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

BOOK II. xvm. 9-1 8is that a callousness results and the infirmitystrengthens the avarice. For the man who hashad a fever, and then recovered, is not the sameas he was before the fever, unless he has experienceda complete cure. Something like this happens alsowith the affections of the mind. Certain imprintsand weals are left behind on the mind, and unless aman erases them perfectly, the next time he isscourged upon the old scars, he has weals no longerbut wounds. If, therefore, you wish not to be hottempered,do not feed your habit, set before itnothing on which it can grow. As the first step,keep quiet and count the days on which you havenot been " angry. I used to be angry every day.,after that every other day, then every third, andthen every fourth day." If you go as much asthirty days without a fit of anger, sacrifice to God.For the habit is first weakened and then utterly" "destroyed. To-dayI was not grieved (and so thenext day, and thereafter for two or three months) ;tebut I was on my guard when certain thingshappened that were capable of provoking grief."Know that things are going splendidly with you.To-day when I saw a handsome lad or a handsome