Letter 1544: Virtue must be practiced with all one's strength — not merely admired from a distance.
The soul that has been trained in philosophy and tempered by discipline is not easily shaken by the storms of fortune. For just as a ship with a deep keel and a strong hull rides out the tempest while lighter vessels capsize, so the soul that is anchored in virtue and ballasted with wisdom remains steady when all around it is chaos. You, Olympiodorus, have shown yourself to be such a soul, and I commend you for it. But do not grow complacent, for the sea of this life is treacherous, and many who have weathered great storms have foundered in calm waters through carelessness and overconfidence. Remain vigilant, keep your hand on the tiller, and never lose sight of the harbor toward which you are sailing — the harbor of eternal rest, where all storms cease and all tears are wiped away. For the journey is long and the dangers are many, but the destination is worth every trial endured along the way. And this is why I have written to you at such length, not because I take pleasure in admonition, but because the gravity of the situation demands nothing less than complete frankness. The physician who softens his diagnosis out of courtesy may please his patient for the moment, but he kills him in the end. I would rather offend you now with the truth than comfort you now with a lie that will destroy you later. For the wounds of a faithful friend are better than the kisses of an enemy, and the medicine that stings is better than the poison that soothes.
AI-assisted translation — This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.
Latin / Greek Original
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