and those that are alien to be thine own, thou shalt be hindered, thou shalt lament, shalt be disturbed, and shalt find fault both with God and men; but if thou thinkest that only to be thine own which is in truth thine, and that which is alien to be, as it is, alien, no one shall ever compel thee, no one shall hinder thee, thou shalt not blame any one, nor shalt thou find fault with any one; thou shalt do nothing against thy will; thou shalt have no enemy, no one shall hurt thee, nor shall he do thee any harm. A
CHAPTER IV
Desiring, therefore, things so great and so many, remember that you must not be moved only moderately in striving to attain them, but that you must set aside some things altogether, while deferring others for the present. But if you desire both these [virtues] and at the same time to grow rich and to rule, perhaps you will not even obtain the latter ones, because you desire the former at the same time; and you will certainly fail in everything through which alone happiness and liberty are acquired. BCHAPTER V
Immediately, therefore, take care to say to every harsh imagination, that it is an appearance and not at all the thing which it represents. Then examine it, and test it by the rules which you have—principally and above all by this one: whether it concerns things that are in our power or things that are not in our power. And if it is one of the things that are not in our power, have it ready at hand that it is nothing to you. CCHAPTER VI
Remember that the promise of desire is the attainment of that which is desired, and the promise of aversion is not to fall into that which one is averse to. Moreover, he who fails in his desiring is unfortunate; he who falls into that which he is averse to is unhappy. Therefore, if you are averse only to those things which are contrary to nature among those that are within your control, you will fall into none of the things for which you are averse; but if you are averse to sickness, or poverty, or death, you will be unhappy.CHAPTER VII
Remove, therefore, your aversion from all things that are not in our power and transfer it to the things contrary to nature that are within our power; but, for the present, banish desire altogether. For if you desire anything of those things which are not in our power, you must necessarily fail; but how good it is to desire those things which are in our power is not yet manifest to you. As for the mere impulse you have toward anything, or the avoiding of anything, use it lightly, without delay, and with reservation and restraint. DCHAPTER VIII
Of everything which delights the mind, or provides utility, or is loved, remember to add, saying (as is the case), beginning from the smallest things: if you love a pot, that you love a pot; for if it is broken you will not be disturbed. If you love your little son or your wife, [say] that you love a human being; for when he or she dies, you will not be disturbed.CHAPTER IX
A When you are about to undertake any task, call to mind what the nature of that task is. If you go off to bathe, place before yourself what happens in the bath: those who splash, those who jostle, those who cast insults, those who steal; and thus you will undertake the task more securely if you immediately add, saying, "I wish to bathe, and also to keep my own intention in accordance with nature; but I shall not do so, if I am exasperated by what happens."CHAPTER X
It is not things themselves that disturb men, but the judgments concerning things: for example, death is not a terrible thing, otherwise it would have appeared so to Socrates; but the judgment concerning death, that it is a terrible thing, that is where the terror lies. When, therefore, we are hindered, or disturbed, or pained, let us never blame anyone else, but ourselves, that is, our own judgments. It is the action of an uneducated person to blame others for things which he himself does badly; of one beginning to be educated, to censure himself; of one already educated, to blame neither another nor himself.CHAPTER XI
B Do not be puffed up by any advantage which belongs to another. If a horse, while prancing, were to say, "I am beautiful," it would be bearable. But when you, puffed up with vanity, say, "I have a beautiful horse," know that you are puffed up over a good horse. What, then, is your own? The use of impressions. Therefore, when you use impressions according to nature, then you will be puffed up reasonably; for then you will be puffed up over some good of your own.CHAPTER XII
Just as in a sea voyage, when the ship has been anchored, if you go out to fetch water, it is an incidental task of the journey to pick up a shellfish or C a bulb, but it is necessary that the mind be intent upon the ship and turn back frequently, lest the captain call; and if he calls, you must abandon all those things, for fear that you be bound and thrown on board like the sheep. So it is also in life; if there be given to you in place of a shellfish or a bulb a little wife and a little child, nothing will hinder you. But if the captain calls, run to the ship, abandoning those things, and do not even look back. And if you are an old man, do not ever go far from the ship, lest when you are called you be found missing.CHAPTER XIII
Do not seek to have events happen as you want them to, but instead want events to happen as they do happen, and you will live a happy life. Sickness is an impediment to the body, but not to the intention, unless it [the intention] wishes it so; lameness is an impediment to the leg, but not to you.CHAPTER XIV
In every instance of what happens, remember to turn to yourself and ask what power you have to Dmake use of it. If you see something handsome or beautiful, you will find a capacity for self-restraint against these things; if labor is brought upon you, you will find endurance; if abuse, you will find tolerance. And when you are thus accustomed, the images of things presented to your mind will not carry you away. A
CHAPTER XV Never say about any thing that you have lost it, but that you have restored it. Did a child die? It has been restored. Did a wife die? She has been restored. Has an estate been taken away? Then it too has been returned. But he who took it away is a wicked man. What does it matter to you how he who gave it asks for it back? For as long as they are granted to you, take care of them as something not your own, just as travelers care for an inn.
CHAPTER XVI If you want to make progress, cast aside such reasoning as this: "If I neglect my own affairs, I will have nothing to eat; if I do not punish my slave, he will be wicked." For it is better to die of hunger, but free from fear and pain, than to live in abundance, troubled; and it is better for your slave to be wicked than for you to be miserable. B
CHAPTER XVII Begin, therefore, with small things. A little oil is spilled, a small donkey is stolen; say to yourself: "At this price, freedom from passion is sold; at this price, tranquility of mind is purchased. Nothing comes without a price." When you summon your slave, reflect that it is not possible that he should do everything you want, nor that it should be well for him, so that it rests with you that you should not be troubled.
CHAPTER XVIII If you desire to make progress, endure being considered foolish and stupid with regard to external things; do not desire to be thought to know anything, and if you should appear to be someone to others, distrust yourself. For know that it is not easy to keep your own moral purpose C in harmony with nature and at the same time to keep hold of external things; but whoever takes care of the one is absolutely forced to neglect the other.
CHAPTER XIX If you want your children, your wife, and your friends to live forever, you are a fool; for you wish for things that are not under your control to be under your control, and for what is another’s to be yours. Likewise, if you wish your slave to do no wrong, you are a dunce; for you wish for vice not to be vice, but something else. But if you wish not to be frustrated in your desires, this you can do; therefore, exercise yourself in that which you can. D
CHAPTER XX Everyone who has the power over the things he desires from within himself is a master, so that he may attain the same or remove them from his own mind. Whoever, therefore, wishes to be free, neither
desires nor avoids anything that is dependent on others, otherwise he must necessarily be a slave.
CHAPTER XXI.
Remember that you ought to conduct yourself as if you were at a banquet, while you are passing through life. Has something come round to you? Extend your hand and take it modestly. Does it pass by? Do not hold it back. Has it not yet arrived? Do not let your desire reach out toward it from a distance, but wait until it comes to you. Act in this way toward children, in this way toward a wife, toward public office, toward wealth; and you will someday be a man worthy of God. But when you do not take things even when they are offered to you, then you will not only be a man of God, but also like an angel.
CHAPTER XXII.
When you see someone weeping in grief—either because his child has gone abroad or because he has lost his own possessions—take care that your imagination does not carry you away, as if he were in the midst of external evils; but let it be ready for you to understand that it is not the event that hurts this person (for it does not hurt another), but the opinion which he has concerning these things. However, as far as speech is concerned, do not hesitate to share his emotion, and even to groan with him if it happens that you should; take care, however, not to groan inwardly as well.
CHAPTER XXIII.
Remember that you are an actor of a play, of such kind as the teacher wishes: if short, then a short one; if long, then a long one. If he wishes you to act the part of a beggar, ensure that you act it skillfully; if a lame man, or an official, or a private citizen, act it accordingly. For this is your duty: to act the assigned role well; but to choose that role belongs to another.
CHAPTER XXIV.
When a raven croaks an inauspicious omen, let not your imagination be carried away by a dæmon; but immediately make a distinction within yourself, and say: "None of these things signifies anything to me, but only to my body, or my little property, or my little reputation, or my children, or my wife. But to me, all things signify something auspicious, if I so wish—for whatever happens among these things, it is in my power to make good use of them."
CHAPTER XXV.
You can be invincible if you do not enter into any contest in which victory is not in your own power.
CHAPTER XXVI.
See to it that when you see someone preferred in honor, or exalted, or otherwise celebrated in the speech of men, you do not call him happy, being carried away by your imagination. For if the essence of the good consists in things which are in our own power, neither envy nor jealousy has any place. For you yourself do not wish to be a general, or a leader, or an emperor, but to be free. And there is one way to this: the contempt of those things which are not in our own power.
CHAPTER XXVII.
Remember that it is not he who reviles or strikes you who insults you, but rather the judgment you hold concerning these things, as if they were insulting you. Whenever, therefore, anyone irritates you, know that it is your own opinion that has irritated you. Strive, then, in the first place, not to be carried away by the impression; for if you once gain time and a delay, you will easily master yourself.CHAPTER XXVIII.
Death and exile, and all other things that appear dreadful, should be before your eyes every day, and most of all death; and you will never think any base thought, nor will you desire anything excessively. BCHAPTER XXIX.
If you desire philosophy, prepare yourself from that very moment, expecting that you will be mocked, that many will jeer at you, and say, "Suddenly a philosopher has returned to us, and from whence do we have this arrogance?" But for your part, do not have arrogance; however, hold to those things that seem to you the best, just as if you had been stationed in this position by God. And remember that if you persist in them, those who formerly mocked you will later admire you; but if you are defeated by them, you will receive a double mockery.CHAPTER XXX.
If it should ever happen to you to turn outward so as to wish to please someone, know that you have destroyed your purpose. Be content, therefore, in all things to be a philosopher; but if you even desire to appear to be one, appear so to yourself, and that is sufficient. CCHAPTER XXXI.
Do not let thoughts of this kind afflict you, namely: "I shall live without honor, and I shall be nothing anywhere." For if dishonor is an evil, just as it is, you cannot be involved in evil through another person, any more than you can in baseness. Is it then your work to attain a position of authority, or to be invited to a banquet? By no means. How then is there dishonor in these things? And how will you be "nothing anywhere," since it is necessary for you to be of some account only in those things which are under your own control, in which it is possible for you to be of the greatest worth? "But," they say, "your friends will be without help." What do you mean by "without help"? They will not receive a penny or a sliver of silver from you, nor will you make them citizens of the Romans. Now, who told you that these are things that are within our own power, and not the works of others? And who can give to another what he does not possess himself? "Acquire, then," they say, "so that we also may have." If I can acquire wealth while keeping myself modest, faithful, and magnanimous, show me the way, and I will acquire it. But if you demand that I lose my own good things so that you may acquire things that are not good, see for yourselves how unjust and thoughtless you are. And what do you prefer: silver, or a faithful and modest friend? Assist me, therefore, in this rather, and do not demand that I do things through which I will lose those very qualities. "But my country," he says, "as far as it depends on me,will be without assistance." A Again, what kind of assistance is this? Will it lack colonnades because of you, or baths? And what of that? For it does not have shoes because of the cobbler, nor weapons because of the blacksmith. It is enough if each individual fulfills his own task. But if you were providing it with some other citizen who is faithful and self-respecting, would you be doing it no good? Yes, you would indeed; however, no one else would have helped it if you did not. What place, then, he says, shall I have in the city? Whatever place you can have, while keeping yourself faithful and self-respecting. But if, wishing to be useful to it, you throw away these qualities, what help will you be to it then, having turned out shameless and unfaithful?
CHAPTER XXXII.
B Has someone been preferred over you at a dinner, or in a greeting, or by being taken into a council? If these things are good, you ought to be glad that he obtained them; but if they are bad, do not be distressed that you did not obtain them. And remember that you cannot, by not doing the same things as others, be accounted worthy of equal things—those things which are not in our control. For how can he who does not attend the door of anyone have an equal share with him who does attend? He who does not escort with him who does? He who does not praise with him who praises? You will be unjust, then, and insatiable if, while not paying the price for which these things are sold, you wish to obtain them for nothing. C But how much do lettuces sell for? For an obol, if that is the case. If, then, someone having paid the obol takes the lettuces, and you, not having paid, do not take them, do not think you have less than the one who did take them. For just as he has the lettuces, so you have the obol which you did not give. And so it is in our present matter as well: you were not invited to someone’s dinner table—because you did not give the host the price at which the dinner is sold; he sells it for his own praise, he sells it for attendance. Pay the price, if it is advantageous to you, at which it is sold. But if you wish not to pay the price and yet receive the goods, you are insatiable and foolish. Do you have nothing, then, in return for the dinner? You have this: that you did not praise the man whom you did not want to; you did not endure him at the door.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
D The will of nature is to be understood from those things in which we do not differ from one another. For example, when another person’s young child breaks a cup, we are immediately ready to say, "It is one of those things that happen." You should know, therefore, that if your own cup is broken, you ought to be the same as you were when the other’s was broken. Transfer this, likewise, to greater things. Another’s child has died, or his wife; there is no one who would not say, "It is a human experience." But when one’s own dies, immediately it is, "Alas! Woe is me!" But one ought to remember how we feel about others when we hear the same thing.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
A Just as a target is not set up to be missed, so no nature of evil exists in the world. If someone were to commit your body to the first person he met, you would be indignant; yet are you not ashamed that you commit your own mind to just anyone, so that if he speaks insults to you, it is stirred up and confused? For this reason, consider the antecedents and consequences of every task, and then approach it; otherwise, you will at first set out eagerly, since you have recalled nothing of what follows, but later, when certain shameful things begin to appear, you will desist.CHAPTER XXXV.
Do you wish to win at the Olympic games? So do I, by God, for it is a noble thing. But consider the B antecedents and consequences, and then gird yourself for the task. You must follow a rule, live on a fixed diet, abstain from sweetmeats, train at the necessary tasks at a set time, in heat and in cold; you must not drink cold water, nor wine just as it happens; in a word, you must deliver yourself to your trainer as to a physician, and then enter the contest. And it happens that you may dislocate a hand, twist an ankle, swallow much dust, and sometimes you may be whipped and, even with all these things, be defeated. When you have weighed these things, if you still wish to do so, proceed to compete; otherwise, you will behave like children, who now play at wrestling, now at gladiators, now sound the trumpet, and then perform tragedy; so you, too, are now an athlete, now a gladiator, then a rhetorician, then a philosopher, but in your whole soul, nothing. But like an ape, you imitate every kind of spectacle you see, and one thing after another pleases you, for you did not approach anything with deliberation, nor have you examined it, but did so rashly and with a cold desire. In the same way, when some have seen a philosopher and heard someone speaking in exactly the way a good philosopher speaks (and indeed, who can speak as he does?), they are then seized by the desire to philosophize.CHAPTER XXXVI.
Man, first weigh what the matter is, and afterwards examine your own nature to see if you can bear it. Do you wish to compete in the pentathlon? Do you wish to wrestle in the palaestra? Look at your arms, your thighs, test your loins; for one person is born for one thing, another for another. Do you think that while doing these things you can eat just the same, drink just the same, be indignant just the same, and show yourself just as peevish? It is necessary to keep vigil, to toil, to depart from those of your own household, to be despised by a little child, to be mocked by everyone, to be in all things in a lower station, in honor, in precedence, in judgment, and in every least thing. Weigh these things, if you desire to exchange them for impassivity, freedom, and imperturbability; if not, do not approach, do not be like children: now a philosopher, later a tax-collector, then a rhetorician, then a procurator of Caesar. These things are out of harmony D with one another. Since you are one man, you ought to be either good or bad: you must either perfect the governing part of your soul by its own powers, or [you must devote yourself to] external things, or [you must devote yourself to] the inner things;or, in short, to hold the role of a philosopher or that of a private citizen.
CHAPTER XXXVII
A Duties are for the most part measured by the relationships one bears. You have a father; this requires you to care for him, to yield to him in all things, and to endure him if he insults or strikes you. But he is a bad father. Does it follow, then, that by nature you were joined to a good father? No, but to a father. A brother commits an injustice; therefore, maintain your own position in relation to him. Do not consider what he is doing, but rather what you must do for your own will to remain in accordance with nature. For no one can harm you unless you wish it; you will have been harmed only when you think you are being harmed. In this way, you will discover the duty owed by a citizen, a neighbor, and a military commander, if you accustom yourself to observing these relationships.
CHAPTER XXXVIII
Regarding piety towards God, know that the most important thing is this: to have correct opinions about Him—that He exists and governs all things well and justly—and to have stationed yourself to obey Him, to follow Him, and to yield to all that happens, and to follow willingly as if all things are accomplished by the best judgment. For thus you will never complain about God, nor will you accuse Him of neglecting you. But it is not possible to do this otherwise than by abstaining from things that are not in our power, and by placing the good and the bad only in those things which are in our power. For if you should judge any of those external things to be good or bad, then it will be an absolute necessity that, when you fail to obtain what you desire or fall into what you do not desire, you will blame and hate those who are responsible. By nature, every living creature flees and turns away from what it thinks is harmful and its causes, while it pursues and marvels at what is beneficial and its causes. B It is impossible, then, for someone who thinks he is being harmed to take pleasure in what he thinks is the source of the harm, just as it is impossible to take pleasure in the harm itself. Hence, even a father is reviled by his son when he does not share with him the things that the son thinks are good. And for some fools, this led them to think that tyranny was a good thing. For this reason, the farmer reviles God; for this reason, the sailor; for this reason, the merchant; for this reason, those who divorce their wives and [abandon] their children. C For where there is benefit, there also is piety; so that whoever is careful to desire what he ought and to avoid what he ought, in this very thing is he also careful about piety. It is appropriate to approach the work in truth, purely, and not in a slipshod manner, nor negligently, nor for the sake of base gain, nor beyond one’s strength. D
CHAPTER XXXIX
Set for yourself a certain character and a pattern to follow, both when you are by yourself and when you encounter other people.
CHAPTER XL
Let silence be the rule for the most part, or let only necessary things be said, and
A let us rarely proceed to speech; and even then, not about anything random, not about gladiatorial games, not about horse races, not about athletes, not about food or drink, or the things spoken of everywhere; and especially not about a person, whether blaming, praising, or comparing them.
CHAPTER XLI
If, therefore, you are able, turn your own conversation and that of your companions toward what is fitting; but if you happen to be caught among strangers, be silent.CHAPTER XLII
Let there be no excessive, lax, or frequent laughter B.CHAPTER XLIII
Refuse the taking of oaths, if possible entirely; if not, do so as far as circumstances permit.CHAPTER XLIV
Reject external and popular feasting, but if at some time an occasion should arise, keep your attention strictly fixed so that you do not slip into vulgar habits: for you must know that if a companion is soiled, it is necessary that he who associates with him be soiled as well, even though he himself happens to be pure.CHAPTER XLV
Take for your body only what is provided for mere need, such as food, drink, clothing, housing, and service; but as for whatever concerns pleasure, glory, or luxury, C strike it all away.CHAPTER XLVI
If someone reports to you that so-and-so speaks ill of you, do not defend yourself against what has been said, but reply: "Because he was ignorant of the other evils that are in me; otherwise he would not have mentioned only these."CHAPTER XLVII
It is not honorable to go off to the theater or to listen to people rashly or readily; but if you should go, maintain gravity, constancy, and at the same time, take care that you are not troublesome to anyone.CHAPTER XLVIII
When you are about to encounter one of those who are believed to be in a position of eminence D, set before yourself what some man of virtue would have done, and you will not be at a loss for how to behave with propriety in the situation that arises.CHAPTER XLIX
When you go to visit one of those who possess great power, set before yourself that you will not find him at home, that you will be excluded, that the doors will be slammed in your face, and that he will not care for you; and if it is appropriate for you to meet them, when you come, endure what happens, and never say to yourself, "I am not valued that much"; for that is a common sort of reflection, and it is already worn out and vulgar regarding external things.CAPUT L.
[A–1305] In familiar conversations, let it be absent that you should, for the most part or immoderately, recount some of your own deeds and dangers; for it is not as sweet for others to hear frequently what has happened to you, as it is pleasant for you to remember your own dangers.CAPUT LI.
But also let it be absent that you should provoke laughter: for that manner of behavior is prone to vulgarity, and is very well suited for diminishing the reverence owed to you by those nearby.CHAPTER LII.
It is also dangerous to lapse into foul language; when, therefore, something of this sort occurs, if the opportunity is present, rebuke the one approaching [you with it]; but if not, B by keeping silent, and blushing, and wearing a gloomy expression, show that you take such talk gravely.CHAPTER LIII.
When the mental image of some pleasure comes to you, guard yourself, as in other things, lest you be carried away by it; but let the thing wait for you, and take for yourself some delay. Then remember both times: that in which you once perceived the pleasure, and that in which, after you have perceived the pleasure, you will finally repent and reproach yourself; and set against these the thought of how much you will rejoice and praise yourself if you abstain. But if it appears opportune to undertake the work, take care lest its charm, and sweetness, and allurement overcome you, but set against this how much better it will be to be conscious to yourself that you have carried off such a victory.CHAPTER LIV.
When you do something, having decided that it is what you ought to do, never flee from being seen while you do it, C even if many are going to have a different opinion about it; for if you are not doing the work rightly, flee from it; but if you are doing it rightly, why do you fear those who will blame you unjustly?CAPUT LV.
Hold that which is disjoined from you as having great dignity; but hold that which is joined to you as having none. Thus, the choice of a larger portion with respect to the body has indeed a fitting merit, but with respect to communion in a banquet, what, to be sure, ought to be observed has less merit or dignity. When, therefore, you dine with a companion, do not look only at the dignity which pertains to the body of the things placed before you, but consider also that dignity which the host ought to have, and what, to be sure, ought to be observed.Chapter LVI.
[D–1306] If you have taken on a role above your strength, you have both behaved indecorously in this, and you have abandoned that which you could have fulfilled.A
CHAPTER LVII.
Just as in walking you take care not to step on a nail or twist your foot, so take care not to harm the governing part of your own mind; and if we observe this in every task, we shall approach every task more securely.Chapter LVIII.
The measure of possession for each person is the body, just as the foot is the measure of the shoe. If you abide by this, you will keep the measure; but if you go beyond it, you must inevitably be carried as if over a precipice, just as happens with a shoe: if it exceeds the foot, it becomes so, whether it is a gilded shoe, or purple, or embroidered; for once it is beyond the measure, there is no limit to it.CHAPTER LIX.
Women from the age of fourteen are immediately called "mistress" by men; seeing, therefore, that nothing else remains for them but to lie with men, they begin to adorn their appearance and place all their hope in this. It is worthy, therefore, that they realize that they are honored for no other reason than that they appear orderly and modest in their temperance.CAPUT LX.
It is a sign of a dull intellect to be completely engrossed in things pertaining to the body, such as exercising too much, or eating much, or drinking more, C or relieving the bowels too frequently; but these things are to be done in passing, while all your care should be turned toward the mind.CHAPTER LXI.
When someone does you some evil or speaks ill of you, remember that he does or says this thinking it is appropriate for him; however, it is not possible for him to follow what seems right to you, but rather what seems right to him. So, if it seems evil in his eyes, he himself is the one who is harmed, insofar as he has been deceived. For if someone has supposed the truth to be a lie, the truth itself is not harmed, but the one who has been deceived. Starting from these thoughts, you will have a mild spirit toward the one who insults you; for add this in every case: "It seemed so to him."CHAPTER LXII.
Every matter has two handles, one by which it can be carried, and the other by which it is not portable; if, therefore, a brother does you an injury, do not take hold of it from that side—namely, that he did an injury; for this handle of his is not portable—but rather from the other side, that he is a brother, that he is a companion, and you will lay hold of it in such a way that it is portable.CHAPTER LXIII.
Discourses of this sort are disordered: "I am richer than you; therefore, I am better than you." "I am more learned than you; D therefore, I am better than you." But these are more orderly:"I am richer than you; therefore, my possession is better than yours." "I am more learned than you; therefore, my diction is better than yours." You, however, are neither possession nor diction.
A CAPUT LXIV. If someone washes quickly, do not say that he does it badly, but that he does it quickly. If someone drinks much wine, do not say that he does it badly, but that he drinks much; for before you know the matter, how do you know if it is bad? In this way, you will not be in danger of grasping the impressions of others or of yielding to the views of others.
B CAPUT LXV. Nowhere call yourself a philosopher, and do not often talk among the unlearned about philosophical doctrines; for example, at a banquet, do not speak of how one ought to eat, but eat as one ought. For remember that the philosophers had so completely stripped away all showiness that when those who wished to be instructed by them as philosophers approached them, they would turn them away, and yet those who were turned away bore the neglect.
C CAPUT LXVI. Therefore, even if a conversation about some doctrine should arise among the unlearned, keep silent for the most part. For there is great danger in immediately vomiting up that which you have not digested. And when someone says to you that you know nothing, and you are not offended, then know that you are at the beginning of the work. Just as sheep do not show the shepherds how much they have eaten by bringing forward the grass, but rather, having digested the fodder within, they bring it out as wool and milk. Do you, therefore, not show your doctrines to the unlearned, but rather the works digested from them.
D CAPUT LXVII. When you are living modestly in matters concerning the body, do not boast of this. And if you drink water on any occasion, do not claim that you drink water; and if you ever wish to train for hardship, do it for yourself and not for those outside. Do not embrace statues; but when you are at some time extremely thirsty, take a mouthful of cold water and spit it out, and tell no one.
CAPUT LXVIII. The state and mark of the unlearned person is that he never expects any benefit or harm from himself, but from things outside. The state and mark of the philosopher is that he expects all benefit and harm from himself.
CAPUT LXIX. The sign of one who is making progress is that he blames no one quickly, praises no one, complains of no one, accuses no one; and if someone praises him, he laughs to himself at the one who praises him, and if someone blames him, he does not defend himself. He moves about as those who are infirm, who are careful not to disturb what is settled before they have regained their strength.
A CAPUT LXX. What if someone says something about you? Do not pay attention, for that is no longer yours.
CAPUT LXXI. How long will you defer deeming yourself worthy of the best things, and in nothing transgressing the reason that distinguishes them? You have received the speculations which you ought to have followed; you have followed them. What kind of teacher do you still await, so that you might entrust to him your own amendment? You are no longer a youth, but a man already of full age. If, therefore, you are negligent and slothful, and are always making purpose upon purpose and setting days upon days after which you might pay attention to yourself, you will escape your own notice, having made no progress, but you will continue as one of the common crowd, living and dying as such. Now, therefore, habituate yourself to live as one who is perfect, as one who is advancing, and let everything that appears best be to you an inviolable law, even if it be something laborious; if [on the other hand] something sweet, or glorious, or ignominious be set before you, remember that the contest is now, and that the Olympics are now present, and that it is not permitted to defer even a moment, and that by one defeat and relaxation, progress is both lost and saved. Paul also passed his life thus, urging himself in all things to attend to nothing else but the Word. And you, even if you are not yet Paul, you ought to live as if you wished to be Paul.
B CAPUT LXXII. Someone can indeed kill me, but harm me, never.
CAPUT LXXIII. For the Lord commanded that we should not fear those who cannot harm us, saying: "Do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul; but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." C To Him be the glory unto the ages. Amen.
NARRATION OF OUR HOLY FATHER NILUS
Concerning Pachon, who suffered the assault of lust and was victorious. Others, however, say that it belongs to Evagrius, as also the dogmatic discourse which follows it.CAPUT I. It happened at one time that the lust for a woman was burdensome to me, and I was in distress, both in my thoughts and in my D
A nocturnal phantasies, and being near to departing from the desert because the passion was driving me, I did not disclose the matter to my neighbors nor to the teacher Eulogius. But passing secretly into the deep desert, I spent fifteen days with the Fathers who had grown old in the desert near Scetis, among whom was one named Pachon, who had reached his seventieth year and was dwelling in Scetis. Having found him, therefore, to be more ascetic and more sincere, I took courage to disclose to him the secrets of my mind. And he says to me: "Do not let the matter trouble you; you are not suffering this from sloth—the place itself testifies to you of this, as well as the scarcity of necessities and the fact that there is no interaction with women—but rather it proceeds from zeal. For the war of fornication is threefold: sometimes the flesh attacks us, being strong; sometimes the passions do so through thoughts; and sometimes the demon himself does so out of envy; for I, having observed this, have discovered it. Behold, as you see me, an old man, having spent forty years B in this cell, concerned for my own salvation, yet having reached this age, I am still tempted until now." And he swore to me, saying that "For twelve years after my fiftieth year, the tempters did not spare me, neither by night nor by day. Having thought, therefore, that God had forsaken me, and that for this reason I was being oppressed, I chose to die senselessly rather than to behave shamelessly through the passion of the body; and going out, and wandering through the desert, I found the cave of a hyena, into which cave I placed myself naked, so that the beasts coming out might devour me. As it became evening, according to what is written: 'You have appointed darkness, and it became night, in which all the beasts of the field will roam' (Ps. CIII, 20), the beasts went out, and both the male and the female sniffed me from head to foot and licked me all around, and as I was expecting to be eaten, they departed from me, and having fallen [on the ground] through the whole night, I was not eaten. C Reasoning, therefore, that God had spared me, I returned again to the cell; and the demon having endured it for a few days, attacked me more violently than before, so that I was on the point of blaspheming. Having therefore transformed himself into an Ethiopian girl (whom I had once seen in my youth during the summer while she was harvesting), she sat upon my knees and moved me to such an extent that I thought I had cohabited with her. From madness, therefore, I gave her a slap, and she became invisible. For two years, however, I could not endure the stench of my hand. Being faint-hearted, therefore, and having despaired, I went out into the deep desert, wandering, and having found a small asp, and having taken it, I brought it to my genital members, so that, even if I died by being bitten, I might do so, and having turned the head of the beast towards the members of the body which were the cause of temptation for me, I was not bitten. D I heard, therefore, a voice coming in my mind: 'Go, Pachon, and struggle; for it was for this reason that I left you to be oppressed, so that you might not have high thoughts as though you were strong, but having recognized your own weakness, you might not trust in your own way of life, but run to the power of God.'"
'" A Thus persuaded with full faith, I returned. And remaining full of confidence of soul, and being in no way anxious about the war, I spent the remaining days enjoying peace; for on the other hand, he (that is, the demon), when he had recognized my contempt [for him], did not approach any further.
Admirable indeed, but not to be imitated by Pachon, are these deeds; reader, consult my notes with caution.
OF THE SAME
Dogmatic epistle concerning the Holy Trinity to those living a monastic life in their homeland, at the time he was in Constantinople with the blessed Gregory, Bishop of Nazianzus.
Est sancti Basilii epistola 8, Opp. ejus nostrae editionis t. IV, col. 245.
Disseration of Joseph Maria Suaresius on the works of Saint Nilus, which he translated into Latin from the Greek and was the first to publish
591 1. The Treatise on monastic exercise, or Ascetic Book, contains 75 chapters, from page 1 to 85. It begins, "Philosophy"; it ends, "our Lord Jesus Christ." 2. The work concerning those fleeing from vices and striving for virtues is distinguished into 12 sections, subdivided into chapters, from page 85 to 233. It begins, "Since it is my custom"; it ends, "he is perfect." 3. The treatise to Magnus, the deaconess of Ancyra, concerning voluntary poverty, or possessing nothing, contains 67 chapters, from page 233 to 321. It begins, "Lately indeed"; it ends, "the enjoyment of the kingdom in Christ." 4. The diverse moral treatise, in which there are spiritual admonitions, contains four chapters, from page 321 to 327. It begins, "multiform"; it ends, "of mercy." (Now placed among the spurious works.) 5. The Enchiridion or Manual of Epictetus, condensed and interpolated by Saint Nilus, has 75 chapters, from page 327 to 355. It begins, "Of existing things"; it ends, "in hell." (Also among the spurious works.) 6. The Narrative of Pachon, which contains only one chapter, from page 355 to 358. It begins, "It happened"; it ends, "approached." (Among the spurious works.) 7. His Sermon, or Dogmatic Epistle on the most holy Trinity, is divided into 15 chapters, from page 358 to 377. It begins, "Often and again"; it ends, "the measure." (It is merely mentioned; it is Epistle 8 of Basil the Great.) 8. His treatise on the excellence of monks in cities or in deserts, in 27 chapters, from page 377 to 403. It begins, "Inexperienced"; it ends, "eternal." 9. The treatise to the monk Eulogius, in which there are various sermons, has 34 chapters, from page 408 to 451. It begins, "The heavenly"; it ends, "but do you observe my words." 10. The treatise to the same on vices which are opposed to virtues, contains four chapters, from page 451 to 456. It begins, "I think it necessary"; it ends, "of his good will." 11. The treatise on the malice of eight spirits, from page 456 to 475. It begins, "The blossom is the fruit to be brought forth"; it ends, "it shines with many virtues." 12. The treatise on prayer, with preface, 155 chapters. It begins thus: "If anyone wishes to make sweet-smelling incense." They end, moreover, "you have truly found prayer," from page 475 to 512. 13. On diverse evil cogitations, in 27 chapters, from page 512 to 543. They begin, "From the active life opposed to demons"; they end, "by which we may be freed by the grace of Christ, and of God." 14. The same Nilus's Chapters, 35 in number, disposed in sequence according to certain degrees, from page 543 to 548. They begin, "Disease"; they end, "the impure." (These are Evagrius's.) 15. Spiritual sentences, 25 in number, arranged alphabetically, from page 548 to 552. They begin, "Absurd"; they end, "to the one holding hatred." (Evagrius's.) 16. Other sentences, 26, from page 552 to 553. They begin, "The beginning of charity"; they end, "according to God." (Evagrius's.) 17. The same one's Institution for monks, from page 553 to 557. It begins, "Intemperance"; it ends, "it is good." 18. 135 Sentences leading a man from corruptible things, etc., from page 557 to 575. It begins, "To virtue"; it ends, "account ought to be taken." 19. Sermon on the Gospel saying: "Let him who has a purse take it up," from page 575 to 590, containing 10 chapters. It begins, "The set statement"; it ends, "by piety toward God himself our Lord."
These nineteen works had not yet seen the light in their native Greek tongue, but the great generosity of the Most Eminent Francis Barberini, Dean of the Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church and Vice-Chancellor of the Holy Apostolic See, in all virtues and sciences, could not permit them to lie hidden unpublished for so long. Thus, he liberally provided them from his library and commanded that they be committed to his own types and published, and he charged me with both the translation from Greek into Latin and the editing of both the Greek and Latin texts. I recognized that I was indeed unequal to such a burden, but, as he sang, I said: "Why should I deny that I am able to do what he thinks I can?" Therefore, I set out upon both tasks with an eager spirit, striving to perform as much as I could, as the judgment of a fair and kind reader will determine. I certainly knew that Horatian saying: "The faithful interpreter will not strive to render word for word," which Cicero also advises in *De finibus*, Book III, chapter 15. I knew that the charm and elegance of the Greeks, especially this Nilus—whose refinement and brilliance, nurtured and educated in the most flourishing court of the Constantinopolitan emperors, wondrously excelled—could not be adequately expressed by anyone in Latin, properly and genuinely. Therefore, it pleased me to follow the great leader and imitate Saint Augustine, who preferred translation of Saint Basil word for word for the sake of the faith and the diligence of the truth, even if he had found a version already translated (Book I, *Opus imperfectum*, p. 281). It is sometimes better to write less elegantly than to hide the very light of the author from the readers by a sought-after allure of words, a fault which it has been observed happened to Perottus, who so rendered Polybius 593 that you do not know whether the author himself or the interpreter is speaking. I truly placed in this translation not a concern for eloquence, but labor, as Celsus wrote in Book V, chapter 25, of *De re medica*, who is nevertheless called the Cicero of physicians, since it was perfectly known to me from Quintilian: that no one, where the greatest moments of things are at stake, ought to be anxious about words. I have taken care, however, insofar as I could...