"Discourses" - читать интересную книгу автора (Epictetus)

wolves, but not even do wolves desert their young. Well, who would
follow your advice, if he saw his child weeping after falling on the
ground? For my part I think that, even if your mother and your
father had been told by an oracle that you would say what you have
said, they would not have cast you away.

CHAPTER 24

How we should struggle with circumstances

It is circumstances which show what men are. Therefore when a
difficulty falls upon you, remember that God, like a trainer of
wrestlers, has matched you with a rough young man. "For what purpose?"
you may say, Why, that you may become an Olympic conqueror; but it
is not accomplished without sweat. In my opinion no man has had a more
profitable difficulty than you have had, if you choose to make use
of it as an athlete would deal with a young antagonist. We are now
sending a scout to Rome; but no man sends a cowardly scout, who, if he
only hears a noise and sees a shadow anywhere, comes running back in
terror and reports that the enemy is close at hand. So now if you
should come and tell us, "Fearful is the state of affairs at Rome,
terrible is death, terrible is exile; terrible is calumny; terrible is
poverty; fly, my friends; the enemy is near"; we shall answer,
"Begone, prophesy for yourself; we have committed only one fault, that
we sent such a scout."

Diogenes, who was sent as a scout before you, made a different
report to us. He says that death is no evil, for neither is it base:
he says that fame is the noise of madmen. And what has this spy said
about pain, about pleasure, and about poverty? He says that to be
naked is better than any purple robe, and to sleep on the bare
ground is the softest bed; and he gives as a proof of each thing
that he affirms his own courage, his tranquillity his freedom, and the
healthy appearance and compactness of his body. "There is no enemy
he says; "all is peace." How so, Diogenes? "See," he replies, "if I am
struck, if I have been wounded, if I have fled from any man." This
is what a scout ought to be. But you come to us and tell us one
thing after another. Will you not go back, and you will see clearer
when you have laid aside fear?

What then shall I do? What do you do when you leave a ship? Do you
take away the helm or the oars? What then do you take away? You take
what is your own, your bottle and your wallet; and now if you think of
what is your own, you will never claim what belongs to others. The
emperor says, "Lay aside your laticlave." See, I put on the
angusticlave. "Lay aside this also." See, I have only my toga. "Lay
aside your toga." See, I am naked. "But you still raise my envy." Take
then all my poor body; when, at a man's command, I can throw away my
poor body, do I still fear him?