Category: Stoicism

Will any contemn me? Let him look to that,

upon what grounds he does it: my care shall be that I may never be found either doing or speaking anything that doth truly deserve contempt.

Will any hate me? Let him look to that.

I for my part will be kind and loving unto all, and even unto him that hates me, whom-soever he be, will I be ready to show his error, not by way of exprobation or ostentation of my patience, but ingenuously and meekly: such as was that famous Phocion, if so be that he did not dissemble.

For it is inwardly that these things must be: that the Gods who look inwardly, and not upon the outward appearance, may behold a man truly free from all indignation and grief.

For what hurt can it be unto thee whatsoever any man else doth, as long as thou mayest do that which is proper and suitable to thine own nature?

Wilt not thou (a man wholly appointed to be both what, and as the common good shall require) accept of that which is now seasonable to the nature of the universe?

To grow together like fellow branches in matter of good correspondence and affection; but not in matter of opinions.

They that shall oppose thee in thy right courses, as it is not in their power to divert thee from thy good action, so neither let it be to divert thee from thy good affection towards them.

But be it thy care to keep thyself constant in both; both in a right judgment and action, and in true meekness towards them, that either shall do their endeavour to hinder thee, or at least will be displeased with thee for what thou hast done.

For to fail in either (either in the one to give over for fear, or in the other to forsake thy natural affection towards him, who by nature is both thy friend and thy kinsman) is equally base, and much savouring of the disposition of a cowardly fugitive soldier.

A branch cut off from the continuity of that which was next unto it, must needs be cut off from the whole tree:

so a man that is divided from another man, is divided from the whole society.

A branch is cut off by another, but he that hates and is averse, cuts himself off from his neighbour, and knows not that at the same time he divides himself from the whole body, or corporation.

But herein is the gift and mercy of God, the Author of this society, in that, once cut off we may grow together and become part of the whole again.

But if this happen often the misery is that the further a man is run in this division, the harder he is to be reunited and restored again:

and however the branch which, once cut of afterwards was graffed in, gardeners can tell you is not like that which sprouted together at first, and still continued in the unity of the body.

Toys and fooleries at home, wars abroad: sometimes terror, sometimes torpor, or stupid sloth: this is thy daily slavery.

By little and little, if thou doest not better look to it, those sacred dogmata will be blotted out of thy mind.

How many things be there, which when as a mere naturalist, thou hast barely considered of according to their nature, thou doest let pass without any further use?

Whereas thou shouldst in all things so join action and contemplation, that thou mightest both at the same time attend all present occasions,

to perform everything duly and carefully and yet so intend the contemplative part too,

that no part of that delight and pleasure, which the contemplative knowledge of everything according to its true nature doth of itself afford, might be lost.

Or, that the true and contemplative knowledge of everything according to its own nature, might of itself, (action being subject to many lets and impediments) afford unto thee sufficient pleasure and happiness.

Not apparent indeed, but not concealed.

And when shalt thou attain to the happiness of true simplicity, and unaffected gravity?

When shalt thou rejoice in the certain knowledge of every particular object according to its true nature: as what the matter and substance of it is; what use it is for in the world: how long it can subsist: what things it doth consist of: who they be that are capable of it, and who they that can give it, and take it away?

Let it not be in any man’s power, to say truly of thee, that thou art not truly simple, or sincere and open, or not good.

Let him be deceived whosoever he be that shall have any such opinion of thee. For all this doth depend of thee.

For who is it that should hinder thee from being either truly simple or good?

Do thou only resolve rather not to live, than not to be such.

For indeed neither doth it stand with reason that he should live that is not such. What then is it that may upon this present occasion according to best reason and discretion, either be said or done? For whatsoever it be, it is in thy power either to do it, or to say it, and therefore seek not any pretences, as though thou wert hindered.

Thou wilt never cease groaning and complaining, until such time as that, what pleasure is unto the voluptuous, be unto thee, to do in everything that presents itself, whatsoever may be done conformably and agreeably to the proper constitution of man, or, to man as he is a man.

For thou must account that pleasure, whatsoever it be, that thou mayest do according to thine own nature. And to do this, every place will fit thee.

Unto the cylindrus, or roller, it is not granted to move everywhere according to its own proper motion, as neither unto the water, nor unto the fire, nor unto any other thing, that either is merely natural, or natural and sensitive; but not rational for many things there be that can hinder their operations.

But of the mind and understanding this is the proper privilege, that according to its own nature, and as it will itself, it can pass through every obstacle that it finds, and keep straight on forwards.

Setting therefore before thine eyes this happiness and felicity of thy mind, whereby it is able to pass through all things, and is capable of all motions, whether as the fire, upwards; or as the stone downwards, or as the cylindrus through that which is sloping: content thyself with it, and seek not after any other thing.

For all other kind of hindrances that are not hindrances of thy mind either they are proper to the body, or merely proceed from the opinion, reason not making that resistance that it should, but basely, and cowardly suffering itself to be foiled; and of themselves can neither wound, nor do any hurt at all.

Else must he of necessity, whosoever he be that meets with any of them, become worse than he was before.

For so is it in all other subjects, that that is thought hurtful unto them, whereby they are made worse.

But here contrariwise, man (if he make that good use of them that he should) is rather the better and the more praiseworthy for any of those kind of hindrances, than otherwise.

But generally remember that nothing can hurt a natural citizen, that is not hurtful unto the city itself, nor anything hurt the city, that is not hurtful unto the law itself.

But none of these casualties, or external hindrances, do hurt the law itself; or, are contrary to that course of justice and equity, by which public societies are maintained: neither therefore do they hurt either city or citizen.

Give what thou wilt, and take away what thou wilt,

saith he that is well taught and truly modest, to Him that gives, and takes away.

And it is not out of a stout and peremptory resolution, that he saith it, but in mere love, and humble submission.

Either with Epicurus, we must fondly imagine the atoms to be the cause of all things, or we must needs grant a nature.

Let this then be thy first ground, that thou art part of that universe, which is governed by nature.

Then secondly, that to those parts that are of the same kind and nature as thou art, thou hast relation of kindred.

For of these, if I shall always be mindful, first as I am a part, I shall never be displeased with anything, that falls to my particular share of the common chances of the world.

For nothing that is behoveful unto the whole, can be truly hurtful to that which is part of it.

For this being the common privilege of all natures, that they contain nothing in themselves that is hurtful unto them;

it cannot be that the nature of the universe (whose privilege beyond other particular natures, is, that she cannot against her will by any higher external cause be constrained,) should beget anything and cherish it in her bosom that should tend to her own hurt and prejudice.

As then I bear in mind that I am a part of such an universe, I shall not be displeased with anything that happens.

And as I have relation of kindred to those parts that are of the same kind and nature that I am, so I shall be careful to do nothing that is prejudicial to the community,

but in all my deliberations shall they that are of my kind ever be;

and the common good, that, which all my intentions and resolutions shall drive unto, as that which is contrary unto it, I shall by all means endeavour to prevent and avoid.

These things once so fixed and concluded, as thou wouldst think him a happy citizen, whose constant study and practice were for the good and benefit of his fellow citizens,

and the carriage of the city such towards him, that he were well pleased with it; so must it needs be with thee, that thou shalt live a happy life.

Whatsoever it be that happens unto thee,

it is that which from all time was appointed unto thee.

For by the same coherence of causes,

by which thy substance from all eternity was appointed to be,

was also whatsoever should happen unto it, destinated and appointed.