Moral essays. With an English translation by J.W. Basore

ON FIRMNESS, xiv. 2-xv. 2may pass the threshold, remembering that even onae bridges one has to pay to cross. And so to the!ow, be he what he may, who phes this source ofvenue at receptions, he -will pay his fee ; he knowsthat money will buy whatever is for sale. The manhas a small mind who is pleased ^^^th himself becausehe spoke his mind to a porter, because he broke hisiff on him, made his way to his master and demandedfellow's hide. Whoever enters a contest becomesthe antagonist of another, and, for the sake of \ictor}%is on the same level. " But," you ask, " if a >viseman receives a blow, what shall he do " ? WTiatCato did when he was struck in the face. He didnot flare up, he did not avenge the >vTong, he did noteven forgive it, but he said that no ^^Tong had beendone. He showed finer spirit in not acknowledging itthan if he had pardoned it. But we shall not lingerlong upon this point. For who is not aware thatnone of the things reputed to be goods or ills appearto the wise man as they do to men at large ? He doesnot regard what men consider base or WTetched ; hedoes not walk with the crowd, but as the planetsmake their way against the whirl of heaven," so heproceeds contrary' to the opinion of the world.Therefore leave off saying " : Will the wise man,then, receive no injury if he is given a lashing, if hehas an eye gouged out ? Will he receive no insultif he is hooted through the forum by the \ile wordsof a foul-mouthed crowd ? If at a king's banquet heis ordered to take a place beneath the table and toeat with the slaves assigned to the most disreputableservice ? If he is forced to bear whatever else canbe thought of that will offend his native self-respect?"No matter how great these things may come to be,91