§13.9Nescio quomodo magis vana perturbant.
Somehow or other, empty things perturb us more.
Vera enim modum suum habent; quicquid ex incerto venit, coniecturae et paventis animi licentiae traditur.
For true things have their own limit; whatever comes from uncertainty is handed over to conjecture and the license of a frightened mind.
Nulli itaque tam perniciosi, tam inrevocabiles quam lymphatici metus sunt.
Therefore, no fears are so ruinous, so irrevocable, as those of panic.
Ceteri enim sine ratione, hi sine mente sunt.
For others are without reason, these are without mind.
§13.10Inquiramus itaque in rem diligenter.
Therefore, let us inquire into the matter diligently.
Verisimile est aliquid futurum mali; non statim verum est.
It is likely that some evil will happen in the future; yet it is not immediately true.
Quam multa non expectata venerunt! Quam multa expectata nusquam conparuerunt! Etiam si futurum est, quid iuvat dolori suo occurrere? Satis cito dolebis, cum venerit; interim tibi meliora promitte.
How many unexpected things have come! How many expected things have appeared nowhere! Even if it is to happen, what does it help to run to meet one's own pain? You will suffer soon enough when it comes; meanwhile, promise yourself better things.
§13.11Quid facies lucri? Tempus.
What gain will you make? Time.
Multa intervenient, quibus vicinum periculum vel prope admotum aut subsistat aut desinat aut in alienum caput transeat.
Many things will intervene by which a neighboring or even closely approaching danger may either stop, or cease, or pass to another's head.
Incendium ad fugam patuit; quosdam molliter ruina deposuit; aliquando gladius ab ipsa cervice revocatus est; aliquis carnifici suo superstes fuit.
A fire has opened a way for escape; a collapse has gently deposited some people; sometimes the sword has been recalled from the very neck; someone has survived his own executioner.
Habet etiam mala fortuna levitatem.
Even bad fortune has its lightness.
Fortasse erit, fortasse non erit; interim non est.
Perhaps it will be, perhaps it will not be; meanwhile it is not.
Meliora propone.
Propose better things to yourself.
§13.12Nonnumquam nullis apparentibus signis, quae mali aliquid praenuntient, animus sibi falsas imagines fingit; aut verbum aliquod dubiae significationis detorquet in peius aut maiorem sibi offensam proponit alicuius quam est, et cogitat non quam iratus ille sit, sed quantum liceat irato.
Sometimes, with no signs appearing to foretell any evil, the mind fashions false images for itself; or it distorts some word of doubtful meaning for the worse, or imagines someone's offense toward itself to be greater than it is, and thinks not how angry that person is, but how much is permitted to one who is angry.
Nulla autem causa vitae est, nullus miseriarum modus, si timeatur quantum potest; hic prudentia prosit, hic robore animi evidentem quoque metum respue.
But there is no reason for life, no limit to miseries, if we fear as much as can be feared; here let prudence help, here with the strength of your mind reject even obvious fear.
Si minus, vitio vitium repelle; spe metum tempera.
If not, repel vice with vice; temper fear with hope.
Nihil tam certum est ex his, quae timentur, ut non certius sit et formidata subsidere et sperata decipere.
There is nothing so certain among those things which are feared, that it is not more certain both that feared things subside and hoped-for things deceive.
§13.13Ergo spem ac metum examina, et quotiens incerta erunt omnia, tibi fave; crede quod mavis.
Therefore, weigh hope and fear, and whenever everything is uncertain, favor yourself; believe what you prefer.
Si plures habet sententias metus, nihilominus in hanc partem potius inclina et perturbare te desine, ac subinde hoc in animo volve, maiorem partem mortalium, cum illi nec sit quicquam mali nec pro certo futurum sit, aestuare ac discurrere.
Even if fear has more votes, nevertheless incline rather toward this side and cease to perturb yourself, and constantly revolve this in your mind: that the greater part of mortals, although there is no evil present for them nor any certain to come, are in a turmoil and running about.
Nemo enim resistit sibi, cum coepit inpelli, nec timorem suum redigit ad verum.
For no one resists himself when he has begun to be impelled, nor does he reduce his fear to the truth.
Nemo dicit: "Vanus auctor est, vanus haec aut finxit aut credidit. "Damus nos aurae ferendos.
No one says, "The source is empty; an empty person has either fashioned or believed these things." We give ourselves to the wind to be carried away.
§13.14Expavescimus dubia pro certis.
We dread doubtful things as certainties.
Non servamus modum rerum.
We do not keep the measure of things.
Statim in timorem vertit scrupulus.
Instantly a hesitation turns into fear.
Pudet me et triste tecum loqui, et tam lenibus te remediis focillare.
I am ashamed to speak with you in such a somber tone, and to revive you with such mild remedies.
Alius dicat: "Fortasse non veniet. "Tu dic: "Quid porro, si veniet? Videbimus uter vincat.
Another might say, "Perhaps it will not come." You say: "What of it, if it does come? We shall see which wins.
Fortasse pro me venit, et mors ista vitam honestabit. "Cicuta magnum Socratem fecit.
Perhaps it comes for my benefit, and that death will ennoble my life." Hemlock made Socrates great.
Catoni gladium adsertorem libertatis extorque; magnam partem detraxeris gloriae.
Wrest from Cato the sword that was the assertor of his liberty, and you will have taken away a great part of his glory.
§13.15Nimium diu te cohortor, cum tibi admonitione magis quam exhortatione opus sit.
I have been encouraging you for too long, since you need warning more than exhortation.
Non in diversum te a natura tua ducimus; natus es ad ista, quae dicimus.
We do not lead you in a direction different from your own nature; you were born for those things of which we speak.
Eo magis bonum tuum auge et exorna.
All the more, increase and adorn your own good.
§13.16Sed iam finem epistulae faciam, si illi signum suum inpressero, id est aliquam magnificam vocem perferendam ad te mandavero.
But now I shall make an end to the letter, if I impress upon it its seal, that is, if I commit some noble saying to be delivered to you.
"Inter cetera mala hoc quoque habet stultitia: semper incipit vivere. "Considera quid vox ista significet, Lucili virorum optime, et intelleges, quam foeda sit hominum levitas cotidie nova vitae fundamenta ponentium, novas spes etiam in exitu inchoantium.
"Among other evils, folly has this also: it is always beginning to live." Consider what that saying means, O Lucilius, best of men, and you will understand how disgraceful is the levity of men who daily lay new foundations of life, and begin new hopes even at their end.
§13.17Circumspice tecum singulos; occurrent tibi senes, qui se cum maxime ad ambitionem, ad peregrinationes, ad negotiandum parent.
Look around you at individuals; you will meet old men who are preparing themselves most of all for ambition, for journeys, for business.
Quid est autem turpius quam senex vivere incipiens? Non adicerem auctorem huic voci, nisi esset secretior nec inter vulgata Epicuri dicta, quae mihi et laudare et adoptare permisi.
But what is more disgraceful than an old man beginning to live? I would not add the author to this saying, unless it were rather obscure and not among the common sayings of Epicurus, which I have allowed myself both to praise and to adopt.
VALE.
FAREWELL.