the meditations-第25章

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　　And　therefore　over　both　she　challengeth　mastery；　and　cannot　anyways　endure；　if　in　her　right　temper；　to　be　subject　unto　either。　　And　this　indeed　most　justly。　For　by　nature　she　was　ordained　to　command　all　in　the　body。　The　third　thing　proper　to　man　by　his　constitution；　is；　to　avoid　all　rashness　and　pre…cipitancy；　and　not　to　be　subject　to　error。　To　these　things　then；　let　the　mind　apply　herself　and　go　straight　on；　without　any　distraction　about　other　things；　and　she　hath　her　end；　and　by　consequent　her　happiness。

XXXI。　　As　one　who　had　lived；　and　were　now　to　die　by　right；　whatsoever　is　yet　remaining；　bestow　that　wholly　as　a　gracious　overplus　upon　a　virtuous　life。　　Love　and　affect　that　only；　whatsoever　it　be　that　happeneth；　and　is　by　the　fates　appointed　unto　thee。　　For　what　can　be　more　reasonable？　And　as　anything　doth　happen　unto　thee　by　way　of　cross；　or　calamity；　call　to　mind　presently　and　set　before　thine　eyes；　the　examples　of　some　other　men；　to　whom　the　self…same　thing　did　once　happen　likewise。　　Well；　what　did　they？　　They　grieved；　they　wondered　；　they　complained。　　And　where　are　they　now？　All　dead　and　gone。　　Wilt　thou　also　be　like　one　of　them？　Or　rather　leaving　to　men　of　the　world　（whose　life　both　in　regard　of　themselves；　and　them　that　they　converse　with；　is　nothing　but　mere　mutability；　or　men　of　as　fickle　minds；　as　fickle　bodies；　ever　changing　and　soon　changed　themselves：　let　it　be　thine　only　care　and　study；　how　to　make　a　right　use　of　all　such　accidents。　　For　there　is　good　use　to　be　made　of　them；　and　they　will　prove　fit　matter　for　thee　to　work　upon；　if　it　shall　be　both　thy　care　and　thy　desire；　that　whatsoever　thou　doest；　thou　thyself　mayst　like　and　approve　thyself　for　it。　And　both　these；　see；　that　thou　remember　well；　according　as　the　diversity　of　the　matter　of　the　action　that　thou　art　about　shall　require。　　Look　within；　within　is　the　fountain　of　all　good。　Such　a　fountain；　where　springing　waters　can　never　fail；　so　thou　dig　still　deeper　and　deeper。　　XXXII。　　Thou　must　use　thyself　also　to　keep　thy　body　fixed　and　steady；　free　from　all　loose　fluctuant　either　motion；　or　posture。　And　as　upon　thy　face　and　looks；　thy　mind　hath　easily　power　over　them　to　keep　them　to　that　which　is　grave　and　decent；　so　let　it　challenge　the　same　power　over　the　whole　body　also。　But　so　observe　all　things　in　this　kind；　as　that　it　be　without　any　manner　of　affectation。

XXXIII。　　The　art　of　true　living　in　this　world　is　more　like　a　wrestler's；　than　a　dancer's　practice。　　For　in　this　they　both　agree；　to　teach　a　man　whatsoever　falls　upon　him；　that　he　may　be　ready　for　it；　and　that　nothing　may　cast　him　down。

XXXIV。　　Thou　must　continually　ponder　and　consider　with　thyself；　what　manner　of　men　they　be；　and　for　their　minds　and　understandings　what　is　their　present　estate；　whose　good　word　and　testimony　thou　dost　desire。　　For　then　neither　wilt　thou　see　cause　to　complain　of　them　that　offend　against　their　wills；　or　find　any　want　of　their　applause；　if　once　thou　dost　but　penetrate　into　the　true　force　and　ground　both　of　their　opinions；　and　of　their　desires。　'No　soul　（saith　he）　is　willingly　bereft　of　the　truth；'　and　by　consequent；　neither　of　justice；　or　temperance；　or　kindness；　and　mildness；　nor　of　anything　that　is　of　the　same　kind。　It　is　most　needful　that　thou　shouldst　always　remember　this。　For　so　shalt　thou　be　far　more　gentle　and　moderate　towards　all　men。

XXXV。　　What　pain　soever　thou　art　in；　let　this　presently　come　to　thy　mind；　that　it　is　not　a　thing　whereof　thou　needest　to　be　ashamed；　neither　is　it　a　thing　whereby　thy　understanding；　that　hath　the　government　of　all；　can　be　made　worse。　　For　neither　in　regard　of　the　substance　of　it；　nor　in　regard　of　the　end　of　it　（which　is；　to　intend　the　common　good）　can　it　alter　and　corrupt　it。　This　also　of　Epicurus　mayst　thou　in　most　pains　find　some　help　of；　that　it　is　'neither　intolerable；　nor　eternal；'　so　thou　keep　thyself　to　the　true　bounds　and　limits　of　reason　and　give　not　way　to　opinion。　This　also　thou　must　consider；　that　many　things　there　be；　which　oftentimes　unsensibly　trouble　and　vex　thee；　as　not　armed　against　them　with　patience；　because　they　go　not　ordinarily　under　the　name　of　pains；　which　in　very　deed　are　of　the　same　nature　as　pain；　as　to　slumber　unquietly；　to　suffer　heat；　to　want　appetite：　when　therefore　any　of　these　things　make　thee　discontented；　check　thyself　with　these　words：　　Now　hath　pain　given　thee　the　foil；　thy　courage　hath　failed　thee。

XXXVI。　　Take　heed　lest　at　any　time　thou　stand　so　affected；　though　towards　unnatural　evil　men；　as　ordinary　men　are　commonly　one　towards　another。

XXXVII。　　How　know　we　whether　Socrates　were　so　eminent　indeed；　and　of　so　extraordinary　a　disposition？　　For　that　he　died　more　gloriously；　that　he　disputed　with　the　Sophists　more　subtilly；　that　he　watched　in　the　frost　more　assiduously；　that　being　commanded　to　fetch　innocent　Salaminius；　he　refused　to　do　it　more　generously；　all　this　will　not　serve。　Nor　that　he　walked　in　the　streets；　with　much　gravity　and　majesty；　as　was　objected　unto　him　by　his　adversaries：　　which　nevertheless　a　man　may　well　doubt　of；　whether　it　were　so　or　no；　or；　which　above　all　the　rest；　if　so　be　that　it　were　true；　a　man　would　well　consider　of；　whether　commendable；　or　dis…commendable。　The　thing　therefore　that　we　must　inquire　into；　is　this；　what　manner　of　soul　Socrates　had：　whether　his　disposition　was　such；　as　that　all　that　he　stood　upon；　and　sought　after　in　this　world；　was　barely　this；　that　he　might　ever　carry　himself　justly　towards　men；　and　holily　towards　the　Gods。　Neither　vexing　himself　to　no　purpose　at　the　wickedness　of　others；　nor　yet　ever　condescending　to　any　man's　evil　fact；　or　evil　intentions；　through　either　fear；　or　engagement　of　friendship。　Whether　of　those　things　that　happened　unto　him　by　God's　appointment；　he　neither　did　wonder　at　any　when　it　did　happen；　or　thought　it　intolerable　in　the　trial　of　it。　　And　lastly；　whether　he　never　did　suffer　his　mind　to　sympathise　with　the　senses；　and　affections　of　the　body。　For　we　must　not　think　that　Nature　hath　so　mixed　and　tempered　it　with　the　body；　as　that　she　hath　not　power　to　circumscribe　herself；　and　by　herself　to　intend　her　own　ends　and　occasions。

XXXVIII。　　For　it　is　a　thing　very　possible；　that　a　man　should　be　a　very　divine　man；　and　yet　be　altogether　unknown。　This　thou　must　ever　be　mindful　of；　as　of　this　also；　that　a　man's　true　happiness　doth　consist　in　very　few　things。　And　that　although　thou　dost　despair；　that　thou　shalt　ever　be　a　good　either　logician；　or　naturalist；　yet　thou　art　never　the　further　off　by　it　from　being　either　liberal；　or　modest；　or　charitable；　or　obedient　unto　God。　　XXXIX。　　Free　from　all　compulsion　in　all　cheerfulness　and　alacrity　thou　mayst　run　out　thy　time；　though　men　should　exclaim　against　thee　never　so　much；　and　the　wild　beasts　should　pull　in　sunder　the　poor　members　of　thy　pampered　mass　of　flesh。　　For　what　in　either　of　these　or　the　like　cases　should　hinder　the　mind　to　retain　her　own　rest　and　tranquillity；　consisting　both　in　the　right　judgment　of　those　things　that　happen　unto　her；　and　in　the　ready　use　of　all　present　matters　and　occasions？　　So　that　her　judgment　may　say；　to　that　which　is　befallen　her　by　way　of　cross：　this　thou　art　in　very　deed；　and　according　to　thy　true　nature：　notwithstanding　that　in　the　judgment　of　opinion　thou　dust　appear　otherwise：　　and　her　discretion　to　the　present　object；　thou　art　that；　which　I　sought　for。　　For　whatsoever　it　be；　that　is　now　present；　shall　ever　be　embraced　by　me　as　a　fit　and　seasonable　object；　both　for　my　reasonable　faculty；　and　for　my　sociable；　or　charitable　inclination　to　work　upon。　And　that　which　is　principal　in　this　matter；　is　that　it　may　be　referred　either　unto　the　praise　of　God；　or　to　the　good　of　men。　For　either　unto　God　or　man；　whatsoever　it　is　that　doth　happen　in　the　world　hath　in　the　ordinary　course　of　nature　its　proper　reference；　neither　is　there　anything；　that　in　regard　of　nature　is　either　new；　or　reluctant　and　intractable；　but　all　things　both　usual　and　easy。

XL。　　Then　hath　a　man　attained　to　the　estate　of　perfection　in　his　life　and　conversation；　when　he　so　spends　every　day；　as　if　it　were　his　last　day：　　never　hot　and　vehement　in　his　affections；　nor　yet　so　cold　and　stupid　as　one　that　had　no　sense；　and　free　from　all　manner　of　dissimulation。

XLI。　　Can　the　Gods；　who　a