Moral Letters to Lucilius Section 17

Nullam tibi opem feret iste discursus, peregrinaris enim cum adfectibus tuis et mala te tua sequuntur. Utinam quidem sequerentur. Longius abessent; nunc fers illa, non ducis. Itaque ubique te premunt et paribus incommodis urunt. Medicina aegro, non regio, quaerenda est.

Tu n’as point d’aide à espérer de tes courses sans nombre ; car tes passions cheminent avec toi, car ton mal te suit. Et puisse-t-il ne faire que te suivre ! Il serait à quelque distance : mais il est en toi, non à ta suite. Aussi t’obsède-t-il partout ; partout ton malaise est également cuisant. Il faut des remèdes au malade plutôt que des déplacements.

There will be no benefit to you in this hurrying to and fro; for you are travelling with your emotions and are followed by your afflictions. Would that they were indeed following you! In that case, they would be farther away; as it is, you are carrying and not leading them. Hence they press about you on all sides, continually chafing and annoying you. It is medicine, not scenery, for which the sick man must go a-searching.