treatises on friendship and old age-第3章

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am　convinced　no　evil　has　befallen　　mine　is　the　disaster；　if　disaster
there　be；　and　to　be　severely　distressed　at　one's　own　misfortunes
does　not　show　that　you　love　your　friend；　but　that　you　love　yourself。

As　for　him；　who　can　say　that　all　is　not　more　than　well？　For；　unless
he　had　taken　the　fancy　to　wish　for　immortality；　the　last　thing　of
which　he　ever　thought；　what　is　there　for　which　mortal　man　may
wish　that　he　did　not　attain？　In　his　early　manhood　he　more　than
justified　by　extraordinary　personal　courage　the　hopes　which　his
fellow…citizens　had　conceived　of　him　as　a　child。　He　never　was　a
candidate　for　the　consulship；　yet　was　elected　consul　twice：　the　first
time　before　the　legal　age；　the　second　at　a　time　which；　as　far　as　he
was　concerned；　was　soon　enough；　but　was　near　being　too　late　for
the　interests　of　the　State。　By　the　overthrow　of　two　cities　which
were　the　most　bitter　enemies　of　our　Empire；　he　put　an　end　not　only
to　the　wars　then　raging；　but　also　to　the　possibility　of　others　in　the
future。　　What　need　to　mention　the　exquisite　grace　of　his　manners；
his　dutiful　devotion　to　his　mother；　his　generosity　to　his　sisters；　his
liberality　to　his　relations；　the　integrity　of　his　conduct　to　every　one？　
You　know　all　this　already。　　Finally；　the　estimation　in　which　his
fellow…citizens　held　him　has　been　shown　by　the　signs　of　mourning
which　accompanied　his　obsequies。　　What　could　such　a　man　have
gained　by　the　addition　of　a　few　years？　Though　age　need　not　be　a
burden；…as　I　remember　Cato　arguing　in　the　presence　of　myself　and
Scipio　two　years　before　he　died；…yet　it　cannot　but　take　away　the
vigour　and　freshness　which　Scipio　was　still　enjoying。　We　may
conclude　therefore　that　his　life；　from　the　good　fortune　which　had
attended　him　and　the　glory　he　had　obtained；　was　so　circumstanced
that　it　could　not　be　bettered；　while　the　suddenness　of　his　death
saved　him　the　sensation　of　dying。　　As　to　the　manner　of　his　death　it
is　difficult　to　speak；　you　see　what　people　suspect。　　Thus　much；
however；　I　may　say：　Scipio　in　his　lifetime　saw　many　days　of
supreme　triumph　and　exultation；　but　none　more　magnificent　than
his　last；　on　which；　upon　the　rising　of　the　Senate；　he　was　escorted
by　the　senators　and　the　people　of　Rome；　by　the　allies；　and　by　the
Latins；　to　his　own　door。　From　such　an　elevation　of　popular　esteem
the　next　step　seems　naturally　to　be　an　ascent　to　the　gods　above；
rather　than　a　descent　to　Hades。

4。　For　I　am　not　one　of　these　modern　philosophers　who　maintain
that　our　souls　perish　with　our　bodies；　and　that　death　ends　all。　With
me　ancient　opinion　has　more　weight：　whether　it　be　that　of　our　own
ancestors；　who　attributed　such　solemn　observances　to　the　dead；　as
they　plainly　would　not　have　done　if　they　had　believed　them　to　be
wholly　annihilated；　or　that　of　the　philosophers　who　once　visited
this　country；　and　who　by　their　maxims　and　doctrines　educated
Magna　Graecia；　which　at　that　time　was　in　a　flourishing　condition；
though　it　has　now　been　ruined；　or　that　of　the　man　who　was
declared　by　Apollo's　oracle　to　be　〃most　wise；〃　and　who　used　to
teach　without　the　variation　which　is　to　be　found　in　most
philosophers　that　〃the　souls　of　men　are　divine；　and　that　when　they
have　quitted　the　body　a　return　to　heaven　is　open　to　them；　least
difficult　to　those　who　have　been　most　virtuous　and　just。〃　This
opinion　was　shared　by　Scipio。　　Only　a　few　days　before　his　death…as
though　he　had　a　presentiment　of　what　was　coming…he　discoursed
for　three　days　on　the　state　of　the　republic。　The　company　consisted
of　Philus　and　Manlius　and　several　others；　and　I　had　brought　you；
Scaevola；　along　with　me。　　The　last　part　of　his　discourse　referred
principally　to　the　immortality　of　the　soul；　for　he　told　us　what　he
had　heard　from　the　elder　Africanus　in　a　dream。　　Now　if　it　be　true
that　in　proportion　to　a　man's　goodness　the　escape　from　what　may
be　called　the　prison　and　bonds　of　the　flesh　is　easiest；　whom　can　we
imagine　to　have　had　an　easier　voyage　to　the　gods　than　Scipio？　I　am
disposed　to　think；　therefore；　that　in　his　case　mourning　would　be　a
sign　of　envy　rather　than　of　friendship。　If；　however；　the　truth　rather
is　that　the　body　and　soul　perish　together；　and　that　no　sensation
remains；　then　though　there　is　nothing　good　in　death；　at　least　there
is　nothing　bad。　Remove　sensation；　and　a　man　is　exactly　as　though
he　had　never　been　born；　and　yet　that　this　man　was　born　is　a　joy　to
me；　and　will　be　a　subject　of　rejoicing　to　this　State　to　its　last　hour。

Wherefore；　as　I　said　before；　all　is　as　well　as　possible　with　him。　Not
so　with　me；　for　as　I　entered　life　before　him；　it　would　have　been
fairer　for　me　to　leave　it　also　before　him。　Yet　such　is　the　pleasure　I
take　in　recalling　our　friendship；　that　I　look　upon　my　life　as　having
been　a　happy　one　because　I　have　spent　it　with　Scipio。　　With　him　I
was　associated　in　public　and　private　business；　with　him　I　lived　in
Rome　and　served　abroad；　and　between　us　there　was　the　most
complete　harmony　in　our　tastes；　our　pursuits；　and　our　sentiments；
which　is　the　true　secret　of　friendship。　It　is　not　therefore　in　that
reputation　for　wisdom　mentioned　just　now　by　Fannius…especially
as　it　happens　to　be　groundless…that　I　find　my　happiness　so　much；　as
in　the　hope　that　the　memory　of　our　friendship　will　be　lasting。　What
makes　me　care　the　more　about　this　is　the　fact　that　in　all　history
there　are　scarcely　three　or　four　pairs　of　friends　on　record；　and　it　is
classed　with　them　that　I　cherish　a　hope　of　the　friendship　of　Scipio
and　Laelius　being　known　to　posterity。

_Fannius_。　Of　course　that　must　be　so；　Laelius。　　But　since　you　have
mentioned　the　word　friendship；　and　we　are　at　leisure；　you　would
be　doing　me　a　great　kindness；　and　I　expect　Scaevola　also；　if　you
would　do　as　it　is　your　habit　to　do　when　asked　questions　on　other
subjects；　and　tell　us　your　sentiments　about　friendship；　its　nature；
and　the　rules　to　be　observed　in　regard　to　it。

_Scaevola_。　I　shall　of　course　be　delighted。　　Fannius　has　anticipated
the　very　request　I　was　about　to　make。　　So　you　will　be　doing　us　both
a　great　favour。

5。　_Laelius_。　　I　should　ccrtainly　have　no　objection　if　I　felt
confidence　in　myself。　For　the　theme　is　a　noble　one；　and　we　are　（as
Fannius　has　said）　at　leisure。　But　who　am　I？　and　what　ability　have
I？　What　you　propose　is　all　very　well　for　professional　philosophers；
who　are　used；　particularly　if　Greeks；　to　have　the　subject　for
discussion　proposed　to　them　on　the　spur　of　the　moment。　　It　is　a
task　of　considerable　difficulty；　and　requires　no　little　practice。　
Therefore　for　a　set　discourse　on　friendship　you　must　go；　I　think；　to
professional　lecturers。　All　I　can　do　is　to　urge　on　you　to　regard
friendship　as　the　greatest　thing　in　the　world；　for　there　is　nothing
which　so　fits　in　with　our　nature；　or　is　so　exactly　what　we　want　in
prosperity　or　adversity。

But　I　must　at　the　very　beginning　lay　down　this　principle…
_friendship　can　only　exist　between　good　men_。　　I　do　not；　however；
press　this　too　closely；　like　the　philosophers　who　push　their
definitions　to　a　superfluous　accuracy。　They　have　truth　on　their
side；　perhaps；　but　it　is　of　no　practical　advantage。　　Those；　I　mean；
who　say　that　no　one　but　the　〃wise〃　is　〃good。〃　Granted；　by　all
means。　But　the　〃wisdom〃　they　mean　is　one　to　which　no　mortal
ever　yet　attained。　We　must　concern　ourselves　with　the　facts　of
everyday　life　as　we　find　it…not　imaginary　and　ideal　perfections。
Even　Gaius　Fannius；　Manius　Curius；　and　Tiberius　Coruncanius；
whom　our　ancestors　decided　to　be　〃wise；〃　I　could　never　declare　to
be　so　according　to　their　standard。　　Let　them；　then；　keep　this　word
〃wisdom〃　to　themselves。　Everybody　is　irritated　by　it；　no　one
understands　what　it　means。　　Let　them　but　grant　that　the　men　I
mentioned　were　〃good。〃　No；　they　won't　do　that　either。　No　one　but
the　〃wise〃　can　be　allowed　that　title；　say　they。　Well；　then；　let　us
dismiss　them　and　manage　as　best　we　may　with　our　own　poor
mother　wit；　as　the　phrase　is。

We　mean　then　by　the　〃good〃　_those　whose　actions　and　lives　leave
no　question　as　to　their　honour；　purity；　equity；　and　liberality；　who
are　free　from　greed；　lust；　and　violence；　and　who　have　the　courage
of　their　convictions_。　The　men　I　have　just　named　may　serve　as
examples。　　Such　men　as　these　being　generally　a