the golden sayings-第2章

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end　you　were　born：　or　for　what　purpose　the　power　of　contemplation

has　been　bestowed　on　you？



〃Well；　but　in　life　there　are　some　things　disagreeable　and

hard　to　bear。〃



And　are　there　none　at　Olympia？　Are　you　not　scorched　by　the

heat？　Are　you　not　cramped　for　room？　Have　you　not　to　bathe　with

discomfort？　Are　you　not　drenched　when　it　rains？　Have　you　not　to

endure　the　clamor　and　shouting　and　such　annoyances　as　these？

Well；　I　suppose　you　set　all　this　over　against　the　splendour　of

the　spectacle　and　bear　it　patiently。　What　then？　have　you　not

received　greatness　of　heart；　received　courage；　received

fortitude？　What　care　I；　if　I　am　great　of　heart；　for　aught　that

can　come　to　pass？　What　shall　cast　me　down　or　disturb　me？　What

shall　seem　painful？　Shall　I　not　use　the　power　to　the　end　for

which　I　received　it；　instead　of　moaning　and　wailing　over　what

comes　to　pass？





XV







If　what　philosophers　say　of　the　kinship　of　God　and　Man　be

true；　what　remains　for　men　to　do　but　as　Socrates　did：never；

when　asked　one's　country；　to　answer；　〃I　am　an　Athenian　or　a

Corinthian；〃　but　〃I　am　a　citizen　of　the　world。〃





XVI







He　that　hath　grasped　the　administration　of　the　World；　who

hath　learned　that　this　Community；　which　consists　of　God　and　men；

is　the　foremost　and　mightiest　and　most　comprehensive　of　all：

that　from　God　have　descended　the　germs　of　life；　not　to　my　father

only　and　father's　father；　but　to　all　things　that　are　born　and

grow　upon　the　earth；　and　in　an　especial　manner　to　those　endowed

with　Reason　（for　those　only　are　by　their　nature　fitted　to　hold

communion　with　God；　being　by　means　of　Reason　conjoined　with　Him）

why　should　not　such　an　one　call　himself　a　citizen　of　the　world？

Why　not　a　son　of　God？　Why　should　he　fear　aught　that　comes　to　pass

among　men？　Shall　kinship　with　Caesar；　or　any　other　of　the　great

at　Rome；　be　enough　to　hedge　men　around　with　safety　and

consideration；　without　a　thought　of　apprehension：　while　to　have

God　for　our　Maker；　and　Father；　and　Kinsman；　shall　not　this　set　us

free　from　sorrows　and　fears？





XVII







I　do　not　think　that　an　old　fellow　like　me　need　have　been

sitting　here　to　try　and　prevent　your　entertaining　abject　notions

of　yourselves；　and　talking　of　yourselves　in　an　abject　and　ignoble

way：　but　to　prevent　there　being　by　chance　among　you　any　such

young　men　as；　after　recognising　their　kindred　to　the　Gods；　and

their　bondage　in　these　chains　of　the　body　and　its　manifold

necessities；　should　desire　to　cast　them　off　as　burdens　too

grievous　to　be　borne；　and　depart　their　true　kindred。　This　is　the

struggle　in　which　your　Master　and　Teacher；　were　he　worthy　of　the

name；　should　be　engaged。　You　would　come　to　me　and　say：

〃Epictetus；　we　can　no　longer　endure　being　chained　to　this

wretched　body；　giving　food　and　drink　and　rest　and　purification：

aye；　and　for　its　sake　forced　to　be　subservient　to　this　man　and

that。　Are　these　not　things　indifferent　and　nothing　to　us？　Is　it

not　true　that　death　is　no　evil？　Are　we　not　in　a　manner　kinsmen　of

the　Gods；　and　have　we　not　come　from　them？　Let　us　depart　thither；

whence　we　came：　let　us　be　freed　from　these　chains　that　confine

and　press　us　down。　Here　are　thieves　and　robbers　and　tribunals：

and　they　that　are　called　tyrants；　who　deem　that　they　have　after　a

fashion　power　over　us；　because　of　the　miserable　body　and　what

appertains　to　it。　Let　us　show　them　that　they　have　power　over

none。〃





XVIII







And　to　this　I　reply：



〃Friends；　wait　for　God。　When　He　gives　the　signal；　and

releases　you　from　this　service；　then　depart　to　Him。　But　for　the

present；　endure　to　dwell　in　the　place　wherein　He　hath　assigned

you　your　post。　Short　indeed　is　the　time　of　your　habitation

therein；　and　easy　to　those　that　are　minded。　What　tyrant；　what

robber；　what　tribunals　have　any　terrors　for　those　who　thus　esteem

the　body　and　all　that　belong　to　it　as　of　no　account？　Stay；　depart

not　rashly　hence！〃





XIX







Something　like　that　is　what　should　pass　between　a　teacher

and　ingenuous　youths。　As　it　is；　what　does　pass？　The　teacher　is　a

lifeless　body；　and　you　are　lifeless　bodies　yourselves。　When　you

have　had　enough　to　eat　today；　you　sit　down　and　weep　about

tomorrow's　food。　Slave！　if　you　have　it；　well　and　good；　if　not；

you　will　depart：　the　door　is　openwhy　lament？　What　further　room

is　there　for　tears？　What　further　occasion　for　flattery？　Why

should　one　envy　another？　Why　should　you　stand　in　awe　of　them　that

have　much　or　are　placed　in　power；　especially　if　they　be　also

strong　and　passionate？　Why；　what　should　they　do　to　us？　What　they

can　do；　we　will　not　regard：　what　does　concern　us；　that　they

cannot　do。　Who　then　shall　rule　one　that　is　thus　minded？





XX







Seeing　this　then；　and　noting　well　the　faculties　which　you

have；　you　should　say；〃Send　now；　O　God；　any　trial　that　Thou

wilt；　lo；　I　have　means　and　powers　given　me　by　Thee　to　acquit

myself　with　honour　through　whatever　comes　to　pass！〃　No；　but

there　you　sit；　trembling　for　fear　certain　things　should　come　to

pass；　and　moaning　and　groaning　and　lamenting　over　what　does　come

to　pass。　And　then　you　upbraid　the　Gods。　Such　meanness　of　spirit

can　have　but　one　resultimpiety。



Yet　God　has　not　only　given　us　these　faculties　by　means　of

which　we　may　bear　everything　that　comes　to　pass　without　being

curshed　or　depressed　thereby；　but　like　a　good　King　and　Father；　He

has　given　us　this　without　let　or　hindrance；　placed　wholly　at　our

own　disposition；　without　reserving　to　Himself　any　power　of

impediment　or　restraint。　Though　possessing　all　these　things　free

and　all　you　own；　you　do　not　use　them！　you　do　not　perceive　what　it

is　you　have　received　nor　whence　it　comes；　but　sit　moaning　and

groaning；　some　of　you　blind　to　the　Giver；　making　no

acknowledgment　to　your　Benefactor；　others　basely　giving

themselves　to　complaints　and　accusations　against　God。



Yet　what　faculties　and　powers　you　possess　for　attaining

courage　and　greatness　of　heart；　I　can　easily　show　you；　what　you

have　for　upbraiding　and　accusation；　it　is　for　you　to　show　me！



XXI







How　did　Socrates　bear　himself　in　this　regard？　How　else　than

as　became　one　who　was　fully　assured　that　he　was　the　kinsman　of

Gods？





XXII







If　God　had　made　that　part　of　His　own　nature　which　He　severed

from　Himself　and　gave　to　us；　liable　to　be　hindered　or　constrained

either　by　Himself　or　any　other；　He　would　not　have　been　God；　nor

would　He　have　been　taking　care　of　us　as　He　ought　。　。　。　。　If　you

choose；　you　are　free；　if　you　choose；　you　need　blame　no　man

accuse　no　man。　All　things　will　be　at　once　according　to　your　mind

and　according　to　the　Mind　of　God。





XXIII







Petrifaction　is　of　two　sorts。　There　is　petrifaction　of　the

understanding；　and　also　of　the　sense　of　shame。　This　happens　when

a　man　obstinately　refuses　to　acknowledge　plain　truths；　and

persists　in　maintaining　what　is　self…contradictory。　Most　of　us

dread　mortification　of　the　body；　and　would　spare　no　pains　to

escape　anything　of　that　kind。　But　of　mortification　of　the　soul　we

are　utterly　heedless。　With　regard；　indeed；　to　the　soul；　if　a　man

is　in　such　a　state　as　to　be　incapable　of　following　or

understanding　anything；　I　grant　you　we　do　think　him　in　a　bad　way。

But　mortification　of　the　sense　of　shame　and　modesty　we　go　so　far

as　to　dub　strength　of　mind！





XXIV







If　we　were　as　intent　upon　our　business　as　the　old　fellows　at

Rome　are　upon　what　interests　them；　we　too　might　perhaps

accomplish　something。　I　know　a　man　older　than　I　am；　now

Superintendent　of　the　Corn…market　at　Rome；　and　I　remember　when　he

passed　through　this　place　on　his　way　back　from　exile；　what　an

account　he　gave　me　of　his　former　life；　declaring　that　for　the

future；　once　home　again；　his　only　care　should　be　to　pass　his

remaining　years　in　quiet　and　tranquility。　〃For　how　few　years　have

I　left！〃　he　cried。　〃That；〃　I　said；　〃you　will　not　do；　but　the

moment　the　scent　of　Rome　is　in　yo