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the golden sayings-第12章

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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 themHis that made thee? Give up then that 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

needeththat will lift their voices with the restm 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; their fortune and their companions; insensible to what had

fallen to their lot; insensible to the powers they had received

for a very different purposethe powers of Magnanimity; Nobility

of Heart; of Fortitude; or 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 a 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 of him to enslave him; nor

was it possible for any to approach and take hold of him to

enslave him。 All things sat loose upon himall things were to

him attached by but slender ties。 Hadst thou siezed upon his

possessions; he would rather have let them go than have followed

thee for themaye; had it been even a limb; or mayhap his whole

body; and in like manner; relatives; friends; and country。 For he

knew whence they camefrom 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 thison 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 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; stripesin 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 the saying

of Cleanthes; that though the words of philosophers may run

counter to the opinions of the world; yet have they reason on

their side。





CXLII





Asked how a man should best 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 nothingneither 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 Goodbut 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 God

these are His Edicts; these a man should expound and interpret;

to these submit himself; not to the laws of Masurius and

Cassius。





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 sceneof learning in general; it matters

not what the outward thing may beto 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 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 movedthen 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 Gods: only

remember who it is that giveth themto 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。 Not 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。

Other 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 to 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 hindran
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