Ch. 3
What is the chief concern of a good man; and in what we chiefly ought to train ourselves.
The chief concern of a wise and good man is his
own Reason. The body is the concern of a
physician, and of a gymnastic trainer; and the fields,
of the husbandman. The business of a wise and good
man is to use the phenomena of existence conformably to Nature. Now, every soul, as it is naturally
formed for an assent to truth, a dissent from falsehood, and a suspense of judgment with regard to
things uncertain, so it is moved by a desire of good,
an aversion from evil, and an indifference to what is
neither good nor evil. For as a money-changer, or
a gardener, is not at liberty to reject Caesar's coin,
but when once it is shown is obliged, whether he
will or not, to deliver his wares in exchange for it,
so is it with the soul. Apparent good at first sight
attracts, and evil repels. Nor will the soul any more
reject an evident appearance of good, than Caesar's
coin.
Hence depends every movement, both of God and
man; and hence good is preferred to every obligation, however near. My connection is not with my
father; but with good. Are you so hard-hearted?
Such is my nature, and such is the coin which God
hath given me. If therefore good is interpreted to
be anything but what is fair and just, away go father
and brother and country and everything. What!
Shall I overlook my own good, and give it up to you?
For what? "I am your father." But not my good.
" I am your brother." But not my good. But if we
place it in a rightly trained Will, good must then consist in an observance of the several relations of life;
and then he who gives up mere externals acquires
good. Your father deprives you of your money; but
he does not hurt you. He will possess more land
than you, as much more as he pleases; but will he
possess more honor, more fidelity, more affection?
Who can deprive you of this possession? Not even
Zeus; for he did not will it so, since he has put this
good into my own power, and given it me, like his
own, uncompelled, unrestrained, and unhindered. But
when any one deals in, coin different from this, then
whoever shows it to him, may have whatever is sold
for it in return. A thievish proconsul comes into the
province. What coin does he use? Silver. Show it
him, and carry off what you please. An adulterer
comes. What coin does he use? Women. Take
the coin, says one, and give me this trifle. " Give it
me, and it is yours." Another is addicted to other
debauchery; give him but his coin, and take what you
please. Another is fond of hunting; give him a fine
pony or puppy, and he will sell you for it- what you
will, though it be with sighs and groans. For there is
that within which controls him, and assumes this to
be current coin.
In this manner ought every one chiefly to train
himself. When you go out in the morning, examine
whomsoever you see or hear; and answer as if to a
question. What have you seen? A handsome person. Apply the rule. Is this a thing controllable
by Will or uncontrollable? Uncontrollable. Then
discard it. What have you seen? One in agony for
the death of a child. Apply the rule. Death is inevitable. Banish this despair, then. Has a consul
met you? Apply the rule. What kind of thing is
the consular office, -controllable by Will or uncontrollable? Uncontrollable. Throw aside this too.
It will not pass. Cast it away; it is nothing to you.
If we acted thus, and practised in this manner from
morning till night, by Heaven! something would be
done. Whereas now, on the contrary, we are allured
by every semblance, half-asleep; and if we ever
awake, it is only a little in the school; but as soon
as we go out, if we meet any one grieving, we say,
" He is undone." If a consul, " How happy is he! "
If an exile, " How miserable ! " If a poor man, " How
wretched he has nothing to eat! "
These miserable prejudices, then, are to be lopped
off; and here is our whole strength to be applied.
For what is weeping and groaning? Prejudice. What
is misfortune? Prejudice. What is sedition, discord,
complaint, accusation, impiety, levity? All these are
prejudices, and nothing more; and prejudices concerning things uncontrollable by Will, as if they could
be either good or evil. Let any one transfer these
convictions to things controllable by Will, and I will
engage that he will preserve his constancy, whatever
be the state of things about him.
The soul is like a vase filled with water; while
the semblances of things fall like rays upon its surface. If the water is moved, the ray will seem to
be moved likewise, though it is in reality without
motion. When, therefore, any one is seized with
a giddiness in his head, it is not the arts and virtues that are bewildered, but the mind in which they
lie; when this recovers its composure, so will they
likewise.