On the Firmness of the Wise Person Chapter 19

Non est in rixam conluctationemque veniendum. Procul auferendi pedes sunt et quicquid horum ab imprudentibus fiet (fieri autem nisi ab imprudentibus non potest) neglegendum et honores iniuriaeque vulgi in promiscuo habendae. Nec his dolendum nec illis gaudendum ; alioqui multa timore contumeliarum aut taedio necessaria omittemus publicisque et privatis officiis, aliquando etiam salutaribus non occurremus, dum muliebris nos cura angit aliquid contra animum audiendi. Aliquando etiam obirati potentibus de- tegemus hunc affectum intemperanti libertate. Non est autem libertas nihil pati, fallimur ; libertas est animum superponere iniuriis et eum facere se, ex quo solo sibi gaudenda veniant, exteriora diducere a se, ne inquieta agenda sit vita omnium risus, omnium linguas timenti. Quis enim est, qui non possit con- tumeliam facere, si quisquam potest ? Diverso autem remedio utetur sapiens affectatorque sapientiae. Imperfectis enim et adhuc ad publicum se iudicium derigentibus hoc proponendum est inter iniurias ipsos contumeliasque debere versari; omnia leviora accident expectantibus. Quo quisque honestior genere, fama, patrimonio est, hoc se fortius gerat, memor in prima acie altos ordines stare. Contumelias et verba probrosa et ignominias et cetera dehonestamenta velut clamorem hostium ferat et longinqua tela et saxa sine vulnere circa galeas crepitantia ; iniurias vero ut vulnera, alia armis, alia pectori infixa, non deiectus, ne motus quidem gradu sustineat. Etiam si premens et infesta vi urgere, cedere tamen turpe est ; ad- signatum a natura locum tuere. Quaeris quis hic sit locus ? Viri. Sapienti aliud auxilium est huic contrarium ; vos enim rem geritis, illi parta victoria est. Ne repugnate vestro bono et hanc spem, dum ad verum pervenistis, alite in animis libentesque meliora excipite et opinione ac voto iuvate. Esse aliquid in- victum, esse aliquem, in quem nihil fortuna possit, e re publica est generis humani.

We ought not to engage in quarrels and wrangling; we ought to betake ourselves far away and to disregard everything of this kind which thoughtless people do (indeed thoughtless people alone do it), and to set equal value upon the honours and the reproaches of the mob; we ought not to be hurt by the one or to be pleased by the other. Otherwise we shall neglect many essential points, shall desert our duty both to the state and in private life through excessive fear of insults or weariness of them, and sometimes we shall even miss what would do us good, while tortured by this womanish pain at hearing something not to our mind. Sometimes, too, when enraged with powerful men we shall expose this failing by our reckless freedom of speech; yet it is not freedom to suffer nothing - we are mistaken - freedom consists in raising one’s mind superior to injuries and becoming a person whose pleasures come from himself alone, in separating oneself from external circumstances that one may not have to lead a disturbed life in fear of the laughter and tongues of all men; for if any man can offer an insult, who is there who cannot? The wise man and the would-be wise man will apply different remedies to this; for it is only those whose philosophical education is incomplete, and who still guide themselves by public opinion, who would suppose that they ought to spend their lives in the midst of insults and injuries; yet all things happen in a more endurable fashion to men who are prepared for them. The nobler a man is by birth, by reputation, or by inheritance, the more bravely he should bear himself, remembering that the tallest men stand in the front rank in battle. As for insults, offensive language, marks of disgrace, and such-like disfigurements, he ought to bear them as he would bear the shouts of the enemy, and darts or stones flung from a distance, which rattle upon his helmet without causing a wound; while he should look upon injuries as wounds, some received on his armour and others on his body, which, he endures without falling or even leaving his place in the ranks. Even though you be hard pressed and violently attacked by the enemy, still it is base to give way; hold the post assigned to you by nature. You ask, what this post is? it is that of being a man. The wise man has another help, of the opposite kind to this; you are hard at work, while he has already won the victory. Do not quarrel with your own good advantage, and, until you shall have made your way to the truth, keep alive this hope in your minds, be willing to receive the news of a better life, and encourage it by your admiration and your prayers; it is to the interest of the commonwealth of mankind that there should be some one who is unconquered, some one against whom fortune has no power. Xerxes. Scipio. The Stoics. Seneca here speaks of men wearing the toga as officials, contrasted with the mass of Roman citizens, among whom the wearing of the toga was already falling into disuse in the time of Augustus. See Macrob., “Sat.,” vi. 5 extr., and Suetonius, “Life of Octavius,” 40, where the author mentions that Augustus used sarcastically to apply the verse, Virg., ‘Aen.,’ i. 282, to the Romans of his day. See note, “De Beneficiis,” vi. 33. Gertz reads ‘decet emere venalia,’ ‘there is no harm in buying what is for sale.’

Ne descendons point dans le champ des rixes et des luttes ; retirons-nous loin en arrière, et, quelques provocations que des insensés nous adressent, car l’insensé peut seul se les permettre, n’en tenons point compte. Et les hommages et les injures du vulgaire doivent être confondus dans le même mépris : ne nous affligeons pas de celles-ci, ne nous félicitons pas de ceux-là. Autrement la crainte ou le dégoût des mortifications nous feront omettre des devoirs essentiels ; et nous manquerons à ceux d’hommes publics et privés, souvent même à ce qui nous sauverait, si nous tremblons, dans nos anxiétés de femmes, de rien ouïr qui nous désoblige ; parfois aussi nos rancunes contre des hommes puissants se dévoileront avec une indiscrète liberté. Or la liberté ne consiste pas à ne rien tolérer ; détrompons-nous : être libre, c’est mettre son âme au-dessus de l’injure ; c’est se rendre tel, qu’on trouve en soi seul la source de ses plaisirs ; c’est se détacher de l’extérieur, pour ne point passer sa vie dans l’inquiète appréhension des rires ou des propos de tout venant. Car qui ne pourra nous offenser, si un seul le peut ? Mais le sage et l’aspirant à la sagesse useront chacun d’un remède différent. À l’homme imparfait encore, et qui n’a pas cessé de se diriger sur le jugement du grand nombre, nous représenterons qu’à chaque pas l’injure et l’insulte l’attendent. Les accidents prévus sont toujours moindres. Plus sa naissance, sa renommée, son patrimoine le distinguent, plus il doit montrer de courage ; qu’il se souvienne qu’en première ligne se tiennent les soldats de haute taille. Les offenses, les paroles outrageantes, les diffamations, toutes les avanies de ce genre, qu’il les supporte comme les clameurs de l’ennemi, les dards lancés de trop loin, les pierres qui, sans blesser, frappent le casque et ne font que du bruit. Que les injures graves, comme ces traits qui percent ou les armes ou la poitrine, ne l’abattent ni ne le fassent broncher. Quelque force qui vous menace, vous presse, vous assiège, céder est toujours une honte ; défendez le poste que vous assigna la nature. Et quel est-il ? celui d’homme de cœur. Le sage a un tout autre auxiliaire qui vous manque, car vous luttez encore : il a la victoire gagnée. Ne soyez point rebelle à vos intérêts : sur la route de la vérité, nourrissez l’espoir d’y atteindre ; accueillez avec amour des doctrines meilleures, et appuyez-les de vos convictions comme de vos suffrages. Qu’il existe une âme invincible, une âme contre laquelle la Fortune ne puisse rien, voilà qui importe à la république du genre humain.