And who can give to another the things which he has not himself? "Well, but get them, then, that we too may have a share." If I can get them with the preservation of my own honor and fidelity and greatness of mind, show me the way and I will get them; but if you require me to lose my own proper good that you may gain what is not good, consider how inequitable and foolish you are.Besides, which would you rather have, a sum of money, or a friend of fidelity and honor? Rather assist me, then, to gain this character than require me to do those things by which I may lose it.Well, but my country, say you, as far as depends on me, will be unassisted.Here again, what assistance is this you mean? "It will not have porticoes nor baths of your providing." And what signifies that? Why, neither does a smith provide it with shoes, or a shoemaker with arms.It is enough if everyone fully performs his own proper business.And were you to supply it with another citizen of honor and fidelity, would not he be of use to it? Yes.Therefore neither are you yourself useless to it."What place, then, say you, will I hold in the state?" Whatever you can hold with the preservation of your fidelity and honor.But if, by desiring to be useful to that, you lose these, of what use can you be to your country when you are become faithless and void of shame.25.Is anyone preferred before you at an entertainment, or in a compliment, or in being admitted to a consultation? If these things are good, you ought to be glad that he has gotten them; and if they are evil, don't be grieved that you have not gotten them.And remember that you cannot, without using the same means [which others do] to acquire things not in our own control, expect to be thought worthy of an equal share of them.For how can he who does not frequent the door of any [great] man, does not attend him, does not praise him, have an equal share with him who does? You are unjust, then, and insatiable, if you are unwilling to pay the price for which these things are sold, and would have them for nothing.For how much is lettuce sold? Fifty cents, for instance.If another, then, paying fifty cents, takes the lettuce, and you, not paying it, go without them, don't imagine that he has gained any advantage over you.For as he has the lettuce, so you have the fifty cents which you did not give.So, in the present case, you have not been invited to such a person's entertainment, because you have not paid him the price for which a supper is sold.It is sold for praise; it is sold for attendance.Give him then the value, if it is for your advantage.But if you would, at the same time, not pay the one and yet receive the other, you are insatiable, and a blockhead.Have you nothing, then, instead of the supper? Yes, indeed, you have: the not praising him, whom you don't like to praise; the not bearing with his behavior at coming in.26.The will of nature may be learned from those things in which we don't distinguish from each other.For example, when our neighbor's boy breaks a cup, or the like, we are presently ready to say, "These things will happen." Be assured, then, that when your own cup likewise is broken, you ought to be affected just as when another's cup was broken.Apply this in like manner to greater things.Is the child or wife of another dead?
There is no one who would not say, "This is a human accident." but if anyone's own child happens to die, it is presently, "Alas I how wretched am I!"But it should be remembered how we are affected in hearing the same thing concerning others.27.As a mark is not set up for the sake of missing the aim, so neither does the nature of evil exist in the world.28.If a person gave your body to any stranger he met on his way, you would certainly be angry.And do you feel no shame in handing over your own mind to be confused and mystified by anyone who happens to verbally attack you? 29.In every affair consider what precedes and follows, and then undertake it.Otherwise you will begin with spirit; but not having thought of the consequences, when some of them appear you will shamefully desist."I would conquer at the Olympic games." But consider what precedes and follows, and then, if it is for your advantage, engage in the affair.You must conform to rules, submit to a diet, refrain from dainties; exercise your body, whether you choose it or not, at a stated hour, in heat and cold; you must drink no cold water, nor sometimes even wine.In a word, you must give yourself up to your master, as to a physician.Then, in the combat, you may be thrown into a ditch, dislocate your arm, turn your ankle, swallow dust, be whipped, and, after all, lose the victory.When you have evaluated all this, if your inclination still holds, then go to war.Otherwise, take notice, you will behave like children who sometimes play like wrestlers, sometimes gladiators, sometimes blow a trumpet, and sometimes act a tragedy when they have seen and admired these shows.Thus you too will be at one time a wrestler, at another a gladiator, now a philosopher, then an orator;but with your whole soul, nothing at all.Like an ape, you mimic all you see, and one thing after another is sure to please you, but is out of favor as soon as it becomes familiar.For you have never entered upon anything considerately, nor after having viewed the whole matter on all sides, or made any scrutiny into it, but rashly, and with a cold inclination.Thus some, when they have seen a philosopher and heard a man speaking like Euphrates (though, indeed, who can speak like him?), have a mind to be philosophers too.Consider first, man, what the matter is, and what your own nature is able to bear.If you would be a wrestler, consider your shoulders, your back, your thighs; for different persons are made for different things.