Book Seven

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.Iamnotangrywiththeenlygoaway.

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.

Aboutfameookatthemindsofthosewhoseekfame,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.