第2章

But if the captain calls, you must run to the ship, leaving them, and regarding none of them.But if you are old, never go far from the ship: lest, when you are called, you should be unable to come in time.8.Don't demand that things happen as you wish, but wish that they happen as they do happen, and you will go on well.9.Sickness is a hindrance to the body, but not to your ability to choose, unless that is your choice.Lameness is a hindrance to the leg, but not to your ability to choose.Say this to yourself with regard to everything that happens, then you will see such obstacles as hindrances to something else, but not to yourself.10.With every accident, ask yourself what abilities you have for making a proper use of it.If you see an attractive person, you will find that self-restraint is the ability you have against your desire.If you are in pain, you will find fortitude.If you hear unpleasant language, you will find patience.And thus habituated, the appearances of things will not hurry you away along with them.11.Never say of anything, "I have lost it"; but, "I have returned it."Is your child dead? It is returned.Is your wife dead? She is returned.

Is your estate taken away? Well, and is not that likewise returned? "But he who took it away is a bad man." What difference is it to you who the giver assigns to take it back? While he gives it to you to possess, take care of it; but don't view it as your own, just as travelers view a hotel.12.If you want to improve, reject such reasonings as these: "If I neglect my affairs, I'll have no income; if I don't correct my servant, he will be bad." For it is better to die with hunger, exempt from grief and fear, than to live in affluence with perturbation; and it is better your servant should be bad, than you unhappy.Begin therefore from little things.Is a little oil spilt? A little wine stolen? Say to yourself, "This is the price paid for apathy, for tranquillity, and nothing is to be had for nothing." When you call your servant, it is possible that he may not come; or, if he does, he may not do what you want.

But he is by no means of such importance that it should be in his power to give you any disturbance.13.If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid with regard to external things.Don't wish to be thought to know anything;and even if you appear to be somebody important to others, distrust yourself.

For, it is difficult to both keep your faculty of choice in a state conformable to nature, and at the same time acquire external things.But while you are careful about the one, you must of necessity neglect the other.14.If you wish your children, and your wife, and your friends to live for ever, you are stupid; for you wish to be in control of things which you cannot, you wish for things that belong to others to be your own.So likewise, if you wish your servant to be without fault, you are a fool;for you wish vice not to be vice," but something else.But, if you wish to have your desires undisappointed, this is in your own control.Exercise, therefore, what is in your control.He is the master of every other person who is able to confer or remove whatever that person wishes either to have or to avoid.Whoever, then, would be free, let him wish nothing, let him decline nothing, which depends on others else he must necessarily be a slave.15.Remember that you must behave in life as at a dinner party.Is anything brought around to you? Put out your hand and take your share with moderation.