Discourses quotes

Man, what are you talking about? Me in chains? You may fetter my leg, but my will not even Zeus himself can overpower. I will throw you into prison. My poor body, you mean. I will cut your head off.

When then have I told you that my head alone cannot be cut off?

These are the things which philosophers should meditate on, which they should write daily, in which they should exercise themselves.

“Well, go in then,” says the emperor, “but say nothing.” “Do not ask my opinion, and I will be silent.” “But I must ask your opinion.” “And I must say what I think right.” “But if you do, I shall put you to death.” “

When then did I tell you that I am immortal?

You will do your part, and I will do mine: it is your part to kill; it is mine to die, but not in fear: yours to banish me; mine to depart without sorrow.”

What kind of progress? But why do you mock the man? Why do you draw him away from the perception of his own misfortunes? Will you not show him the effect of virtue that he may learn where to look for improvement?

Seek it there, wretch, where your work lies.

And where is your work? In desire and in aversion, that you may not be disappointed in your desire, and that you may not fall into that which you would avoid; in your pursuit and avoiding, that you commit no error;

have I kept my grey hairs for this?” Who is it that speaks thus? Do you think that I shall name some man of no repute and of low condition? Does not Priam say this? Does not Oedipus say this?

Nay, all kings say it!

For what else is tragedy than the perturbations (πάθη) of men who value externals exhibited in this kind of poetry?

“Yes, but my nose runs.” For what purpose then, slave, have you hands? Is it not that you may wipe your nose? “Is it then consistent with reason that there should be running of noses in the world?”

Nay, how much better it is to wipe your nose than to find fault.

What do you think that Hercules would have been if there had not been such a lion, and hydra, and stag, and boar, and certain unjust and bestial men, whom Hercules used to drive away and clear out?

Why are we still indolent and negligent and sluggish, and why do we seek pretences for not laboring and not being watchful in cultivating our reason? If then I shall make a mistake in these matters may I not have killed my father?

Slave, where was there a father in this matter that you could kill him?

What then have you done? The only fault that was possible here is the fault which you have committed. This is the very remark which I made to Rufus when he blamed me for not having discovered the one thing omitted in a certain syllogism:

But now what happens? The teacher is a lifeless body, and you are lifeless bodies. When you have been well filled today, you sit down and lament about the morrow, how you shall get something to eat.

Wretch, if you have it, you will have it; if you have it not, you will depart from life.

The door is open. Why do you grieve? where does there remain any room for tears? and where is there occasion for flattery? why shall one man envy another?

I wrote on his behalf in a submissive manner; but when he had read the letter, he gave it back to me and said,

“I wished for your help, not your pity: no evil has happened to me.”

Thus also Musonius Rufus, in order to try me, used to say: This and this will befall you from your master; and when I replied that these were things which happen in the ordinary course of human affairs.

For what then have they made you responsible? For that which alone is in your power: the proper use of appearances. Why then do you draw on yourself the things for which you are not responsible?

It is, indeed, a giving of trouble to yourself.

When someone asked how may a man eat acceptably to the gods, he answered: If he can eat justly and contentedly, and with equanimity, and temperately and orderly, will it not be also acceptably to the gods?

When the man, who was consulting him, said, “I seek to know this: How, even if my brother is not reconciled to me, shall I maintain myself in a state conformable to nature?”

Nothing great, said Epictetus, is produced suddenly, since not even the grape or the fig is.

If you say to me now that you want a fig, I will answer to you that it requires time: let it flower first, then put forth fruit, and then ripen.

Well then, since most of you have become blind, ought there not to be some man to fill this office, and on behalf of all to sing the hymn to God?

For what else can I do, a lame old man, than sing hymns to God?

If then I was a nightingale, I would do the part of a nightingale; if I were a swan, I would do like a swan. But now I am a rational creature, and I ought to praise God: this is my work;

For what else can I do, a lame old man, than sing hymns to God?

If then I was a nightingale, I would do the part of a nightingale; if I were a swan, I would do like a swan.

But now I am a rational creature, and I ought to praise God: this is my work; I do it, nor will I desert this post so long as I am allowed to keep it; and I exhort you to join in this same song.

And what can overcome pursuit except another pursuit? And what can overcome desire and aversion (ἔκκλισιν) except another desire and aversion? But, you object: “If you place before me the fear of death, you do compel me.”

No; it is not what is placed before you that compels, but your opinion that it is better to do so-and-so than to die.

In this matter then it is your opinion that compelled you: that is, will compelled will.

“these accursed and odious fellows.” How have you been made so wise at once? and how are you so peevish? Why then are we angry? Is it because we value so much the things of which these men rob us?

Do not admire your clothes, and then you will not be angry with the thief.

Do not admire the beauty of your wife, and you will not be angry with the adulterer.

hearing a noise at the door, I ran down, and found that the lamp had been carried off. I reflected that he who had taken the lamp had done nothing strange. What then?

Tomorrow, I said, you will find an earthen lamp: for a man only loses that which he has.

I have lost my garment. The reason is that you had a garment. I have pain in my head. Have you any pain in your horns? Why then are you troubled?

Well then, are these things superior to me? No, but they supply some of my wants, and for this reason I take care of them. Well, do I not attend to my ass? Do I not wash his feet? Do I not clean him?

Do you not know that every man has regard to himself, and to you just the same as he has regard to his ass?

For who has regard to you as a man? Show me. Who wishes to become like you? Who imitates you, as he imitates Socrates? “But I can cut off your head.” You say right.

Man, what do you wish to happen to you? I am satisfied if I desire and avoid conformably to nature, if I employ movements towards and from an object as I am by nature formed to do, and purpose and design and assent.

Why then do you strut before us as if you had swallowed a spit?

“My wish has always been that those who meet me should admire me, and those who follow me should exclaim ‘O the great philosopher.’ ” Who are they by whom you wish to be admired?

” Who are they by whom you wish to be admired? Are they not those of whom you are used to say, that they are mad?

Well then do you wish to be admired by madmen?

Precognitions are common to all men, and precognition is not contradictory to precognition. For who of us does not assume that Good is useful and eligible, and in all circumstances that we ought to follow and pursue it?

For my part I think that even if your mother and your father had been told by an oracle that you would say what you have said, they would not have cast you away.

It is circumstances (difficulties) which show what men are.

Therefore when a difficulty falls upon you, remember that God, like a trainer of wrestlers, has matched you with a rough young man. “For what purpose?” you may say. Why, that you may become an Olympic conqueror; but it is not accomplished without sweat.

“But I should like to sit where the Senators sit.” Do you see that you are putting yourself in straits, you are squeezing yourself. “How then shall I see well in any other way in the amphitheatre?”

Man, do not be a spectator at all; and you will not be squeezed.

Why do you give yourself trouble? Or wait a little, and when the spectacle is over, seat yourself in the place reserved for the Senators and sun yourself. For remember this general truth, that it is we who squeeze ourselves, who put ourselves in straits;

For remember this general truth, that it is we who squeeze ourselves, who put ourselves in straits; that is, our opinions squeeze us and put us in straits. For what is it to be reviled?

Stand by a stone and revile it; and what will you gain?

If then a man listens like a stone, what profit is there to the reviler?

But if the reviler has as a stepping-stone (or ladder) the weakness of him who is reviled, then he accomplishes something.—Strip him.—What do you mean by him?—Lay hold of his garment, strip it off.

I have insulted you. Much good may it do you.

This was the practice of Socrates: this was the reason why he always had one face. But we choose to practice and study anything rather than the means by which we shall be unimpeded and free. You say, “Philosophers talk paradoxes.”

I hope that it may not be so. What is then the cause of my doing wrong? Ignorance. Do you not choose then that I should get rid of my ignorance? Who was ever taught by anger the art of a pilot or music?

Do you think then that by means of your anger I shall learn the art of life?

He only is allowed to speak in this way who has shown such an intention.

This then is the beginning of philosophy, a man’s perception of the state of his ruling faculty; for when a man knows that it is weak, then he will not employ it on things of the greatest difficulty.

But at present, if men cannot swallow even a morsel, they buy whole volumes and attempt to devour them; and this is the reason why they vomit them up or suffer indigestion

: and then come gripings, defluxes, and fevers. Such men ought to consider what their ability is. In theory it is easy to convince an ignorant person;

and this is the reason why they vomit them up or suffer indigestion: and then come gripings, defluxes, and fevers. Such men ought to consider what their ability is.

In theory it is easy to convince an ignorant person; but in the affairs of real life no one offers himself to be convinced, and we hate the man who has convinced us.

But Socrates advised us not to live a life which is not subjected to examination.

So then all these great and dreadful deeds have this origin, in the appearance (opinion)? Yes, this origin and no other.

The Iliad is nothing else than appearance and the use of appearances.

It appeared to Alexander to carry off the wife of Menelaus: it appeared to Helene to follow him. If then it had appeared to Menelaus to feel that it was a gain to be deprived of such a wife, what would have happened?

but if he transfer it to the things which are not in his power and will, and attempt to avoid the things which are in the power of others, he will of necessity fear, he will be unstable, he will be disturbed.

For death or pain is not formidable, but the fear of pain or death.

For this reason we commend the poet who said

For what is a child? Ignorance. What is a child? Want of knowledge. For when a child knows these things, he is in no way inferior to us.

What is death? A tragic mask. Turn it and examine it. See, it does not bite.

The poor body must be separated from the spirit either now or later as it was separated from it before. Why then are you troubled, if it be separated now? for if it is not separated now, it will be separated afterwards. Why?

Why do you care about the way of going down to Hades? All ways are equal. But if you will listen to the truth, the way which the tyrant sends you is shorter.

A tyrant never killed a man in six months: but a fever is often a year about it.

All these things are only sound and the noise of empty names.

When you are in social intercourse, when you are exercising yourself, when you are engaged in discussion, know you not that you are nourishing a god, that you are exercising a god?

Wretch, you are carrying about a god with you, and you know it not.

Do you think that I mean some God of silver or of gold, and external? You carry him within yourself, and you perceive not that you are polluting him by impure thoughts and dirty deeds.

Each man is improved and preserved by corresponding acts: the carpenter by acts of carpentry, the grammarian by acts of grammar. But if a man accustoms himself to write ungrammatically, of necessity his art will be corrupted and destroyed.

Thus modest actions preserve the modest man, and immodest actions destroy him;

and actions of fidelity preserve the faithful man, and the contrary actions destroy him. And on the other hand contrary actions strengthen contrary characters:

Whence did you produce and utter them. From the lips, and thence only. Why then do you corrupt the aids provided by others? Why do you treat the weightiest matters as if you were playing a game of dice?

For it is one thing to lay up bread and wine as in a storehouse, and another thing to eat.

That which has been eaten, is digested, distributed, and is become sinews, flesh, bones, blood, healthy color, healthy breath. Whatever is stored up, when you choose you can readily take and show it;

Is it day?—Yes.—Is it night?—No.—Well, is the number of stars even?—I cannot say.—When money is shown (offered) to you, have you studied to make the proper answer, that money is not a good thing? Have you practiced yourself in these answers, or only against sophisms?

Why do you wonder then if in the cases which you have studied, in those you have improved; but in those which you have not studied, in those you remain the same?

When the rhetorician knows that he has written well, that he has committed to memory what he has written, and brings an agreeable voice, why is he still anxious? Because he is not satisfied with having studied. What then does he want?

… on the deep sea, or look round on it and see no land, I am out of my mind and imagine that I must drink up all this water if I am wrecked, and it does not occur to me that three pints are enough.

What then disturbs me? The sea? No, but my opinion.

Again, when an earthquake shall happen, I imagine that the city is going to fall on me; but is not one little stone enough to knock my brains out?

The hot baths of Nero and the Marcian water.

See how tragedy is made when common things happen to silly men.

When then shall I see Athens again and the Acropolis? Wretch, are you not content with what you see daily? have you anything better or greater to see than the sun, the moon, the stars, the whole earth, the sea?

But nothing more dear to him than God. For this reason it was believed that he was the son of God, and he was. In obedience to God then he went about purging away injustice and lawlessness.

But you are not Hercules and you are not able to purge away the wickedness of others; nor yet are you Theseus, able to purge away the evil things of Attica. Clear away your own.

From yourself, from your thoughts cast away instead of Procrustes and Sciron, sadness, fear, desire, envy, malevolence, avarice, effeminacy, intemperance.

… is yours.”—“But I have now sufficiently studied the second part (τόπον) also, and I would gladly be secure and unshaken, and not only when I am awake, but also when I am asleep, and when I am filled with wine, and when I am melancholy.”

Man, you are a god, you have great designs.

No: “but I wish to understand what Chrysippus says in his treatise of the Pseudomenos (the Liar).” Will you not hang yourself, wretch, with such your intention? And what good will it do you?

when I was going away, he did not weep nor did he say, ‘Into what danger you are going: if you come off safe, my child, I will burn lights.’ This is what a good natured man would do.”

It will be a great thing for you if you do return safe, and it will be worthwhile to burn lights for such a person: for you ought to be immortal and exempt from disease.

Casting away then, as I say, this conceit of thinking that we know something useful, we must come to philosophy as we apply to geometry, and to music:

Every habit and faculty is maintained and increased by the corresponding actions: the habit of walking by walking, the habit of running by running.

If you would be a good reader, read; if a writer, write.

But when you shall not have read for thirty days in succession, but have done something else, you will know the consequence.

What else is there? Is there any vice or anything which partakes of vice? What then did you use to say of these things?” “What have you to do with me, man? my own evils are enough for me.” And you say right.

Your own evils are enough for you, your baseness, your cowardice, your boasting which you showed when you sat in the school.

Why did you decorate yourself with what belonged to others? Why did you call yourself a Stoic?

Who then is a Stoic? As we call a statue Phidiac, which is fashioned according to the art of Phidias; so show me a man who is fashioned according to the doctrines which he utters.

Show me a man who is sick and happy, in danger and happy, dying and happy, in exile and happy, in disgrace and happy.

Show him: I desire, by the gods, to see a Stoic. You cannot show me one fashioned so; but show me at least one who is forming, who has shown a tendency to be a Stoic. Do me this favor:

What then is usually done? Men generally act as a traveller would do on his way to his own country, when he enters a good inn, and being pleased with it should remain there.

Man, you have forgotten your purpose: you were not travelling to this inn, but you were passing through it.

“But this is a pleasant inn.” And how many other inns are pleasant? and how many meadows are pleasant? yet only for passing through.

When children are attractive and lively, whom do they not invite to play with them, and crawl with them, and lisp with them?

But who is eager to play with an ass or to bray with it? for though it is small, it is still a little ass.

Why then do you say nothing to me?

To them such things belong. To those who are happy it is appropriate to light a fire, to dine; if they choose, both to sing and to dance.

But when the vessel is sinking, you come to me and hoist the sails.

The material for the wise and good man is his own ruling faculty: and the body is the material for the physician and the aliptes (the man who oils persons); the land is the matter for the husbandman.

Let a man transfer these opinions to things dependent on the will, and I engage for him that he will be firm and constant, whatever may be the state of things around him.

Such as is a dish of water, such is the soul.

Such as is the ray of light which falls on the water, such are the appearances. When the water is moved, the ray also seems to be moved, yet it is not moved.

But see if any man among us when he is intent upon this, the keeping himself in a state conformable to nature and living so always, does not make progress. For you will not find such a man.

The good man is invincible, for he does not enter the contest where he is not stronger.

If you (his adversary) want to have his land and all that is on it, take the land; take his slaves, take his magisterial office, take his poor body.

Your son is dead. What has happened? Your son is dead. Nothing more? Nothing. Your ship is lost. What has happened? Your ship is lost. A man has been led to prison. What has happened? He has been led to prison.

But that herein he has fared badly, every man adds from his own opinion.

But Zeus, you say, does not do right in these matters. Why? because he has made you capable of endurance? because he has made you magnanimous? because he has taken, from that which befalls you, the power of being evils?

Why should not the philosopher labor to improve his reason? You employ yourself about crystal vessels; I employ myself about the syllogism named the lying; you about myrrhine vessels; I employ myself about the syllogism named the denying (τοῦ ἀποφάσκοντος).

To you everything appears small that you possess; to me all that I have appears great.

Your desire is insatiable; mine is satisfied. To (children) who put their hand into a narrow-necked earthen vessel and bring out figs and nuts, this happens: if they fill the hand, they cannot take it out, and then they cry.

Your desire is insatiable; mine is satisfied. To (children) who put their hand into a narrow-necked earthen vessel and bring out figs and nuts, this happens: if they fill the hand, they cannot take it out, and then they cry.

Drop a few of them and you will draw things out. And do you part with your desires: do not desire many things and you will have what you want.

When the need of each opinion comes, we ought to have it in readiness: on the occasion of breakfast, such opinions as relate to breakfast; in the bath, those that concern the bath; in bed, those that concern bed.

For what is it to be ill? is it that you are near the severance of the soul and the body? what harm is there in this? If you are not near now, will you not afterwards be near?

Is the world going to be turned upside down when you are dead?

Why then do you flatter the physician? Why do you say “if you please, master, I shall be well?” Why do you give him an opportunity of raising his eyebrows (being proud; or showing his importance)?

For this reason one man must practice himself more against one thing and another against another thing. What then is it to the purpose to set up a palm tree, or to carry about a tent of skins, or a mortar and pestle?

Practice, man, if you are irritable, to endure if you are abused, not to be vexed if you are treated with dishonor.

Then you will make so much progress that, even if a man strikes you you will say to yourself, “Imagine that you have embraced a statue”:

When a man has such things to think on, and sees the sun, the moon, and stars, and enjoys earth and sea, he is not solitary nor even helpless. “Well then, if some man should come upon me when I am alone and murder me?”

Fool, not murder you, but your poor body.

What kind of solitude then remains? what want? why do we make ourselves worse than children? and what do children do when they are left alone?

Every great power (faculty) is dangerous to beginners. You must then bear such things as you are able, but conformably to nature: but not …

Practice sometimes a way of living like a person out of health that you may at some time live like a man in health.

Abstain from food, drink water, abstain sometimes altogether from desire, in order that you may some time desire consistently with reason; and if consistently with reason, when you have anything good in you, you will desire well.—Not so;

As bad tragic actors cannot sing alone, but in company with many: so some persons cannot walk about alone.

Man, if you are anything, both walk alone and talk to yourself, and do not hide yourself in the chorus.

Examine a little at last, look around, stir yourself up, that you may know who you are.

When a man drinks water, or does anything for the sake of practice (discipline), whenever there is an opportunity he tells it to all: “I drink water.”

Is it for this that you drink water, for the purpose of drinking water?

Man, if it is good for you to drink, drink; but if not, you are acting ridiculously. But if it is good for you and you do drink, say nothing about it to those who are displeased with water-drinkers.

You must root out of men these two things: arrogance (pride) and distrust.

Arrogance then is the opinion that you want nothing (are deficient in nothing): but distrust is the opinion that you cannot be happy when so many circumstances surround you.

Arrogance is removed by confutation; and Socrates was the first who practiced this. And (to know) that the thing is not impossible, inquire and seek. This search will do you no harm; and in a manner this is philosophizing:

Show yourself superior in these, that you may be superior as a man. If you tell me that you can kick violently, I also will say to you that you are proud of that which is the act of an ass.

In every act consider what precedes and what follows, and then proceed to the act.

If you do not consider, you will at first begin with spirit, since you have not thought at all of the things which follow; but afterwards when some consequences have shown themselves, you will basely desist (from that which you have begun).

Is there then nothing more? Nothing.—“My father gives me nothing.”—[What is this? my father gives me nothing—Is there nothing else then?—Nothing]: but to say that this is an evil is something which must be added to it externally, and falsely added.

For this reason we must not get rid of poverty, but of the opinion about poverty, and then we shall be happy.

When anything shall be reported to you which is of a nature to disturb, have this principle in readiness: that the news is about nothing which is within the power of your will.

But what did the stone do? Ought the stone to have moved on account of your child’s folly? Again, if we find nothing to eat on coming out of the bath, the pedagogue never checks our appetite, but he flogs the cook.

Man, did we make you the pedagogue of the cook and not of the child?

Correct the child; improve him. In this way even when we are grown up we are like children. For he who is unmusical is a child in music; he who is without letters is a child in learning:

Man, did we make you the pedagogue of the cook and not of the child? Correct the child; improve him. In this way even when we are grown up we are like children.

For he who is unmusical is a child in music; he who is without letters is a child in learning: he who is untaught, is a child in life.

In the case of appearances which are objects of the vision, nearly all have allowed the good and the evil to be in ourselves, and not in externals.

Well, do you think that he gained little by dying? I suppose not. But did the father of Admetus gain much by prolonging his life so ignobly and miserably? Did he not die afterwards? Cease, I adjure you by the gods, to admire material things.

Cease to make yourselves slaves, first of things, then, on account of things, slaves of those who are able to give them or take them away.

Can advantage then be derived from these things? From all; and from him who abuses you. Wherein does the man who exercises before the combat profit the athlete? Very greatly. This man becomes my exerciser before the combat:

Bad to himself, but to me good. This is the rod of Hermes: touch with it what you please, as the saying is, and it will be of gold. I say not so: but bring what you please, and I will make it good.

Bring disease, bring death, bring poverty, bring abuse, bring trial on capital charges: all these things through the rod of Hermes shall be made profitable.

“What will you do with death?” Why, what else than that it shall do you honor, or that it shall show you by act through it, what a man is who follows the will of nature? “What will you do with disease?”

Nothing. And if the Hellenes perish, is the door closed, and is it not in your power to die? It is. Why then do you lament (and say) “Oh, you who are a king and have the sceptre of Zeus?”

An unhappy king does not exist more than an unhappy god.

What then art thou? In truth a shepherd: for you weep as shepherds do, when a wolf has carried off one of their sheep: and these who are governed by you are sheep. And why did you come hither? Was your desire in any danger?

Accordingly he used to speak in such a way that every one of us who were sitting there supposed that someone had accused him before Rufus: he so touched on what was doing, he so placed before the eyes every man’s faults.

The philosopher’s school, ye men, is a surgery: you ought not to go out of it with pleasure, but with pain.

For you are not in sound health when you enter: one has dislocated his shoulder, another has an abscess, a third a fistula, and a fourth a headache.

and I do not say this, that we should not take care that she may not lament, but I say that we ought not to desire in every way what is not our own.

And the sorrow of another is another’s sorrow: but my sorrow is my own.

I then will stop my own sorrow by every means, for it is in my power: and the sorrow of another I will endeavor to stop as far as I can; but I will not attempt to do it by every means;

Then do you tell me that you wish, as a plant, to be fixed to the same places and to be rooted?—“Yes, for it is pleasant.”—

Who says that it is not? but a soup is pleasant, and a handsome woman is pleasant.

What else do those say who make pleasure their end? Do you not see of what men you have uttered the language? that it is the language of Epicureans and catamites?

and the same also if you take an affection for another country. Why then do you live to surround yourself with other sorrows upon sorrows through which you are unhappy? Then, I ask you, do you call this affection? What affection, man!

If it is a good thing, it is the cause of no evil: if it is bad, I have nothing to do with it.

I am formed by nature for my own good: I am not formed for my own evil.

Having these things (or thoughts) always in hand, and exercising them by yourself, and keeping them in readiness, you will never be in want of one to comfort you and strengthen you.

For it is not shameful to be without something to eat, but not to have reason sufficient for keeping away fear and sorrow.

But if once you have gained exemption from sorrow and fear, will there any longer be a tyrant for you, or a tyrant’s guard, or attendants on Caesar?

“Thus then have we many masters?” We have: for we have circumstances as masters prior to our present masters; and these circumstances are many. Therefore it must of necessity be that those who have the power over any of these circumstances must be our masters.

For no man fears Caesar himself, but he fears death, banishment, deprivation of his property, prison, and disgrace.

Nor does any man love Caesar, unless Caesar is a person of great merit, but he loves wealth, the office of tribune, praetor, or consul.

Things indeed are formidable to every man; and when any man is able to confer these things on another or to take them away, then he too becomes formidable.

How then is an acropolis (a stronghold or fortress, the seat of tyranny) demolished? Not by the sword, not by fire, but by opinion.

For if we abolish the acropolis which is in the city, can we abolish also that of fever, and that of beautiful women?

then will you not give up what belongs to others? will you not give way to him who is superior?—“Why then did he introduce me into the world on these conditions?”—And if the conditions do not suit you, depart.

He has no need of a spectator who is not satisfied.

He wants those who join in the festival, those who take part in the chorus, that they may rather applaud, admire, and celebrate with hymns the solemnity.

thus a philosopher becomes a parasite; thus he lets himself for hire for money: thus in the senate a man does not say what he thinks; in private (in the school) he proclaims his opinions.

You are a cold and miserable little opinion, suspended from idle words as from a hair.

But keep yourself strong and fit for the uses of life and initiated by being exercised in action.

You cannot, when you do not drink with those with whom you used to drink, be agreeable to them as you were before.

Choose then whether you will be a hard drinker and pleasant to your former associates or a sober man and disagreeable to them.

You cannot, when you do not sing with those with whom you used to sing, be equally loved by them. Choose then in this matter also which of the two you will have.

But if this behavior shall not please you, turn altogether to the opposite: become a catamite, an adulterer, and act accordingly, and you will get what you wish. And jump up in the theatre and bawl out in praise of the dancer.

But characters so different cannot be mingled: you cannot act both Thersites and Agamemnon.

If you intend to be Thersites, you must be humpbacked and bald: if Agamemnon, you must be tall and handsome, and love those who are placed in obedience to you.

Does he not expect that which comes from the bad to be worse and more grievous than what actually befalls him? And does he not reckon as pure gain whatever they (the bad) may do which falls short of extreme wickedness?

Such a person has reviled you. Great thanks to him for not having struck you.

“But he has struck me also.” Great thanks that he did not wound you. “But he wounded me also.” Great thanks that he did not kill you.

(If so), why then did you say that he is a man? Is everything judged (determined) by the bare form? If that is so, say that the form in wax is an apple and has the smell and the taste of an apple.

But the external figure is not enough: neither then is the nose enough and the eyes to make the man, but he must have the opinions of a man.

Here is a man who does not listen to reason, who does not know when he is refuted: he is an ass; in another man the sense of shame is become dead: he is good for nothing, he is anything rather than a man.

“What then? would you have me to be despised?”—By whom? by those who know you? and how shall those who know you despise a man who is gentle and modest? Perhaps you mean by those who do not know you? What is that to you?

For no other artisan cares for the opinion of those who know not his art.

—“But they will be more hostile to me for this reason.”—Why do you say “me”? Can any man injure your will, or prevent you from using in a natural way the appearances which are presented to you? In no way can he.

Therefore what is said of the Lacedaemonians, “Lions at home, but in Ephesus foxes,” will fit in our case also, “

Lions in the school, but out of it foxes.

”

For by the very act that you feel (suffer) about being pitied, you make yourself deserving of pity. What then says Antisthenes? Have you not heard? “

It is a royal thing, O Cyrus, to do right (well) and to be ill spoken of.

” My head is sound, and all think that I have the headache. What do I care for that?

But now it is time to die. Why do you say to die?

Make no tragedy show of the thing, but speak of it as it is: it is now time for the matter (of the body) to be resolved into the things out of which it was composed.

And what is the formidable thing here? what is going to perish of the things which are in the universe? what new thing or wondrous is going to happen? Is it for this reason that a tyrant is formidable?

A province (the government of a province). Does he also obtain an opinion such as he ought? The office of a Prefect. Does he also obtain the power of using his office well? Why do I still strive to enter (Caesar’s chamber)?

A man scatters dried figs and nuts: the children seize them, and fight with one another; men do not, for they think them to be a small matter.

But if a man should throw about shells, even the children do not seize them. Provinces are distributed: let children look to that. Money is distributed: let children look to that. Praetorships, consulships are distributed:

(The tyrant says): “Lead him away (to prison).” I follow; that is part of the play. “But your head will be taken off!”—

Does the tyrant’s head always remain where it is, and the heads of you who obey him?

—“But you will be cast out unburied.”—If the corpse is I, I shall be cast out; but if I am different from the corpse, speak more properly according as the fact is, and do not think of frightening me.

(The tyrant says): “Lead him away (to prison).” I follow; that is part of the play. “But your head will be taken off!”—Does the tyrant’s head always remain where it is, and the heads of you who obey him?—“But you will be cast out unburied.”—

If the corpse is I, I shall be cast out; but if I am different from the corpse, speak more properly according as the fact is, and do not think of frightening me.

These things are formidable to children and fools. But if any man has once entered a philosopher’s school and knows not what he is, he deserves to be full of fear and to flatter those whom afterwards he used to flatter;

Show me the swords of the guards. See how big they are, and how sharp.

What then do these big and sharp swords do? They kill. And what does a fever do? Nothing else.

And what else a (falling) tile? Nothing else. Would you then have me to wonder at these things and worship them, and go about as the slave of all of them? I hope that this will not happen:

Fruit grows thus: the seed must be buried for some time, hid, grow slowly in order that it may come to perfection. But if it produces the ear before the jointed stem, it is imperfect, a produce of the garden of Adonis.

Such a poor plant are you also: you have blossomed too soon; the cold weather will scorch you up.

See what the husbandmen say about seeds when there is warm weather too early. They are afraid lest the seeds should be too luxuriant, and then a single frost should lay hold of them and show that they are too forward.

(that may be), but I shall be free from passions (tranquil).—There will be a fire when I am not present, and the books will be destroyed: but I shall treat appearances according to nature.—“Well; but I shall have nothing to eat.”

If I am so unlucky, death is a harbour; and death is the harbour for all; this is the place of refuge

; and for this reason not one of the things in life is difficult: as soon as you choose, you are out of the house, and are smoked no more.

Would you have me to tell him, that beauty consists not in being daubed with muck, but that it lies in the rational part? Has he any desire of beauty? has he any form of it in his mind?

Go and talk to a hog, and tell him not to roll in the mud.

For this reason the words of Xenocrates touched Polemon also, since he was a lover of beauty, for he entered (the room) having in him certain incitements (ἐναύσματα) to love of beauty, but he looked for it in the wrong place.

But if you are told that you ought not to wear garments dyed with purple, go and daub your cloak with muck or tear it. “But how shall I have a neat cloak?”

Man, you have water; wash it.

Here is a youth worthy of being loved, here is an old man worthy of loving and being loved in return, a fit person for a man to entrust to him a son’s instruction, to whom daughters and young men shall come, if opportunity shall …

did you communicate your affairs on certain terms, that you should in return hear mine also?

If you are a babbler and think that all who meet you are friends, do you wish me also to be like you?

But why, if you did well in entrusting your affairs to me, and it is not well for me to entrust mine to you, do you wish me to be so rash?