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

BOOK I. xxiii. s-xxiv. 2it is no longer in our power not to love it or tocare for it. For the same reason Epicurus says thata man of sense does not engage in politics either;for he knows what the man who engages in politicshas to do since., of course, ifyou are going to liveamong men as though you were a fly among flies, 1what is to hinder you? Yet,, despite the fact thathe knows this, he still has the audacity tosay,(lLet us not bring up children." But a sheep doesnot abandon its own offspring., nor a wolf; and yetdoes a man abandon his ? What do you wish us todo ? Would 3-011have us be foolish as sheep ? Buteven they do not desert their offspring. Would youhave us be fierce as wolves ? But even they do notdesert their offspring. Come now, who follows youradvice when he sees his child fallen on the groundand crying? Why, in my opinion,, your mother andyour father, even if they had divined that you weregoing to say such things, would not have exposed!youCHAPTER XXIVHow should we struggle against difficulties?IT is difficulties that show what men are. Consequently,,when a difficulty befalls, remember thatGod, like a physical trainer, has matched you witha rugged young man. What for ? some one says,So that you may become an Olympic victor but;that cannot be done without sweat. To my way ofthinking no one has got a finer difficulty than theone which you have got, if only you are willing tomake use of it as an athlete makes use of a young