Volume 1 - Discourses - Books I - II - College of Stoic Philosophers

BOOK I. xx, i5-xxi. 2For what is there lengthy in his statement " : Tofollow the godsis :man's end, and the essence ofgood is the proper use of external impressions " ?Ask., " What,, then, is God, and what is an externalimpression? And what is nature in the individualand nature in the universe " ? You already havea lengthy statement. If Epicurus should come andsay that the good ought to be in the flesh,, again theexplanation becomes length}^ and you must be toldwhat is the principal faculty within us., and what oursubstantial, and what our essential,, nature is. Sinceit is not probable that the good of a snail lies in itsshell,, is it, then., probable that the good of man liesin his flesh ? But take your own case, Epicurus ;what more masterful faculty do you yourself possess?What is that thing within you which takes counsel,which examines into all things severally, which, afterexamining the flesh itself, decides that it is theprincipal matter And ? why do you light a lampand toil in our behalf, and write such quantitiesof books ? Is it that we may not fail to know thetruth ? Who are we ? And what are we to youAnd ?so the argument becomes lengthy.CHAPTER XXITo those who would be admiredWHEN a man has his proper station in life, he isnotallagape for things beyond it. Man, what is ityouwant to have happen to you As ? for myself, I amcontent if I exercise desire and aversion in accordancewith nature, if Iemploy choice and refusal as mynature is, and similarly employ purpose and design141