though the waves beat continually, yet it both itself stands,
and about it are those swelling waves stilled and quieted.
XLI. Oh, wretched I, to whom this mischance is happened! nay, happy I,
to whom this thing being happened, I can continue without grief; neither
wounded by that which is present, nor in fear of that which is to come.
For as for this, it might have happened unto any man, but any man having
such a thing befallen him, could not have continued without grief.
Why then should that rather be an unhappiness, than this a happiness?
But however, canst thou, 0 man! term that unhappiness, which is no
mischance to the nature of man I Canst thou think that a mischance
to the nature of man, which is not contrary to the end and will of
his nature? What then hast thou learned is the will of man's nature?
Doth that then which hath happened unto thee, hinder thee from being
just? or magnanimous? or temperate? or wise? or circumspect? or true?
or modest? or free? or from anything else of all those things
in the present enjoying and possession whereof the nature of man,
(as then enjoying all that is proper unto her,) is fully satisfied?
Now to conclude; upon all occasion of sorrow remember henceforth
to make use of this dogma, that whatsoever it is that hath happened
unto thee, is in very deed no such thing of itself, as a misfortune;
but that to bear it generously, is certainly great happiness.
XLII. It is but an ordinary coarse one, yet it is a good effectual
remedy against the fear of death, for a man to consider in his mind
the examples of such, who greedily and covetously (as it were)
did for a long time enjoy their lives. What have they got more,
than they whose deaths have been untimely? Are not they themselves dead
at the last? as Cadiciant's, Fabius, Julianus Lepidus, or any other who in
their lifetime having buried many, were at the last buried themselves.
The whole space of any man's life, is but little; and as little
as it is, with what troubles, with what manner of dispositions,
and in the society of how wretched a body must it be passed!
Let it be therefore unto thee altogether as a matter of indifferency.
For if thou shalt look backward; behold, what an infinite chaos
of time doth present itself unto thee; and as infinite a chaos,
if thou shalt look forward. In that which is so infinite,
what difference can there be between that which liveth but three days,
and that which liveth three ages?
XLIII. Let thy course ever be the most compendious way.
The most compendious, is that which is according to nature:
that is, in all both words and deeds, ever to follow that which
is most sound and perfect. For such a resolution will free
a man from all trouble, strife, dissembling, and ostentation