the golden sayings-第14章

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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　hindrance　and　restraint；　the　slave　of

those　that　have　power　over　the　things　he　desires　and　fears；　he

must　perforce　be　impious；　as　deeming　himself　injured　at　the　hands

of　God；　he　must　be　unjust；　as　ever　prone　to　claim　more　than　his

due；　he　must　perforce　be　of　a　mean　and　abject　spirit。





CLII





Whom　then　shall　I　fear？　the　lords　of　the　Bedchamber；　lest

they　should　shut　me　out？　If　they　find　me　desirous　of　entering　in；

let　them　shut　me　out；　if　they　will。



〃Then　why　comest　thou　to　the　door？〃



Beacause　I　think　it　meet　and　right；　so　long　as　the　Play

lasts；　to　take　part　therein。



〃In　what　sense　art　thou　then　shut　out？〃



Because；　unless　I　am　admitted；　it　is　not　my　will　to　enter：

on　the　contrary；　my　will　is　simply　that　which　comes　to　pass。　For

I　esteem　what　God　wills　better　than　what　I　will。　To　Him　will　I

cleave　as　His　minister　and　attendant；　having　the　same　movements；

the　same　desires；　in　a　word　the　same　Will　as　He。　There　is　no　such

thing　as　being　shut　out　for　me；　but　only　for　them　that　would

force　their　way　in。



CLIII





But　what　says　Socrates？〃One　man　finds　pleasure　in

improving　his　land；　another　his　horses。　My　pleasure　lies　in

seeing　that　I　myself　grow　better　day　by　day。〃





CLIV





The　dress　is　suited　to　the　craft；　the　craftsman　takes　his

name　from　the　craft；　not　from　the　dress。　For　this　reason

Euphrates　was　right　in　saying；　〃I　long　endeavoured　to　conceal　my

following　the　philosophic　life；　and　this　profited　me　much。　In　the

first　place；　I　knew　that　what　I　did　aright；　I　did　not　for　the

sake　of　lookers…on；　but　for　my　own。　I　ate　arightunto　myself；　I

kept　the　even　tenor　of　my　walk；　my　glance　composed　and　serene

all　unto　myself　and　unto　God。　Then　as　I　fought　alone；　I　was　alone

in　peril。　If　I　did　anything　amiss　or　shameful；　the　cause　of

Philosophy　was　not　in　me　endangered；　nor　did　I　wrong　the

multitude　by　transgressing　as　a　professed　philosopher。　Wherefore

those　that　knew　not　my　purpose　marvelled　how　it　came　about；　that

whilst　all　my　life　and　conversation　was　passed　with　philosophers

without　exception；　I　was　yet　none　myself。　And　what　harm　that　the

philosopher　should　be　known　by　his　acts；　instead　of　mere　outward

signs　and　symbols？〃





CLV





First　study　to　conceal　what　thou　art；　seek　wisdom　a　little

while　unto　thyself。　Thus　grows　the　fruit；　first；　the　seed　must　be

buried　in　the　earth　for　a　little　space；　there　it　must　be　hid　and

slowly　grow；　that　it　may　reach　maturity。　But　if　it　produce　the

ear　before　the　jointed　stalk；　it　is　imperfecta　thing　from　the

garden　of　Adonis。　Such　a　sorry　growth　art　thou；　thou　hast

blossomed　too　soon：　the　winter　cold　will　wither　thee　away！





CLVI





First　of　all；　condemn　the　life　thou　art　now　leading：　but

when　thou　hast　condemned　it；　do　not　despair　of　thyselfbe　not

like　them　of　mean　spirit；　who　once　they　have　yielded；　abandon

themselves　entirely　and　as　it　were　allow　the　torrent　to　sweep

them　away。　No；　learn　what　the　wrestling　masters　do。　Has　the　boy

fallen？　〃Rise；〃　they　say；　〃wrestle　again；　till　thy　strength　come

to　thee。〃　Even　thus　should　it　be　with　thee。　For　know　that　there

is　nothing　more　tractable　than　the　human　soul。　It　needs　but　to

will；　and　the　thing　is　done；　the　soul　is　set　upon　the　right　path：

as　on　the　contrary　it　needs　but　to　nod　over　the　task；　and　all　is

lost。　For　ruin　and　recovery　alike　are　from　within。





CLVII





It　is　the　critical　moment　that　shows　the　man。　So　when　the

crisis　is　upon　you；　remember　that　God；　like　a　trainer　of

wrestlers；　has　matched　you　with　a　rough　and　stalwart　antagonist。〃

To　what　end？〃　you　ask。　That　you　may　prove　the　victor　at　the

Great　Games。　Yet　without　toil　and　sweat　this　may　not　be！





CLVIII





If　thou　wouldst　make　progress；　be　content　to　seem　foolish

and　void　of　understanding　with　respect　to　outward　things。　Care

not　to　be　thought　to　know　anything。　If　any　should　make　account　of

thee；　distrust　thyself。