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

BOOK I. xxix. 29-35God again,, does not so desire ;for He has need ofsuch a universe, and of such men who go to andfro upon earth. But if He gives the signal toretreat, as He .did to Socrates, 1 must obey Himwho gives the signal, as I would a general.What then ? Must I say these things to themultitude? For what purpose? Is it not sufficientfor a man himself to believe them ? For example,when the children come up to us and clap theirhands and " say, To-dayis the good Saturnalia/' *do we say to them, "All this is not good"? Notat all ;but we too clap our hands to them. Anddo you too, therefore, when you are unable to makea man change his opinion, realize that he is a childand clap your hands to him ;but if you do not wantto do this, you have merely to hold your peace.All this a man ought to remember, and when heis summoned to meet some such difficulty, he oughtto know that the time has come to show whetherwe are educated. For a young man leaving schooland facing a difficultyis like one who has practisedthe analysis of syllogisms, and if someone propoundshim one that is easy to eesolve, he says, Nay, ratherpropound me one that iscunningly involved, so thatI may get exercise from it." Also the athletes aredispleased with the youths of light weight: