Letter 105

I shall now tell you certain things to wlich you should pay attention in order to live more safely.  Do you however, - such is my judgment, - hearken to my precepts just as if I were counselling you to keep safe your health in your country-place at Ardea. R eflect on the things which goad man into destroying man: you will find that they are hope , envy , hatred , fear , and contempt .  Now, of all these, contempt is the least harmful, so much so that many have skulked behind it as a sort of cure.  When a man despises you, he works you injury, to be sure, but he passes on; and no one persistently or of set purpose does hurt to a person whom he despises.  Even in battle, prostrate soldiers a re neglected: men fight with those who stand their ground. And you can avoid the envious hopes of the wicked so long as you have nothing which can stir the evil desires of others, and so long as you possess nothing remarkable.  For people crave even little things, if these catch the attention or are of rare occurrence. Y ou will escape envy if you do not force yourself upon the public view, if you do not boast your possessions, if you understand how to enjoy things privately.  Hatred comes either from running foul of others: and this can be avoided by never provoking anyone; or else it is uncalled for: and common-sense will keep you safe from it.  Yet it has been dangerous to many; some people have been hated without having had an enemy.  As to not being feared, a moderate fortune and an easy <Ep3-213> disposition will guarantee you that; men should know that you are the sort of person who can be offended without danger; and your reconciliation should be easy and sure.  Moreover, it is as troublesome to be feared at home as abroad; it is as bad to be feared by a slave as by a gentleman. For every one has strength enough to do you some harm.  Besides, he who is feared, fears also; no one has been able to arouse terror and live in peace of mind.  Contempt remains to be discussed.  He who has made this quality an adjunct of his own personality, who is despised because he wishes to be despised and not because he must be despised, has the measure of contempt under his control. Any inconveniences in this respect can be dispelled by honourable occupations and by friendships with men who have influence with an influential person; with these men it will profit you to engage but not to entangle yourself, lest the cure may cost you more than the risk.  Nothing, however, will help you so much as keeping still - talking very little with others, and as much as may be with yourself.  For there is a sort of charm about conversation, something very subtle and coaxing, which, like intoxication or love, draws secrets from us.  No man will keep to himself what he hears.  No one will tell another only as much as he has heard. And he who tells tales will tell names, too.  Everyone has someone to whom he entrusts exactly what has been entrusted to him.  Though he checks his own garrulity, and is content with one hearer, he will bring about him a nation, if that which was a secret shortly before becomes common talk.  The most important contribution to peace of mind is never to do wrong. Those who lack self-control lead disturbed and tumultuous lives; their crimes <Ep3-215>

[1] Quae observanda tibi sint ut tutior vivas dicam. Tu tamen sic audiascenseo ista praecepta quomodo si tibi praeciperem qua ratione bonam valetudinemin Ardeatino tuereris. Considera quae sint quae hominem in perniciem hominisinstigent: invenies spem, invidiam, odium, metum, contemptum. [2] Ex omnibusistis adeo levissimum est contemptus ut multi in illo remedii causa delituerint. Quem quis contemnit, calcat sine dubio sed transit; nemo homini contemptopertinaciter, nemo diligenter nocet; etiam in acie iacens praeteritur, cum stante pugnatur. [3] Spem inproborum vitabis si nihil habueris quod cupiditatem alienamet inprobam inritet, si nihil insigne possederis; concupiscuntur enim etiam+pars innotarum sunt sic raro+. Invidiam effugies si te non ingesserisoculis, si bona tua non iactaveris, si scieris in sinu gaudere. Odium autest ex offensa (hoc vitabis neminem lacessendo) aut gratuitum, a quo tesensus communis tuebitur. Fuit hoc multis periculosum: quidam odium habueruntnec inimicum. [4] Illud, ne timearis, praestabit tibi et fortunae mediocritaset ingeni lenitas: eum esse te homines sciant quem offendere sine periculopossint; reconciliatio tua et facilis sit et certa. Timeri autem tam domimolestum est quam foris, tam a servis quam a liberis: nulli non ad nocendumsatis virium est. Adice nunc quod qui timetur timet: nemo potuit terribilisesse secure. [5] Contemptus superest, cuius modum in sua potestate habetqui illum sibi adiunxit, qui contemnitur quia voluit, non quia debuit. Huius incommodum et artes bonae discutiunt et amicitiae eorum qui apudaliquem potentem potentes sunt, quibus adplicari expediet, non inplicari, ne pluris remedium quam periculum constet. [6] Nihil tamen aeque proderit quam quiescere et minimum cum aliisloqui, plurimum secum. Est quaedam dulcedo sermonis quae inrepit et eblandituret non aliter quam ebrietas aut amor secreta producit. Nemo quod audierittacebit, nemo quantum audierit loquetur; qui rem non tacuerit non tacebitauctorem. Habet unusquisque aliquem cui tantum credat quantum ipsi creditumest; ut garrulitatem suam custodiat et contentus sit unius auribus, populumfaciet; sic quod modo secretum erat rumor est. [7] Securitatis magna portio est nihil inique facere: confusam vitamet perturbatam inpotentes agunt; tantum metuunt quantum nocent, nec ullotempore vacant. Trepidant enim cum fecerunt, haerent; conscientia aliudagere non patitur ac subinde respondere ad se cogit. Dat poenas quisquisexpectat; quisquis autem meruit expectat. [8] Tutum aliqua res in malaconscientia praestat, nulla securum; putat enim se, etiam si non deprenditur, posse deprendi, et inter somnos movetur et, quotiens alicuius scelus loquitur, de suo cogitat; non satis illi oblitteratum videtur, non satis tectum. Nocens habuit aliquando latendi fortunam, numquam fiduciam. Vale.