{
\"code\": 200,
\"title\": \"\",
\"content\": \"我給大眾利益出過什麼力嗎\\n\\n1.以下這些就是理性的靈魂的特質：它觀察自己，分析自己，使自己成為自身所選的樣子；自得其樂的果實——植物的果實以及那些依靠食用果實為生作樂的動物——它掌握著自身的滅亡，無論哪裡是生命的上限。這不像在某個舞蹈或是某齣戲中的那樣，整個活動並不是完整的，如果有什麼意外將其縮短的話；但是任何部分，以及無論其將在哪裡停止，它都將使其在完善和完整之前變成預設好的那樣，因此可以這麼說，我擁有著我所擁有的。進一步，它橫穿過整個宇宙，穿越周圍的空間，測量著自己的構成，並將自己在無儘的時間內延伸，參透和領悟萬物更新的週期，並體悟到那些在我們之後出現卻並無新意的物體，或獲得非我們目力所及的東西，但是對於某個四十歲的人來說，假如他有絲毫的理解之力，他已經看到了那些已存在的和將要出現的萬物依靠一致性的美德，對鄰裡之愛，真實而謙虛，並不將一切看高於它自己，這也是法律的特質所在。因此，公正的命理從不因正義的名義而有所不同。\\n\\n2.你也許並不看重悅耳的歌曲、優美的舞蹈或是激烈的競技，如果你將聲音的樂律分解成許多單音，且如果你的藝術為之主導並沉浸於其中。因為你將不會為自己的坦白感到尷尬，而且對於舞蹈而言，如果每一個動作和態度你都將保持一致。在競技上也是這樣。那麼，對於世界萬物，除卻道德和道德的德行之外，你要牢記做到成為他們中的一部分，而且通過這樣的分割，不會對他們過分珍視，同時將這條規則一以貫之於你的一生中。\\n\\n3.對於靈魂，就是已經準備就緒的東西，如果每時每刻它都必須與軀體分離，並準備好不是消逝、解體，就是繼續存在；但是對於這樣的準備其實是取決於一個人自身的評判的，而不是來自單純的固執，就像基督徒一樣體貼地，以尊重體恤的方式去說服對方，而不是一場悲劇。\\n\\n4.我給大眾利益出過什麼力嗎？如果有的話，那我就已經得到了獎勵。讓我的腦海常有此唸吧。永遠不要停止行善。\\n\\n5.你的職責是什麼？多行善事。那麼這將如何做到呢？除了遵從通法之外，一些是關於宇宙的本性，另外一些是人類的準確定律嗎？\\n\\n6.在最初，悲劇都是以提醒人們發生在自己身上的事情這種目的而搬上舞台的，而這也是依照自然所安排的事物發生，如果你對舞台上的演出感到滿意的話，那麼你就不會對在更大舞台上發生的故事有排斥。因為你知道這些事情終將了結，即使是他們喊出“哦，神啊”的驚歎聲。而且，確實，一些事情在戲劇作者的筆下描述得很得人心，尤其是像以下這些：\\n\\n假如神靈忽視我和我的孩子，這也同樣是有其緣由的。再次——\\n\\n我們不必對所發生的事情感到悲傷和苦惱。\\n\\n生活之豐收正如飽滿的麥穗一樣。所有的都會如此。\\n\\n悲劇之後，出現了古代喜劇，這對台詞有著嚴格的自由度限製，而其質樸的語言能夠成功地提醒人們注意驕傲自大的行為；而哲學家戴奧吉尼斯也正是出於此目的關注喜劇。\\n\\n但是對於之後出現的中世紀喜劇來說，要探究其是什麼，再一次，為此目的出現了新的喜劇，而其逐漸演變成為單純的模仿表演了。這些作者說著同樣的好人好事，也是那些眾所周知的，但是整個詩歌和表演手法的設計，都是出於此目的！\\n\\n7.這種形式是多麼的平實清晰啊，生命中再冇有彆的什麼形式能夠如此對所發生的事有這般深刻的哲學意味。\\n\\n8.把一節樹枝從其毗鄰的樹枝邊剪掉的同時，也就從整棵樹上把它剪掉了。與此類似，一個人與另一個人相分離，其實也就是脫離了整個社會團體。就像樹枝一樣，另一節又被剪掉了，而一個人卻是由於自己的行為從鄰居中分離開的，尤其是當他痛恨自己並四處逃離時，而且與此同時，他並不自知他將自己同整個社會體係隔絕了。他也自然冇有來自創建社會的宙斯的特權，因為你要依靠自己的力量重新成長以接近大眾，併成為組成整體的一部分。但是，假如這事經常發生，經常出現此類分離的話，那麼就會使得那些分離出的個體更加難以重返之前的團體了。最終，樹枝會重新生根發芽同大樹一起生長，繼續著自己身上的生命曆程，可是並不是被修剪然後又接枝，因為這就像園丁們所說的，樹枝與樹木一同生長，但是卻有著不同的意味。\\n\\n9.當你正朝著正確的方向啟程時，對於那些想要阻擋你的前進道路之人，將無法使你從正確的道路上扭轉回來，因此不要讓他們利用你的仁慈之心去驅使你，而是你自己要權衡二者，這不僅僅是保持篤定的判斷和行為，而且也是洞悉紳士對待那些想要阻礙你、找你麻煩的人。因為這也是一種缺點，對他們發火，而且從自己的道路上偏離方向，因害怕而讓路。以下這兩者都是成功終點的背叛者：那些因害怕而讓道的人，以及與天生是同伴及朋友的人隔離的那些人。\\n\\n10.冇有哪種自然比藝術低下，因為藝術都是靠模仿自然獲得的。但是如果事情是這樣的話，自然是超越所有本質最為完美和最為全麵的東西，那麼它就不可能低於藝術的技巧。現在一切的藝術都為模仿上層而做出下層的東西，於是萬能的自然也這麼做。而且，此處確實是公正的起源，在公正麵前，其他的美德也各有其基礎：如果我們關注中層的東西（那些無關緊要的東西），或是很容易就被欺騙、粗心大意和變幻無常的話，那麼就不可能發現公正。\\n\\n11.如果這些事情不來主動找你，那麼困擾著你的那些追求和迴避將會仍然驅使你去找尋它們。讓你對它們的評判暫告一段落吧，這樣它們將重歸平靜，你也不必再繼續追尋和逃避了。\\n\\n12.當向各個目標延伸或是向內凹凸，或是分散或是下沉時，圓球形的靈魂仍然保持著它的形狀，但卻被光源照亮，因為它看到了真實，關於世界萬物的真實以及自己的真實。\\n\\n以最好的方式生活\\n\\n13.試想所有的人都輕視我。讓他自己隻專注於自己的那種看法之中吧。但是我將看到這一點，我冇有什麼所作所為能夠讓人輕視我。所有的人都該恨我嗎？讓他自己想去吧。但是我將友好仁慈地對待每一個人，並隨時準備好指出他的錯誤，但並不是以責備的口吻，也不是要展示我的忍耐，而是崇高地、誠懇地，就像偉大的Phocion那樣，除非他要認為是如此。因為低下的東西就是這樣，而神靈也應該不以任何不滿和抱怨的情緒看待誰。因為如果你現在做的是出於天性，並且對此刻宇宙的自然所做的符合時宜的事感到滿意的話，那麼什麼是你心中的惡魔？因為你是一個人類，是一個被安置在自己定位上的人類，在那個位置就是為了以某種方式實現共同的進步。\\n\\n14.人們看不起一些人，卻去討好另一些人，而人們也希望在彆人麵前能夠高人一等，同時卻在另一些人麵前卑躬屈膝。\\n\\n15.他說的話是多麼的偽善和不真誠啊，而我決定以公平的方式跟你交流。你正在乾嘛，夥計？我不會對這個給予關注。行動將會不言自明。所說的話應該直截了當，讓人一目瞭然。這就像人們的特征，能很快通過眼睛展現出來一樣，就像那些處在戀愛中的人，能夠從愛人眼中讀出愛意一樣。那些誠實、友善的人應該同時也是強壯的人，這樣一來那些旁觀者靠近他時，能夠迅速覺察出他該選擇此或彼。但是單純質樸卻是一根彎曲的棍棒。冇什麼比貪婪的友誼（虛假的友情）更可恥的東西了。規避它比規避任何邪惡都重要。友善、單純和仁慈的人將在雙眼中展示無疑，不會有任何出錯的可能。\\n\\n16.要想以最好的方式生活，那麼這個力量是來自靈魂的，因為它才能決定對那些不足掛齒的事漠不關心。假如以脫離其他事物的方式看東西然後再整體視之，假如記住它並不是我們觀念中的事物，或者也未靠近我們的話，它就不是重要的。但是這些東西仍然固定不變，而正是我們自己給它們作出評判。正如我們所說，正如我們所寫，是否記載的權力在於我們。假如這些評判不知不覺地占據了我們的頭腦的話，那是否將其擦除也取決於我們。如果我們還記住這些留意也隻會存在很短的時間，而隨之生命就將結束。況且，做這些所有的事情會帶來什麼麻煩呢？這些事都是依從自然，享樂其中，它們就將顯而易見。假如它們不是順其自然，而是追尋著你自己的安逸舒適，並且為之奮鬥，那麼它將不會帶來任何榮譽，因為所有人都隻會追求自我享樂。\\n\\n17.思考每樣事物從何而來，由什麼組成，有什麼變化，當其變化時又將會成為什麼，並且依然冇有損害吧。\\n\\n18.如果誰冒犯了你，首先想想：我與他人有何聯絡，我們是依靠他人而生；從另一方麵看來，我卻高於他們之上，就像公羊統領羊群或是公牛超越獸群那樣。但要從首要準則中考驗事件。\\n\\n首先：如果所有物體都不僅僅是原子，那麼統治萬物的是自然；如果事實是如此的話，下等的物體為烘托上等的而存在，這些物體的存在就是為了另一些物體。\\n\\n其次，思考餐桌前的、床上的等等是怎樣的一些人；尤其是，他們是被何種觀念所束縛；對於他們的行為，想想他們是為什麼榮譽而為。\\n\\n第三，如果人類為正義而為，我們就不應當有什麼不滿，但如果他們做錯了的話，顯而易見，他們是出於非自願或是無知所為之的。因為每個靈魂都是不情願地被真實所剝奪，它同樣也不情願被人們自己的願望所剝奪。於是，當人們被指責不公正、忘恩負義、貪得無厭，或總是對鄰居不友善時，他們就會很痛苦。\\n\\n第四，想想你自己也經常會做錯事，你也就像其他人一樣，即使你有時會儘量避開一些錯誤的發生，但是你還是難免處於冒犯他們的境況中。不是出於懦弱，就是出於對名譽的維護，再或者是一些自私的動機，你會因此避免一些錯誤。\\n\\n第五，想想你也不總是明白人們什麼時候做對什麼時候做錯，因為事情在不同情況下總是有不同的評判標準。簡而言之，一個人必須要不斷大量地學習以使自己能夠評判他人的行為。\\n\\n第六，在你自己惱怒或悲傷的時候，想想人的生命就是短短一瞬，不久之後我們都會死去。\\n\\n第七，擾亂我們的並不是人們的行為，因為這些行為都是他們在基於人類規範準則的基礎上作出的，但是在我們自己的觀念中它們打擾了我們。排除這些觀點，假如某些行為令你悲憤，那麼就下決心丟棄你對行為的評判，你的氣惱就會消失。那麼我該如何丟棄這些觀點呢？時刻在腦海中回映冇有什麼錯誤的行為會讓我蒙羞，因為除非恥辱感本身是罪惡的，那你同樣會做出許多錯事，如成為一個搶劫犯或是彆的什麼。\\n\\n第八，想想這些行為所引發的氣憤和惱怒之情給我們帶來了多少的痛苦，而我們對之是又氣又恨。\\n\\n第九，要知道一個好的脾性並不是不可練就的，如果這是確信無疑的話，那它就不是一個偽飾的笑容和行為。因為那隻是暴躁的人會做的事，如果你繼續善待他的話。假如情況允許，當他試圖傷害你時，你將時時刻刻和緩地引導他並且糾正他的錯誤，並說：不要這樣，我的孩子；我們被上蒼所造，為的是追求彆的東西；我當然不應該受到傷害，但是你正在傷害你自己，我的孩子。同時，你向他展示出機智、老練，而這也正是通用準則所指示的，即使是微小的蜜蜂也不會做他那樣的事，其他任何自然創造出的群居生物也不會這麼做。你不能以模棱兩可的方式或是責備的方式去做，而是要深情感化、心中不含任何仇意；也不要以家長訓誡般的方式教導他，更不要當著湊熱鬨的旁觀者的麵，而是即使有他人在場時，也要讓他獨處。\\n\\n記住這九條規則，並且要像從宙斯那兒得到的禮物般珍視它，開始真正活得像個人。但是你同樣也要避免對人的諂媚獻好並屈居於他們之下，因為這兩種做法都不是社會性的，而且會帶來傷害。在你生氣激動時想想這些真理吧，隨隨便便就會動怒的並不是男兒氣概，而和善友好、溫文爾雅之舉，由於它們更貼近人類的本性，纔是男子所為；那些擁有這些特質的人就擁有了力量、膽識和勇氣，而那些意氣用事、不滿苛責的人卻不是。這也等同於一個人的心胸越是不隨事事起伏，就越是擁有力量。痛苦就是懦弱的表現，惱怒也一樣。那些屈服於痛苦的人，和那些屈服於惱怒的人，兩者都是殘缺的和逆來順受的。\\n\\n但是，假如你還將受到來自眾神的領袖（阿波羅）的第十個禮物，這就是——希望壞人所做錯事不是出於瘋狂，因為那些這麼想的人簡直就是在期盼不可能的事。要允許人們對其他人這麼做，並期盼他們不要對你做什麼錯事，這是極不理智和殘暴**的。\\n\\n19.有四種高等本領的犯規行為是有悖於你的自我防線的，一旦你察覺它們的存在，你應當立即將它們擦除並且對這些情形說：這個想法不是必要的；這個企圖將摧毀社會聯盟；你想脫口而出的話並不是出於真實想法；對你而言就該考慮一下最愚蠢的事就是一個人不說出他的真實想法。但是第四條是你對自己的所為進行責備，因為這是神性的證據，這個證據是：軀體被所有的享樂所征服並屈從了它。\\n\\n20.雖然在自然中是上升之力，但是在你體內混合的水性及火性仍然遵從宇宙的旨意，它們在此組成了質量（軀體）。同樣在你體內的所有土質和水質部分，雖然它們是下沉之力，但它們仍然在提升並且在非它們自身的自然特性中占有一席之地。在這種方式下，基本的部分都遵從著宇宙的規則，因為當它們在某地固定不變時，它們會一直停留在那兒，直到宇宙再次發出解散的訊號。這是否意味著你的才智就該對自己所屬的位置感到不滿並且要掙脫反抗卻並不感到稀奇呢？而且冇有外力強迫它如此，僅僅是那些東西要順從自身的天性：它仍然不屈從，而是以相反的方向發展。對於那些非正義、無節製、憤怒、悲傷和害怕的舉動，無疑都是脫離了天性軌道的表現。而且當規則對所發生之事感到不滿時，當然也會廢棄自己的位置，因為它是出於對神靈而不是公正的虔誠和敬畏。在常規意義上滿意於事物構成的情況下，人們認識了這些特質，而它們也確實淩駕於公正之上。\\n\\n21.對於那些在生命中不總是隻有單一的或是相同目標的人來說，不可能成為一個特定的人或是保持同樣的生存狀態。但是我所說的還遠不止這些，除非把這點加上，那就是這個目標該是什麼。因為由於對萬物並冇有相同的看法，或是有些被大眾認為是好的，且僅限於某些特定的事物，即那些與共同利益息息相關的事物；所以我們同樣應該給自己提出另一個目標，而這個目標當是大眾的（社會的）和政治的。因為對於為這個目標不斷奮鬥的人而言，將會有著類似的舉動，並且常常會有相同的行為。\\n\\n22.想想鄉下的老鼠和鎮上的老鼠吧，想想鎮上老鼠對於警笛聲的恐懼。\\n\\n23.蘇格拉底常常用女妖和怪物的名字來稱呼各種觀念，來嚇唬小孩子。\\n\\n24.古斯巴達人在他們的公共看台上設出外來人的專席，而自己卻隨處就坐。\\n\\n25.蘇格拉底給自己冇去波底卡斯那兒找理由，說，這是因為我不打算在最壞的結果中腐朽，也就是說，我冇有受到青睞，於是彆人也無力回敬我。\\n\\n26.在以弗所書中有這樣一條戒律，即：常常想想那些上次施行了美德的人。\\n\\n27.畢達哥拉斯教誨我們清晨時看看蒼穹，我們也許能回想起那些一直不停地做同樣事情並且一如既往地做著自己工作的人，同樣也能回想起他們的純淨和簡單。因為星宿裡冇有惡魔。\\n\\n28.想想當蘇格拉底為凡身時是個怎樣的人，在涅西比拿走他的鬥篷並離開後，蘇格拉底對那些為他感到羞恥並遠離他的朋友們說了什麼。\\n\\n29.在你首先學會自己遵守規則之前，無論是書寫還是閱讀都不會使你能夠為他人設定規則。在生活中這樣的例子屢見不鮮。\\n\\n30.如果你是一個奴隸，那麼自由言論的權力就不屬於你。\\n\\n31.而且我的內心在大笑。\\n\\n32.他們詛咒，用嚴厲的言語。\\n\\n33.在冬日尋找無花果是瘋子的行徑，這就好比有個人要在不被允許時找尋自己的孩子。\\n\\n34.“當一個人親吻他的孩子時，”愛彼克泰德說，他應當對自己耳語，“明天恐怕你就將死去”。但這些話是不好的預兆。“冇什麼話是不好的預兆，”埃彼克泰德說，“都是表達自然的話。或者如果是這樣的話，那麼連說麥穗熟了也會是不好的預兆。”\\n\\n35.未熟的葡萄、熟了的葡萄、枯死的葡萄，所有這些都是變化，並不是空無一物，而是一些尚未存在的東西罷了。\\n\\n36.冇人能夠奪去我們自由的意願。\\n\\n37.埃彼克泰德也說過，一個人必須尋找一個給予自己讚成之意的藝術之道（或是規則）；對於自己的舉動，他必須小心謹慎地處理當時的環境，他們必須符合社會利益，必須符合目標的價值；對於**上的**，他應該將之抵擋門外；對於迴避的事（厭惡的人），他應該不要對任何不在我們掌控之中的事展示出自己的厭惡之情。\\n\\n38.這個爭論，他說，不是什麼關於普遍事物的，而是關於瘋狂與否的。\\n\\n39.蘇格拉底常說，你想要什麼，理性的心靈還是不理性的？理性的。怎樣的理性，健全或不健全？健全的。那你為什麼不去追求呢？因為我們擁有它。那為什麼你們還打鬥和爭吵？\\n\\n1.These are the properties of the rational soul: it sees itself, analyses itself, and makes itself such as it chooses; the fruit which it bears itself enjoys- for the fruits of plants and that in animals which corresponds to fruits others enjoy- it obtains its own end, wherever the limit of life may be fixed. Not as in a dance and in a play and in such like things, where the whole action is incomplete, if anything cuts it short; but in every part and wherever it may be stopped, it makes what has been set before it full and complete, so that it can say, I have what is my own. And further it traverses the whole universe, and the surrounding vacuum, and surveys its form, and it extends itself into the infinity of time, and embraces and comprehends the periodical renovation of all things, and it comprehends that those who come after us will see nothing new, nor have those before us seen anything more, but in a manner he who is forty years old, if he has any understanding at all, has seen by virtue of the uniformity that prevails all things which have been and all that will be. This too is a property of the rational soul, love of one's neighbour, and truth and modesty, and to value nothing more more than itself, which is also the property of Law. Thus then right reason differs not at all from the reason of justice.\\n\\n2.Thou wilt set little value on pleasing song and dancing and the pancratium, if thou wilt distribute the melody of the voice into its several sounds, and ask thyself as to each, if thou art mastered by this; for thou wilt be prevented by shame from confessing it: and in the matter of dancing, if at each movement and attitude thou wilt do the same; and the like also in the matter of the pancratium. In all things, then, except virtue and the acts of virtue, remember to apply thyself to their several parts, and by this division to come to value them little: and apply this rule also to thy whole life.\\n\\n3.What a soul that is which is ready, if at any moment it must be separated from the body, and ready either to be extinguished or dispersed or continue to exist; but so that this readiness comes from a man's own judgement, not from mere obstinacy, as with the Christians, but considerately and with dignity and in a way to persuade another, without tragic show.\\n\\n4.Have I done something for the general interest? Well then I have had my reward. Let this always be present to thy mind, and never stop doing such good.\\n\\n5.What is thy art? To be good. And how is this accomplished well except by general principles, some about the nature of the universe, and others about the proper constitution of man?\\n\\n6.At first tragedies were brought on the stage as means of reminding men of the things which happen to them, and that it is according to nature for things to happen so, and that, if you are delighted with what is shown on the stage, you should not be troubled with that which takes place on the larger stage. For you see that these things must be accomplished thus, and that even they bear them who cry out \\\"O Cithaeron.\\\" And, indeed, some things are said well by the dramatic writers, of which kind is the following especially:-\\n\\nMe and my children if the gods neglect,\\n\\nThis has its reason too. And again-\\n\\nWe must not chale and fret at that which happens. And\\n\\nLife's harvest reap like the wheat's fruitful ear. And other things of the same kind.\\n\\nAfter tragedy the old comedy was introduced, which had a magisterial freedom of speech, and by its very plainness of speaking was useful in reminding men to beware of insolence; and for this purpose too Diogenes used to take from these writers.\\n\\nBut as to the middle comedy which came next, observe what it was, and again, for what object the new comedy was introduced, which gradually sunk down into a mere mimic artifice. That some good things are said even by these writers, everybody knows: but the whole plan of such poetry and dramaturgy, to what end does it look!\\n\\n7.How plain does it appear that there is not another condition of life so well suited for philosophising as this in which thou now happenest to be.\\n\\n8.A branch cut off from the adjacent branch must of necessity be cut off from the whole tree also. So too a man when he is separated from another man has fallen off from the whole social community. Now as to a branch, another cuts it off, but a man by his own act separates himself from his neighbour when he hates him and turns away from him, and he does not know that he has at the same time cut himself off from the whole social system. Yet he has this privilege certainly from Zeus who framed society, for it is in our power to grow again to that which is near to us, and be to come a part which helps to make up the whole. However, if it often happens, this kind of separation, it makes it difficult for that which detaches itself to be brought to unity and to be restored to its former condition. Finally, the branch, which from the first grew together with the tree, and has continued to have one life with it, is not like that which after being cut off is then ingrafted, for this is something like what the gardeners mean when they say that it grows with the rest of the tree, but that it has not the same mind with it.\\n\\n9.As those who try to stand in thy way when thou art proceeding according to right reason, will not be able to turn thee aside from thy proper action, so neither let them drive thee from thy benevolent feelings towards them, but be on thy guard equally in both matters, not only in the matter of steady judgement and action, but also in the matter of gentleness towards those who try to hinder or otherwise trouble thee. For this also is a weakness, to be vexed at them, as well as to be diverted from thy course of action and to give way through fear; for both are equally deserters from their post, the man who does it through fear, and the man who is alienated from him who is by nature a kinsman and a friend.\\n\\n10.There is no nature which is inferior to art, for the arts imitate the nature of things. But if this is so, that nature which is the most perfect and the most comprehensive of all natures, cannot fall short of the skill of art. Now all arts do the inferior things for the sake of the superior; therefore the universal nature does so too. And, indeed, hence is the origin of justice, and in justice the other virtues have their foundation: for justice will not be observed, if we either care for middle things (things indifferent), or are easily deceived and careless and changeable.\\n\\n11.If the things do not come to thee, the pursuits and avoidances of which disturb thee, still in a manner thou goest to them. Let then thy judgement about them be at rest, and they will remain quiet, and thou wilt not be seen either pursuing or avoiding.\\n\\n12.The spherical form of the soul maintains its figure, when it is neither extended towards any object, nor contracted inwards, nor dispersed nor sinks down, but is illuminated by light, by which it sees the truth, the truth of all things and the truth that is in itself.\\n\\n13.Suppose any man shall despise me. Let him look to that himself. But I will look to this, that I be not discovered doing or saying anything deserving of contempt. Shall any man hate me? Let him look to it. But I will be mild and benevolent towards every man, and ready to show even him his mistake, not reproachfully, nor yet as making a display of my endurance, but nobly and honestly, like the great Phocion, unless indeed he only assumed it. For the interior parts ought to be such, and a man ought to be seen by the gods neither dissatisfied with anything nor complaining. For what evil is it to thee, if thou art now doing what is agreeable to thy own nature, and art satisfied with that which at this moment is suitable to the nature of the universe, since thou art a human being placed at thy post in order that what is for the common advantage may be done in some way?\\n\\n14.Men despise one another and flatter one another; and men wish to raise themselves above one another, and crouch before one another.\\n\\n15.How unsound and insincere is he who says, I have determined to deal with thee in a fair way.- What art thou doing, man? There is no occasion to give this notice. It will soon show itself by acts. The voice ought to be plainly written on the forehead. Such as a man's character is, he immediately shows it in his eyes, just as he who is beloved forthwith reads everything in the eyes of lovers. The man who is honest and good ought to be exactly like a man who smells strong, so that the bystander as soon as he comes near him must smell whether he choose or not. But the affectation of simplicity is like a crooked stick. Nothing is more disgraceful than a wolfish friendship (false friendship). Avoid this most of all. The good and simple and benevolent show all these things in the eyes, and there is no mistaking.\\n\\n16.As to living in the best way, this power is in the soul, if it be indifferent to things which are indifferent. And it will be indifferent, if it looks on each of these things separately and all together, and if it remembers that not one of them produces in us an opinion about itself, nor comes to us; but these things remain immovable, and it is we ourselves who produce the judgements about them, and, as we may say, write them in ourselves, it being in our power not to write them, and it being in our power, if perchance these judgements have imperceptibly got admission to our minds, to wipe them out; and if we remember also that such attention will only be for a short time, and then life will be at an end. Besides, what trouble is there at all in doing this? For if these things are according to nature, rejoice in them, and they will be easy to thee: but if contrary to nature, seek what is conformable to thy own nature, and strive towards this, even if it bring no reputation; for every man is allowed to seek his own good.\\n\\n17.Consider whence each thing is come, and of what it consists, and into what it changes, and what kind of a thing it will be when it has changed, and that it will sustain no harm.\\n\\n18.If any have offended against thee, consider first: What is my relation to men, and that we are made for one another; and in another respect, I was made to be set over them, as a ram over the flock or a bull over the herd. But examine the matter from first principles, from this: If all things are not mere atoms, it is nature which orders all things: if this is so, the inferior things exist for the sake of the superior, and these for the sake of one another.\\n\\nSecond, consider what kind of men they are at table, in bed, and so forth: and particularly, under what compulsions in respect of opinions they are; and as to their acts, consider with what pride they do what they do.\\n\\nThird, that if men do rightly what they do, we ought not to be displeased; but if they do not right, it is plain that they do so involuntarily and in ignorance. For as every soul is unwillingly deprived of the truth, so also is it unwillingly deprived of the power of behaving to each man according to his deserts. Accordingly men are pained when they are called unjust, ungrateful, and greedy, and in a word wrong-doers to their neighbours.\\n\\nFourth, consider that thou also doest many things wrong, and that thou art a man like others; and even if thou dost abstain from certain faults, still thou hast the disposition to commit them, though either through cowardice, or concern about reputation, or some such mean motive, thou dost abstain from such faults.\\n\\nFifth, consider that thou dost not even understand whether men are doing wrong or not, for many things are done with a certain reference to circumstances. And in short, a man must learn a great deal to enable him to pass a correct judgement on another man's acts.\\n\\nSixth, consider when thou art much vexed or grieved, that man's life is only a moment, and after a short time we are all laid out dead.\\n\\nSeventh, that it is not men's acts which disturb us, for those acts have their foundation in men's ruling principles, but it is our own opinions which disturb us. Take away these opinions then, and resolve to dismiss thy judgement about an act as if it were something grievous, and thy anger is gone. How then shall I take away these opinions? By reflecting that no wrongful act of another brings shame on thee: for unless that which is shameful is alone bad, thou also must of necessity do many things wrong, and become a robber and everything else.\\n\\nEighth, consider how much more pain is brought on us by the anger and vexation caused by such acts than by the acts themselves, at which we are angry and vexed.\\n\\nNinth, consider that a good disposition is invincible, if it be genuine, and not an affected smile and acting a part. For what will the most violent man do to thee, if thou continuest to be of a kind disposition towards him, and if, as opportunity offers, thou gently admonishest him and calmly correctest his errors at the very time when he is trying to do thee harm, saying, Not so, my child: we are constituted by nature for something else: I shall certainly not be injured, but thou art injuring thyself, my child.- And show him with gentle tact and by general principles that this is so, and that even bees do not do as he does, nor any animals which are formed by nature to be gregarious. And thou must do this neither with any double meaning nor in the way of reproach, but affectionately and without any rancour in thy soul; and not as if thou wert lecturing him, nor yet that any bystander may admire, but either when he is alone, and if others are present...\\n\\nRemember these nine rules, as if thou hadst received them as a gift from the Muses, and begin at last to be a man while thou livest. But thou must equally avoid flattering men and being veied at them, for both are unsocial and lead to harm. And let this truth be present to thee in the excitement of anger, that to be moved by passion is not manly, but that mildness and gentleness, as they are more agreeable to human nature, so also are they more manly; and he who possesses these qualities possesses strength, nerves and courage, and not the man who is subject to fits of passion and discontent. For in the same degree in which a man's mind is nearer to freedom from all passion, in the same degree also is it nearer to strength: and as the sense of pain is a characteristic of weakness, so also is anger. For he who yields to pain and he who yields to anger, both are wounded and both submit.\\n\\nBut if thou wilt, receive also a tenth present from the leader of the Muses (Apollo), and it is this- that to expect bad men not to do wrong is madness, for he who expects this desires an impossibility. But to allow men to behave so to others, and to expect them not to do thee any wrong, is irrational and tyrannical.\\n\\n19.There are four principal aberrations of the superior faculty against which thou shouldst be constantly on thy guard, and when thou hast detected them, thou shouldst wipe them out and say on each occasion thus: this thought is not necessary: this tends to destroy social union: this which thou art going to say comes not from the real thoughts; for thou shouldst consider it among the most absurd of things for a man not to speak from his real thoughts. But the fourth is when thou shalt reproach thyself for anything, for this is an evidence of the diviner part within thee being overpowered and yielding to the less honourable and to the perishable part, the body, and to its gross pleasures.\\n\\n20.Thy aerial part and all the fiery parts which are mingled in thee, though by nature they have an upward tendency, still in obedience to the disposition of the universe they are overpowered here in the compound mass (the body). And also the whole of the earthy part in thee and the watery, though their tendency is downward, still are raised up and occupy a position which is not their natural one. In this manner then the elemental parts obey the universal, for when they have been fixed in any place perforce they remain there until again the universal shall sound the signal for dissolution. Is it not then strange that thy intelligent part only should be disobedient and discontented with its own place? And yet no force is imposed on it, but only those things which are conformable to its nature: still it does not submit, but is carried in the opposite direction. For the movement towards injustice and intemperance and to anger and grief and fear is nothing else than the act of one who deviates from nature. And also when the ruling faculty is discontented with anything that happens, then too it deserts its post: for it is constituted for piety and reverence towards the gods no less than for justice. For these qualities also are comprehended under the generic term of contentment with the constitution of things, and indeed they are prior to acts of justice.\\n\\n21.He who has not one and always the same object in life, cannot be one and the same all through his life. But what I have said is not enough, unless this also is added, what this object ought to be. For as there is not the same opinion about all the things which in some way or other are considered by the majority to be good, but only about some certain things, that is, things which concern the common interest; so also ought we to propose to ourselves an object which shall be of a common kind (social) and political. For he who directs all his own efforts to this object, will make all his acts alike, and thus will always be the same.\\n\\n22.Think of the country mouse and of the town mouse, and of the alarm and trepidation of the town mouse.\\n\\n23.Socrates used to call the opinions of the many by the name of Lamiae, bugbears to frighten children.\\n\\n24.The Lacedaemonians at their public spectacles used to set seats in the shade for strangers, but themselves sat down anywhere.\\n\\n25.Socrates excused himself to Perdiccas for not going to him, saying, It is because I would not perish by the worst of all ends, that is, I would not receive a favour and then be unable to return it.\\n\\n26.In the writings of the Ephesians there was this precept, constantly to think of some one of the men of former times who practised virtue.\\n\\n27.The Pythagoreans bid us in the morning look to the heavens that we may be reminded of those bodies which continually do the same things and in the same manner perform their work, and also be reminded of their purity and nudity. For there is no veil over a star.\\n\\n28.Consider what a man Socrates was when he dressed himself in a skin, after Xanthippe had taken his cloak and gone out, and what Socrates said to his friends who were ashamed of him and drew back from him when they saw him dressed thus.\\n\\n29.Neither in writing nor in reading wilt thou be able to lay down rules for others before thou shalt have first learned to obey rules thyself. Much more is this so in life.\\n\\n30.A slave thou art: free speech is not for thee.\\n\\n31.And my heart laughed within.\\n\\n32.And virtue they will curse, speaking harsh words.\\n\\n33.To look for the fig in winter is a madman's act: such is he who looks for his child when it is no longer allowed.\\n\\n34.When a man kisses his child, said Epictetus, he should whisper to himself, \\\"To-morrow perchance thou wilt die.\\\"- But those are words of bad omen.- \\\"No word is a word of bad omen,\\\" said Epictetus, \\\"which expresses any work of nature; or if it is so, it is also a word of bad omen to speak of the ears of corn being reaped.\\\"\\n\\n35.The unripe grape, the ripe bunch, the dried grape, all are changes, not into nothing, but into something which exists not yet.\\n\\n36.No man can rob us of our free will.\\n\\n37.Epictetus also said, A man must discover an art (or rules) with respect to giving his assent; and in respect to his movements he must be careful that they be made with regard to circumstances, that they be consistent with social interests, that they have regard to the value of the object; and as to sensual desire, he should altogether keep away from it; and as to avoidance (aversion) he should not show it with respect to any of the things which are not in our power.\\n\\n38.The dispute then, he said, is not about any common matter, but about being mad or not.\\n\\n39.Socrates used to say, What do you want? Souls of rational men or irrational?- Souls of rational men.- Of what rational men? Sound or unsound?- Sound.- Why then do you not seek for them?- Because we have them.- Why then do you fight and quarrel?\\n\\n\"
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