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

BOOK I. xxix. 57-65also. Whose partis it, then, to contemplate thesematters? The part of him who devotes himselfto learning; for man is a kind of animal thatloves contemplation. But it is disgraceful to contemplatethese things like runaway slaves 1; nay,, sitrather free from distractions and listen, now totragic actor and now to the citharoede, 2 and notas those runaways do. For at the very momentwhen one of them ispaying attention and praisingthe tragic actor,, he takes a glance around, and thenif someone mentions the word ee master," they areinstantly all in a flutter and upset. It is disgracefulfor men who are philosophers to contemplate theworks of nature in this spirit.For what is a" master " ? One man is not master of another man,but death and life and pleasui-e and hardship are hismasters. So bring Caesar to me, if he be withoutthese things, and you shall see how steadfast I am.But when he comes with them, thundering and lightening,and I am afraid of them, what else have I donethe runaway slave?but recognized my master, likeBut so long as I have,, as itfrom these threats, Iwere, only a respitetoo am acting like a runawayslave who is a spectator in a theatre ;I bathe, Idrink, I sing, but I do it all in fear and misery.But if Iemancipate myself from my masters, that is,from those things which render masters terrifying,what further trouble do I have, what master anymore ?What then ? Must I proclaim this to all men ?No, but I must treat with consideration those whoCiare not philosophers by profession, and say, Thisman advises for me that which he thinks good inhis own case ;therefore I excuse him/* For Socrates203