the golden sayings-第13章

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whining　at　his　lot？None。　Then　doth　no　wicked　man　live　as　he

would；　and　therefore　neither　is　he　free。





CXXXVII





Thus　do　the　more　cautious　of　travellers　act。　The　road　is

said　to　be　beset　by　robbers。　The　traveller　will　not　venture

alone；　but　awaits　the　companionship　on　the　road　of　an　ambassador；

a　quaestor　or　a　proconsul。　To　him　he　attaches　himself　and　thus

passes　by　in　safety。　So　doth　the　wise　man　in　the　world。　Many　are

the　companies　of　robbers　and　tyrants；　many　the　storms；　the

straits；　the　losses　of　all　a　man　holds　dearest。　Whither　shall　he

fall　for　refugehow　shall　he　pass　by　unassailed？　What　companion

on　the　road　shall　he　await　for　protection？　Such　and　such　a

wealthy　man；　of　consular　rank？　And　how　shall　I　be　profited；　if　he

is　stripped　and　falls　to　lamentation　and　weeping？　And　how　if　my

fellow…traveller　himself　turns　upon　me　and　robs　me？　What　am　I　to

do？　I　will　become　a　friend　of　Caesar's！　in　his　train　none　will　do

me　wrong！　In　the　first　placeO　the　indignities　I　must　endure　to

win　distinction！　O　the　multitude　of　hands　there　will　be　to　rob

me！　And　if　I　succeed；　Caesar　too　is　but　a　mortal。　While　should　it

come　to　pass　that　I　offend　him；　whither　shall　I　flee　from　his

presence？　To　the　wilderness？　And　may　not　fever　await　me　there？

What　then　is　to　be　done？　Cannot　a　fellow…traveller　be　found　that

is　honest　and　loyal；　stong　and　secure　against　surprise？　Thus　doth

the　wise　man　reason；　considering　that　if　he　would　pass　through　in

safety；　he　must　attach　himself　unto　God。





CXXXVIII





〃How　understandest　thou　attach　himself　to　God？〃



That　what　God　wills；　he　should　will　also；　that　what　God

wills　not；　neither　should　he　will。



〃How　then　may　this　come　to　pass？〃



By　considering　the　movements　of　God；　and　His　administration。





CXXXIX







And　dost　thou　that　hast　received　all　from　another's　hands；

repine　and　blame　the　Giver；　if　He　takes　anything　from　thee？　Why；

who　art　thou；　and　to　what　end　comest　thou　here？　was　it　not　He

that　made　the　Light　manifest　unto　thee；　that　gave　thee　fellow…workers；

and　senses；　and　the　power　to　reason？　And　how　brought　He

thee　into　the　world？　Was　it　not　as　one　born　to　die；　as　one　bound

to　live　out　his　earthly　life　in　some　small　tabernacle　of　flesh；

to　behold　His　administration；　and　for　a　little　while　share　with

Him　in　the　mighty　march　of　this　great　Festival　Procession？　Now

therefore　that　thou　hast　beheld；　while　it　was　permitted　thee；　the

Solemn　Feast　and　Assembly；　wilt　thou　not　cheerfully　depart；　whem

He　summons　thee　forth；　with　adoration　and　thanksgiving　for　what

thou　hast　seen　and　heard？〃Nay；　but　I　would　fain　have　stayed

longer　at　the　Festival。〃Ah；　so　would　the　mystics　fain　have　the

rites　prolonged；　so　perchance　would　the　crowd　at　the　Great　Games

fain　behold　more　wrestlers　still。　But　the　Solemn　Assembly　is

over！　Come　forth；　depart　with　thanksgiving　and　modestygive

place　to　others　that　must　come　into　being　even　as　thyself。





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