Ch. 10
Against those who eagerly seek preferment at Rome.
IF we applied ourselves as busily to our own work as the
old men at Rome do to those matters about which they are
employed, perhaps we also might accomplish something.
I am acquainted with a man older than myself, who is now
superintendent of corn75 at Rome, and I remember the time
when he came here on his way back from exile, and what
he said as he related the events of his former life, and
how he declared that with respect to the future after his
return he would look after nothing else than passing the
rest of his life in quiet and tranquillity. For how little of
life, he said, remains for me. I replied, you will not do it,
but as soon as you smell Rome, you will forget all that you
have said; and if admission is allowed even into the imperial palace, he76 will gladly thrust himself in and thank
God. If you find me, Epictetus, he answered, setting even
one foot within the palace, think what you please. Well,
what then did he do? Before he entered the city, he was
met by letters from Caesar, and as soon as he received them,
he forgot all, and ever after has added one piece of business to another. I wish that I were now by his side to
remind him of what he said when he was passing this way,
and to tell him how much better a seer I am than he is.
Well then do I say that man is an animal made for
doing nothing?77 Certainly not. But why are we not
[p. 36]
active?78 (We are active.) For example, as to myself,
as soon as day comes, in a few words I remind myself
of what I must read over to my pupils;79 then forthwith I say to myself, But what is it to me how a
certain person shall read? the first thing for me is to
sleep. And indeed what resemblance is there between
what other persons do and what we do? If you observe
what they do, you will understand. And what else do
they do all day long than make up accounts, enquire
among themselves, give and take advice about some
small quantity of grain, a bit of land, and such kind of
profits? Is it then the same thing to receive a petition
and to read in it: I intreat you to permit me to export80 a small quantity of coin; and one to this effect: I
intreat you to learn from Chrysippus what is the administration of the world, and what place in it the rational
animal holds; consider also who you are, and what is the
nature of your good and bad. Are these things like the
other, do they require equal care, and is it equally base to
neglect these and those? Well then are we the only persons who are lazy and love sleep? No; but much rather
you young men are. For we old men when we see young
men amusing themselves are eager to play with them;
and if I saw you active and zealous, much more should
I be eager myself to join you in your serious pursuits.
[p. 37]