Book Nine

BookNine

Hehoactsunjustlyactsimpiously.Forsincetheuniversalnaturehasmaderationalanimalsforthesakeofoneanothertohelponeanotheraccordingtotheirdeserts,butinnowaytoinjureoneanother,hewhotransgressesherwill,isclearlyguiltyofimpietytowardsthehighestdivinity.Andhetoowholiesisguiltyofimpietytothesamedivinity;fortheuniversalnatureisthenatureofthingsthatare;andthingsthatarehavearelationtoallthingsthatcomeintoexistence.Andfurther,thisuniversalnatureisnamedtruth,andistheprimecauseofallthingsthataretrue.Hethenwholiesintentionallyisguiltyofimpietyinasmuchasheactsunjustlybydeceiving;andhealsowholiesunintentionally,inasmuchasheisatvariancewiththeuniversalnature,andinasmuchashedisturbstheorderbyfightingagainstthenatureoftheworld;forhefightsagainstit,whoismovedofhimselftothatwhichiscontrarytotruth,forhehadreceivedpowersfromnaturethroughtheneglectofwhichheisnotablenowtodistinguishfalsehoodfromtruth.Andindeedhewhopursuespleasureasgood,andavoidspainasevil,isguiltyofimpiety.Forofnecessitysuchamanmustoftenfindfaultwiththeuniversalnature,allegingthatitassignsthingstothebadandthegoodcontrarytotheirdeserts,becausefrequentlythebadareintheenjoymentofpleasureandpossessthethingswhichprocurepleasure,butthegoodhavepainfortheirshareandthethingswhichcausepain.Andfurther,hewhoisafraidofpainwillsometimesalsobeafraidofsomeofthethingswhichwillhappenintheworld,andeventhisisimpiety.Andhewhopursuespleasurewillnotabstainfrominjustice,andthisisplainlyimpiety.Nowwithrespecttothethingstowardswhichtheuniversalnatureisequallyaffected-foritwouldnothavemadeboth,unlessitwasequallyaffectedtowardsboth-towardsthesetheywhowishtofollownatureshouldbeofthesamemindwithit,andequallyaffected.Withrespecttopain,then,andpleasure,ordeathandlife,orhonouranddishonour,whichtheuniversalnatureemploysequally,whoeverisnotequallyaffectedismanifestlyactingimpiously.AndIsaythattheuniversalnatureemploysthemequally,insteadofsayingthattheyhappenaliketothosewhoareproducedincontinuousseriesandtothosewhocomeafterthembyvirtueofacertainoriginalmovementofProvidence,accordingtowhichitmovedfromacertainbeginningtothisorderingofthings,havingconceivedcertainprinciplesofthethingswhichweretobe,andhavingdeterminedpowersproductiveofbeingsandofchangesandofsuchlikesuccessions.

Itwouldbeaman-shappiestlottodepartfrommankindwithouthavinghadanytasteoflyingandhypocrisyandluxuryandpride.Howevertobreatheoutone-slifewhenamanhashadenoughofthesethingsisthenextbestvoyage,asthesayingis.Hastthoudeterminedtoabidewithvice,andhasnotexperienceyetinducedtheetoflyfromthispestilence?Forthedestructionoftheunderstandingisapestilence,muchmoreindeedthananysuchcorruptionandchangeofthisatmospherewhichsurroundsus.Forthiscorruptionisapestilenceofanimalssofarastheyareanimals;buttheotherisapestilenceofmensofarastheyaremen.

Donotdespisedeath,butbewellcontentwithit,sincethistooisoneofthosethingswhichnaturewills.Forsuchasitistobeyoungandtogrowold,andtoincreaseandtoreachmaturity,andtohaveteethandbeardandgreyhairs,andtobeget,andtobepregnantandtobringforth,andalltheothernaturaloperationswhichtheseasonsofthylifebring,suchalsoisdissolution.This,then,isconsistentwiththecharacterofareflectingman,tobeneithercarelessnorimpatientnorcontemptuouswithrespecttodeath,buttowaitforitasoneoftheoperationsofnature.Asthounowwaitestforthetimewhenthechildshallcomeoutofthywife-swomb,sobereadyforthetimewhenthysoulshallfalloutofthisenvelope.Butifthourequirestalsoavulgarkindofcomfortwhichshallreachthyheart,thouwiltbemadebestreconciledtodeathbyobservingtheobjectsfromwhichthouartgoingtoberemoved,andthemoralsofthosewithwhomthysoulwillnolongerbemingled.Foritisnowayrighttobeoffendedwithmen,butitisthydutytocareforthemandtobearwiththemgently;andyettorememberthatthydeparturewillbenotfrommenwhohavethesameprinciplesasthyself.Forthisistheonlything,iftherebeany,whichcoulddrawusthecontrarywayandattachustolife,tobepermittedtolivewiththosewhohavethesameprinciplesasourselves.Butnowthouseesthowgreatisthetroublearisingfromthediscordanceofthosewholivetogether,sothatthoumayestsay,Comequick,Odeath,lestperchanceI,too,shouldforgetmyself.

Hewhodoeswrongdoeswrongagainsthimself.Hewhoactsunjustlyactsunjustlytohimself,becausehemakeshimselfbad.

Heoftenactsunjustlywhodoesnotdoacertainthing;notonlyhewhodoesacertainthing.

Thypresentopinionfoundedonunderstanding,andthypresentconductdirectedtosocialgood,andthypresentdispositionofcontentmentwitheverythingwhichhappens-thatisenough.

Wipeoutimagination:checkdesire:extinguishappetite:keeptherulingfacultyinitsownpower.

Amongtheanimalswhichhavenotreasononelifeisdistributed;butamongreasonableanimalsoneintelligentsoulisdistributed:justasthereisoneearthofallthingswhichareofanearthynature,andweseebyonelight,andbreatheoneair,allofusthathavethefacultyofvisionandallthathavelife.

Allthingswhichparticipateinanythingwhichiscommontothemallmovetowardsthatwhichisofthesamekindwiththemselves.Everythingwhichisearthyturnstowardstheearth,everythingwhichisliquidflowstogether,andeverythingwhichisofanaerialkinddoesthesame,sothattheyrequiresomethingtokeepthemasunder,andtheapplicationofforce.Fireindeedmovesupwardsonaccountoftheelementalfire,butitissoreadytobekindledtogetherwithallthefirewhichishere,thateveneverysubstancewhichissomewhatdry,iseasilyignited,becausethereislessmingledwithitofthatwhichisahindrancetoignition.Accordinglytheneverythingalsowhichparticipatesinthecommonintelligentnaturemovesinlikemannertowardsthatwhichisofthesamekindwithitself,ormovesevenmore.Forsomuchasitissuperiorincomparisonwithallotherthings,inthesamedegreealsoisitmorereadytominglewithandtobefusedwiththatwhichisakintoit.Accordinglyamonganimalsdevoidofreasonwefindswarmsofbees,andherdsofcattle,andthenurtureofyoungbirds,andinamanner,loves;foreveninanimalstherearesouls,andthatpowerwhichbringsthemtogetherisseentoexertitselfinthesuperiordegree,andinsuchawayasneverhasbeenobservedinplantsnorinstonesnorintrees.Butinrationalanimalstherearepoliticalcommunitiesandfriendships,andfamiliesandmeetingsofpeople;andinwars,treatiesandarmistices.Butinthethingswhicharestillsuperior,eventhoughtheyareseparatedfromoneanother,unityinamannerexists,asinthestars.Thustheascenttothehigherdegreeisabletoproduceasympathyeveninthingswhichareseparated.See,then,whatnowtakesplace.Foronlyintelligentanimalshavenowforgottenthismutualdesireandinclination,andinthemalonethepropertyofflowingtogetherisnotseen.Butstillthoughmenstrivetoavoidthisunion,theyarecaughtandheldbyit,fortheirnatureistoostrongforthem;andthouwiltseewhatIsay,ifthouonlyobservest.Sooner,then,willonefindanythingearthywhichcomesincontactwithnoearthythingthanamanaltogetherseparatedfromothermen.

BothmanandGodandtheuniverseproducefruit;attheproperseasonseachproducesit.Butifusagehasespeciallyfixedthesetermstothevineandlikethings,thisisnothing.Reasonproducesfruitbothforallandforitself,andthereareproducedfromitotherthingsofthesamekindasreasonitself.

Ifthouartable,correctbyteachingthosewhodowrong;butifthoucanstnot,rememberthatindulgenceisgiventotheeforthispurpose.Andthegods,too,areindulgenttosuchpersons;andforsomepurposestheyevenhelpthemtogethealth,wealth,reputation;sokindtheyare.Anditisinthypoweralso;orsay,whohindersthee?

Labournotasonewhoiswretched,noryetasonewhowouldbepitiedoradmired:butdirectthywilltoonethingonly,toputthyselfinmotionandtocheckthyself,asthesocialreasonrequires.

To-dayIhavegotoutofalltrouble,orratherIhavecastoutalltrouble,foritwasnotoutside,butwithinandinmyopinions.

Allthingsarethesame,familiarinexperience,andephemeralintime,andworthlessinthematter.Everythingnowisjustasitwasinthetimeofthosewhomwehaveburied.

Thingsstandoutsideofus,themselvesbythemselves,neitherknowingaughtofthemselves,norexpressinganyjudgement.Whatisit,then,whichdoesjudgeaboutthem?Therulingfaculty.

Notinpassivity,butinactivitylietheevilandthegoodoftherationalsocialanimal,justashisvirtueandhisvicelienotinpassivity,butinactivity.

Forthestonewhichhasbeenthrownupitisnoeviltocomedown,norindeedanygoodtohavebeencarriedup.

Penetrateinwardsintomen-sleadingprinciples,andthouwiltseewhatjudgesthouartafraidof,andwhatkindofjudgestheyareofthemselves.

Allthingsarechanging:andthouthyselfartincontinuousmutationandinamannerincontinuousdestruction,andthewholeuniversetoo.

Itisthydutytoleaveanotherman-swrongfulacttherewhereitis.

Terminationofactivity,cessationfrommovementandopinion,andinasensetheirdeath,isnoevil.Turnthythoughtsnowtotheconsiderationofthylife,thylifeasachild,asayouth,thymanhood,thyoldage,forinthesealsoeverychangewasadeath.Isthisanythingtofear?Turnthythoughtsnowtothylifeunderthygrandfather,thentothylifeunderthymother,thentothylifeunderthyfather;andasthoufindestmanyotherdifferencesandchangesandterminations,askthyself,Isthisanythingtofear?Inlikemanner,then,neitheraretheterminationandcessationandchangeofthywholelifeathingtobeafraidof.

Hastentoexaminethyownrulingfacultyandthatoftheuniverseandthatofthyneighbour:thyownthatthoumayestmakeitjust:andthatoftheuniverse,thatthoumayestrememberofwhatthouartapart;andthatofthyneighbour,thatthoumayestknowwhetherhehasactedignorantlyorwithknowledge,andthatthoumayestalsoconsiderthathisrulingfacultyisakintothine.

Asthouthyselfartacomponentpartofasocialsystem,soleteveryactofthinebeacomponentpartofsociallife.Whateveractofthinethenhasnoreferenceeitherimmediatelyorremotelytoasocialend,thistearsasunderthylife,anddoesnotallowittobeone,anditisofthenatureofamutiny,justaswheninapopularassemblyamanactingbyhimselfstandsapartfromthegeneralagreement.

Quarrelsoflittlechildrenandtheirsports,andpoorspiritscarryingaboutdeadbodies,suchiseverything;andsowhatisexhibitedintherepresentationofthemansionsofthedeadstrikesoureyesmoreclearly.

Examineintothequalityoftheformofanobject,anddetachitaltogetherfromitsmaterialpart,andthencontemplateit;thendeterminethetime,thelongestwhichathingofthispeculiarformisnaturallymadetoendure.

Thouhastenduredinfinitetroublesthroughnotbeingcontentedwiththyrulingfaculty,whenitdoesthethingswhichitisconstitutedbynaturetodo.Butenoughofthis.

Whenanotherblamestheeorhatesthee,orwhenmensayabouttheeanythinginjurious,approachtheirpoorsouls,penetratewithin,andseewhatkindofmentheyare.Thouwiltdiscoverthatthereisnoreasontotakeanytroublethatthesemenmayhavethisorthatopinionaboutthee.Howeverthoumustbewelldisposedtowardsthem,forbynaturetheyarefriends.Andthegodstooaidtheminallways,bydreams,bysigns,towardstheattainmentofthosethingsonwhichtheysetavalue.

Theperiodicmovementsoftheuniversearethesame,upanddownfromagetoage.Andeithertheuniversalintelligenceputsitselfinmotionforeveryseparateeffect,andifthisisso,bethoucontentwiththatwhichistheresultofitsactivity;oritputsitselfinmotiononce,andeverythingelsecomesbywayofsequenceinamanner;orindivisibleelementsaretheoriginofallthings-Inaword,ifthereisagod,alliswell;andifchancerules,donotthoualsobegovernedbyit.

Soonwilltheearthcoverusall:thentheearth,too,willchange,andthethingsalsowhichresultfromchangewillcontinuetochangeforever,andtheseagainforever.Forifamanreflectsonthechangesandtransformationswhichfollowoneanotherlikewaveafterwaveandtheirrapidity,hewilldespiseeverythingwhichisperishable.

Theuniversalcauseislikeawintertorrent:itcarrieseverythingalongwithit.Buthowworthlessareallthesepoorpeoplewhoareengagedinmatterspolitical,and,astheysuppose,areplayingthephilosopher!Alldrivellers.Wellthen,man:dowhatnaturenowrequires.Setthyselfinmotion,ifitisinthypower,anddonotlookabouttheetoseeifanyonewillobserveit;noryetexpectPlato-sRepublic:butbecontentifthesmallestthinggoesonwell,andconsidersuchaneventtobenosmallmatter.Forwhocanchangemen-sopinions?Andwithoutachangeofopinionswhatelseistherethantheslaveryofmenwhogroanwhiletheypretendtoobey?ComenowandtellmeofAlexanderandPhilipandDemetriusofPhalerum.Theythemselvesshalljudgewhethertheydiscoveredwhatthecommonnaturerequired,andtrainedthemselvesaccordingly.Butiftheyactedliketragedyheroes,noonehascondemnedmetoimitatethem.Simpleandmodestistheworkofphilosophy.Drawmenotasidetoindolenceandpride.

Lookdownfromaboveonthecountlessherdsofmenandtheircountlesssolemnities,andtheinfinitelyvariedvoyagingsinstormsandcalms,andthedifferencesamongthosewhoareborn,wholivetogether,anddie.Andconsider,too,thelifelivedbyothersinoldentime,andthelifeofthosewhowillliveafterthee,andthelifenowlivedamongbarbarousnations,andhowmanyknownoteventhyname,andhowmanywillsoonforgetit,andhowtheywhoperhapsnowarepraisingtheewillverysoonblamethee,andthatneitheraposthumousnameisofanyvalue,norreputation,noranythingelse.

Lettherebefreedomfromperturbationswithrespecttothethingswhichcomefromtheexternalcause;andlettherebejusticeinthethingsdonebyvirtueoftheinternalcause,thatis,lettherebemovementandactionterminatinginthis,insocialacts,forthisisaccordingtothynature.

Thoucanstremoveoutofthewaymanyuselessthingsamongthosewhichdisturbthee,fortheylieentirelyinthyopinion;andthouwiltthengainforthyselfamplespacebycomprehendingthewholeuniverseinthymind,andbycontemplatingtheeternityoftime,andobservingtherapidchangeofeveryseveralthing,howshortisthetimefrombirthtodissolution,andtheillimitabletimebeforebirthaswellastheequallyboundlesstimeafterdissolution.

Allthatthouseestwillquicklyperish,andthosewhohavebeenspectatorsofitsdissolutionwillverysoonperishtoo.Andhewhodiesattheextremestoldagewillbebroughtintothesameconditionwithhimwhodiedprematurely.

Whatarethesemen-sleadingprinciples,andaboutwhatkindofthingsaretheybusy,andforwhatkindofreasonsdotheyloveandhonour?Imaginethatthouseesttheirpoorsoulslaidbare.Whentheythinkthattheydoharmbytheirblameorgoodbytheirpraise,whatanidea!

Lossisnothingelsethanchange.Buttheuniversalnaturedelightsinchange,andinobediencetoherallthingsarenowdonewell,andfrometernityhavebeendoneinlikeform,andwillbesuchtotimewithoutend.What,then,dostthousay?Thatallthingshavebeenandallthingsalwayswillbebad,andthatnopowerhaseverbeenfoundinsomanygodstorectifythesethings,buttheworldhasbeencondemnedtobefoundinneverceasingevil?

Therottennessofthematterwhichisthefoundationofeverything!Water,dust,bones,filthragain,marblerocks,thecallositiesoftheearth;andgoldandsilver,thesediments;andgarments,onlybitsofhair;andpurpledye,blood;andeverythingelseisofthesamekind.Andthatwhichisofthenatureofbreathisalsoanotherthingofthesamekind,changingfromthistothat.

Enoughofthiswretchedlifeandmurmuringandapishtricks.Whyartthoudisturbed?Whatistherenewinthis?Whatunsettlesthee?Isittheformofthething?Lookatit.Orisitthematter?Lookatit.Butbesidesthesethereisnothing.Towardsthegods,then,nowbecomeatlastmoresimpleandbetter.Itisthesamewhetherweexaminethesethingsforahundredyearsorthree.

Ifanymanhasdonewrong,theharmishisown.Butperhapshehasnotdonewrong.

Eitherallthingsproceedfromoneintelligentsourceandcometogetherasinonebody,andthepartoughtnottofindfaultwithwhatisdoneforthebenefitofthewhole;orthereareonlyatoms,andnothingelsethanmixtureanddispersion.Why,then,artthoudisturbed?Saytotherulingfaculty,Artthoudead,artthoucorrupted,artthouplayingthehypocrite,artthoubecomeabeast,dostthouherdandfeedwiththerest?

Eitherthegodshavenopowerortheyhavepower.If,then,theyhavenopower,whydostthoupraytothem?Butiftheyhavepower,whydostthounotprayforthemtogivetheethefacultyofnotfearinganyofthethingswhichthoufearest,orofnotdesiringanyofthethingswhichthoudesirest,ornotbeingpainedatanything,ratherthanpraythatanyofthesethingsshouldnothappenorhappen?forcertainlyiftheycanco-operatewithmen,theycanco-operateforthesepurposes.Butperhapsthouwiltsay,thegodshaveplacedtheminthypower.Well,then,isitnotbettertousewhatisinthypowerlikeafreemanthantodesireinaslavishandabjectwaywhatisnotinthypower?Andwhohastoldtheethatthegodsdonotaiduseveninthethingswhichareinourpower?Begin,then,toprayforsuchthings,andthouwiltsee.Onemanpraysthus:HowshallIbeabletoliewiththatwoman?Dothoupraythus:HowshallInotdesiretoliewithher?Anotherpraysthus:HowshallIbereleasedfromthis?Anotherprays:HowshallInotdesiretobereleased?Anotherthus:HowshallInotlosemylittleson?Thouthus:HowshallInotbeafraidtolosehim?Infine,turnthyprayersthisway,andseewhatcomes.

Epicurussays,Inmysicknessmyconversationwasnotaboutmybodilysufferings,nor,sayshe,didItalkonsuchsubjectstothosewhovisitedme;butIcontinuedtodiscourseonthenatureofthingsasbefore,keepingtothismainpoint,howthemind,whileparticipatinginsuchmovementsasgooninthepoorflesh,shallbefreefromperturbationsandmaintainitspropergood.NordidI,hesays,givethephysiciansanopportunityofputtingonsolemnlooks,asiftheyweredoingsomethinggreat,butmylifewentonwellandhappily.Do,then,thesamethathedidbothinsickness,ifthouartsick,andinanyothercircumstances;fornevertodesertphilosophyinanyeventsthatmaybefallus,nortoholdtriflingtalkeitherwithanignorantmanorwithoneunacquaintedwithnature,isaprincipleofallschoolsofphilosophy;buttobeintentonlyonthatwhichthouartnowdoingandontheinstrumentbywhichthoudoestit.

Whenthouartoffendedwithanyman-sshamelessconduct,immediatelyaskthyself,Isitpossible,then,thatshamelessmenshouldnotbeintheworld?Itisnotpossible.Donot,then,requirewhatisimpossible.Forthismanalsoisoneofthoseshamelessmenwhomustofnecessitybeintheworld.Letthesameconsiderationsbepresenttothymindinthecaseoftheknave,andthefaithlessman,andofeverymanwhodoeswronginanyway.Foratthesametimethatthoudostremindthyselfthatitisimpossiblethatsuchkindofmenshouldnotexist,thouwiltbecomemorekindlydisposedtowardseveryoneindividually.Itisusefultoperceivethis,too,immediatelywhentheoccasionarises,whatvirtuenaturehasgiventomantoopposetoeverywrongfulact.Forshehasgiventoman,asanantidoteagainstthestupidman,mildness,andagainstanotherkindofmansomeotherpower.Andinallcasesitispossiblefortheetocorrectbyteachingthemanwhoisgoneastray;foreverymanwhoerrsmisseshisobjectandisgoneastray.Besideswhereinhastthoubeeninjured?Forthouwiltfindthatnooneamongthoseagainstwhomthouartirritatedhasdoneanythingbywhichthymindcouldbemadeworse;butthatwhichiseviltotheeandharmfulhasitsfoundationonlyinthemind.Andwhatharmisdoneorwhatistherestrange,ifthemanwhohasnotbeeninstructeddoestheactsofanuninstructedman?Considerwhetherthoushouldstnotratherblamethyself,becausethoudidstnotexpectsuchamantoerrinsuchaway.Forthouhadstmeansgiventheebythyreasontosupposethatitwaslikelythathewouldcommitthiserror,andyetthouhastforgottenandartamazedthathehaserred.Butmostofallwhenthoublamestamanasfaithlessorungrateful,turntothyself.Forthefaultismanifestlythyown,whetherthoudidsttrustthatamanwhohadsuchadispositionwouldkeephispromise,orwhenconferringthykindnessthoudidstnotconferitabsolutely,noryetinsuchwayastohavereceivedfromthyveryactalltheprofit.Forwhatmoredostthouwantwhenthouhastdoneamanaservice?Artthounotcontentthatthouhastdonesomethingconformabletothynature,anddostthouseektobepaidforit?Justasiftheeyedemandedarecompenseforseeing,orthefeetforwalking.Forasthesemembersareformedforaparticularpurpose,andbyworkingaccordingtotheirseveralconstitutionsobtainwhatistheirown;soalsoasmanisformedbynaturetoactsofbenevolence,whenhehasdoneanythingbenevolentorinanyotherwayconducivetothecommoninterest,hehasactedconformablytohisconstitution,andhegetswhatishisown.