Book Eleven

BookEleven

Thesearethepropertiesoftherationalsoul:itseesitself,analysesitself,andmakesitselfsuchasitchooses;thefruitwhichitbearsitselfenjoys-forthefruitsofplantsandthatinanimalswhichcorrespondstofruitsothersenjoy-itobtainsitsownend,whereverthelimitoflifemaybefixed.Notasinadanceandinaplayandinsuchlikethings,wherethewholeactionisincomplete,ifanythingcutsitshort;butineverypartandwhereveritmaybestopped,itmakeswhathasbeensetbeforeitfullandcomplete,sothatitcansay,Ihavewhatismyown.Andfurtherittraversesthewholeuniverse,andthesurroundingvacuum,andsurveysitsform,anditextendsitselfintotheinfinityoftime,andembracesandcomprehendstheperiodicalrenovationofallthings,anditcomprehendsthatthosewhocomeafteruswillseenothingnew,norhavethosebeforeusseenanythingmore,butinamannerhewhoisfortyyearsold,ifhehasanyunderstandingatall,hasseenbyvirtueoftheuniformitythatprevailsallthingswhichhavebeenandallthatwillbe.Thistooisapropertyoftherationalsoul,loveofone-sneighbour,andtruthandmodesty,andtovaluenothingmoremorethanitself,whichisalsothepropertyofLaw.Thusthenrightreasondiffersnotatallfromthereasonofjustice.

Thouwiltsetlittlevalueonpleasingsonganddancingandthepancratium,ifthouwiltdistributethemelodyofthevoiceintoitsseveralsounds,andaskthyselfastoeach,ifthouartmasteredbythis;forthouwiltbepreventedbyshamefromconfessingit:andinthematterofdancing,ifateachmovementandattitudethouwiltdothesame;andthelikealsointhematterofthepancratium.Inallthings,then,exceptvirtueandtheactsofvirtue,remembertoapplythyselftotheirseveralparts,andbythisdivisiontocometovaluethemlittle:andapplythisrulealsotothywholelife.

Whatasoulthatiswhichisready,ifatanymomentitmustbeseparatedfromthebody,andreadyeithertobeextinguishedordispersedorcontinuetoexist;butsothatthisreadinesscomesfromaman-sownjudgement,notfrommereobstinacy,aswiththeChristians,butconsideratelyandwithdignityandinawaytopersuadeanother,withouttragicshow.

HaveIdonesomethingforthegeneralinterest?WellthenIhavehadmyreward.Letthisalwaysbepresenttothymind,andneverstopdoingsuchgood.

Whatisthyart?Tobegood.Andhowisthisaccomplishedwellexceptbygeneralprinciples,someaboutthenatureoftheuniverse,andothersabouttheproperconstitutionofman?

Atfirsttragedieswerebroughtonthestageasmeansofremindingmenofthethingswhichhappentothem,andthatitisaccordingtonatureforthingstohappenso,andthat,ifyouaredelightedwithwhatisshownonthestage,youshouldnotbetroubledwiththatwhichtakesplaceonthelargerstage.Foryouseethatthesethingsmustbeaccomplishedthus,andthateventheybearthemwhocryout"OCithaeron."And,indeed,somethingsaresaidwellbythedramaticwriters,ofwhichkindisthefollowingespecially:-

Meandmychildrenifthegodsneglect,

Thishasitsreasontoo.Andagain-

Wemustnotchaleandfretatthatwhichhappens.And

Life-sharvestreaplikethewheat-sfruitfulear.Andotherthingsofthesamekind.

Aftertragedytheoldcomedywasintroduced,whichhadamagisterialfreedomofspeech,andbyitsveryplainnessofspeakingwasusefulinremindingmentobewareofinsolence;andforthispurposetooDiogenesusedtotakefromthesewriters.

Butastothemiddlecomedywhichcamenext,observewhatitwas,andagain,forwhatobjectthenewcomedywasintroduced,whichgraduallysunkdownintoameremimicartifice.Thatsomegoodthingsaresaidevenbythesewriters,everybodyknows:butthewholeplanofsuchpoetryanddramaturgy,towhatenddoesitlook!

Howplaindoesitappearthatthereisnotanotherconditionoflifesowellsuitedforphilosophisingasthisinwhichthounowhappenesttobe.

Abranchcutofffromtheadjacentbranchmustofnecessitybecutofffromthewholetreealso.Sotooamanwhenheisseparatedfromanothermanhasfallenofffromthewholesocialcommunity.Nowastoabranch,anothercutsitoff,butamanbyhisownactseparateshimselffromhisneighbourwhenhehateshimandturnsawayfromhim,andhedoesnotknowthathehasatthesametimecuthimselfofffromthewholesocialsystem.YethehasthisprivilegecertainlyfromZeuswhoframedsociety,foritisinourpowertogrowagaintothatwhichisneartous,andbetocomeapartwhichhelpstomakeupthewhole.However,ifitoftenhappens,thiskindofseparation,itmakesitdifficultforthatwhichdetachesitselftobebroughttounityandtoberestoredtoitsformercondition.Finally,thebranch,whichfromthefirstgrewtogetherwiththetree,andhascontinuedtohaveonelifewithit,isnotlikethatwhichafterbeingcutoffistheningrafted,forthisissomethinglikewhatthegardenersmeanwhentheysaythatitgrowswiththerestofthetree,butthatithasnotthesamemindwithit.

Asthosewhotrytostandinthywaywhenthouartproceedingaccordingtorightreason,willnotbeabletoturntheeasidefromthyproperaction,soneitherletthemdrivetheefromthybenevolentfeelingstowardsthem,butbeonthyguardequallyinbothmatters,notonlyinthematterofsteadyjudgementandaction,butalsointhematterofgentlenesstowardsthosewhotrytohinderorotherwisetroublethee.Forthisalsoisaweakness,tobevexedatthem,aswellastobedivertedfromthycourseofactionandtogivewaythroughfear;forbothareequallydesertersfromtheirpost,themanwhodoesitthroughfear,andthemanwhoisalienatedfromhimwhoisbynatureakinsmanandafriend.

Thereisnonaturewhichisinferiortoart,fortheartsimitatethenatureofthings.Butifthisisso,thatnaturewhichisthemostperfectandthemostcomprehensiveofallnatures,cannotfallshortoftheskillofart.Nowallartsdotheinferiorthingsforthesakeofthesuperior;thereforetheuniversalnaturedoessotoo.And,indeed,henceistheoriginofjustice,andinjusticetheothervirtueshavetheirfoundation:forjusticewillnotbeobserved,ifweeithercareformiddlethings(thingsindifferent),orareeasilydeceivedandcarelessandchangeable.

Ifthethingsdonotcometothee,thepursuitsandavoidancesofwhichdisturbthee,stillinamannerthougoesttothem.Letthenthyjudgementaboutthembeatrest,andtheywillremainquiet,andthouwiltnotbeseeneitherpursuingoravoiding.

Thesphericalformofthesoulmaintainsitsfigure,whenitisneitherextendedtowardsanyobject,norcontractedinwards,nordispersednorsinksdown,butisilluminatedbylight,bywhichitseesthetruth,thetruthofallthingsandthetruththatisinitself.

Supposeanymanshalldespiseme.Lethimlooktothathimself.ButIwilllooktothis,thatIbenotdiscovereddoingorsayinganythingdeservingofcontempt.Shallanymanhateme?Lethimlooktoit.ButIwillbemildandbenevolenttowardseveryman,andreadytoshowevenhimhismistake,notreproachfully,noryetasmakingadisplayofmyendurance,butnoblyandhonestly,likethegreatPhocion,unlessindeedheonlyassumedit.Fortheinteriorpartsoughttobesuch,andamanoughttobeseenbythegodsneitherdissatisfiedwithanythingnorcomplaining.Forwhatevilisittothee,ifthouartnowdoingwhatisagreeabletothyownnature,andartsatisfiedwiththatwhichatthismomentissuitabletothenatureoftheuniverse,sincethouartahumanbeingplacedatthypostinorderthatwhatisforthecommonadvantagemaybedoneinsomeway?

Mendespiseoneanotherandflatteroneanother;andmenwishtoraisethemselvesaboveoneanother,andcrouchbeforeoneanother.

Howunsoundandinsincereishewhosays,Ihavedeterminedtodealwiththeeinafairway-Whatartthoudoing,man?Thereisnooccasiontogivethisnotice.Itwillsoonshowitselfbyacts.Thevoiceoughttobeplainlywrittenontheforehead.Suchasaman-scharacteris,heimmediatelyshowsitinhiseyes,justashewhoisbelovedforthwithreadseverythingintheeyesoflovers.Themanwhoishonestandgoodoughttobeexactlylikeamanwhosmellsstrong,sothatthebystanderassoonashecomesnearhimmustsmellwhetherhechooseornot.Buttheaffectationofsimplicityislikeacrookedstick.Nothingismoredisgracefulthanawolfishfriendship(falsefriendship).Avoidthismostofall.Thegoodandsimpleandbenevolentshowallthesethingsintheeyes,andthereisnomistaking.

Astolivinginthebestway,thispowerisinthesoul,ifitbeindifferenttothingswhichareindifferent.Anditwillbeindifferent,ifitlooksoneachofthesethingsseparatelyandalltogether,andifitremembersthatnotoneofthemproducesinusanopinionaboutitself,norcomestous;butthesethingsremainimmovable,anditisweourselveswhoproducethejudgementsaboutthem,and,aswemaysay,writetheminourselves,itbeinginourpowernottowritethem,anditbeinginourpower,ifperchancethesejudgementshaveimperceptiblygotadmissiontoourminds,towipethemout;andifwerememberalsothatsuchattentionwillonlybeforashorttime,andthenlifewillbeatanend.Besides,whattroubleisthereatallindoingthis?Forifthesethingsareaccordingtonature,rejoiceinthem,andtheywillbeeasytothee:butifcontrarytonature,seekwhatisconformabletothyownnature,andstrivetowardsthis,evenifitbringnoreputation;foreverymanisallowedtoseekhisowngood.

Considerwhenceeachthingiscome,andofwhatitconsists,andintowhatitchanges,andwhatkindofathingitwillbewhenithaschanged,andthatitwillsustainnoharm.

Ifanyhaveoffendedagainstthee,considerfirst:Whatismyrelationtomen,andthatwearemadeforoneanother;andinanotherrespect,Iwasmadetobesetoverthem,asaramovertheflockorabullovertheherd.Butexaminethematterfromfirstprinciples,fromthis:Ifallthingsarenotmereatoms,itisnaturewhichordersallthings:ifthisisso,theinferiorthingsexistforthesakeofthesuperior,andtheseforthesakeofoneanother.

Second,considerwhatkindofmentheyareattable,inbed,andsoforth:andparticularly,underwhatcompulsionsinrespectofopinionstheyare;andastotheiracts,considerwithwhatpridetheydowhattheydo.

Third,thatifmendorightlywhattheydo,weoughtnottobedispleased;butiftheydonotright,itisplainthattheydosoinvoluntarilyandinignorance.Foraseverysoulisunwillinglydeprivedofthetruth,soalsoisitunwillinglydeprivedofthepowerofbehavingtoeachmanaccordingtohisdeserts.Accordinglymenarepainedwhentheyarecalledunjust,ungrateful,andgreedy,andinawordwrong-doerstotheirneighbours.

Fourth,considerthatthoualsodoestmanythingswrong,andthatthouartamanlikeothers;andevenifthoudostabstainfromcertainfaults,stillthouhastthedispositiontocommitthem,thougheitherthroughcowardice,orconcernaboutreputation,orsomesuchmeanmotive,thoudostabstainfromsuchfaults.

Fifth,considerthatthoudostnotevenunderstandwhethermenaredoingwrongornot,formanythingsaredonewithacertainreferencetocircumstances.Andinshort,amanmustlearnagreatdealtoenablehimtopassacorrectjudgementonanotherman-sacts.

Sixth,considerwhenthouartmuchvexedorgrieved,thatman-slifeisonlyamoment,andafterashorttimewearealllaidoutdead.

Seventh,thatitisnotmen-sactswhichdisturbus,forthoseactshavetheirfoundationinmen-srulingprinciples,butitisourownopinionswhichdisturbus.Takeawaytheseopinionsthen,andresolvetodismissthyjudgementaboutanactasifitweresomethinggrievous,andthyangerisgone.HowthenshallItakeawaytheseopinions?Byreflectingthatnowrongfulactofanotherbringsshameonthee:forunlessthatwhichisshamefulisalonebad,thoualsomustofnecessitydomanythingswrong,andbecomearobberandeverythingelse.

Eighth,considerhowmuchmorepainisbroughtonusbytheangerandvexationcausedbysuchactsthanbytheactsthemselves,atwhichweareangryandvexed.

Ninth,considerthatagooddispositionisinvincible,ifitbegenuine,andnotanaffectedsmileandactingapart.Forwhatwillthemostviolentmandotothee,ifthoucontinuesttobeofakinddispositiontowardshim,andif,asopportunityoffers,thougentlyadmonishesthimandcalmlycorrectesthiserrorsattheverytimewhenheistryingtodotheeharm,saying,Notso,mychild:weareconstitutedbynatureforsomethingelse:Ishallcertainlynotbeinjured,butthouartinjuringthyself,mychild-Andshowhimwithgentletactandbygeneralprinciplesthatthisisso,andthatevenbeesdonotdoashedoes,noranyanimalswhichareformedbynaturetobegregarious.Andthoumustdothisneitherwithanydoublemeaningnorinthewayofreproach,butaffectionatelyandwithoutanyrancourinthysoul;andnotasifthouwertlecturinghim,noryetthatanybystandermayadmire,buteitherwhenheisalone,andifothersarepresent

Remembertheseninerules,asifthouhadstreceivedthemasagiftfromtheMuses,andbeginatlasttobeamanwhilethoulivest.Butthoumustequallyavoidflatteringmenandbeingveiedatthem,forbothareunsocialandleadtoharm.Andletthistruthbepresenttotheeintheexcitementofanger,thattobemovedbypassionisnotmanly,butthatmildnessandgentleness,astheyaremoreagreeabletohumannature,soalsoaretheymoremanly;andhewhopossessesthesequalitiespossessesstrength,nervesandcourage,andnotthemanwhoissubjecttofitsofpassionanddiscontent.Forinthesamedegreeinwhichaman-smindisnearertofreedomfromallpassion,inthesamedegreealsoisitnearertostrength:andasthesenseofpainisacharacteristicofweakness,soalsoisanger.Forhewhoyieldstopainandhewhoyieldstoanger,botharewoundedandbothsubmit.

Butifthouwilt,receivealsoatenthpresentfromtheleaderoftheMuses(Apollo),anditisthis-thattoexpectbadmennottodowrongismadness,forhewhoexpectsthisdesiresanimpossibility.Buttoallowmentobehavesotoothers,andtoexpectthemnottodotheeanywrong,isirrationalandtyrannical.

Therearefourprincipalaberrationsofthesuperiorfacultyagainstwhichthoushouldstbeconstantlyonthyguard,andwhenthouhastdetectedthem,thoushouldstwipethemoutandsayoneachoccasionthus:thisthoughtisnotnecessary:thistendstodestroysocialunion:thiswhichthouartgoingtosaycomesnotfromtherealthoughts;forthoushouldstconsideritamongthemostabsurdofthingsforamannottospeakfromhisrealthoughts.Butthefourthiswhenthoushaltreproachthyselfforanything,forthisisanevidenceofthedivinerpartwithintheebeingoverpoweredandyieldingtothelesshonourableandtotheperishablepart,thebody,andtoitsgrosspleasures.

Thyaerialpartandallthefierypartswhicharemingledinthee,thoughbynaturetheyhaveanupwardtendency,stillinobediencetothedispositionoftheuniversetheyareoverpoweredhereinthecompoundmass(thebody).Andalsothewholeoftheearthypartintheeandthewatery,thoughtheirtendencyisdownward,stillareraisedupandoccupyapositionwhichisnottheirnaturalone.Inthismannerthentheelementalpartsobeytheuniversal,forwhentheyhavebeenfixedinanyplaceperforcetheyremainthereuntilagaintheuniversalshallsoundthesignalfordissolution.Isitnotthenstrangethatthyintelligentpartonlyshouldbedisobedientanddiscontentedwithitsownplace?Andyetnoforceisimposedonit,butonlythosethingswhichareconformabletoitsnature:stillitdoesnotsubmit,butiscarriedintheoppositedirection.Forthemovementtowardsinjusticeandintemperanceandtoangerandgriefandfearisnothingelsethantheactofonewhodeviatesfromnature.Andalsowhentherulingfacultyisdiscontentedwithanythingthathappens,thentooitdesertsitspost:foritisconstitutedforpietyandreverencetowardsthegodsnolessthanforjustice.Forthesequalitiesalsoarecomprehendedunderthegenerictermofcontentmentwiththeconstitutionofthings,andindeedtheyarepriortoactsofjustice.

Hewhohasnotoneandalwaysthesameobjectinlife,cannotbeoneandthesameallthroughhislife.ButwhatIhavesaidisnotenough,unlessthisalsoisadded,whatthisobjectoughttobe.Forasthereisnotthesameopinionaboutallthethingswhichinsomewayorotherareconsideredbythemajoritytobegood,butonlyaboutsomecertainthings,thatis,thingswhichconcernthecommoninterest;soalsooughtwetoproposetoourselvesanobjectwhichshallbeofacommonkind(social)andpolitical.Forhewhodirectsallhisowneffortstothisobject,willmakeallhisactsalike,andthuswillalwaysbethesame.

Thinkofthecountrymouseandofthetownmouse,andofthealarmandtrepidationofthetownmouse.

SocratesusedtocalltheopinionsofthemanybythenameofLamiae,bugbearstofrightenchildren.

TheLacedaemoniansattheirpublicspectaclesusedtosetseatsintheshadeforstrangers,butthemselvessatdownanywhere.

SocratesexcusedhimselftoPerdiccasfornotgoingtohim,saying,ItisbecauseIwouldnotperishbytheworstofallends,thatis,Iwouldnotreceiveafavourandthenbeunabletoreturnit.

InthewritingsoftheEphesianstherewasthisprecept,constantlytothinkofsomeoneofthemenofformertimeswhopractisedvirtue.

ThePythagoreansbidusinthemorninglooktotheheavensthatwemayberemindedofthosebodieswhichcontinuallydothesamethingsandinthesamemannerperformtheirwork,andalsoberemindedoftheirpurityandnudity.Forthereisnoveiloverastar.

ConsiderwhatamanSocrateswaswhenhedressedhimselfinaskin,afterXanthippehadtakenhiscloakandgoneout,andwhatSocratessaidtohisfriendswhowereashamedofhimanddrewbackfromhimwhentheysawhimdressedthus.

Neitherinwritingnorinreadingwiltthoubeabletolaydownrulesforothersbeforethoushalthavefirstlearnedtoobeyrulesthyself.Muchmoreisthissoinlife.

Aslavethouart:freespeechisnotforthee.

Andmyheartlaughedwithin.

Andvirtuetheywillcurse,speakingharshwords.

Tolookforthefiginwinterisamadman-sact:suchishewholooksforhischildwhenitisnolongerallowed.

Whenamankisseshischild,saidEpictetus,heshouldwhispertohimself,"To-morrowperchancethouwiltdie."-Butthosearewordsofbadomen-"Nowordisawordofbadomen,"saidEpictetus,"whichexpressesanyworkofnature;orifitisso,itisalsoawordofbadomentospeakoftheearsofcornbeingreaped."

Theunripegrape,theripebunch,thedriedgrape,allarechanges,notintonothing,butintosomethingwhichexistsnotyet.

Nomancanrobusofourfreewill.

Epictetusalsosaid,Amanmustdiscoveranart(orrules)withrespecttogivinghisassent;andinrespecttohismovementshemustbecarefulthattheybemadewithregardtocircumstances,thattheybeconsistentwithsocialinterests,thattheyhaveregardtothevalueoftheobject;andastosensualdesire,heshouldaltogetherkeepawayfromit;andastoavoidance(aversion)heshouldnotshowitwithrespecttoanyofthethingswhicharenotinourpower.

Thedisputethen,hesaid,isnotaboutanycommonmatter,butaboutbeingmadornot.

Socratesusedtosay,Whatdoyouwant?Soulsofrationalmenorirrational?-Soulsofrationalmen-Ofwhatrationalmen?Soundorunsound?-Sound-Whythendoyounotseekforthem?-Becausewehavethem-Whythendoyoufightandquarrel?