still and allay all the distractions and distempers of thy mind.
If they can do nothing, why doest thou pray? If they can,
why wouldst not thou rather pray, that they will grant unto thee,
that thou mayst neither fear, nor lust after any of those worldly
things which cause these distractions and distempers of it?
Why not rather, that thou mayst not at either their absence or presence,
be grieved and discontented: than either that thou mayst obtain them,
or that thou mayst avoid them? For certainly it must needs be,
that if the Gods can help us in anything, they may in this kind also.
But thou wilt say perchance, 'In those things the Gods have given
me my liberty: and it is in mine own power to do what I will.'
But if thou mayst use this liberty, rather to set thy mind at
true liberty, than wilfully with baseness and servility of mind
to affect those things, which either to compass or to avoid
is not in thy power, wert not thou better? And as for the Gods,
who hath told thee, that they may not help us up even in those things
that they have put in our own power? whether it be so or no,
thou shalt soon perceive, if thou wilt but try thyself and pray.
One prayeth that he may compass his desire, to lie with such or
such a one, pray thou that thou mayst not lust to lie with her.
Another how he may be rid of such a one; pray thou that thou
mayst so patiently bear with him, as that thou have no such need
to be rid of him. Another, that he may not lose his child.
Pray thou that thou mayst not fear to lose him. To this end
and purpose, let all thy prayer be, and see what will be the event.
XLI. 'In my sickness' (saith Epicurus of himself:)
'my discourses were not concerning the nature of my disease,
neither was that, to them that came to visit me, the subject
of my talk; but in the consideration and contemplation of that,
which was of especial weight and moment, was all my time bestowed
and spent, and among others in this very thing, how my mind,
by a natural and unavoidable sympathy partaking in some sort
with the present indisposition of my body, might nevertheless
keep herself free from trouble, and in present possession
of her own proper happiness. Neither did I leave the ordering
of my body to the physicians altogether to do with me what
they would, as though I expected any great matter from them,
or as though I thought it a matter of such great consequence,
by their means to recover my health: for my present estate,
methought, liked me very well, and gave me good content.'
Whether therefore in sickness (if thou chance to sicken)
or in what other kind of extremity soever, endeavour thou also
to be in thy mind so affected, as he doth report of himself:
not to depart from thy philosophy for anything that can
befall thee, nor to give ear to the discourses of silly people,
and mere naturalists. XLII. It is common to all trades
and professions to mind and intend that only, which now they
are about, and the instrument whereby they work.
XLIII. When at any time thou art offended with any one's impudency,
put presently this question to thyself: 'What? Is it then possible,
that there should not be any impudent men in the world!
Certainly it is not possible.' Desire not then that which
is impossible. For this one, (thou must think) whosoever he be,
is one of those impudent ones, that the world cannot be without.
So of the subtile and crafty, so of the perfidious, so of every
one that offendeth, must thou ever be ready to reason with thyself.
For whilst in general thou dost thus reason with thyself,
that the kind of them must needs be in the world, thou wilt
be the better able to use meekness towards every particular.
This also thou shalt find of very good use, upon every
such occasion, presently to consider with thyself, what proper
virtue nature hath furnished man with, against such a vice,
or to encounter with a disposition vicious in this kind.
As for example, against the unthankful, it hath given goodness
and meekness, as an antidote, and so against another vicious
in another kind some other peculiar faculty. And generally,
is it not in thy power to instruct him better, that is in an error?
For whosoever sinneth, doth in that decline from his purposed end,
and is certainly deceived, And again, what art thou the worse
for his sin? For thou shalt not find that any one of these,
against whom thou art incensed, hath in very deed done
anything whereby thy mind (the only true subject of thy hurt
and evil) can be made worse than it was. And what a matter
of either grief or wonder is this, if he that is unlearned,
do the deeds of one that is unlearned? Should not thou rather
blame thyself, who, when upon very good grounds of reason,
thou mightst have thought it very probable, that such a thing
would by such a one be committed, didst not only not foresee it,
but moreover dost wonder at it, that such a thing should be.
But then especially, when thou dost find fault with either
an unthankful, or a false man, must thou reflect upon thyself.
For without all question, thou thyself art much in fault,
if either of one that were of such a disposition,
thou didst expect that he should be true unto thee:
or when unto any thou didst a good turn, thou didst not
there bound thy thoughts, as one that had obtained his end;
nor didst not think that from the action itself thou hadst
received a full reward of the good that thou hadst done.
For what wouldst thou have more? Unto him that is a man,
thou hast done a good turn: doth not that suffice thee?
What thy nature required, that hast thou done. Must thou
be rewarded for it? As if either the eye for that it seeth,
or the feet that they go, should require satisfaction.
For as these being by nature appointed for such an use,
can challenge no more, than that they may work according
to their natural constitution: so man being born to do
good unto others whensoever he doth a real good unto any
by helping them out of error; or though but in middle things,
as in matter of wealth, life, preferment, and the like, doth help
to further their desires he doth that for which he was made,
and therefore can require no more.