Moral Letters to Lucilius Section 11

Sed molestum est, inquit, carere adsuetis voluptatibus, abstinere cibo, sitire, esurire. Haec prima abstinentia gravia sunt. Deinde cupiditas relanguescit ipsis per quae cupimus fatigatis ac deficientibus; inde morosus est stomachus, inde cuius fuit aviditas cibi, odium est. Desideria ipsa moriuntur. Non est autem acerbum carere eo, quod cupere desieris.

« Mais il en coûte d’être sevré de ses plaisirs habituels, de s’abstenir de nourriture, de souffrir la soif et la faim ! » Les premiers jours de privation sont durs : mais les désirs vont ensuite s’émoussant, à mesure que les organes de ces mêmes désirs se lassent et s’affaiblissent. De là les susceptibilités de l’estomac ; de là l’antipathie pour les choses dont on fut avide ; de là la mort même des désirs.

“But it is a hardship,” men say, “to do without our customary pleasures, - to fast, to feel thirst and hunger.” These are indeed serious when one first abstains from them. Later the desire dies down, because the appetites themselves which lead to desire are wearied and forsake us; then the stomach becomes petulant, then the food which we craved before becomes hateful. Our very wants die away. But there is no bitterness in doing without that which you have ceased to desire.