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Part V
Part V
CXXVIII
What, did Diogenes love no man, he that was so gentle, so true a friend
to men as cheerfully to endure such bodily hardships for the common weal of
all mankind? But how loved he them? As behoved a minister of the Supreme God,
alike caring for men and subject unto God.
CXXIX
I am by Nature made for my own good; not for my own evil.
CXXX
Remind thyself that he whom thou lovest is mortal - that what thou lovest
is not thine own; it is given thee for the present, not irrevocably nor for
ever, but even as a fig or a bunch of grapes at the appointed season of the
year. . . .
"But these are words of evil omen." . . .
What, callest thou aught of evil omen save that which signifies some evil
thing? Cowardice is a word of evil omen, if thou wilt, and meanness of spirit,
and lamentation and mourning and shamelessness. . . .
But do not, I pray thee, call of evil omen a word that is significant of
any natural thing: - as well call of evil omen the reaping of the corn; for it
means the destruction of the ears, though not of the World! - as well say that
the fall of the leaf is of evil omen; that the dried fig should take the place
of the green; that raisins should be made from grapes. All these are changes
from a former state into another; not destruction, but an ordered economy, a
fixed administration. Such is leaving home, a change of small account; such is
Death, a greater change, from what now is, not to what is not, but to what is
not now.
"Shall I then no longer be?"
Not so; thou wilt be; but something different, of which the World now
hath need. For thou too wert born not when thou chosest, but when the World
had need of thee.
CXXXI
Wherefore a good man and true, bearing in mind who he is and whence he
came and from whom he sprang, cares only how he may fill his post with due
discipline and obedience to God.
Wilt thou that I continue to live? Then will I live, as one that is free
and noble, as Thou wouldst have me. For Thou hast made me free from hindrance
in what appertaineth unto me. But hast Thou no further need of me? I thank
Thee! Up to this hour have I stayed for Thy sake and none other`s: and now in
obedience to Thee I depart.
"How dost thou depart?"
Again I say, as Thou wouldst have me; as one that is free, as Thy
servant, as one whose ear is open unto what Thou dost enjoin, what Thou dost
forbid.
CXXXII
Whatsoever place or post Thou assignest me, sooner will I die a thousand
deaths, as Socrates said, than desert it. And where wilt Thou have me to be?
At Rome or Athens? At Thebes or on a desert island? Only remember me there!
Shouldst Thou send me where man cannot live as Nature would have him, I will
depart, not in disobedience to Thee, but as though Thou wert sounding the
signal for my retreat: I am not deserting Thee - far be that from me! I only
perceive that thou needest me no longer.
CXXXIII
If you are in Gyaros, do not let your mind dwell upon life at Rome, and
all the pleasures if offered to you when living there, and all that would
attend your return. Rather be intent on this - how he that lives in Gyaros may
live in Gyaros like a man of spirit. And if you are in Rome, do not let your
mind dwell upon the life at Athens, but study only how to live at Rome.
Finally, in the room of all other pleasures put this - the pleasure which
springs from conscious obedience to God.
CXXXIV
To a good man there is no evil, either in life or death. And if God
supply not food, has He not, as a wise Commander, sounded the signal for
retreat and nothing more? I obey, I follow - speaking good of my Commander,
and praising His acts. For at His good pleasure I came; and I depart when it
pleases Him; and while I was yet alive that was my work, to sing praises unto
God!
CXXXV
Reflect that the chief source of all evils to Man, and of baseness and
cowardice, is not death, but the fear of death.
Against this fear then, I pray you, harden yourself; to this let all your
reasonings, your exercises, your reading tend. Then shall you know that thus
alone are men set free.
CXXXVI
He is free who lives as he wishes to live; to whom none can do violence,
none hinder or compel; whose impulses are unimpeded, whose desires attain
their purpose, who falls not into what he would avoid. Who then would live in
error? - None. Who would live deceived and prone to fall, unjust, intemperate,
in abject whining at his lot? - None. Then doth no wicked man live as he
would, and therefore neither is he free.
CXXXVII
Thus do the more cautious of travellers act. The road is said to be beset
by robbers. The traveller will not venture alone, but awaits the companionship
on the road of an ambassador, a quaestor or a proconsul. To him he attaches
himself and thus passes by in safety. So doth the wise man in the world. Many
are the companies of robbers and tyrants, many the storms, the straits, the
losses of all a man holds dearest. Whither shall he fly for refuge - how shall
he pass by unassailed? What companion on the road shall he await for
protection? Such and such a wealthy man, of consular rank? And how shall I be
profited, if he is stripped and falls to lamentation and weeping? And how if
my fellow - traveller himself turns upon me and robs me? What am I to do? I
will become a friend of Caesar`s! in his train none will do me wrong! In the
first place - O the indignities I must endure to win distinction! O the
multitude of hands there will be to rob me! And if I succeed, Caesar too is
but a mortal. While should it come to pass that I offend him, whither shall I
flee from his presence? To the wilderness? And may not fever await me there?
What then is to be done? Cannot a fellow - traveller be found that is honest
and loyal, strong and secure against surprise? Thus doth the wise man reason,
considering that if he would pass through in safety, he must attach himself
unto God.
CXXXVIII
"How understandest thou attach himself to God?"
That what God wills, he should will also; that what God wills not,
neither should he will.
"How then may this come to pass?"
By considering the movements of God, and His administration.
CXXXIX
And dost thou that hast received all from another`s hands, repine and
blame the Giver, if He takes anything from thee? Why, who art thou, and to
what end comest thou here? was it not He that brought thee into the world; was
it not He that made the Light manifest unto thee, that gave thee fellow -
workers, and senses, and the power to reason? And how brought He thee into the
world? Was it not as one born to die; as one bound to live out his earthly
life in some small tabernacle of flesh; to behold His administration, and for
a little while to share with Him in the mighty march of this great Festival
Procession? Now therefore that thou hast beheld, while it was permitted thee,
the Solemn Feast and Assembly, wilt thou not cheerfully depart, when He
summons thee forth, with adoration and thanksgiving for what thou hast seen
and heard? - "Nay, but I would fain have stayed longer at the Festival." - Ah,
so would the mystics fain have the rites prolonged; so perchance would the
crowd at the Great Games fain behold more wrestlers still. But the Solemn
Assembly is over! Come forth, depart with thanksgiving and modesty - give
place to others that must come into being even as thyself.
CXL
Why art thou thus insatiable? why thus unreasonable? why encumber the
world? - "Aye, but I fain would have my wife and children with me too." -
What, are they then thine, and not His that gave them - His that made thee?
Give up then that then which is not thine own: yield it to One who is better
than thou. "Nay, but why did He bring one into the world on these conditions?"
- If it suits thee not, depart! He hath no need of a spectator who finds fault
with his lot! Them that will take part in the Feast he needeth - that will
lift their voices with the rest, that men may applaud the more, and exalt the
Great Assembly in hymns and songs of praise. But the wretched and the fearful
He will not be displeased to see absent from it: for when they were present,
they did not behave as at a Feast, nor fulfil their proper office; but moaned
as though in pain, and found fault with their fate, fortune and their
companions; insensible to what had fallen to their lot, insensible to the
powers they had received for a very different purpose - the powers of
Magnanimity, Nobility of Heart, of Fortitude, of Freedom!
CXLI
Art thou then free? a man may say. So help me heaven, I long and pray for
freedom! But I cannot look my masters boldly in the face; I still value the
poor body; I still set much store on its preservation whole and sound.
But I can point thee out of free man, that thou mayest be no more in
search of an example. Diogenes was free. How so? Not because he was of free
parentage (for that, indeed, was not the case), but because he was himself
free. He had cast away every handle whereby slavery might lay hold upon him,
nor was it possible for any to approach and take hold of him to enslave him.
All things sat loose upon him - all things were to him attached by but slender
ties. Hadst thou seized upon his possessions, he would rather have let them go
than have followed thee for them - aye, had it been even a limb, or mayhap his
whole body; and in like manner, relatives, friends, and country. For he knew
whence they came - from whose hands and on what terms he had received them.
His true forefathers, the Gods, his true Country, he never would have
abandoned; nor would he have yielded to any man in obedience and submission to
the one nor in cheerfully dying for the other. For he was ever mindful that
everything that comes to pass has its source and origin there; being indeed
brought about for the weal of that his true Country, and directed by Him in
whose governance it is.
CXLII
Ponder on this - on these convictions, on these words: fix thine eyes on
these examples, if thou wouldst be free, if thou hast thine heart set upon the
matter according to its worth. And what marvel if thou purchase so great a
thing at so great and high a price? For the sake of this that men deem
liberty, some hang themselves, others cast themselves down from the rock; aye,
time has been when whole cities came utterly to an end: while for the sake of
the Freedom that is true, and sure, and unassailable, dost thou grudge to God
what He gave, when He claims it? Wilt thou not study, as Plato saith, to
endure, not death alone, but torture, exile, stripes - in a word, to render up
all that is not thine own? Else thou wilt be a slave amid slaves, wert thou
ten thousand times a consul; aye, not a whit the less, though thou climb the
Palace steps. And thou shalt know how true is the saying of Cleanthes, that
though the words of philosophy may run counter to the opinions of the world,
yet have they reason on their side.
CXLIII
Asked how a man should grieve his enemy, Epictetus replied, "By setting
himself to live the noblest life himself."
CXLIV
I am free, I am a friend of God, ready to render Him willing obedience.
Of all else I may set store by nothing - neither by mine own body, nor
possessions, nor office, nor good report, nor, in a word, aught else beside.
For it is not His Will, that I should so set store by these things. Had it
been His pleasure, He would have placed my Good therein. But now He hath not
done so: therefore I cannot transgress one jot of His commands. In everything
hold fast to that which is thy Good - but to all else (as far is given thee)
within the measure of Reason only, contented with this alone. Else thou wilt
meet with failure, ill success, let and hindrance. These are the Laws ordained
of God - these are His Edicts; these a man should expound and interpret; to
these submit himself, not to the laws of Masurius and Cassius.^16
[Footnote 16: Famous Roman jurists.]
CXLV
Remember that not the love of power and wealth sets us under the heel of
others, but even the love of tranquillity, of leisure, of change of scene - of
learning in general, it matters not what the outward thing may be - to set
store by it is to place thyself in subjection to another. Where is the
difference then between desiring to be a Senator, and desiring not to be one:
between thirsting for office and thirsting to be quit of it? Where is the
difference between crying, Woe is me, I know not what to do, bound hand and
foot as I am to my books so that I cannot stir! and crying, Woe is me, I have
not time to read! As though a book were not as much an outward thing and
independent of the will, as office and power and the receptions of the great.
Or what reason hast thou (tell me) for desiring to read? For if thou aim
at nothing beyond the mere delight of it, or gaining some scrap of knowledge,
thou art but a poor, spiritless knave. But if thou desirest to study to its
proper end, what else is this than a life that flows on tranquil and serene?
And if thy reading secures thee not serenity, what profits it? - "Nay, but it
doth secure it," quoth he, "and that is why I repine at being deprived of it."
- And what serenity is this that lies at the mercy of every passer - by? I say
not at the mercy of the Emperor or Emperor`s favourite, but such as trembles
at a raven`s croak and piper`s din, a fever`s touch or a thousand things of
like sort! Whereas the life serene has no more certain mark than this, that it
ever moves with constant unimpeded flow.
CXLVI
If thou hast put malice and evil speaking from thee, altogether, or in
some degree: if thou hast put away from thee rashness, foulness of tongue,
intemperance, sluggishness: if thou art not moved by what once moved thee, or
in like manner as thou once wert moved - then thou mayst celebrate a daily
festival, to - day because thou hast done well in this matter, to - morrow in
that. How much greater cause is here for offering sacrifice, than if a man
should become Consul or Prefect?
CXLVII
These things hast thou from thyself and from the Gods: only remember who
it is that giveth them - to whom and for what purpose they were given. Feeding
thy soul on thoughts like these, dost thou debate in what place happiness
awaits thee? in what place thou shalt do God`s pleasure? Are not the Gods nigh
unto all places alike; see they not alike what everywhere comes to pass?
CXLVIII
To each man God hath granted this inward freedom. These are the
principles that in a house create love, in a city concord, among nations
peace, teaching a man gratitude towards God and cheerful confidence, wherever
he may be, in dealing with outward things that he knows are neither his nor
worth striving after.
CXLIX
If you seek Truth, you will not seek to gain a victory by every possible
means; and when you have found Truth, you need not fear being defeated.
CL
What foolish talk is this? how can I any longer lay claim to right
principles, if I am not content with being what I am, but am all aflutter
about what I am supposed to be?
CLI
God hath made all things in the world, nay, the world itself, free from
hindrance and perfect, and its parts for the use of the whole. No other
creature is capable of comprehending His administration thereof; but the
reasonable being Man possesses faculties for the consideration of all these
things - not only that he is himself a part, but what part he is, and how it
is meet that the parts should give place to the whole. Nor is this all. Being
naturally constituted noble, magnanimous, and free, he sees that the things
which surround him are of two kinds. Some are free from hindrance and in the
power of the will. Others are subject to hindrance, and depend on the will of
other men. If then he place his own good, his own best interest, only in that
which is free from hindrance and in his power, he will be free, tranquil,
happy, unharmed, noble - hearted, and pious; giving thanks for all things unto
God, finding fault with nothing that comes to pass, laying no charge against
anything. Whereas if he place his good in outward things, depending not on the
will, he must perforce be subject to hindrance and restraint, the slave of
those that have power over the things he desires and fears; he must perforce
be impious, as deeming himself injured at the hands of God; he must be unjust,
as ever prone to claim more than his due; he must perforce be of a mean and
abject spirit.
CLII
Whom then shall I yet fear? the lords of the Bedchamber, lest they should
shut me out? If they find me desirous of entering in, let them shut me out, if
they will.
"Then why comest thou to the door?"
Because I think it meet and right, so long as the Play lasts, to take
part therein.
"In what sense art thou then shut out?"
Because, unless I am admitted, it is not my will to enter: on the
contrary, my will is simply that which comes to pass. For I esteem what God
wills better than what I will. To Him will I cleave as His minister and
attendant; having the same movements, the same desires, in a word the same
Will as He. There is no such thing as being shut out for me, but only for them
that would force their way in.
CLIII
But what says Socrates? - "One man finds pleasure in improving his land,
another his horses. My pleasure lies in seeing that I myself grow better day
by day."
CLIV
The dress is suited to the craft; the craftsman takes his name from the
craft, not from the dress. For this reason Euphrates was right in saying, "I
long endeavoured to conceal my following the philosophic life; and this
profited me much. In the first place, I knew that what I did a right, I did
not for the sake of lookers - on, but for my own. I ate aright - unto myself;
I kept the even tenor of my walk, my glance composed and serene - all unto
myself and unto God. Then as I fought alone, I was alone in peril. If I did
anything amiss or shameful, the cause of Philosophy was not in me endangered;
nor did I wrong the multitude by transgressing as a professed philosopher.
Wherefore those that knew not my purpose marvelled how it came about, that
whilst all my life and conversation was passed with philosophers without
exception, I was yet none myself. And what harm that the philosopher should be
known by his acts, instead of by mere outward signs and symbols?"
CLV
First study to conceal what thou art; seek wisdom a little while unto
thyself. Thus grows the fruit; first, the seed must be buried in the earth for
a little space; there it must be hid and slowly grow, that it may reach
maturity. But if it produce the ear before the jointed stalk, it is imperfect
- a thing from the garden of Adonis.^17 Such a sorry growth art thou; thou
hast blossomed too soon: the winter cold will wither thee away!
[Footnote 17: Potted plants of forced growth carried in the processions in
honor of Adonis.]
CLVI
First of all, condemn the life thou art now leading: but when thou hast
condemned it, do not despair of thyself - be not like them of mean spirit, who
once they have yielded, abandon themselves entirely and as it were allow the
torrent to sweep them away. No; learn what the wrestling masters do. Has the
boy fallen? "Rise," they say, "wrestle again, till thy strength come to thee."
Even thus should it be with thee. For know that there is nothing more
tractable than the human soul. It needs but to will, and the thing is done;
the soul is set upon the right path: as on the contrary it needs but to nod
over the task, and all is lost. For ruin and recovery alike are from within.
CLVII
It is the critical moment that shows the man. So when the crisis is upon
you, remember that God, like a trainer of wrestlers, has matched you with a
rough and stalwart antagonist. - "To what end?" you ask. That you may prove
the victor at the Great Games. Yet without toil and sweat this may not be!
CLVIII
If thou wouldst make progress, be content to seem foolish and void of
understanding with respect to outward things. Care not to be thought to know
anything. If any should make account of thee, distrust thyself.
CLIX
Remember that in life thou shouldst order thy conduct as at a banquet.
Has any dish that is being served reached thee? Stretch forth thy hand and
help thyself modestly. Doth it pass thee by? Seek not to detain it. Has it not
yet come? Send not forth thy desire to meet it, but wait until it reaches
thee. Deal thus with children, thus with wife; thus with office, thus with
wealth - and one day thou wilt be meet to share the Banquets of the Gods. But
if thou dost not so much as touch that which is placed before thee, but
despisest it, then shalt thou not only share the Banquets of the Gods, but
their Empire also.
CLX
Remember that thou art an actor in a play, and of such sort as the Author
chooses, whether long or short. If it be his good pleasure to assign thee the
part of a beggar, a ruler, or a simple citizen, thine it is to play it fitly.
For thy business is to act the part assigned thee, well: to choose it, is
another`s.
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