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SENECA - College of Stoic Philosophers

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EPISTLE XCI.<br />

comprehended by a madman, who let his thoughts<br />

range beyond the ocean.* " Teach me somethingeasy<br />

he cries !<br />

;<br />

'<br />

but his teacher answers "<br />

: These<br />

things are the same for all, as hard for one as for<br />

another." Imagine that nature is saying to us :<br />

"Those things <strong>of</strong> which you complain are the same<br />

for all. I cannot give anything easier to any man, but<br />

whoever wishes will make things easier for himself."<br />

In what way ? By equanimity. You must suffer<br />

pain, and thirst, and hunger, and old age too, if a<br />

longer stay among men shall be granted you<br />

; you<br />

must be sick, and you must suffer loss and death.<br />

Nevertheless, you should not believe those whose<br />

noisy clamour surrounds you none <strong>of</strong> these things<br />

;<br />

is an evil, none is<br />

beyond your power to bear, or is<br />

burdensome. It is<br />

only by common opinion that<br />

there is<br />

anything formidable in them. Your fearing<br />

death is therefore like your fear <strong>of</strong> gossip. But<br />

what is more foolish than a man afraid <strong>of</strong> words ?<br />

Our friend Demetrius b is wont to put it cleverly<br />

when he " says<br />

: For me the talk <strong>of</strong> ignorant men<br />

is like the rumblings which issue from the belly.<br />

For," he " adds, what difference does it make to me<br />

whether such rumblings come from above or from<br />

below " ? What madness it is to be afraid <strong>of</strong> disrepute<br />

in the judgment <strong>of</strong> the disreputable Just<br />

!<br />

as you have had no cause for shrinking in terror<br />

from the talk <strong>of</strong> men, so you have no cause now to<br />

shrink from these things, which you would never<br />

fear had not their talk forced fear upon you. Does<br />

it do any harm to a good man to be besmirched by<br />

unjust gossip Then ? let not this sort <strong>of</strong> thing<br />

damage death, either, in our estimation death also<br />

;<br />

is in bad odour. But no one <strong>of</strong> those who malign<br />

death has made trial <strong>of</strong> it.<br />

445

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