DioLiu/Test1 · Datasets at Hugging Face

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When we have meat before us and such eatables we receive the impression,
that this is the dead body of a fish, and this is the dead body of
a bird or of a pig; and again, that this Falernian is only a little
grape juice, and this purple robe some sheep's wool dyed with the
blood of a shell-fish: such then are these impressions, and they reach
the things themselves and penetrate them, and so we see what kind
of things they are. Just in the same way ought we to act all through
life, and where there are things which appear most worthy of our approbation,
we ought to lay them bare and look at their worthlessness and strip
them of all the words by which they are exalted. For outward show
is a wonderful perverter of the reason, and when thou art most sure
that thou art employed about things worth thy pains, it is then that
it cheats thee most. Consider then what Crates says of Xenocrates
himself.

Most of the things which the multitude admire are referred to objects
of the most general kind, those which are held together by cohesion
or natural organization, such as stones, wood, fig-trees, vines, olives.
But those which are admired by men who are a little more reasonable
are referred to the things which are held together by a living principle,
as flocks, herds. Those which are admired by men who are still more
instructed are the things which are held together by a rational soul,
not however a universal soul, but rational so far as it is a soul
skilled in some art, or expert in some other way, or simply rational
so far as it possesses a number of slaves. But he who values rational
soul, a soul universal and fitted for political life, regards nothing
else except this; and above all things he keeps his soul in a condition
and in an activity conformable to reason and social life, and he co-operates
to this end with those who are of the same kind as himself.

Some things are hurrying into existence, and others are hurrying out
of it; and of that which is coming into existence part is already
extinguished. Motions and changes are continually renewing the world,
just as the uninterrupted course of time is always renewing the infinite
duration of ages. In this flowing stream then, on which there is no
abiding, what is there of the things which hurry by on which a man
would set a high price? It would be just as if a man should fall in
love with one of the sparrows which fly by, but it has already passed
out of sight. Something of this kind is the very life of every man,
like the exhalation of the blood and the respiration of the air. For
such as it is to have once drawn in the air and to have given it back,
which we do every moment, just the same is it with the whole respiratory
power, which thou didst receive at thy birth yesterday and the day
before, to give it back to the element from which thou didst first
draw it.

Neither is transpiration, as in plants, a thing to be valued, nor
respiration, as in domesticated animals and wild beasts, nor the receiving
of impressions by the appearances of things, nor being moved by desires
as puppets by strings, nor assembling in herds, nor being nourished
by food; for this is just like the act of separating and parting with
the useless part of our food. What then is worth being valued? To
be received with clapping of hands? No. Neither must we value the
clapping of tongues, for the praise which comes from the many is a
clapping of tongues. Suppose then that thou hast given up this worthless
thing called fame, what remains that is worth valuing? This in my
opinion, to move thyself and to restrain thyself in conformity to
thy proper constitution, to which end both all employments and arts
lead. For every art aims at this, that the thing which has been made
should be adapted to the work for which it has been made; and both
the vine-planter who looks after the vine, and the horse-breaker,
and he who trains the dog, seek this end. But the education and the
teaching of youth aim at something. In this then is the value of the
education and the teaching. And if this is well, thou wilt not seek
anything else. Wilt thou not cease to value many other things too?
Then thou wilt be neither free, nor sufficient for thy own happiness,
nor without passion. For of necessity thou must be envious, jealous,
and suspicious of those who can take away those things, and plot against
those who have that which is valued by thee. Of necessity a man must
be altogether in a state of perturbation who wants any of these things;
and besides, he must often find fault with the gods. But to reverence
and honour thy own mind will make thee content with thyself, and in
harmony with society, and in agreement with the gods, that is, praising
all that they give and have ordered.

Above, below, all around are the movements of the elements. But the
motion of virtue is in none of these: it is something more divine,
and advancing by a way hardly observed it goes happily on its road.

How strangely men act. They will not praise those who are living at
the same time and living with themselves; but to be themselves praised
by posterity, by those whom they have never seen or ever will see,
this they set much value on. But this is very much the same as if
thou shouldst be grieved because those who have lived before thee
did not praise thee.

If a thing is difficult to be accomplished by thyself, do not think
that it is impossible for man: but if anything is possible for man
and conformable to his nature, think that this can be attained by
thyself too.

In the gymnastic exercises suppose that a man has torn thee with his
nails, and by dashing against thy head has inflicted a wound. Well,
we neither show any signs of vexation, nor are we offended, nor do
we suspect him afterwards as a treacherous fellow; and yet we are
on our guard against him, not however as an enemy, nor yet with suspicion,
but we quietly get out of his way. Something like this let thy behaviour
be in all the other parts of life; let us overlook many things in
those who are like antagonists in the gymnasium. For it is in our
power, as I said, to get out of the way, and to have no suspicion

When we have meat before us and such eatables we receive the impression,

that this is the dead body of a fish, and this is the dead body of

a bird or of a pig; and again, that this Falernian is only a little

grape juice, and this purple robe some sheep's wool dyed with the

blood of a shell-fish: such then are these impressions, and they reach

the things themselves and penetrate them, and so we see what kind

of things they are. Just in the same way ought we to act all through

life, and where there are things which appear most worthy of our approbation,

we ought to lay them bare and look at their worthlessness and strip

them of all the words by which they are exalted. For outward show

is a wonderful perverter of the reason, and when thou art most sure

that thou art employed about things worth thy pains, it is then that

it cheats thee most. Consider then what Crates says of Xenocrates

himself.

Most of the things which the multitude admire are referred to objects

of the most general kind, those which are held together by cohesion

or natural organization, such as stones, wood, fig-trees, vines, olives.

But those which are admired by men who are a little more reasonable

are referred to the things which are held together by a living principle,

as flocks, herds. Those which are admired by men who are still more

instructed are the things which are held together by a rational soul,

not however a universal soul, but rational so far as it is a soul

skilled in some art, or expert in some other way, or simply rational

so far as it possesses a number of slaves. But he who values rational

soul, a soul universal and fitted for political life, regards nothing

else except this; and above all things he keeps his soul in a condition

and in an activity conformable to reason and social life, and he co-operates

to this end with those who are of the same kind as himself.

Some things are hurrying into existence, and others are hurrying out

of it; and of that which is coming into existence part is already

extinguished. Motions and changes are continually renewing the world,

just as the uninterrupted course of time is always renewing the infinite

duration of ages. In this flowing stream then, on which there is no

abiding, what is there of the things which hurry by on which a man

would set a high price? It would be just as if a man should fall in

love with one of the sparrows which fly by, but it has already passed

out of sight. Something of this kind is the very life of every man,

like the exhalation of the blood and the respiration of the air. For

such as it is to have once drawn in the air and to have given it back,

which we do every moment, just the same is it with the whole respiratory

power, which thou didst receive at thy birth yesterday and the day

before, to give it back to the element from which thou didst first

draw it.

Neither is transpiration, as in plants, a thing to be valued, nor

respiration, as in domesticated animals and wild beasts, nor the receiving

of impressions by the appearances of things, nor being moved by desires

as puppets by strings, nor assembling in herds, nor being nourished

by food; for this is just like the act of separating and parting with

the useless part of our food. What then is worth being valued? To

be received with clapping of hands? No. Neither must we value the

clapping of tongues, for the praise which comes from the many is a

clapping of tongues. Suppose then that thou hast given up this worthless

thing called fame, what remains that is worth valuing? This in my

opinion, to move thyself and to restrain thyself in conformity to

thy proper constitution, to which end both all employments and arts

lead. For every art aims at this, that the thing which has been made

should be adapted to the work for which it has been made; and both

the vine-planter who looks after the vine, and the horse-breaker,

and he who trains the dog, seek this end. But the education and the

teaching of youth aim at something. In this then is the value of the

education and the teaching. And if this is well, thou wilt not seek

anything else. Wilt thou not cease to value many other things too?

Then thou wilt be neither free, nor sufficient for thy own happiness,

nor without passion. For of necessity thou must be envious, jealous,

and suspicious of those who can take away those things, and plot against

those who have that which is valued by thee. Of necessity a man must

be altogether in a state of perturbation who wants any of these things;

and besides, he must often find fault with the gods. But to reverence

and honour thy own mind will make thee content with thyself, and in

harmony with society, and in agreement with the gods, that is, praising

all that they give and have ordered.

Above, below, all around are the movements of the elements. But the

motion of virtue is in none of these: it is something more divine,

and advancing by a way hardly observed it goes happily on its road.

How strangely men act. They will not praise those who are living at

the same time and living with themselves; but to be themselves praised

by posterity, by those whom they have never seen or ever will see,

this they set much value on. But this is very much the same as if

thou shouldst be grieved because those who have lived before thee

did not praise thee.

If a thing is difficult to be accomplished by thyself, do not think

that it is impossible for man: but if anything is possible for man

and conformable to his nature, think that this can be attained by

thyself too.

In the gymnastic exercises suppose that a man has torn thee with his

nails, and by dashing against thy head has inflicted a wound. Well,

we neither show any signs of vexation, nor are we offended, nor do

we suspect him afterwards as a treacherous fellow; and yet we are

on our guard against him, not however as an enemy, nor yet with suspicion,

but we quietly get out of his way. Something like this let thy behaviour

be in all the other parts of life; let us overlook many things in

those who are like antagonists in the gymnasium. For it is in our

power, as I said, to get out of the way, and to have no suspicion