登陆注册
5267700000002

第2章 Chapter 1(2)

"Well, do these seem to you small matters?" I hope not. "Be content with them then and pray to the gods." But now when it is in our power to look after one thing, and to attach ourselves to it, we prefer to look after many things, and to be bound to many things, to the body and to property, and to brother and to friend, and to child and to slave. Since, then, we are bound to many things, we are depressed by them and dragged down. For this reason, when the weather is not fit for sailing, we sit down and torment ourselves, and continually look out to see what wind is blowing. "It is north."

What is that to us? "When will the west wind blow?" When it shall choose, my good man, or when it shall please AEolus; for God has not made you the manager of the winds, but AEolus. What then? We must make the best use that we can of the things which are in our power, and use the rest according to their nature. What is their nature then? As God may please.

"Must I, then, alone have my head cut off?" What, would you have all men lose their heads that you may be consoled? Will you not stretch out your neck as Lateranus did at Rome when Nero ordered him to be beheaded? For when he had stretched out his neck, and received a feeble blow, which made him draw it in for a moment, he stretched it out again. And a little before, when he was visited by Epaphroditus, Nero's freedman, who asked him about the cause of offense which he had given, he said, "If I choose to tell anything, I will tell your master."

What then should a man have in readiness in such circumstances? What else than "What is mine, and what is not mine; and permitted to me, and what is not permitted to me." I must die. Must I then die lamenting? I must be put in chains. Must I then also lament? I must go into exile. Does any man then hinder me from going with smiles and cheerfulness and contentment?

"Tell me the secret which you possess." I will not, for this is in my power. "But I will put you in chains." Man, what are you talking about?

Me in chains? You may fetter my leg, but my will not even Zeus himself can overpower. "I will throw you into prison." My poor body, you mean. "I will cut your head off." When, then, have I told you that my head alone cannot be cut off? These are the things which philosophers should meditate on, which they should write daily, in which they should exercise themselves.

Thrasea used to say, "I would rather be killed to-day than banished to-morrow."

What, then, did Rufus say to him? "If you choose death as the heavier misfortune, how great is the folly of your choice? But if, as the lighter, who has given you the choice? Will you not study to be content with that which has been given to you?"

What, then, did Agrippinus say? He said, "I am not a hindrance to myself." When it was reported to him that his trial was going on in the Senate, he said, "I hope it may turn out well; but it is the fifth hour of the day"- this was the time when he was used to exercise himself and then take the cold bath- "let us go and take our exercise." After he had taken his exercise, one comes and tells him, "You have been condemned." "To banishment," he replies, "or to death?" "To banishment." "What about my property?" "It is not taken from you." "Let us go to Aricia then," he said, "and dine."

This it is to have studied what a man ought to study; to have made desire, aversion, free from hindrance, and free from all that a man would avoid.

I must die. If now, I am ready to die. If, after a short time, I now dine because it is the dinner-hour; after this I will then die. How? Like a man who gives up what belongs to another.

同类推荐
  • Under Western Eyes

    Under Western Eyes

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 云峨喜禅师语录

    云峨喜禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 文殊师利所说摩诃般若波罗蜜经

    文殊师利所说摩诃般若波罗蜜经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 虬髯客传

    虬髯客传

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 金正希先生文集

    金正希先生文集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 乐邦遗稿

    乐邦遗稿

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 原始社会新纪元

    原始社会新纪元

    title:原始社会新纪元----【2018最不一样的原始题材】穿越到了原始社会能干嘛?混吃混喝直到老死?还是稳步建设,发展科技,建立军队,从而壮大部落,成为一方霸主,从而成为一个庞大帝国的君主?叶风选择了后者,但是,如果要是有三个穿越者,那又会擦出怎样的火花?一切尽在本书中揭晓。欢迎加入原始社会新纪元书友群,群号码:628601843
  • 腹黑总裁,宠妻成瘾

    腹黑总裁,宠妻成瘾

    第一次见面,他对她说“嫁给我,我保你一生无忧,护你一世周全。”她欣然允诺,一夕之间嫁入豪门,成为别人口中的顾太太,A市所有女人羡慕嫉妒的对象。却无人知道她早已暗恋他十年。婚后,她被告知他与她结婚只是被逼无奈,并不是出于爱。于是扔下一纸离婚协议书,远走他乡。再回国,他对她说“我许你一世幸福,余生相守到白头。”可是她却挽着未婚夫出现在他面前,告诉他,她已经不爱他了。“不爱了?”“……是,如你所愿,顾景川,我不爱你了。”“爱不爱不是说的,做出来的!”于是,当晚某人和晚晚深入探讨了一下,爱不爱这个问题。
  • 桃花劫:你的桃花,我的劫!

    桃花劫:你的桃花,我的劫!

    那一天最幸福,鲜花遍野;那一天最痛苦,满门被屠;既然不能替她痛苦,他愿做她复仇路上的一把利剑。拜堂成亲的万丈红就犹如那一日的血桃花,他脸上带着笑,刺痛她的眼。当烈焰桃花盛开的时候,将尸横遍野,无一生还!大仇终得报,他躺在她的怀里好看的笑着说,“你的桃花,我的劫!”……
  • 黑煤

    黑煤

    客车摇摇晃晃跑着,双塔矿到了,下来几个穿着五颜六色衣服的乘客,又上来几个人。接着,客车浑身抖了抖,摇摇晃晃起来。黑色的轮胎动了,带起一大片灰褐色的尘土,呜呜地开过去,扬起的尘土飘荡在了坑坑洼洼的柏油路上。下车的人中有一位年轻人,他身穿滑溜溜蓝色的T恤,迈着青春跳跃的步子,给人以轻松愉悦的好感。他迅速走到别人前面,叫了一辆三轮摩托车,向着双塔矿的招待所驶去。前面一段路稍稍上坡,三轮摩托不慌不忙地嘟嘟爬着。
  • 轮回控五行

    轮回控五行

    世界之初,阴阳两极,万物相克,五行相生.人鬼妖魔四界鼎立,十大圣经重现世间,虚空之中,轮回塔浮现,天命之人镇压群魔,五大圣器散落人间。在这混沌大世界之中,究竟是魔道更胜一筹还是天道更高一丈,看林昊在这混沌世界之中如何问鼎巅峰,合五行斗群魔!
  • 海贼之吞天噬地

    海贼之吞天噬地

    神天·永恒无夜,在海圆历520年,九十九岁时离死亡还剩不到半年的时候,得到了神天梦寐以求的恶魔果实。而得到了自己一生都想要的力量的时候神天的野心也暴露了出来,推翻强大的D之国,组织世界政府成为传说。千年后。 无数的强者们望着世界政府所在地,玛丽乔亚。 一个个浑身冒着恐怖的气息强者纷纷联手杀上玛丽乔亚。 他们有自信自己不会败,因为他们是穿越者。 但他们却不知世界政府同样有穿越者,并且不少。 当穿越者与穿越者的对决结果会如何呢?QQ群:609386253
  • 道德经通解(平装)

    道德经通解(平装)

    本书稿是作者学习《道德经》一书的心得的总结,以讲座的方式呈现出来。作者结合现代人生活中遇到的各种困惑,将《道德经》中相关的语录做了深入浅出的阐释,语言生动,说理明晰,既能帮助当代读者读懂《道德经》,也能帮助人们将其中的精华运用到生活当中。
  • 白蛇之碧水青韵

    白蛇之碧水青韵

    “西湖水底岑碧青,这句话你们可知晓?”一只老龟在茂密的莲叶之下摇头晃脑的说,“咱们在这西湖水域做妖,那是没什么规矩。就是要牢记这么一句话。那岑碧青,岑大人是万万不可招惹的。情愿惹上了西湖龙宫的人,也别去冒犯了岑大人。”“知道了,知道了。”一只小虾兴冲冲的接道,“是青姑娘嘛!”“不是青郎君么?”旁边的小鱼一脸疑惑。到底是青姑娘,还是青郎君?谁知道呢。
  • 豆丁历险记之新世界

    豆丁历险记之新世界

    从最初开始探险,他越陷越深,外星人、元素至尊皇、黑雀,有很多未知的谜题需要他揭开,还有很多未知的事情需要他经历。当他得知自己拥有天界皇族血统,便毅然决然地找寻着自己所谓的命运。