the golden sayings-第2部分

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God　for　our　Maker；　and　Father；　and　Kinsman；　shall　not　this　set　us

free　from　sorrows　and　fears？





XVII







I　do　not　think　that　an　old　fellow　like　me　need　have　been

sitting　here　to　try　and　prevent　your　entertaining　abject　notions

of　yourselves；　and　talking　of　yourselves　in　an　abject　and　ignoble

way：　but　to　prevent　there　being　by　chance　among　you　any　such

young　men　as；　after　recognising　their　kindred　to　the　Gods；　and

their　bondage　in　these　chains　of　the　body　and　its　manifold

necessities；　should　desire　to　cast　them　off　as　burdens　too

grievous　to　be　borne；　and　depart　their　true　kindred。　This　is　the

struggle　in　which　your　Master　and　Teacher；　were　he　worthy　of　the

name；　should　be　engaged。　You　would　come　to　me　and　say：

〃Epictetus；　we　can　no　longer　endure　being　chained　to　this

wretched　body；　giving　food　and　drink　and　rest　and　purification：

aye；　and　for　its　sake　forced　to　be　subservient　to　this　man　and

that。　Are　these　not　things　indifferent　and　nothing　to　us？　Is　it

not　true　that　death　is　no　evil？　Are　we　not　in　a　manner　kinsmen　of

the　Gods；　and　have　we　not　come　from　them？　Let　us　depart　thither；

whence　we　came：　let　us　be　freed　from　these　chains　that　confine

and　press　us　down。　Here　are　thieves　and　robbers　and　tribunals：

and　they　that　are　called　tyrants；　who　deem　that　they　have　after　a

fashion　power　over　us；　because　of　the　miserable　body　and　what

appertains　to　it。　Let　us　show　them　that　they　have　power　over

none。〃





XVIII







And　to　this　I　reply：



〃Friends；　wait　for　God。　When　He　gives　the　signal；　and

releases　you　from　this　service；　then　depart　to　Him。　But　for　the

present；　endure　to　dwell　in　the　place　wherein　He　hath　assigned

you　your　post。　Short　indeed　is　the　time　of　your　habitation

therein；　and　easy　to　those　that　are　minded。　What　tyrant；　what

robber；　what　tribunals　have　any　terrors　for　those　who　thus　esteem

the　body　and　all　that　belong　to　it　as　of　no　account？　Stay；　depart

not　rashly　hence！〃





XIX







Something　like　that　is　what　should　pass　between　a　teacher

and　ingenuous　youths。　As　it　is；　what　does　pass？　The　teacher　is　a

lifeless　body；　and　you　are　lifeless　bodies　yourselves。　When　you

have　had　enough　to　eat　today；　you　sit　down　and　weep　about

tomorrow's　food。　Slave！　if　you　have　it；　well　and　good；　if　not；

you　will　depart：　the　door　is　openwhy　lament？　What　further　room

is　there　for　tears？　What　further　occasion　for　flattery？　Why

should　one　envy　another？　Why　should　you　stand　in　awe　of　them　that

have　much　or　are　placed　in　power；　especially　if　they　be　also

strong　and　passionate？　Why；　what　should　they　do　to　us？　What　they

can　do；　we　will　not　regard：　what　does　concern　us；　that　they

cannot　do。　Who　then　shall　rule　one　that　is　thus　minded？





XX







Seeing　this　then；　and　noting　well　the　faculties　which　you

have；　you　should　say；〃Send　now；　O　God；　any　trial　that　Thou

wilt；　lo；　I　have　means　and　powers　given　me　by　Thee　to　acquit

myself　with　honour　through　whatever　comes　to　pass！〃　No；　but

there　you　sit；　trembling　for　fear　certain　things　should　come　to

pass；　and　moaning　and　groaning　and　lamenting　over　what　does　come

to　pass。　And　then　you　upbraid　the　Gods。　Such　meanness　of　spirit

can　have　but　one　resultimpiety。



Yet　God　has　not　only　given　us　these　faculties　by　means　of

which　we　may　bear　everything　that　comes　to　pass　without　being

curshed　or　depressed　thereby；　but　like　a　good　King　and　Father；　He

has　given　us　this　without　let　or　hindrance；　placed　wholly　at　our

own　disposition；　without　reserving　to　Himself　any　power　of

impediment　or　restraint。　Though　possessing　all　these　things　free

and　all　you　own；　you　do　not　use　them！　you　do　not　perceive　what　it

is　you　have　received　nor　whence　it　comes；　but　sit　moaning　and

groaning；　some　of　you　blind　to　the　Giver；　making　no

acknowledgment　to　your　Benefactor；　others　basely　giving

themselves　to　complaints　and　accusations　against　God。



Yet　what　faculties　and　powers　you　possess　for　attaining

courage　and　greatness　of　heart；　I　can　easily　show　you；　what　you

have　for　upbraiding　and　accusation；　it　is　for　you　to　show　me！



XXI







How　did　Socrates　bear　himself　in　this　regard？　How　else　than

as　became　one　who　was　fully　assured　that　he　was　the　kinsman　of

Gods？





XXII







If　God　had　made　that　part　of　His　own　nature　which　He　severed

from　Himself　and　gave　to　us；　liable　to　be　hindered　or　constrained

either　by　Himself　or　any　other；　He　would　not　have　been　God；　nor

would　He　have　been　taking　care　of　us　as　He　ought　。　。　。　。　If　you

choose；　you　are　free；　if　you　choose；　you　need　blame　no　man

accuse　no　man。　All　things　will　be　at　once　according　to　your　mind

and　according　to　the　Mind　of　God。





XXIII







Petrifaction　is　of　two　sorts。　There　is　petrifaction　of　the

understanding；　and　also　of　the　sense　of　shame。　This　happens　when

a　man　obstinately　refuses　to　acknowledge　plain　truths；　and

persists　in　maintaining　what　is　self…contradictory。　Most　of　us

dread　mortification　of　the　body；　and　would　spare　no　pains　to

escape　anything　of　that　kind。　But　of　mortification　of　the　soul　we

are　utterly　heedless。　With　regard；　indeed；　to　the　soul；　if　a　man

is　in　such　a　state　as　to　be　incapable　of　following　or

understanding　anything；　I　grant　you　we　do　think　him　in　a　bad　way。

But　mortification　of　the　sense　of　shame　and　modesty　we　go　so　far

as　to　dub　strength　of　mind！





XXIV







If　we　were　as　intent　upon　our　business　as　the　old　fellows　at

Rome　are　upon　what　interests　them；　we　too　might　perhaps

accomplish　something。　I　know　a　man　older　than　I　am；　now

Superintendent　of　the　Corn…market　at　Rome；　and　I　remember　when　he

passed　through　this　place　on　his　way　back　from　exile；　what　an

account　he　gave　me　of　his　former　life；　declaring　that　for　the

future；　once　home　again；　his　only　care　should　be　to　pass　his

remaining　years　in　quiet　and　tranquility。　〃For　how　few　years　have

I　left！〃　he　cried。　〃That；〃　I　said；　〃you　will　not　do；　but　the

moment　the　scent　of　Rome　is　in　your　nostrils；　you　will　forget　it

all；　and　if　you　can　but　gain　admission　to　Court；　you　will　be　glad

enough　to　elbow　your　way　in；　and　thank　God　for　it。〃　〃Epictetus；〃

he　replied；　〃if　ever　you　find　me　setting　as　much　as　one　foot

within　the　Court；　think　what　you　will　of　me。〃



Well；　as　it　was；　what　did　he　do？　Ere　ever　he　entered　the

city；　he　was　met　by　a　despatch　from　the　Emperor。　He　took　it；　and

forgot　the　whole　of　his　resolutions。　From　that　moment；　he　has

been　piling　one　thing　upon　another。　I　should　like　to　be　beside

him　to　remind　him　of　what　he　said　when　passing　this　way；　and　to

add；　How　much　better　a　prophet　I　am　than　you！



What　then？　do　I　say　man　is　not　made　for　an　active　life？　Far

from　it！　。　。　。　But　there　is　a　great　difference　between　other

men's　occupations　and　ours。　。　。　。　A　glance　at　theirs　will　make　it

clear　to　you。　All　day　long　they　do　nothing　but　calculate；

contrive；　consult　how　to　wring　their　profit　out　of　food…stuffs；

farm…plots　and　the　like。　。　。　。　Whereas；　I　entreat　you　to　learn

what　the　administration　of　the　World　is；　and　what　place　a　Being

endowed　with　reason　holds　therein：　to　consider　what　you　are

yourself；　and　wherein　your　Good　and　Evil　consists。





XXV







A　man　asked　me　to　write　to　Rome　on　his　behalf　who；　as　most

people　thought；　had　met　with　misfortune；　for　having　been　before

wealthy　and　distinguished；　he　had　afterwards　lost　all　and　was

living　here。　So　I　wrote　about　him　in　a　humble　style。　He　however

on　reading　the　letter　returned　it　to　me；　with　the　words：　〃I　asked

for　your　help；　not　for　your　pity。　No　evil　has　happened　unto　me。〃





XXVI







True　instruction　is　this：　to　learn　to　wish　that　each　thing

should　come　to　pass　as　it　does。　And　how　does　it　come　to　pass？　As

the　Disposer　has　disposed　it。　Now　He　has　disposed　that　there

should　be　summer　and　winter；　and　plenty　and　dearth；　and　vice　and

virtue；　and　all　such　opposites；　for　the　harmony　of　the　whole。





XXVII







Have　this　thought　ever　present　with　thee；　when　thou　losest

any　outward　thing；　what　thou　gainest　in　its　stead；　and　if　this　be

the　more　precious；　say　not；　I　have　suffered　loss。





XXVIII







Concerning　the　Gods；　there　are　who　deny　the　very　existence

of　the　Godhead；　others　say　that　it　exists；　but　neither　bestirs

nor　concerns　itself　norhas　forethought　for　anything。　A　third

party　attribute　to　it　existence　and　forethought；　but　only　for

great　and　heavenly　matters；　not　for　anything　that　is　on　earth。　A

fourth　party　admit　things　on　earth　as　well　as　in　heaven；　but　only

in　general；　and　not　with　respect　to　each　individual。　A　fifth；　of

whom　were　Ulysses　and　Socrates　are　those　that　cry：



I　move　not　without　Thy　knowledge！





XXIX







Considering　all　these　things；　the　good　and　true　man　submits

his　judgement　to　Him　that　administers　the　Universe；　even　as　good

citizens　to　the　law　of　the　State。　And　he　that　is　being　instructed

should　come　thus　minded：How　may　I　in　all　things　follow　the

Gods；　and；　How　may　I　rest　satisfied　with　the　Divine

Administration；　and；　How　may　I　become　free？　For　he　is　free　for

whom　all　things　come　to　pass　according　to　his　will；　and　whom　none

can　hinder。　What　then；　is　freedom　madness？　God　forbid。　For

madness　and　freedom　exist　not　together。



〃But　I　wish　all　that　I　desire　to　come　to　pass　and　in　the

manner　that　I　desire。〃



You　are　mad；　you　are　beside　yourself。　Know　you　not　that

Freedom　is　a　glorious　thing　and　of　great　worth？　But　that　what　I

desired　at　random　I　should　wish　at　random　to　come　to　pass；　so　far

from　being　noble；　may　well　be　exceeding　base。





XXX







You　must　know　that　it　is　no　easy　thing　for　a　principle　to

become　a　man's　own；　unless　each　day　he　maintain　it　and　hear　it

maintained；　as　well　as　work　it　out　in　life。





XXXI







You　must　know　that　it　is　no　easy　thing　for　a　principle　to

become　a　man's　own；　unless　each　day　he　maintain　it　and　hear　it

main