Moral Letters to Lucilius Section 18

Quid me poscis scientiam inutilem? Magna promisisti; exige, vide. Dicebas intrepidum fore, etiam si circa me gladii micarent, etiam si mucro tangeret iugulum; dicebas securum fore, etiam si circa me flagrarent incendia, etiam si subitus turbo toto navem meam mari raperet. Hanc mihi praesta curam, ut voluptatem, ut gloriam contemnam. Postea docebis inplicta solvere, ambigua distinguere, obscura perspicere; nunc doce quod necesse est. Vale.

Que me sert d’étudier votre inutile fatras ? Pour de grandes promesses je vois bien peu d’effets. Vous alliez m’apprendre à rester intrépide en face des glaives étincelants et le poignard sous la gorge ; à être impassible quand l’incendie m’investirait de ses flammes, quand une soudaine bourrasque emporterait mon navire loin de tout rivage. Tenez-moi parole : faites que je méprise et la volupté et la gloire ; vous m’instruirez ensuite à démêler un sophisme embrouillé, à saisir une équivoque, à éclairer une obscurité : pour le présent, enseignez-moi ce qui presse le plus.

Why do you ask of me a useless knowledge? You have promised great things; test me, watch me! You assured me that I should be unterrified though swords were flashing round me, though the point of the blade were grazing my throat; you assured me that I should be at ease though fires were blazing round me, or though a sudden whirlwind should snatch up my ship and carry it over all the sea. Now make good for me such a course of treatment that I may despise pleasure and glory. Thereafter you shall teach me to work out complicated problems, to settle doubtful points, to see through that which is not clear; teach me now what it is necessary for me to know!” Farewell.