§3τοὺς μὲν γὰρ ἀφωρισμένως ἕνα βίον ἄλυπον νομίζοντας, ὡς ἔνιοι τὸν τῶν γεωργῶν ἢ τὸν τῶν ἠιθέων ἢ τὸν τῶν βασιλέων, ἱκανῶς ὁ Μένανδρος ὑπομιμνήσκει λέγων
"
ᾤμην ἐγὼ τοὺς πλουσίους, ὦ Φανία,
οἷς μὴ τὸ δανείζεσθαι πρόσεστιν, οὐ στένειν
τὰς νύκτας οὐδὲ στρεφομένους ἄνω κάτω
οἴμοι λέγειν, ἡδὺν δὲ καὶ πρᾶόν τινα
ὕπνον καθεύδειν
"
εἶτα προσδιελθών, ὡς καὶ τοὺς πλουσίους ἑώρα ταὐτὰ πάσχοντας τοῖς πένησιν,
"
ἆρʼ ἐστί φησὶ συγγενές τι λύπη καὶ βίος;
For those who strictly believe that some single lifestyle is free from pain, as some think that of farmers, or of bachelors, or of kings, Menander sufficiently reminds us, saying: ¦466b "Phanias, I used to think that the rich, who do not have to borrow money, do not groan at night nor toss up and down saying 'alas,' but sleep a sweet and gentle sleep." ¦20 Then, continuing to discuss, as he saw that the rich suffer the same things as the poor: ¦25 "Is grief and life, he says, somehow akin?
τρυφερῷ βίῳ σύνεστιν, ἐνδόξῳ βίῳ
πάρεστιν, ἀπόρῳ συγκαταγηράσκει βίῳ. "
ἀλλʼ ὥσπερ οἱ δειλοὶ καὶ ναυτιῶντες ἐν τῷ πλεῖν, εἶτα ῥᾷον οἰόμενοι διάξειν, ἐὰν εἰς γαῦλον ἐξ ἀκάτου καὶ πάλιν ἐὰν εἰς τριήρη μεταβῶσιν, οὐδὲν περαίνουσι, τὴν χολὴν καὶ τὴν δειλίαν συμμεταφέροντες ἑαυτοῖς· οὕτως αἱ τῶν βίων ἀντιμεταλήψεις οὐκ ἐξαιροῦσι τῆς ψυχῆς τὰ λυποῦντα καὶ ταράττοντα·
It accompanies the luxurious life, it is present in the glorious life, and it grows old together with the impoverished life." But just as those who are cowardly and seasick during a voyage, thinking they will get along more easily if they transfer from a boat to a merchant vessel, and again from that to a trireme, accomplish nothing, carrying along with themselves their bile and cowardice; ¦466c so the interchanges of lifestyles do not remove what causes pain and disturbance in the soul.
ταῦτα δʼ ἐστὶν ἀπειρία πραγμάτων, ἀλογιστία, τὸ μὴ δύνασθαι μηδʼ ἐπίστασθαι χρῆσθαι τοῖς παροῦσιν ὀρθῶς·
¦10 And these are inexperience in affairs, lack of reason, and the inability and lack of knowledge to use present circumstances rightly.
ταῦτα καὶ πλουσίους χειμάζει καὶ πένητας, ταῦτα καὶ γεγαμηκότας ἀνιᾷ καὶ ἀγάμους· διὰ ταῦτα φεύγουσι τὴν ἀγορὰν εἶτα τὴν ἡσυχίαν οὐ φέρουσι, διὰ ταῦτα προαγωγὰς ἐν αὐλαῖς διώκουσι, καὶ παρελθόντες εὐθὺς βαρύνονται.
These storm-toss both rich and poor, these distress both the married and the unmarried; because of these they flee the forum and then cannot bear quiet, ¦15 because of these they pursue advancements in royal courts, and as soon as they have entered them, they are immediately burdened.
"δυσάρεστον οἱ νοσοῦντες ἀπορίας ὕπο· "
καὶ γὰρ ἡ γυνὴ λυπεῖ καὶ τὸν ἰατρὸν αἰτιῶνται καὶ δυσχεραίνουσι τὸ κλινίδιον,
"φίλων δʼ ὃ τʼ ἐλθὼν λυπρὸς ὃ τʼ ἀπιὼν βαρύς"
ὡς ὁ Ἴων φησίν.
"Hard to please are the sick, through lack of resources." For even the wife causes pain, and they blame the doctor, and dislike the bed, ¦466d "and of friends, the one who comes is annoying, and the one who departs is burdensome," as Ion says.
εἶτα τῆς νόσου διαλυθείσης καὶ κράσεως ἑτέρας ἐγγενομένης, ἦλθεν ἡ ὑγίεια φίλα πάντα ποιοῦσα καὶ προσηνῆ.
Then, when the disease is dispelled and a different temperament arises, health comes, making everything friendly and pleasant.
ὁ γὰρ ἐχθὲς ᾠὰ καὶ ἀμύλια καὶ σητάνειον ἄρτον διαπτύων, τήμερον αὐτόπυρον ἐπʼ ἐλαίαις ἢ καρδαμίδι σιτεῖται προσφιλῶς καὶ προθύμως
For he who yesterday spat out eggs, fine gruel, and white bread, today eats coarse bread ¦25 with olives or watercress with pleasure and eagerness.
§4τοιαύτην ὁ λογισμὸς εὐκολίαν καὶ μεταβολὴν ἐγγενόμενος ποιεῖ πρὸς ἕκαστον βίον.
Reason, arising within, produces such adaptability and change toward each way of life.
Ἀλέξανδρος Ἀναξάρχου περὶ κόσμων ἀπειρίας ἀκούων ἐδάκρυε, καὶ τῶν φίλων ἐρωτώντων ὅ τι πέπονθεν,
οὐκ ἄξιον
ἔφη
δακρύειν, εἰ κόσμων ὄντων ἀπείρων ἑνὸς οὐδέπω κύριοι γεγόναμεν; Κράτης δὲ πήραν ἔχων καὶ τρίβωνα παίζων καὶ γελῶν ὥσπερ ἐν ἑορτῇ τὸν βίον διετέλεσε.
Alexander, when he heard from Anaxarchus about the infinite number of worlds, wept, and when his friends asked what was the matter with him: "Is it not worth weeping," he said, "if, while there are infinite worlds, we have not yet become masters of even one?" ¦466e But Crates, having only a pouch and a worn cloak, passed his life playing and laughing as if at a festival.
καὶ μὴν καὶ τὸν Ἀγαμέμνονα τὸ πολλῶν βασιλεύειν ἐλύπει,
"
γνώσεαι Ἀτρείδην Ἀγαμέμνονα, τὸν περὶ πάντων
Ζεὺς ἐνέηκε πόνοισι διαμπερές
"
Διογένης δὲ πωλούμενος ἔσκωπτε τὸν κήρυκα κατακείμενος· ἀναστῆναι δʼ οὐκ ἐβούλετο κελεύοντος, ἀλλὰ παίζων καὶ καταγελῶν ἔλεγεν
εἰ δʼ ἰχθῦν ἐπίπρασκες; καὶ Σωκράτης μὲν ἐν δεσμωτηρίῳ φιλοσοφῶν διελέγετο τοῖς ἑταίροις· ὁ δὲ Φαέθων ἀναβὰς εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἔκλαιεν, εἰ μηδεὶς αὐτῷ τοὺς τοῦ πατρὸς ἵππους καὶ τὸ ἅρμα παραδίδωσιν.
And indeed, ruling over many people distressed Agamemnon: ¦10 "You will know Agamemnon, son of Atreus, whom beyond all others Zeus has cast into endless troubles." But Diogenes, when being sold as a slave, mocked the herald while lying down; and he refused to stand up when ordered, but ¦466f playing and laughing said: "What if you were selling a fish?" And Socrates in prison conversed with his companions while philosophizing; ¦15 but Phaethon, having ascended into heaven, wept because no one would hand over to him his father's horses and chariot.
ὥσπερ οὖν τὸ ὑπόδημα τῷ ποδὶ συνδιαστρέφεται καὶ οὐ τοὐναντίον, οὕτω τοὺς βίους αἱ διαθέσεις συνεξομοιοῦσιν αὑταῖς.
Therefore, just as the shoe is bent to fit the foot and not the reverse, ¦20 so dispositions make lifestyles conform to themselves.
οὐ γὰρ ἡ συνήθεια ποιεῖ τοῖς ἑλομένοις τὸν ἄριστον βίον ἡδὺν ὥς τις εἶπεν, ἀλλὰ τὸ φρονεῖν ἅμα τὸν αὐτὸν βίον ποιεῖ καὶ ἄριστον καὶ ἥδιστον.
For it is not habit that makes the best life sweet to those who have chosen it, as someone said, but wisdom makes the same life both best and sweetest at the same time.
διὸ τὴν πηγὴν τῆς εὐθυμίας ἐν αὐτοῖς οὖσαν ἡμῖν ἐκκαθαίρωμεν, ἵνα καὶ τὰ ἐκτὸς ὡς οἰκεῖα καὶ φίλα μὴ χαλεπῶς χρωμένοις συμφέρηται
"
τοῖς πράγμασιν γὰρ οὐχὶ θυμοῦσθαι χρεών·
¦467a Therefore, let us cleanse the fountain of tranquility of mind within ourselves, ¦25 so that external things may also agree with us when we use them without difficulty as intimate and friendly.
μέλει γὰρ αὐτοῖς οὐδέν·
"For we should not be angry at circumstances; for they care nothing at all.
ἀλλʼ οὑντυγχάνων
τὰ πράγματʼ ὀρθῶς ἂν τιθῇ, πράσσει καλῶς
"
But he who, encountering them, disposes of circumstances rightly, fares well."