SENECA - College of Stoic Philosophers

EPISTLE LXXVI.
of some last noble effort, will leap to his death without
a moment's hesitation, content to act rightly and
dutifully. Moreover, you may confront him with
many discouragements; you may say: "Your deed
will speedily be forgotten/' or " Your fellow-citizens
will offer you scant thanks." He will answer: " All
these matters lie outside my task. My thoughts are
on the deed itself. I know that this is honourable.
Therefore, whithersoever I am led and summoned
by honour, I will go."
This, therefore, is the only good, and not only
is
every soul that has reached perfection aware of it,
but also every soul that is by nature noble and of
right instincts all
;
other goods are trivial and mutable.
For this reason we are harassed if we possess
them. Even though, by the kindness of Fortune,
they have been heaped together, they weigh heavily
upon their owners, always pressing them down and
sometimes crushing them. None of those whom you
behold clad in purple is happy, any more than one
of these actors a upon whom the play bestows a
sceptre and a cloak while on the stage they strut
;
their hour before a crowded house, with swelling
port and buskined foot but when once
;
they make
their exit the foot-gear is removed and they return
to their proper stature. None of those who have
been raised to a loftier height by riches and honours
is really great. Why then does he seem great to
you ? It is because you are measuring the pedestal
along with the man. A dwarf is not tall, though he
stand upon a mountain-top a colossal statue will still
;
be tall, though you place it in a well. This is the
error under which we labour ;
this is the reason why
we are imposed upon we value no man at what he
:
is, but add to the man himself the trappings in
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