ ἔρημος οὕτως; οὐκ ὀστράκια ἕξω, οὐ σποδόν; ἀλλʼ ἐκεῖνα ὑπʼ ἀφροσύνης ταῦτα ποιεῖ, ἡμεῖς δʼ ὑπὸ φρονήσεως δυστυχοῦμεν; πᾶσα μεγάλη δύναμις ἐπισφαλὴς τῷ ἀρχομένῳ. φέρειν οὖν δεῖ τὰ τοιαῦτα κατὰ δύναμιν, ἀλλὰ κατὰ φύσιν. … ἀλλʼ οὐχὶ τῷ φθισικῷ. μελέτησόν ποτε διαγωγὴν ὡς ἄρρωστος, ἵνα ποθʼ ὡς ὑγιαίνων διαγάγῃς. ἀσίτησον, ὑδροπότησον· ἀπόσχου ποτὲ παντάπασιν ὀρέξεως, ἵνα ποτὲ καὶ εὐλόγως ὀρεχθῇς. εἰ δʼ εὐλόγως, ὅταν ἔχῃς τι ἐν σεαυτῷ ἀγαθόν, εὖ ὀρεχθήσῃ. οὔ· ἀλλʼ εὐθέως ὡς σοφοὶ διάγειν ἐθέλομεν καὶ ὠφελεῖν ἀνθρώπους. ποίαν ὠφέλειαν; τί ποιεῖς; σαυτὸν γὰρ ὠφέλησας; ἀλλὰ προτρέψαι αὐτοὺς θέλεις. σὺ γὰρ προτέτρεψαι; θέλεις αὐτοὺς ὠφελῆσαι. δεῖξον αὐτοῖς ἐπὶ σεαυτοῦ, οἵους ποιεῖ φιλοσοφία, καὶ μὴ φλυάρει. ἐσθίων τοὺς συνεσθίοντας ὠφέλει, πίνων τοὺς πίνοντας, εἴκων πᾶσι, παραχωρῶν, ἀνεχόμενος, οὕτως αὐτοὺς ὠφέλει καὶ μὴ κατεξέρα αὐτῶν τὸ σαυτοῦ φλέγμα.
14. As bad performers cannot sing alone, but in a chorus, so some persons cannot walk alone. If you are anything, walk alone; talk by yourself; and do not skulk in the chorus. Think a little at last; look about you; sift yourself, that you may know what you are. If a person drinks water, or does anything else for the sake of training, upon every occasion he tells all he meets, “drink water.” Why, do you drink water merely for the sake of drinking it? If it does you any good to drink it. do so; if not, you act ridiculously. But if it is for your advantage that you drink it, say nothing about it before those who would criticise. Yet can it be possible that these are the very people you wish to please? Of actions, some are performed on their own account; others from circumstances, others from complaisance, others upon system. Two things must be rooted out of men, conceit and diffidence. Conceit lies in thinking that you want nothing; and diffidence in supposing it impossible that under such adverse circumstances you should ever succeed. Now, conceit is removed by confutation; and of this Socrates set the example. And consider and ascertain that the undertaking is not impracticable. The inquiry itself will do you no harm; and it is almost being a philosopher to inquire how it is possible to employ our desire and aversion without hindrance. “I am better than you, for my father has been consul.” “have been a tribune,” says another, “and you not.” If we were horses, would you say, “My father was swifter than yours; I have abundance of oats and hay and fine trappings”? What now, if, while you were saying this, I should answer: “Be it so. Let us run a race then”? Is there nothing in man analogous to a race in horses, by which it may be decided which is better or worse? Is there not honor, fidelity, justice? Show yourself the better in these, that you may be the better as a man. But if you only tell me that you can kick violently, I will tell you again that you value yourself on what is the property of an ass.
14. ὡς οἱ κακοὶ τραγῳδοὶ μόνοι ᾆσαι οὐ δύνανται, ἀλλὰ μετὰ πολλῶν, οὕτως ἔνιοι μόνοι περιπατῆσαι οὐ δύνανται. ἄνθρωπε, εἴ τις εἶ, καὶ μόνος περιπάτησον καὶ σαυτῷ λάλησον καὶ μὴ ἐν τῷ χορῷ κρύπτου. σκώφθητί ποτε, περίβλεψαι, ἐνσείσθητι, ἵνα γνῷς, τίς εἶ. ὅταν τις ὕδωρ πίνῃ ἢ ποιῇ τι ἀσκητικόν, ἐκ πάσης ἀφορμῆς λέγει αὐτὸ πρὸς πάντας. ἐγὼ ὕδωρ πίνω. διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο ὕδωρ πίνεις, διὰ γὰρ τὸ ὕδωρ πίνειν; ἄνθρωπε, εἴ σοι λυσιτελεῖ[ν] πίνειν, πῖνε· εἰ δὲ μή, γελοίως ποιεῖς. εἰ δὲ συμφέρει σοι καὶ πίνεις, σιώπα πρὸς τοὺς δυσαρεστοῦντας τοῖς ἀνθρώποις. τί οὖν; αὐτοῖς τούτοις ἀρέσκειν θέλεις; τῶν πραττομένων τὰ μὲν προηγουμένως πράττεται, τὰ δὲ κατὰ περίστασιν, τὰ δὲ κατʼ οἰκονομίαν, τὰ δὲ κατὰ συμπεριφοράν, τὰ δὲ κατʼ ἔνστασιν. δύο ταῦτα ἐξελεῖν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, οἴησιν καὶ ἀπιστίαν. οἴησις μὲν οὖν ἐστι τὸ δοκεῖν μηδενὸς προσδεῖσθαι, ἀπιστία δὲ τὸ ὑπολαμβάνειν μὴ δυνατὸν εἶναι εὐροεῖν τοσούτων περιεστηκότων. τὴν μὲν οὖν οἴησιν ἔλεγχος ἐξαιρεῖ, καὶ τοῦτο πρῶτον ποιεῖ Σωκράτης. ὅτι δʼ οὐκ ἀδύνατόν ἐστι τὸ πρᾶγμα, σκέψαι καὶ ζήτησον. οὐδέν σε βλάψει ἡ ζήτησις αὕτη· καὶ σχεδὸν τὸ φιλοσοφεῖν τοῦτʼ ἔστι, ζητεῖν, πῶς ἐνδέχεται ἀπαραποδίστως ὀρέξει χρῆσθαι καὶ ἐκκλίσει. κρείσσων εἰμὶ σοῦ· ὁ γὰρ πατήρ μου ὑπατικός ἐστιν. ἄλλος λέγει ἐγὼ δεδημάρχηκα, σὺ δʼ οὔ. εἰ δʼ ἵπποι ἦμεν, ἔλεγες ἂν ὅτι ὁ πατήρ μου ὠκύτερος ἦν ἢ ὅτι ἐγὼ ἔχω πολλὰς κριθὰς καὶ χόρτον ἢ ὅτι κομψὰ περιτραχήλια; εἰ οὖν ταῦτά σου λέγοντος εἶπον ὅτι ἔστω ταῦτα, τρέχωμεν οὖν; ἄγε, ἐπʼ ἀνθρώπου οὖν οὐδέν ἐστι τοιοῦτον οἷον ἐφʼ ἵππου δρόμος, ἐξ οὗ γνωσθήσεται ὁ χείρων καὶ ὁ κρείττων; μήποτʼ ἐστὶν αἰδώς, πίστις, δικαιοσύνη; τούτοις δείκνυε κρείττονα σεαυτόν, ἵνʼ ὡς ἄνθρωπος ᾖ κρείττων. ἄν μοι λέγῃς ὅτι μεγάλα λακτίζω, ἐρῶ σοι κἀγὼ ὅτι ἐπὶ ὄνου ἔργῳ μέγα φρονεῖς.
15. In every affair consider what precedes and follows, and then undertake it. Otherwise you will begin with spirit indeed, careless of the consequences, and when these are developed, you will shamefully desist. “I would conquer at the Olympic Games.” But consider what precedes and follows, and then, if it be for your advantage, engage in the affair. You must conform to rules, submit to a diet, refrain from dainties; exercise your body, whether you choose it or not, at a stated hour, in heat and cold; you must drink no cold water, and sometimes no wine,—in a word, you must give yourself up to your trainer as to a physician. Then, in the combat, you may be thrown into a ditch, dislocate your arm, turn your ankle, swallow abundance of dust, receive stripes [for negligence], and, after all, lose the victory. When you have reckoned up all this, if your inclination still holds, set about the combat. Otherwise, take notice, you will behave like children who sometimes play wrestlers, sometimes gladiators; sometimes blow a trumpet, and sometimes act a tragedy, when they happen to have seen and admired these shows. Thus you too will be at one time a wrestler, at another a gladiator; now a philosopher, now an orator; but nothing in earnest. Like an ape you mimic all you see, and one thing after another is sure to please you, but is out of favor as soon as it becomes familiar. For you have never entered upon anything considerately, nor after having surveyed and tested the whole matter; but carelessly, and with a half-way zeal. Thus some, when they have seen a philosopher, and heard a man speaking like Euphrates, —though indeed who can speak like him?—have a mind to be philosophers too. Consider first, man, what the matter is, and what your own nature is able to bear. If you would be a wrestler, consider your shoulders, your back, your thighs; for different persons are made for different things. Do you think that you can act as you do and be a philosopher; that you can eat, drink, be angry, be discontented, as you are now? You must watch, you must labor, you must get the better of certain appetites; must quit your acquaintances, be despised by your servant, be laughed at by those you meet; come off worse than others in everything,—in offices, in honors, before tribunals. When you have fully considered all these things, approach, if you please; if, by parting with them, you have a mind to purchase serenity, freedom, and tranquillity. If not, do not come hither; do not, like children, be now a philosopher, then a publican, then an orator, and then one of Caesar’s officers. These things are not consistent. You must be one man either good or bad. You must cultivate either your own Reason or else externals; apply yourself either to things within or without you; that is, be either a philosopher, or one 10f the mob.
15. ἑκάστου ἔργου σκόπει τὰ καθηγούμενα καὶ τὰ ἀκόλουθα καὶ οὕτως ἔρχου ἐπʼ αὐτό. εἰ δὲ μή, τὴν μὲν πρώτην ἥξεις προθύμως ἅτε μηδὲν τῶν ἑξῆς ἐντεθυμημένος, ὕστερον δʼ ἀναφανέντων τινῶν αἰσχρῶς ἀποστήσῃ. θέλω Ὀλύμπια νικῆσαι. ἀλλὰ σκόπει τὰ καθηγούμενα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ ἀκόλουθα· καὶ οὕτως ἄν σοι λυσιτελῇ, ἅπτου τοῦ ἔργου. δεῖ σε εὐτακτεῖν, ἀναγκοφαγεῖν, ἀπέχεσθαι πεμμάτων, γυμνάζεσθαι πρὸς ἀνάγκην, ὥρᾳ τεταγμένῃ, ἐν καύματι, ἐν ψύχει· μὴ ψυχρὸν πίνειν, μὴ οἶνον ὅτʼ ἔτυχεν· ἁπλῶς ὡς ἰατρῷ [γὰρ] παραδεδωκέναι σεαυτὸν τῷ ἐπιστάτῃ· εἶτα ἐν τῷ ἀγῶνι παρορύσσεσθαι, ἔστιν ὅτε χεῖρα ἐκβαλεῖν, σφυρὸν στρέψαι, πολλὴν ἁφὴν καταπιεῖν, μαστιγωθῆναι· καὶ μετὰ τούτων πάντων ἔσθʼ ὅτε νικηθῆναι. ταῦτα λογισάμενος, ἂν ἔτι θέλῃς, ἔρχου ἐπὶ τὸ ἀθλεῖν· εἰ δὲ μή, ὅρα ὅτι ὡς τὰ παιδία ἀναστραφήσῃ, ἃ νῦν μὲν ἀθλητὰς παίζει, νῦν δὲ μονομάχους, νῦν δὲ σαλπίζει, εἶτα τραγῳδεῖ ὅ τι ἂν ἴδῃ καὶ θαυμάσῃ. οὕτως καὶ σὺ νῦν μὲν ἀθλητής, νῦν δὲ μονομάχος, εἶτα φιλόσοφος, εἶτα ῥήτωρ, ὅλῃ δὲ τῇ ψυχῇ οὐδέν, ἀλλʼ ὡς ὁ πίθηκος πᾶν ὃ ἂν ἴδῃς μιμῇ καὶ ἀεί σοι ἄλλο ἐξ ἄλλου ἀρέσκει, τὸ σύνηθες δʼ ἀπαρέσκει. οὐ γὰρ μετὰ σκέψεως ἦλθες ἐπί τι οὐδὲ περιοδεύσας ὅλον τὸ πρᾶγμα οὐδὲ βασανίσας, ἀλλʼ εἰκῇ καὶ κατὰ ψυχρὰν ἐπιθυμίαν. οὕτως τινὲς ἰδόντες φιλόσοφον καὶ ἀκούσαντές τινος οὕτως λέγοντος, ὡς Εὐφράτης λέγει (καίτοι τίς οὕτως δύναται εἰπεῖν ὡς ἐκεῖνος;), θέλουσιν καὶ αὐτοὶ φιλοσοφεῖν. ἄνθρωπε, σκέψαι πρῶτον τί ἐστι τὸ πρᾶγμα, εἶτα καὶ τὴν σαυτοῦ φύσιν, τί δύνασαι βαστάσαι. εἰ παλαιστής, ἰδού σου τοὺς ὤμους, τοὺς μηρούς, τὴν ὀσφῦν. ἄλλος γὰρ πρὸς ἄλλο τι πέφυκεν. δοκεῖς ὅτι ταῦτα ποιῶν δύνασαι φιλοσοφεῖν; δοκεῖς ὅτι δύνασαι ὡσαύτως ἐσθίειν, ὡσαύτως πίνειν, ὁμοίως ὀργίζεσθαι, ὁμοίως δυσαρεστεῖν; ἀγρυπνῆσαι δεῖ, πονῆσαι, νικῆσαί τινας ἐπιθυμίας, ἀπελθεῖν ἀπὸ τῶν οἰκείων, ὑπὸ παιδαρίου καταφρονηθῆναι, ὑπὸ τῶν ἀπαντώντων καταγελασθῆναι, ἐν παντὶ ἔλασσον ἔχειν, ἐν ἀρχῇ, ἐν τιμῇ, ἐν δίκῃ. ταῦτα περισκεψάμενος, εἴ σοι δοκεῖ, προσέρχου, εἰ θέλεις ἀντικαταλλάξασθαι τούτων ἀπάθειαν, ἐλευθερίαν, ἀταραξίαν. εἰ δὲ μή, μὴ πρόσαγε, μὴ ὡς τὰ παιδία νῦν μὲν φιλόσοφος, ὕστερον δὲ τελώνης, εἶτα ῥήτωρ, εἶτα ἐπίτροπος Καίσαρος. ταῦτα οὐ συμφωνεῖ· ἕνα σε δεῖ ἄνθρωπον εἶναι ἢ ἀγαθὸν ἢ κακόν· ἢ τὸ ἡγεμονικόν σε δεῖ ἐξεργάζεσθαι τὸ σαυτοῦ ἢ τὰ ἐκτός· ἢ περὶ τὰ ἔσω φιλοπονεῖν ἢ περὶ τὰ ἔξω· τοῦτʼ ἔστι φιλοσόφου στάσιν ἔχειν ἢ ἰδιώτου. Ῥούφῳ τις ἔλεγεν Γάλβα σφαγέντος ὅτι νῦν προνοίᾳ ὁ κόσμος διοικεῖται;· ὁ δὲ μὴ παρέργως ποτʼ, ἔφη, ἀπὸ Γάλβα κατεσκεύασα, ὅτι προνοίᾳ ὁ κόσμος διοικεῖται;
16. He who frequently mingles with others, either in conversation or at entertainments, or in any familiar way of living, must necessarily either become like his companions, or bring them over to his own way. For if a dead coal be applied to a live one, either the first will quench the last, or the last kindle the first. Since, then, the danger is so great, caution must be used in entering into these familiarities with the crowd. remembering that it is impossible to touch a chimney-sweeper without being partaker of his soot. For what will you do if you have to discuss gladiators, horses, wrestlers, and, what is worse, men? “Such a one is good, another bad; this was well, that ill, done.” Besides, what if any one should sneer, or ridicule, or be ill-natured? Are any of you prepared, like a harper, who, when he takes his harp and tries the strings, finds out which notes are discordant, and knows how to put the instrument in tune? Have any of you such a faculty as Socrates had, who in every conversation could bring his companions to his own purpose? Whence should you have it? You must therefore be carried along by the crowd. And why are they more powerful than you? Because they utter their corrupt discourses from sincere opinion, and you your good ones only from your lips. Hence they are without strength or life; and it is disgusting to hear your exhortations and your poor miserable virtue proclaimed up hill and down. Thus it is that the crowd gets the better of you; for sincere opinion is always strong, always invincible. Therefore before wise sentiments are fixed in you, and you have acquired some power of self-defence, I advise you to be cautious in popular intercourse; otherwise, if you have any impressions made on you in the schools, they will melt away daily like wax before the sun. Get away then, far from the sun, while you have these waxen opinions. It is for this reason that the philosophers advise us to leave our country; because habitual practices draw the mind aside and prevent the formation of new habits. We cannot bear that those who meet us should say, “Hey-day! such a one is turned philosopher, who was formerly thus and so.” Thus physicians send patients with lingering distempers to another place and another air; and they do right. Do you too import other manners instead of those you carry out. Fix your opinions, and exercise yourself in them. No; but you go hence to the theatre, to the gladiators, to the walks, to the circus; then hither again, then back again,—just the same persons all the while! No good habit, no criticism, no animadversion upon ourselves. No observation what use we make of the appearances presented to our minds,—whether it be conformable, or contrary to Nature; whether we interpret them rightly or wrongly. Can I say to the inevitable that it is nothing to me? If this be not yet your case, flee from your former habits; flee from the crowd if you would ever begin to be anything.
16. ἀνάγκη τὸν συγκαθιέντα τισὶν ἐπιπλέον ἢ εἰς λαλιὰν ἢ εἰς συμπόσια ἢ ἁπλῶς εἰς συμβίωσιν ἢ αὐτὸν ἐκείνοις ἐξομοιωθῆναι ἢ ἐκείνους μεταθεῖναι ἐπὶ τὰ αὑτοῦ. καὶ γὰρ ἄνθρακα ἀπεσβεσμένον ἂν θῇ παρὰ τὸν καιόμενον, ἢ αὐτὸς ἐκεῖνον ἀποσβέσει ἢ ἐκεῖνος τοῦτον ἐκκαύσει. τηλικούτου οὖν τοῦ κινδύνου ὄντος εὐλαβῶς δεῖ τοῖς ἰδιώταις συγκαθίεσθαι εἰς τὰς τοιαύτας συμπεριφορὰς μεμνημένους, ὅτι ἀμήχανον τὸν συνανατριβόμενον τῷ ἠσβολωμένῳ μὴ καὶ αὐτὸν ἀπολαῦσαι τῆς ἀσβόλης· τί γὰρ ποιήσεις, ἂν περὶ μονομάχων λαλῇ[ς], ἂν περὶ ἵππων, ἂν περὶ ἀθλητῶν, ἂν τὸ ἔτι τούτων χεῖρον περὶ ἀνθρώπων· ὁ δεῖνα κακός, ὁ δεῖνα ἀγαθός· τοῦτο καλῶς ἐγένετο, τοῦτο κακῶς· ἔτι ἂν σκώπτῃ, ἂν γελοιάζῃ, ἂν κακοηθίζηται; ἔχει τις ὑμῶν παρασκευὴν οἵαν ὁ κιθαριστικὸς τὴν λύραν λαβών, ὥστʼ εὐθὺς ἁψάμενος τῶν χορδῶν γνῶναι τὰς ἀσυμφώνους καὶ ἁρμόσασθαι τὸ ὄργανον; οἵαν εἶχεν δύναμιν Σωκράτης, ὥστʼ ἐν πάσῃ συμπεριφορᾷ ἄγειν ἐπὶ τὸ αὑτοῦ τοὺς συνόντας; πόθεν ὑμῖν; ἀλλʼ ἀνάγκη ὑπὸ τῶν ἰδιωτῶν ὑμᾶς περιάγεσθαι. διὰ τί οὖν ἐκεῖνοι ὑμῶν ἰσχυρότεροι; ὅτι ἐκεῖνοι μὲν τὰ σαπρὰ ταῦτα ἀπὸ δογμάτων λαλοῦσιν, ὑμεῖς δὲ τὰ κομψὰ ἀπὸ τῶν χειλῶν· διὰ τοῦτο ἄτονά ἐστι καὶ νεκρά, καὶ σικχᾶναι ἔστιν ἀκούοντα ὑμῶν τοὺς προτρεπτικοὺς καὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν τὴν ταλαίπωρον, ἣ ἄνω κάτω θρυλεῖται. οὕτως ὑμᾶς οἱ ἰδιῶται νικῶσιν. πανταχοῦ γὰρ ἰσχυρὸν τὸ δόγμα, ἀνίκητον τὸ δόγμα. μέχρις ἂν οὖν παγῶσιν ἐν ὑμῖν αἱ κομψαὶ ὑπολήψεις καὶ δυναμίν τινα περιποιήσησθε πρὸς ἀσφάλειαν, συμβουλεύω ὑμῖν εὐλαβῶς τοῖς ἰδιώταις συγκαταβαίνειν· εἰ δὲ μή, καθʼ ἡμέραν ὡς κηρὸς ἐν ἡλίῳ διατακήσεται, ὑμῶν εἴ τινα ἐν τῇ σχολῇ ἐγγράφετε. μακρὰν οὖν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἡλίου πού ποτε ὑπάγετε, μέχρις ἂν κηρίνας τὰς ὑπολήψεις ἔχητε. διὰ τοῦτο καὶ τῶν πατρίδων συμβουλεύουσιν ἀποχωρεῖν οἱ φιλόσοφοι, ὅτι τὰ παλαιὰ ἔθη περισπᾷ καὶ οὐκ ἐᾷ ἀρχὴν γενέσθαι τινὰ ἄλλου ἐθισμοῦ, οὐδὲ φέρομεν τοὺς ἀπαντῶντας καὶ λέγοντας [ε]ἴδʼ ὁ δεῖνα φιλοσοφεῖ, ὁ τοῖος καὶ ὁ τοῖος. οὕτως καὶ οἱ ἰατροὶ τοὺς μακρονοσοῦντας ἐκπέμπουσιν εἰς ἄλλην χώραν καὶ ἄλλον ἀέρα καλῶς ποιοῦντες. καὶ ὑμεῖς ἀντεισαγάγετε ἄλλα ἔθη· πήξατε ὑμῶν τὰς ὑπολήψεις, ἐναθλεῖτε αὐταῖς. οὔ· ἀλλʼ ἔνθεν ἐπὶ θεωρίαν, εἰς μονομαχίαν, εἰς ξυστόν, εἰς κίρκον· εἶτʼ ἐκεῖθεν ὧδε καὶ πάλιν ἔνθεν ἐκεῖ οἱ αὐτοί. καὶ ἔθος κομψὸν οὐδέν, οὔτε προσοχὴ οὔτʼ ἐπιστροφὴ ἐφʼ αὑτὸν καὶ παρατήρησις πῶς χρῶμαι ταῖς προσπιπτούσαις φαντασίαις; κατὰ φύσιν ἢ παρὰ φύσιν; πῶς ἀποκρίνωμαι πρὸς αὐτάς; ὡς δεῖ ἢ ὡς οὐ δεῖ; ἐπιλέγω τοῖς ἀπροαιρέτοις, ὅτι οὐδὲν πρὸς ἐμέ; εἰ γὰρ μήπω οὕτως ἔχητε, φεύγετε ἔθη τὰ πρότερον, φεύγετε τοὺς ἰδιώτας, εἰ θέλετε ἄρξασθαί ποτέ τινες εἶναι.
17. Whenever you lay anything to the charge of Providence, do but reflect, and you will find that it has happened agreeably to Reason. “Well; but a dishonest man has the advantage.” In what? “In money.” Here he ought to surpass you; because he flatters, he is shameless, he keeps awake. Where is the wonder? But look whether he has the advantage of you in fidelity or in honor. You will find he has not, but that wherever it is best for you to have the advantage of him, there you have it. I once said to one who was full of indignation at the good fortune of Philostorgus, “Why, would you be willing to sleep with Sura?” Heaven forbid, said he, that day should ever come! Why then are you angry that he is paid for what he sells; or how can you call him happy in possessions acquired by means which you detest? Or what harm does Providence do in giving the best things to the best men? Is it not better to have a sense of honor than to be rich? “Granted.” Why then are you angry, man, if you have what is best? Always remember, then, and have it in mind that a better man has the advantage of a worse in that direction in which he is better; and you will never have any indignation. “But my wife treats me ill.” Well; if you are asked what is the matter, answer, “My wife treats me ill.” “Nothing more?” Nothing. “My father gives me nothing.” But to call this an evil, some external and false addition must be made. We are not therefore to get rid of poverty, but of our impressions concerning it; and we shall do well. When Galba was killed, somebody said to Rufus, “Now, indeed, the world is governed by Providence.” I had never thought, answered Rufus, of extracting through Galba the slightest proof that the world was governed by Providence.
17. ὅταν τῇ προνοίᾳ ἐγκαλῇς, ἐπιστράφηθι καὶ γνώσῃ, ὅτι κατὰ λόγον γέγονεν. ναί, ἀλλʼ ὁ ἄδικος πλέον ἔχει. ἐν τίνι; ἐν ἀργυρίῳ· πρὸς γὰρ τοῦτό σου κρείττων ἐστίν, ὅτι κολακεύει, ἀναισχυντεῖ, ἀγρυπνεῖ. τί θαυμαστόν; ἀλλʼ ἐκεῖνο βλέπε, εἰ ἐν τῷ πιστὸς εἶναι πλέον σου ἔχει, εἰ ἐν τῷ αἰδήμων. οὐ γὰρ εὑρήσεις· ἀλλʼ ὅπου κρείττων, ἐκεῖ σαυτὸν εὑρήσεις πλέον ἔχοντα. κἀγώ ποτʼ εἶπόν τινι ἀγανακτοῦντι, ὅτι Φιλόστοργος εὐτυχεῖ, Ἤθελες ἂν σὺ μετὰ Σούρα κοιμᾶσθαι; — μὴ γένοιτο, φησίν, ἐκείνη ἡ ἡμέρα. — τί οὖν ἀγανακτεῖς, εἰ λαμβάνει τι ἀνθʼ οὗ πωλεῖ; ἢ πῶς μακαρίζεις τὸν διὰ τούτων, ἃ σὺ ἀπεύχῃ, κτώμενον ἐκεῖνα; ἢ τί κακὸν ποιεῖ ἡ πρόνοια, εἰ τοῖς κρείττοσι τὰ κρείττω δίδωσιν; ἢ οὐκ ἔστι κρεῖττον αἰδήμονα εἶναι ἢ πλούσιον; ὡμολόγει. τί οὖν ἀγανακτεῖς, ἄνθρωπε, ἔχων τὸ κρεῖττον; μέμνησθε οὖν ἀεὶ καὶ πρόχειρον ἔχετε, ὅτι νόμος οὗτος φυσικὸς τὸν κρείττονα τοῦ χείρονος πλέον ἔχειν, ἐν ᾧ κρείττων ἐστίν, καὶ οὐδέποτʼ ἀγανακτήσετε. ἀλλʼ ἡ γυνή μοι κακῶς χρῆται. καλῶς. ἄν τίς σου πυνθάνηται, τί ἐστι τοῦτο, λέγε ἡ γυνή μοι κακῶς χρῆται. ἄλλο οὖν οὐδέν; οὐδέν. ὁ πατήρ μοι οὐδὲν δίδωσιν. … ὅτι δὲ κακόν ἐστιν, τοῦτο ἔσωθεν αὐτῷ δεῖ προσθεῖναι καὶ προσκαταψεύσασθαι; διὰ τοῦτο οὐ δεῖ τὴν πενίαν ἐκβάλλειν, ἀλλὰ τὸ δόγμα τὸ περὶ αὐτῆς, καὶ οὕτως εὐροήσομεν.
18. When any alarming news is brought you, always have it ready in mind that no news can be brought you concerning what is within the power of your own Will. Can any one bring you news that your opinions or desires are ill conducted? By no means; only that such a person is dead. What is that to you then? That somebody speaks ill of you. And what is that to you then? That your father is perhaps forming some contrivance or other. Against what? Against your Will? How can he? No; but against your body, against your estate? You are very safe; this is not against you. But the Judge has pronounced you guilty of impiety. And did not the Judges pronounce the same of Socrates? Is his pronouncing a sentence any business of yours? No. Then why do you any longer trouble yourself about it? There is a duty incumbent on your father, which unless he performs, he loses the character of a father, of natural affection, of tenderness. Do not desire him to lose anything else by this; for every man suffers precisely where he errs. Your duty, on the other hand, is to meet the case with firmness, modesty, and mildness; otherwise you forfeit piety, modesty, and nobleness. Well, and is your Judge free from danger? No; he runs an equal hazard. Why, then, are you still afraid of his decision? What have you to do with the ills of another? Meeting the case wrongly would be your own ill. Let it be your only care to avoid that; but whether sentence is passed on you or not, as it is the business of another, so the ill belongs to him. “Such a one threatens you.” Me? No. “He censures you.” Let him look to it, how he does his own duty. “He will give an unjust sentence against you.” Poor wretch!
18. ὅταν σοί τι προσαγγελθῇ ταρακτικόν, ἐκεῖνο ἔχε πρόχειρον, ὅτι ἀγγελία περὶ οὐδενὸς προαιρετικοῦ γίνεται. μή τι γὰρ δύναταί σοί τις ἀγγεῖλαι, ὅτι κακῶς ὑπέλαβες ἢ κακῶς ὠρέχθης; — οὐδαμῶς. — ἀλλʼ ὅτι ἀπέθανέν τις· τί οὖν πρὸς σέ; ὅτι σε κακῶς τις λέγει· τί οὖν πρὸς σέ; ὅτι ὁ πατὴρ τάδε τινὰ ἑτοιμάζεται· ἐπὶ τίνα; μή τι ἐπὶ τὴν προαίρεσιν; πόθεν δύναται; ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ τὸ σωμάτιον, ἐπὶ τὸ κτησείδιον· ἐσώθης, οὐκ ἐπὶ σέ. [οὐκοῦν] ἀλλʼ ὁ κριτὴς ἀποφαίνεται ὅτι ἠσέβησας. περὶ Σωκράτους δʼ οὐκ ἀπεφήναντο οἱ δικασταί; μή τι σὸν ἔργον ἐστὶ τὸ ἐκεῖνον ἀποφήνασθαι; — οὔ. — τί οὖν ἔτι σοι μέλει; ἔστι τι τοῦ πατρός σου ἔργον, ὃ ἂν μὴ ἐκπληρώσῃ, ἀπώλεσεν τὸν πατέρα, τὸν φιλόστοργον, τὸν ἥμερον. ἄλλο δὲ μηδὲν ζήτει τούτου ἕνεκα αὐτὸν ἀπολές[θ]αι. οὐδέποτε γὰρ ἐν ἄλλῳ μέν τις ἁμαρτάνει, εἰς ἄλλο δὲ βλάπτεται. πάλιν σὸν ἔργον τὸ ἀπολογηθῆναι εὐσταθῶς, αἰδημόνως, ἀοργήτως. εἰ δὲ μή, ἀπώλεσας καὶ σὺ τὸν υἱόν, τὸν αἰδήμονα, τὸν γενναῖον. τί οὖν; ὁ κριτὴς ἀκίνδυνός ἐστιν; οὔ· ἀλλὰ κἀκείνῳ τὰ ἴσα κινδυνεύεται. τί οὖν ἔτι φοβῇ, τί ἐκεῖνος κρινεῖ; τί σοὶ καὶ τῷ ἀλλοτρίῳ κακῷ; σὸν κακόν ἐστι τὸ κακῶς ἀπολογηθῆναι· τοῦτο φυλάσσου μόνον· κριθῆναι δʼ ἢ μὴ κριθῆναι ὥσπερ ἄλλου ἐστὶν ἔργον, οὕτως κακὸν ἄλλου ἐστίν. ἀπειλεῖ σοι ὁ δεῖνα. ἐμοί; οὔ. ψέγει σε. αὐτὸς ὄψεται, πῶς ποιεῖ τὸ ἴδιον ἔργον. μέλλει σε κατακρινεῖν ἀδίκως. ἄθλιος.
19. The first difference between one of the crowd and a philosopher is this: the one says, “am undone on the account of my child, my brother, my father;” but the other, if ever he be obliged to say, “am undone!” reflects, and adds, “on account of myself.” For the Will cannot be restrained or hurt by anything to which the Will does not extend, but only by itself. If, therefore, we always would incline this way, and whenever we are unsuccessful, would lay the fault on ourselves, and remember that there is no cause of perturbation and inconstancy but wrong principles, I pledge myself to you that we should make some proficiency. But we set out in a very different way from the very beginning. In infancy, for example, if we happen to stumble, our nurse does not chide us, but beats the stone. Why, what harm has the stone done? Was it to move out of its place for the folly of your child? Again, if we do not find something to eat when we come out of the bath, our tutor does not try to moderate our appetite, but beats the cook. Why, did we appoint you tutor of the cook, man? No; but of our child. It is he whom you are to correct and improve. By these means, even when we are grown up, we appear children. For an unmusical person is a child in music; an illiterate person, a child in learning; and an untaught one, a child in life.
19. ἡ πρώτη διαφορὰ ἰδιώτου καὶ φιλοσόφου· ὁ μὲν λέγει οὐαί μοι διὰ τὸ παιδάριον, διὰ τὸν ἀδελφόν, οὐαὶ διὰ τὸν πατέρα, ὁ δʼ, ἄν ποτʼ εἰπεῖν ἀναγκασθῇ, οὐαί μοι ἐπιστήσας λέγει διʼ ἐμέ. προαίρεσιν γὰρ οὐδὲν δύναται κωλῦσαι ἢ βλάψαι ἀπροαίρετον εἰ μὴ αὐτὴ ἑαυτήν. ἂν οὖν ἐπὶ τοῦτο ῥέψωμεν καὶ αὐτοί, ὥσθʼ ὅταν δυσοδῶμεν, αὑτοὺς αἰτιᾶσθαι καὶ μεμνῆσθαι, ὅτι οὐδὲν ἄλλο ταραχῆς ἢ ἀκαταστασίας αἴτιόν ἐστιν ἢ δόγμα, ὀμνύω ὑμῖν πάντας θεούς, ὅτι προεκόψαμεν. νῦν δʼ ἄλλην ὁδὸν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐληλύθαμεν. εὐθὺς ἔτι παίδων ἡμῶν ὄντων ἡ τιτθή, εἴ ποτε προσεπταίσαμεν χάσκοντες, οὐχὶ ἡμῖν ἐπέπλησσεν, ἀλλὰ τὸν λίθον ἔτυπτεν. τί γὰρ ἐποίησεν ὁ λίθος; διὰ τὴν τοῦ παιδίου σου μωρίαν ἔδει μεταβῆναι αὐτόν; πάλιν ἂν μὴ εὕρωμεν φαγεῖν ἐκ βαλανείου, οὐδέποθʼ ἡμῶν καταστέλλει τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν ὁ παιδαγωγός, ἀλλὰ δέρει τὸν μάγειρον. ἄνθρωπε, μὴ γὰρ ἐκείνου σε παιδαγωγὸν κατεστήσαμεν; ἀλλὰ τοῦ παιδίου ἡμῶν· τοῦτο ἐπανόρθου, τοῦτο ὠφέλει. οὕτως καὶ αὐξηθέντες φαινόμεθα παιδία. παῖς γὰρ ἐν μουσικοῖς ὁ ἄμουσος, ἐν γραμματικοῖς ὁ ἀγράμματ[ικ]ος, ἐν βίῳ ὁ ἀπαίδευτος.
20. In considering sensible phenomena, almost all persons admit good and evil to lie in ourselves and not in externals. No one says it is good to be day, evil to be night, and the greatest evil that three should be four; but what? That knowledge is good and error evil. Even in connection with falsehood itself there may be one good thing,—the knowledge that it is falsehood. Thus, then, should it be in life also. “Health is a good; sickness an evil.” No, sir. But what? A right use of health is a good; a wrong one, an evil. So that, in truth, it is possible to be a gainer even by sickness. And is it not possible by death too; by mutilation? Do you think Menaeceus an inconsiderable gainer by death? “May whoever talks thus be such a gainer as he was!” Why, pray, sir, did not he preserve his patriotism, his magnanimity, his fidelity, his gallant spirit? And if he had lived on, would he not have lost all these? Would not cowardice, baseness, and hatred of his country, and a wretched love of life, have been his portion? Well, now; do not you think him a considerable gainer by dying? No; but I warrant you the father of Admetus was a great gainer by living on in so mean-spirited and wretched a way as he did! For did not he die at last? For Heaven’s sake, cease to be thus deluded by externals. Cease to make yourselves slaves, first of things, and then, upon their account, of the men who have the power either to bestow or to take them away. Is there any advantage, then, to be gained from these men? From all; even from a reviler. What advantage does a wrestler gain from him with whom he exercises himself before the combat? The greatest. And just in the same manner I exercise myself with this man. He exercises me in patience, in gentleness, in meekness. I am to suppose, then, that I gain an advantage from him who exercises my neck, and puts my back and shoulders in order; so that the trainer may well bid me grapple him with both hands, and the heavier he is the better for me; and yet it is no advantage to me when I am exercised in gentleness of temper! This is not to know how to gain an advantage from men. Is my neighbor a bad one? He is so to himself, but a good one to me; he exercises my good temper, my moderation. Is my father bad? To himself; but not to me. “This is the rod of Hermes. Touch with it whatever you please, and it will become gold.” No; but bring whatever you please, and I will turn it into good. Bring sickness, death, want, reproach, trial for life. All these, by the rod of Hermes, shall turn to advantage. “What will you make of death?” Why, what but an ornament to you; what but a means of your showing, by action, what that man is who knows and follows the will of Nature? “What will you make of sickness?” I will show its nature. I will make a good figure in it; I will be composed and happy; I will not beseech my physician, nor yet will I pray to die. What need you ask further? Whatever you give me, I will make it happy, fortunate, respectable, and eligible. No, but, “take care not to be sick—it is an evil.” Just as if one should say, “Take care that the semblance of three being four does not present itself to you. It is an evil.” How an evil, man? If I think as I ought about it, what hurt will it any longer do me? Will it not rather be even an advantage to me? If then I think as I ought of poverty, of sickness, of political disorder, is not that enough for me? Why then must I any longer seek good or evil in externals? But how is it? These truths are admitted here; but nobody carries them home, for immediately every one is in a state of war with his servant, his neighbors, with those who sneer and ridicule him. Many thanks to Lespius for proving every day that I know nothing.
20. ἐπὶ τῶν θεωρητικῶν φαντασιῶν πάντες σχεδὸν τὸ ἀγαθὸν καὶ τὸ κακὸν ἐν ἡμῖν ἀπέλιπον, οὐχὶ δʼ ἐν τοῖς ἐκτός. οὐδεὶς λέγει ἀγαθὸν τὸ ἡμέραν εἶναι, κακὸν τὸ νύκτα εἶναι, μέγιστον δὲ κακῶν τὸ τρία τέσσαρα εἶναι. ἀλλὰ τί; τὴν μὲν ἐπιστήμην ἀγαθόν, τὴν δʼ ἀπάτην κακόν, ὥστε καὶ περὶ αὐτὸ τὸ ψεῦδος ἀγαθὸν συνίστασθαι, τὴν ἐπιστήμην τοῦ ψεῦδος εἶναι αὐτό. ἔδει οὖν οὕτως καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ βίου. ὑγεία ἀγαθόν, νόσος δὲ κακόν; οὔ, ἄνθρωπε. ἀλλὰ τί; τὸ καλῶς ὑγιαίνειν ἀγαθόν, τὸ κακῶς κακόν. — ὥστε καὶ ἀπὸ νόσου ἔστιν ὠφεληθῆναι; — τὸν θεόν σοι, ἀπὸ θανάτου γὰρ οὐκ ἔστιν; ἀπὸ π[λ]ηρώσεως γὰρ οὐκ ἔστιν, μικρά σοι δοκεῖ ὁ Μενοικεὺς ὠφεληθῆναι, ὅτʼ ἀπέθνῃσκεν; — τοιαῦτά τις εἰπὼν ὠφεληθείη [ἢ] οἷα ἐκεῖνος ὠφελήθη. — ἔα, ἄνθρωπε, οὐκ ἐτήρησεν τὸν φιλόπατριν, τὸν μεγαλόφρονα, τὸν πιστόν, τὸν γενναῖον; ἐπιζήσας δὲ οὐκ ἀπώλλυεν ταῦτα πάντα; οὐ περιεποιεῖτο τὰ ἐναντία; τὸν δειλὸν οὐκ ἀνελάμβανεν, τὸν ἀγεννῆ, τὸν μισόπατριν, τὸν φιλόψυχον; ἄγε δοκεῖ σοι μικρὰ ὠφεληθῆναι ἀποθανών; οὔ· ἀλλʼ ὁ τοῦ Ἀδμήτου πατὴρ μεγάλα ὠφελήθη ζήσας οὕτως ἀγεννῶς καὶ ἀθλίως; ὕστερον γὰρ οὐκ ἀπέθανεν; παύσασθε, τοὺς θεοὺς ὑμῖν, τὰς ὕλας θαυμάζοντες, παύσασθʼ ἑαυτοὺς δούλους ποιοῦντες πρῶτον τῶν πραγμάτων, εἶτα διʼ αὐτὰ καὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων τῶν ταῦτα περιποιεῖν ἢ ἀφαιρεῖσθαι δυναμένων. ἔστιν οὖν ἀπὸ τούτων ὠφεληθῆναι;— ἀπὸ πάντων. — καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ λοιδοροῦντος; — τί δʼ ὠφελεῖ τὸν ἀθλητὴν ὁ προσγυμναζόμενος; τὰ μέγιστα. καὶ οὗτος ἐμοῦ προγυμναστὴς γίνεται· τὸ ἀνεκτικόν μου γυμνάζει, τὸ ἀόργητον, τὸ πρᾷον. οὔ· ἀλλʼ ὁ μὲν τοῦ τραχήλου καθάπτων καὶ τὴν ὀσφῦν μου καὶ τοὺς ὤμους καταρτίζων ὠφελεῖ με καὶ ὁ ἀλείπτης καλῶς ποιῶν λέγει ἆρον ὕπερον ἀμφοτέραις καὶ ὅσῳ βαρύτερός ἐστιν ἐκεῖνος, τοσούτῳ μᾶλλον ὠφελοῦμαι ἐγώ· εἰ δέ τις πρὸς ἀοργησίαν με γυμνάζει, οὐκ ὠφελεῖ με; τοῦτʼ ἔστι τὸ μὴ εἰδέναι ἀπʼ ἀνθρώπων ὠφελεῖσθαι. κακὸς γείτων; αὑτῷ· ἀλλʼ ἐμοὶ ἀγαθός· γυμνάζει μου τὸ εὔγνωμον, τὸ ἐπιεικές. κακὸς πατήρ; αὑτῷ· ἀλλʼ ἐμοὶ ἀγαθός. τοῦτʼ ἔστι τὸ τοῦ Ἑρμοῦ ῥαβδίον· οὗ θέλεις, φησίν, ἅψαι καὶ χρυσοῦν ἔσται. οὔ· ἀλλʼ ὃ θέλεις φέρε κἀγὼ αὐτὸ ἀγαθὸν ποιήσω. φέρε νόσον, φέρε θάνατον, φέρε ἀπορίαν, φέρε λοιδορίαν, δίκην τὴν περὶ τῶν ἐσχάτων· πάντα ταῦτα τῷ ῥαβδίῳ τοῦ Ἑρμοῦ ὠφέλιμα ἔσται. τὸν θάνατον τί ποιήσεις; τί γὰρ ἄλλο ἢ ἵνα σε κοσμήσῃ ἢ ἵνα δείξῃς[ε] ἔργῳ διʼ αὐτοῦ, τί ἐστιν ἄνθρωπος τῷ βουλήματι τῆς φύσεως παρακολουθῶν; τὴν νόσον τί ποιήσεις; δείξω αὐτῆς τὴν φύσιν, διαπρέψω ἐν αὐτῇ, εὐσταθήσω, εὐροήσω, τὸν ἰατρὸν οὐ κολακεύσω, οὐκ εὔξομαι ἀποθανεῖν. τί ἔτι ἄλλο ζητεῖς; πᾶν ὃ ἂν δῷς, ἐγὼ αὐτὸ ποιήσω μακάριον, εὐδαιμονικόν, σεμνόν, ζηλωτόν. οὔ· ἀλλὰ βλέπε μὴ νοσήσῃς· κακόν ἐστιν. οἷον εἴ τις ἔλεγεν βλέπε μὴ λάβῃς ποτὲ φαντασίαν τοῦ τὰ τρία τέσσαρα εἶναι· κακόν ἐστιν. ἄνθρωπε, πῶς κακόν; ἂν ὃ δεῖ περὶ αὐτοῦ ὑπολάβω, πῶς ἔτι με βλάψει; οὐχὶ δὲ μᾶλλον καὶ ὠφελήσει; ἂν οὖν περὶ πενίας ὃ δεῖ ὑπολάβω, ἂν περὶ νόσου, ἂν περὶ ἀναρχίας, οὐκ ἀρκεῖ μοι; οὐκ ὠφέλιμα ἔσται; πῶς οὖν ἔτι ἐν τοῖς ἐκτὸς τὰ κακὰ καὶ τἀγαθὰ δεῖ με ζητεῖν; ἀλλὰ τί; ταῦτα μέχρι ὧδε, εἰς οἶκον δʼ οὐδεὶς ἀποφέρει· ἀλλʼ εὐθὺς πρὸς τὸ παιδάριον πόλεμος, πρὸς τοὺς γείτονας, πρὸς τοὺς σκώψαντας, πρὸς τοὺς καταγελάσαντας. καλῶς γένοιτο Λεσβίῳ, ὅτι με καθʼ ἡμέραν ἐξελέγχει μηδὲν εἰδότα.
21. They who have merely received bare maxims are presently inclined to throw them up, as a sick stomach does its food. Digest it, and then you will not throw it up; otherwise it will be crude and impure, and unfit for nourishment. But show us, from what you have digested, some change in your ruling faculty; as wrestlers do in their shoulders, from their exercise and their diet; as artificers, in their skill, from what they have learnt. A carpenter does not come and say, “Hear me discourse on the art of building;” but he hires a building, and fits it up, and shows himself master of his trade. Let it be your business likewise to do something like this; be manly in your ways of eating, drinking, dressing; marry, have children, perform the duty of a citizen; bear reproach; bear with an unreasonable brother; bear with a father; bear with a son, a neighbor, a companion, as becomes a man. Show us these things, that we may see that you have really learned something from the philosophers. No; but “come and hear me repeat commentaries.” Get you gone, and seek somebody else upon whom to bestow them. “Nay, but I will explain the doctrines of Chrysippus to you as no other person can; I will elucidate his style in the clearest manner.” And is it for this, then, that young men leave their country and their own parents, that they may come and hear you explain words? Ought they not to return patient, active, free from passion, free from perturbation; furnished with such a provision for life, that, setting out with it, they will be able to bear all events well, and derive ornament from them? But how should you impart what you have not? For have you yourself done anything else, from the beginning, but spend your time in solving syllogisms and convertible propositions and interrogatory arguments? “But such a one has a school, and why should not I have one?” Foolish man, these things are not brought about carelessly and at haphazard; but there must be a fit age, and a method of life, and a guiding God. Is it not so? No one quits the port, or sets sail, till he hath sacrificed to the gods, and implored their assistance; nor do men sow without first invoking Ceres. And shall any one who has undertaken so great a work attempt it safely without the gods? And shall they who apply to such a one, apply to him with success? What are you doing else, man, but divulging the mysteries? As if you said, “There is a temple at Eleusis, and here is one too; there is a priest, and I will make a priest here; there is a herald, and I will appoint a herald too; there is a torch-bearer, and I will have a torch-bearer; there are torches, and so shall there be here. The words said, the things done, are the same. Where is the difference betwixt one and the other?” Most impious man! is there no difference? Are these things of use, out of place and out of time? A man should come with sacrifices and prayers, previously purified, and his mind affected by the knowledge that he is approaching sacred and ancient rites. Thus the mysteries become useful; thus we come to have an idea that all these things were appointed by the ancients for the instruction and correction of life. But you divulge and publish them without regard to time and place, without sacrifices, without purity; you have not the garment that is necessary for a priest, nor the fitting hair nor girdle, nor the voice, nor the age, nor have you purified yourself like him. But when you have got the words by heart, you say, “The mere words are sacred of themselves.” These things are to be approached in another manner. It is a great, it is a mystical affair; not given by chance, or to every one indifferently. Nay, mere wisdom, perhaps, is not a sufficient qualification for the care of youth. There ought to be likewise a certain readiness and aptitude for this, and indeed a particular physical temperament, and, above all, a counsel from God to undertake this office, as he counselled Socrates to undertake the office of confutation; Diogenes, that of authoritative reproof; Zeno, that of dogmatical instruction. But you set up for a physician, provided with nothing but medicines, and without knowing, or having studied, where or how they are to be applied. “Why, such a one had medicines for the eyes, and I have the same.” Have you also, then, a faculty of making use of them? Do you at all know when and how and to whom they will be of service? Why then do you act at hazard? Why are you careless in things of the greatest importance? Why do you attempt a matter unsuitable to you? Leave it to those who can perform it and do it honor. Do not you too bring a scandal upon philosophy by your means; nor be one of those who cause the thing itself to be calumniated. But if mere theorems delight you, sit quietly and turn them over by yourself; but never call yourself a philosopher, nor suffer another to call you so; but say, He is mistaken; for my desires are not different from what they were; nor my pursuits directed to other objects; nor my assents otherwise given; nor have I at all made any change from my former condition in the use of things as they appear. Think and speak thus of yourself, if you would think as you ought; if not, act at random, and do as you do; for it is appropriate to you.
21. ὅτι τὰ θεωρήματα ἀναλαβόντες ψιλὰ εὐθὺς αὐτὰ ἐξεμέσαι θέλουσιν ὡς οἱ στομαχικοὶ τὴν τροφήν. πρῶτον αὐτὸ πέψον, εἶθʼ οὕτω μὴ ἐξεμέσῃς· εἰ δὲ μή, ἔμετος τῷ ὄντι γίνεται, πρᾶγμʼ ἀκάθαρτον καὶ ἄβρωτον. ἀλλʼ ἀπʼ αὐτῶν ἀναδοθέντων δεῖξόν τινα ἡμῖν μεταβολὴν τοῦ ἡγεμονικοῦ τοῦ σεαυτοῦ, ὡς οἱ ἀθληταὶ τοὺς ὤμους, ἀφʼ ὧν ἐγυμνάσθησαν καὶ ἔφαγον, ὡς οἱ τὰς τέχνας ἀναλαβόντες, ἀφʼ ὧν ἔμαθον. οὐκ ἔρχεται ὁ τέκτων καὶ λέγει ἀκούσατέ μου διαλεγομένου περὶ τῶν τεκτονικῶν, ἀλλʼ ἐκμισθωσάμενος οἰκίαν ταύτην κατασκευάσας δείκνυσιν, ὅτι ἔχει τὴν τέχνην. τοιοῦτόν τι καὶ σὺ ποίησον· φάγε ὡς ἄνθρωπος, πίε ὡς ἄνθρωπος, κοσμήθητι, γάμησον, παιδοποίησον, πολίτευσαι· ἀνάσχου λοιδορίας, ἔνεγκε ἀδελφὸν ἀγνώμονα, ἔνεγκε πατέρα, ἔνεγκε υἱόν, γείτονα, σύνοδον. ταῦτα ἡμῖν δεῖξον, ἵνʼ ἴδωμεν, ὅτι μεμάθηκας ταῖς ἀληθείαις τι τῶν φιλοσόφων. οὔ· ἀλλʼ ἐλθόντες ἀκούσατέ μου σχόλια λέγοντος. ὕπαγε, ζήτει τίνων κατεξεράσεις. καὶ μὴν ἐγὼ ὑμῖν ἐξηγήσομαι τὰ Χρυσίππεια ὡς οὐδείς, τὴν λέξιν διαλύσω καθαρώτατα, προσθήσω ἄν που καὶ Ἀντιπάτρου καὶ Ἀρχεδήμου φοράν. εἶτα τούτου ἕνεκα ἀπολίπωσιν οἱ νέοι τὰς πατρίδας καὶ τοὺς γονεῖς τοὺς αὑτῶν, ἵνʼ ἐλθόντες λεξείδιά σου ἐξηγουμένου ἀκούσωσιν; οὐ δεῖ αὐτοὺς ὑποστρέψαι ἀνεκτικούς, συνεργητικούς, ἀπαθεῖς, ἀταράχους, ἔχοντάς τι ἐφόδιον τοιοῦτον εἰς τὸν βίον, ἀφʼ οὗ ὁρμώμενοι φέρειν δυνήσονται τὰ συμπίπτοντα καλῶς καὶ κοσμεῖσθαι ὑπʼ αὐτῶν; καὶ πόθεν σοι μεταδιδόναι τούτων ὧν οὐκ ἔχεις; αὐτὸς γὰρ ἄλλο τι ἐποίησας ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἢ περὶ ταῦτα κατετρίβης, πῶς οἱ συλλογισμοὶ ἀναλυθήσονται, πῶς οἱ μεταπίπτοντες, πῶς οἱ τῷ ἠρωτῆσθαι περαίνοντες; ἀλλʼ ὁ δεῖνα σχολὴν ἔχει· διὰ τί μὴ κἀγὼ σχῶ; οὐκ εἰκῇ ταῦτα γίνεται, ἀνδράποδον, οὐδʼ ὡς ἔτυχεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡλικίαν εἶναι δεῖ καὶ βίον καὶ θεὸν ἡγεμόνα. οὔ· ἀλλʼ ἀπὸ λι[πο]μένος μὲν οὐδεὶς ἀνάγεται μὴ θύσας τοῖς θεοῖς καὶ παρακαλέσας αὐτοὺς βοηθοὺς οὐδὲ σπείρουσιν ἄλλως οἱ ἄνθρωποι εἰ μὴ τὴν Δήμητρα ἐπικαλεσάμενοι· τηλικούτου δʼ ἔργου ἁψάμενός τις ἄνευ θεῶν ἀσφαλῶς ἅψεται καὶ οἱ τούτῳ προσιόντες εὐτυχῶς προσελεύσονται; τί ἄλλο ποιεῖς, ἄνθρωπε, ἢ τὰ μυστήρια ἐξορχῇ καὶ λέγεις οἴκημά ἐστι καὶ ἐν Ἐλευσῖνι, ἰδοὺ καὶ ἐνθάδε. ἐκεῖ ἱεροφάντης· καὶ ἐγὼ ποιήσω ἱεροφάντην. ἐκεῖ κήρυξ· κἀγὼ κήρυκα καταστήσω. ἐκεῖ δᾳδοῦχος· κἀγὼ δᾳδοῦχον. ἐκεῖ δᾷδες· καὶ ἐνθάδε. αἱ φωναὶ αἱ αὐταί· τὰ γινόμενα τί διαφέρει ταῦτα ἐκείνων; ἀσεβέστατε ἄνθρωπε, οὐδὲν διαφέρει; καὶ παρὰ τόπον ταῦτα ὠφελεῖ καὶ παρὰ καιρόν· καὶ μετὰ θυσίας δὲ καὶ μετʼ εὐχῶν καὶ προηγνευκότα καὶ προδιακείμενον τῇ γνώμῃ, ὅτι ἱεροῖς προσελεύσεται καὶ ἱεροῖς παλαιοῖς. οὕτως ὠφέλιμα γίνεται τὰ μυστήρια, οὕτως εἰς φαντασίαν ἐρχόμεθα, ὅτι ἐπὶ παιδείᾳ καὶ ἐπανορθώσει τοῦ βίου κατεστάθη πάντα ταῦτα ὑπὸ τῶν παλαιῶν. σὺ δʼ ἐξαγγέλλεις αὐτὰ καὶ ἐξορχῇ παρὰ καιρόν, παρὰ τόπον, ἄνευ θυμάτων, ἄνευ ἁγνείας· οὐκ ἐσθῆτα ἔχεις ἣν δεῖ τὸν ἱεροφάντην, οὐ κόμην, οὐ στρόφιον οἷον δεῖ, οὐ φωνήν, οὐχ ἡλικίαν, οὐχ ἥγνευκας ὡς ἐκεῖνος, ἀλλʼ αὐτὰς μόνας τὰς φωνὰς ἀνειληφὼς λέγεις. ἱεραί εἰσιν αἱ φωναὶ αὐταὶ καθʼ αὑτάς; ἄλλον τρόπον δεῖ ἐπὶ ταῦτα ἐλθεῖν· μέγα ἐστὶ τὸ πρᾶγμα, μυστικόν ἐστιν, οὐχ ὡς ἔτυχεν οὐδὲ τῷ τυχόντι δεδομένον. ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ σοφὸν εἶναι τυχὸν ἐξαρκεῖ πρὸς τὸ ἐπιμεληθῆναι νέων· δεῖ δὲ καὶ προχειρότητά τινα εἶναι καὶ ἐπιτηδειότητα πρὸς τοῦτο, νὴ τὸν Δία, καὶ σῶμα ποιὸν καὶ πρὸ πάντων τὸν θεὸν συμβουλεύειν ταύτην τὴν χώραν κατασχεῖν, ὡς Σωκράτει συνεβούλευεν τὴν ἐλεγκτικὴν χώραν ἔχειν, ὡς Διογένει τὴν βασιλικὴν καὶ ἐπιπληκτικήν, ὡς Ζήνωνι τὴν διδασκαλικὴν καὶ δογματικήν. σὺ δʼ ἰατρεῖον ἀνοίγεις ἄλλο οὐδὲν ἔχων ἢ φάρμακα, ποῦ δὲ ἢ πῶς ἐπιτίθεται ταῦτα, μήτε εἰδὼς μήτε πολυπραγμονήσας. ἰδοὺ ἐκεῖνος ταῦτα, κολλύρια· κἀγὼ ἔχω. μή τι οὖν καὶ τὴν δύναμιν τὴν χρηστικὴν αὐτοῖς; μή τι οἶδας καὶ πότε καὶ πῶς ὠφελήσει καὶ τίνα; τί οὖν κυβεύεις ἐν τοῖς μεγίστοις, τί ῥᾳδιουργεῖς, τί ἐπιχειρεῖς πράγματι μηδέν σοι προσήκοντι; ἄφες αὐτὸ τοῖς δυναμένοις, τοῖς κοσμοῦσι. μὴ προστρίβου καὶ αὐτὸς αἶσχος φιλοσοφίᾳ διὰ σαυτοῦ, μηδὲ γίνου μέρος τῶν διαβαλλόντων τὸ ἔργον. ἀλλὰ εἴ σε ψυχαγωγεῖ τὰ θεωρήματα, καθήμενος αὐτὰ στρέφε αὐτὸς ἐπὶ σεαυτοῦ· φιλόσοφον δὲ μηδέποτʼ εἴπῃς σεαυτὸν μηδʼ ἄλλου ἀνάσχῃ λέγοντος, ἀλλὰ λέγε πεπλάνηται· ἐγὼ γὰρ οὔτʼ ὀρέγομαι ἄλλως ἢ πρότερον οὐδʼ ὁρμῶ ἐπʼ ἄλλα οὐδὲ συγκατατίθεμαι ἄλλοις οὐδʼ ὅλως ἐν χρήσει φαντασιῶν παρήλλαχά τι ἀπὸ τῆς πρότερον καταστάσεως. ταῦτα φρόνει καὶ λέγε περὶ σεαυτοῦ, εἰ θέλεις τὰ κατʼ ἀξίαν φρονεῖν· εἰ δὲ μή, κύβευε καὶ ποίει ἃ ποιεῖς. ταῦτα γάρ σοι πρέπει.