Letter 13
I know that you have plenty of spirit; for even before
you began to equip yourself with maxims which were wholesome and potent
to overcome obstacles, you were taking pride in your contest with Fortune;
and this is all the more true, now that you have grappled with Fortune
and tested your powers. For our powers can never inspire in us implicit
faith in ourselves except when many difficulties have confronted us on
this side and on that, and have occasionally even come to close quarters
with us. It is only in this way that the true spirit can be tested,
- the spirit that will never consent to come under the jurisdiction of
things external to ourselves. This is the touchstone of such a spirit;
no prizefighter can go with high spirits into the strife if he has never
been beaten black and blue; the only contestant who can confidently enter
the lists is the man who has seen his own blood, who has felt his teeth
rattle beneath his opponent's fist, who has
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been tripped and felt the full force of his adversary's charge, who
has been downed in body but not in spirit, one who, as often as he falls,
rises again with greater defiance than ever. So then, to keep up
my figure, Fortune has often in the past got the upper hand of you, and
yet you have not surrendered, but have leaped up and stood your ground
still more eagerly. For manliness gains much strength by being challenged;
nevertheless, if you approve, allow me to offer some additional safeguards
by which you may fortify yourself. There are more things, Lucilius,
likely to frighten us than there are to crush us; we suffer more often
in imagination than in reality. I am not speaking with you in the
Stoic strain but in my milder style. For it is our Stoic fashion
to speak of all those things, which provoke cries and groans, as unimportant
and beneath notice; but you and I must drop such greatsounding words, although,
heaven knows, they are true enough. What I advise you to do is, not
to be unhappy before the crisis comes; since it may be that the dangers
before which you paled as if they were threatening you, will never come
upon you; they certainly have not yet come. Accordingly, some things
torment us more than they ought; some torment us before they ought; and
some torment us when they ought not to torment us at all. We are
in the habit of exaggerating, or imagining, or anticipating, sorrow.
The first of these three faults may be postponed
for the present, because the subject is under discussion and the case is
still in court, so to speak. That which I should call trifling, you
will maintain to be most serious; for of course I know that some men laugh
while being flogged, and that others wince at
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a box on the ear. We shall consider later whether these evils
derive their power from their own strength, or from our own weakness.
Do me the favour, when men surround you and
try to talk you into believing that you are unhappy, to consider not what
you hear but what you yourself feel, and to take counsel with your feelings
and question yourself independently, because you know your own affairs
better than anyone else does. Ask: "Is there any reason why these
persons should condole with me? Why should they be worried or even
fear some infection from me, as if troubles could be transmitted?
Is there any evil involved, or is it a matter merely of ill report, rather
than an evil?" Put the question voluntarily to yourself: "Am I tormented
without sufficient reason, am I morose, and do I convert what is not an
evil into what is an evil?" You may retort with the question: "How am I
to know whether my sufferings are real or imaginary?" Here is the rule
for such matters: we are tormented either by things present, or by things
to come, or by both. As to things present, the decision is easy.
Suppose that your person enjoys freedom and health, and that you do not
suffer from any external injury. As to what may happen to it in the
future, we shall see later on. To-day there is nothing wrong with
it. "But," you say, "something will happen to it." First of all, consider
whether your proofs of future trouble are sure. For it is more often the
case that we are troubled by our apprehensions, and that we are mocked
by that mocker, rumour, which is wont to settle wars, but much more often
settles individuals. Yes, my dear Lucilius; we agree too quickly
with what people say. We do not put to the test those
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things which cause our fear; we do not examine into them; we blench
and retreat just like soldiers who are forced to abandon their camp because
of a dust-cloud raised by stampeding cattle, or are thrown into a panic
by the spreading of some unauthenticated rumour. And somehow or other
it is the idle report that disturbs us most. For truth has its own
deflnite boundaries, but that which arises from uncertainty is delivered
over to guesswork and the irresponsible license of a frightened mind.
That is why no fear is so ruinous and so uncontrollable as panic fear.
For other fears are groundless, but this fear is witless.
Let us, then, look carefully into the matter.
It is likely that some troubles will befall us; but it is not a present
fact. How often has the unexpected happened! How often has
the expected never come to pass! And even though it is ordained to
be, what does it avail to run out to meet your suffering? You will
suffer soon enough, when it arrives; so look forward meanwhile to better
things. What shall you gain by doing this? Time. There
will be many happenings meanwhile which will serve to postpone, or end,
or pass on to another person, the trials which are near or even in your
very presence. A fire has opened the way to flight. Men have
been let down softly by a catastrophe. Sometimes the sword has been
checked even at the victim's throat. Men have survived their own
executioners. Even bad
fortune is fickle. Perhaps it will come, perhaps not; in
the meantime it is not. So look forward to better things.
The mind at times fashions for itself false
shapes of evil when there are no signs that point to any evil; it twists
into the worst construction some word
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of doubtful meaning; or it fancies some personal grudge to be more serious
than it really is, considering not how angry the enemy is, but to what
lengths he may go if he is angry. But life is not worth living, and
there is no limit to our sorrows, if we indulge our fears to the greatest
possible extent; in this matter, let prudence help you, and contemn with
a resolute spirit even when it is in plain sight. If you cannot do
this, counter one weakness with another, and temper your
fear with hope. There is nothing so certain among these objects
of fear that it is not more certain still that things we dread sink into
nothing and that things we hope for mock us.
Accordingly, weigh carefully your hopes as
well as your fears, and whenever all the elements are in doubt, decide
in your own favour; believe what you prefer. And if fear wins a majority
of the votes, incline in the other direction anyhow, and cease to harass
your soul, reflecting continually that most mortals, even when no troubles
are actually at hand or are certainly to be expected in the future, become
excited and disquieted. No one calls a halt on himself, when he begins
to be urged ahead; nor does he regulate his alarm according to the truth.
No one says; "The author of the story is a fool, and he who has believed
it is a fool, as well as he who fabricated it." We let ourselves drift
with every breeze; we are frightened at uncertainties, just as if they
were certain. We observe no moderation. The slightest thing
turns the scales and throws us forthwith into a panic.
But I am ashamed either to admonish you sternly
or to try to beguile you with such mild remedies. Let another say.
"Perhaps the worst will not
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happen." You yourself must say. "Well, what if it does happen?
Let us see who wins! Perhaps it happens for my best interests; it
may be that such a death will shed credit upon my life." Socrates was ennobled
by the hemlock draught. Wrench from Cato's hand his sword, the vindicator
of liberty, and you deprive him of the greatest share of his glory.
I am exhorting you far too long, since you need reminding rather than exhortation.
The path on which I am leading you is not different from that on which
your nature leads you; you were born to such
conduct as I describe. Hence there is all the more reason why you
should increase and beautify the good that is in you.
But now, to close my letter, I have only to
stamp the usual seal upon it, in other words, to commit thereto some noble
message to be delivered to you: "The fool, with all his other faults, has
this also, he is always getting ready to live. Reflect, my esteemed Lucilius,
what this saying means, and you will see how revolting is the fickleness
of men who lay down every day new foundations of life, and begin to build
up fresh hopes even at the brink of the grave. Look within your own
mind for individual instances; you will think of old men who are preparing
themselves at that very hour for a political career, or for travel, or
for business. And what is baser than getting ready to live when you are
already old? I should not name the author of this motto, except that it
is somewhat unknown to fame and is not one of those popular sayings of
Epicurus which I have allowed myself to praise and to appropriate.
Farewell.
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Latin / Greek Original
[1] Multum tibi esse animi scio; nam etiam antequam instrueres te praeceptis salutaribus et dura vincentibus, satis adversus fortunam placebas tibi, et multo magis postquam cum illa manum conseruisti viresque expertus es tuas, quae numquam certam dare fiduciam sui possunt nisi cum multae difficultates hinc et illinc apparuerunt, aliquando vero et propius accesserunt. Sic verus ille animus et in alienum non venturus arbitrium probatur; haec eius obrussa est. [2] Non potest athleta magnos spiritus ad certamen afferre qui numquam suggillatus est: ille qui sanguinem suum vidit, cuius dentes crepuere sub pugno, ille qui subplantatus ad versarium toto tulit corpore nec proiecit animum proiectus, qui quotiens cecidit contumacior resurrexit, cum magna spe descendit ad pugnam. [3] Ergo, ut similitudinem istam prosequar, saepe iam fortuna supra te fuit, nec tamen tradidisti te, sed subsiluisti et acrior constitisti; multum enim adicit sibi virtus lacessita.
Tamen, si tibi videtur, accipe a me auxilia quibus munire te possis. [4] Plura sunt, Lucili, quae nos terrent quam quae premunt, et saepius opinione quam re laboramus. Non loquor tecum Stoica lingua, sed hac summissiore; nos enim dicimus omnia ista quae gemitus mugitusque exprimunt levia esse et contemnenda. Omittamus haec magna verba, sed, di boni, vera: illud tibi praecipio, ne sis miser ante tempus, cum illa quae velut imminentia expavisti fortasse numquam ventura sint, certe non venerint. [5] Quaedam ergo nos magis torquent quam debent, quaedam ante torquent quam debent, quaedam torquent cum omnino non debeant; aut augemus dolorem aut praecipimus aut fingimus.
Primum illud, quia res in controversia est et litem contestatam habemus, in praesentia differatur. Quod ego leve dixero tu gravissimum esse contendes; scio alios inter flagella ridere, alios gemere sub colapho. Postea videbimus utrum ista suis viribus valeant an imbecillitate nostra. [6] Illud praesta mihi, ut, quotiens circumsteterint qui tibi te miserum esse persuadeant, non quid audias sed quid sentias cogites, et cum patientia tua deliberes ac te ipse interroges, qui tua optime nosti, 'quid est quare isti me complorent? quid est quod trepident, quod contagium quoque mei timeant, quasi transilire calamitas possit? est aliquid istic mali, an res ista magis infamis est quam mala?' Ipse te interroga, 'numquid sine causa crucior et maereo et quod non est malum facio?' [7] 'Quomodo' inquis 'intellegam, vana sint an vera quibus angor?' Accipe huius rei regulam: aut praesentibus torquemur aut futuris aut utrisque. De praesentibus facile iudicium est: si corpus tuum liberum et sanum est, nec ullus ex iniuria dolor est, videbimus quid futurum sit: hodie nihil negotii habet. [8] 'At enim futurum est.' Primum dispice an certa argumenta sint venturi mali; plerumque enim suspicionibus laboramus, et illudit nobis illa quae conficere bellum solet fama, multo autem magis singulos conficit. Ita est, mi Lucili: cito accedimus opinioni; non coarguimus illa quae nos in metum adducunt nec excutimus, sed trepidamus et sic vertimus terga quemadmodum illi quos pulvis motus fuga pecorum exuit castris aut quos aliqua fabula sine auctore sparsa conterruit. [9] Nescio quomodo magis vana perturbant; vera enim modum suum habent: quidquid ex incerto venit coniecturae et paventis animi licentiae traditur. Nulli itaque tam perniciosi, tam inrevocabiles quam lymphatici metus sunt; ceteri enim sine ratione, hi sine mente sunt. [10] Inquiramus itaque in rem diligenter. Verisimile est aliquid futurum mali: non statim verum est. Quam multa non exspectata venerunt! quam multa exspectata nusquam comparuerunt! Etiam si futurum est, quid iuvat dolori suo occurrere? satis cito dolebis cum venerit: interim tibi meliora promitte. [11] Quid facies lucri? tempus. Multa intervenient quibus vicinum periculum vel prope admotum aut subsistat aut desinat aut in alienum caput transeat: incendium ad fugam patuit; quosdam molliter ruina deposuit; aliquando gladius ab ipsa cervice revocatus est; aliquis carnifici suo superstes fuit. Habet etiam mala fortuna levitatem. Fortasse erit, fortasse non erit: interim non est; meliora propone. [12] Nonnumquam, nullis apparentibus signis quae mali aliquid praenuntient, animus sibi falsas imagines fingit: aut verbum aliquod dubiae significationis detorquet in peius aut maiorem sibi offensam proponit alicuius quam est, et cogitat non quam iratus ille sit, sed quantum liceat irato. Nulla autem causa vitae est, nullus miseriarum modus, si timetur quantum potest. Hic prudentia prosit, hic robore animi evidentem quoque metum respue; si minus, vitio vitium repelle, spe metum tempera. Nihil tam certum est ex his quae timentur ut non certius sit et formidata subsidere et sperata decipere. [13] Ergo spem ac metum examina, et quotiens incerta erunt omnia, tibi fave: crede quod mavis. Si plures habebit sententias metus, nihilominus in hanc partem potius inclina et perturbare te desine ac subinde hoc in animo volve, maiorem partem mortalium, cum illi nec sit quicquam mali nec pro certo futurum sit, aestuare ac discurrere. Nemo enim resistit sibi, cum coepit impelli, nec timorem suum redigit ad verum; nemo dicit 'vanus auctor est, vanus [est]: aut finxit aut credidit'. Damus nos aurae ferendos; expavescimus dubia pro certis; non servamus modum rerum, statim in timorem venit scrupulus.
[14] Pudet me +ibi+ sic tecum loqui et tam lenibus te remediis focilare. Alius dicat 'fortasse non veniet': tu dic 'quid porro, si veniet? videbimus uter vincat; fortasse pro me venit, et mors ista vitam honestabit'. Cicuta magnum Socratem fecit. Catoni gladium assertorem libertatis extorque: magnam partem detraxeris gloriae. [15] Nimium diu te cohortor, cum tibi admonitione magis quam exhortatione opus sit. Non in diversum te a natura tua ducimus: natus es ad ista quae dicimus; eo magis bonum tuum auge et exorna.
[16] Sed iam finem epistulae faciam, si illi signum suum in pressero, id est aliquam magnificam vocem perferendam ad te mandavero. 'Inter cetera mala hoc quoque habet stultitia: semper incipit vivere.' Considera quid vox ista significet, Lucili virorum optime, et intelleges quam foeda sit hominum levitas cotidie nova vitae fundamenta ponentium, novas spes etiam in exitu inchoantium. [17] Circumspice tecum singulos: occurrent tibi senes qui se cum maxime ad ambitionem, ad peregrinationes, ad negotiandum parent. Quid est autem turpius quam senex vivere incipiens? Non adicerem auctorem huic voci, nisi esset secretior nec inter vulgata Epicuri dicta, quae mihi et laudare et adoptare permisi. Vale.