Part 14 (1/2)

Asked how a man should best grieve his enemy, Epictetus replied, ”By setting himself to live the n.o.blest life himself.”

CXLIV

I am free, I am a friend of G.o.d, 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 as 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 G.o.d--these are His Edicts; these a man should expound and interpret; to these submit himself, not to the laws of Masurius and Ca.s.sius.

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 sc.r.a.p 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 pa.s.ser-by? I say not at the mercy of the Emperor or Emperor's favorite, 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 mayest celebrate a daily festival, to-day because thou hast done well in this manner, 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 G.o.ds: 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 G.o.d's pleasure?

Are not the G.o.ds nigh unto all places alike; see they not alike what everywhere comes to pa.s.s?

CXLVIII

To each man G.o.d 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 grat.i.tude towards G.o.d and cheerful confidence, wherever he may be, in dealing with outward things that he knows are neither his nor worth striving after.

CXLIX