§22.1Iam intellegis educendum esse te ex istis occupationibus speciosis et malis.
Now you understand that you must be led out from those showy and bad occupations.
Sed quo modo id consequi possis quaeris.
But you ask how you can achieve this.
Quaedam non nisi a praesente monstrantur.
Certain things are not pointed out except by one who is present.
Non potest medicus per epistulas cibi aut balinei tempus eligere; vena tangenda est.
A doctor cannot choose the time for food or a bath through letters; the vein must be touched.
Vetus proverbium est gladiatorem in harena capere consilium; aliquid adversarii vultus, aliquid manus mota, aliquid ipsa inclinatio corporis intuentem monet.
There is an old proverb that the gladiator takes counsel in the arena; some hint from the adversary's face, some movement of the hand, some inclination of the body itself warns the observer.
§22.2Quid fieri soleat, quid oporteat, in universum et mandari potest et scribi; tale consilium non tantum absentibus, etiam posteris datur.
What is accustomed to be done, what is proper, can be both commanded and written in general; such advice is given not only to those who are absent, but also to posterity.
Illud alterum, quando fieri debeat aut quemadmodum, ex longinquo nemo suadebit, cum rebus ipsis deliberandum est.
That other matter, when it ought to be done or in what manner, no one will advise from afar, since one must deliberate with the circumstances themselves.
§22.3Non tantum praesentis, sed vigilantis est occasionem observare properantem.
To watch the hurrying opportunity is the duty not only of one who is present, but of one who is watchful.
Itaque hanc circumspice, hanc si videris, prende et toto impetu, totis viribus id age, ut te istis officiis exuas.
Therefore look around for this; if you see it, seize it, and with all impetus, with all strength, make it your aim to strip yourself of those duties.
Et quidem quam sententiam feram, adtende.
And indeed, pay attention to what opinion I hold.
Censeo aut ex ista vita tibi aut e vita exeundum.
I vote that you must depart either from that life of yours or from life itself.
Sed idem illud existimo, leni eundum via, ut quod male inplicuisti, solvas potius quam abrumpas, dummodo si alia solvendi ratio non erit, vel abrumpas.
But I think this same thing, that you must go by a gentle path, so that what you have badly entangled, you may untie rather than tear apart, provided that if there is no other way of untying, you even tear it apart.
Nemo tam timidus est, ut malit semper pendere quam semel cadere.
No one is so timid as to prefer to hang forever than to fall once.
§22.4Interim, quod primum est, impedire te noli.
Meanwhile, which is the first thing, do not hinder yourself.
Contentus esto negotiis, in quae descendisti, vel quod videri mavis, incidisti.
Be content with the affairs into which you have descended, or, what you prefer to appear, have fallen.
Non est quod ad ulteriora nitaris; aut perdes excusationem et apparebit te non incidisse.
There is no reason why you should strive for further things; otherwise you will lose your excuse and it will appear that you did not fall in.
Ista enim, quae dici solent, falsa sunt: "Non potui aliter.
For those things which are accustomed to be said are false: "I could not do otherwise.
Quid, si nollem? Necesse erat.
What if I were unwilling?
"Nulli necesse est felicitatem cursu sequi; est aliquid, etiam si non repugnare, subsistere nec instare fortunae ferenti.
It was necessary." It is necessary for no one to follow prosperity at a run; it is something, even if not to resist, to halt and not to press on when fortune bears you along.
§22.5Numquid offenderis, si in consilium non venio tantum, sed advoco, et quidem prudentiores quam ipse sum, ad quos soleo deferre, si quid delibero? Epicuri epistulam ad hanc rem pertinentem lege, Idomeneo quae inscribitur, quem rogat, ut quantum potest fugiat et properet, antequam aliqua vis maior interveniat et auferat libertatem recedendi.
Will you be offended at all if I do not only come to counsel, but call in others, and indeed wiser ones than I myself am, to whom I am accustomed to refer, if I deliberate on anything? Read the letter of Epicurus pertaining to this matter, which is addressed to Idomeneus, whom he asks to flee as much as he can and to make haste, before some greater force intervenes and takes away the freedom of withdrawing.
§22.6Idem tamen subicit nihil esse temptandum, nisi cum apte poterit tempestiveque temptari.
Yet the same writer adds that nothing should be attempted except when it can be attempted fitly and seasonably.
Sed cum illud tempus captatum diu venerit, exiliendum ait.
But when that time, long watched for, has come, he says that one must leap out.
Dormitare de fuga cogitantem vetat et sperat salutarem etiam ex difficillimis exitum, si nec properemus ante tempus nec cessemus in tempore.
He forbids one who is thinking about flight to doze, and hopes for a safe escape even from the most difficult situations, if we neither hasten before the time nor delay at the right time.
§22.7Puto, nunc et Stoicam sententiam quaeris.
I think now you also ask for the Stoic opinion.
Non est quod quisquam illos apud te temeritatis infamet; cautiores quam fortiores sunt.
There is no reason why anyone should accuse them of rashness before you; they are more cautious than brave.
Expectas forsitan, ut tibi haec dicant: "Turpe est cedere oneri.
Perhaps you expect that they will say these things to you: "It is shameful to yield to a burden.
Luctare cum officio, quod semel recepisti.
Struggle with the duty which you have once taken upon yourself.
Non est vir fortis ac strenuus qui laborem fugit, nisi crescit illi animus ipsa rerum difficultate. " §22.8Dicentur tibi ista, si operae pretium habebit perseverantia, si nihil indignum bono viro faciendum patiendumve erit; alioqui sordido se et contumelioso labore non conteret nec in negotiis erit negotii causa.
He is not a brave and energetic man who flees labor, unless his spirit grows by the very difficulty of things." Those things will be said to you, if perseverance is worthwhile, if nothing unworthy of a good man will have to be done or suffered; otherwise, he will not wear himself out with dirty and insulting labor, nor will he be in affairs for the sake of affairs.
Ne illud quidem, quod existimas facturum eum, faciet, ut ambitiosis rebus inplicitus semper aestus earum ferat.
He will not even do that which you think he will do, namely, that, entangled in ambitious affairs, he should always bear their tides.
Sed cum viderit gravia, in quibus volutabatur, incerta, ancipitia, referet pedem, non vertet terga, sed sensim recedet in tutum.
But when he sees that the heavy things in which he was wallowing are uncertain and hazardous, he will withdraw his foot, not turn his back, but will gradually retreat into safety.