§5.1Quod pertinaciter studes et omnibus omissis hoc unum agis, ut te meliorem cotidie facias, et probo et gaudeo, nec tantum hortor, ut perseveres, sed etiam rogo.
That you study persistently and, putting aside all other things, make it your sole aim to make yourself better daily, I both approve and rejoice; and I not only exhort you to persevere, but even beg you.
Illud autem te admoneo, ne eorum more, qui non proficere sed conspici cupiunt, facias aliqua, quae in habitu tuo aut genere vitae notabilia sint.
However, I advise you of this: do not, in the manner of those who desire not to make progress but to be noticed, do anything that is remarkable in your attire or way of life.
§5.2Asperum cultum et intonsum caput et neglegentiorem barbam et indictum argento odium et cubile humi positum, et quicquid aliud ambitio nempe perversa via sequitur, evita.
Avoid a rough style of living, an unkempt head, a rather neglected beard, a declared hatred of silver, a bed placed on the ground, and whatever else ambition pursues by an indeed perverse path.
Satis ipsum nomen philosophiae, etiam si modeste tractetur, invidiosum est; quid si nos hominum consuetudini coeperimus excerpere? Intus omnia dissimilia sint, frons populo nostra conveniat.
The very name of philosophy, even if it is treated modestly, is sufficiently invidious; what if we begin to excerpt ourselves from the customs of men? Let all things within be dissimilar, but let our front agree with the people.
§5.3Non splendeat toga, ne sordeat quidem.
Let the toga not shine, nor indeed let it be filthy.
Non habeamus argentum, in quod solidi auri caelatura descenderit, sed non putemus frugalitatis indicium auro argentoque caruisse.
Let us not possess silver into which a carving of solid gold has descended, but let us not think that to have lacked gold and silver is a proof of frugality.
Id agamus, ut meliorem vitam sequamur quam vulgus, non ut contrariam; alioquin quos emendari volumus, fugamus a nobis et avertimus.
Let us aim at this: to follow a better life than the crowd, not a contrary one; otherwise, those whom we wish to be corrected, we drive away from us and alienate.
Illud quoque efficimus, ut nihil imitari velint nostri, dum timent, ne imitanda sint omnia.
We also bring it about that they wish to imitate nothing of ours while they fear that all things must be imitated.
§5.4Hoc primum philosophia promittit, sensum communem, humanitatem et congregationem.
This is the first thing that philosophy promises: common feeling, humanity, and community.
A qua professione dissimilitudo nos separabit.
From which profession, dissimilarity will separate us.
Videamus, ne ista, per quae admirationem parare volumus, ridicula et odiosa sint.
Let us see to it lest those things by which we wish to gain admiration be ridiculous and hateful.
Nempe propositum nostrum est secundum naturam vivere; hoc contra naturam est, torquere corpus suum et faciles odisse munditias et squalorem adpetere et cibis non tantum vilibus uti sed taetris et horridis.
To be sure, our purpose is to live according to nature; it is contrary to nature to torture one's own body, to hate easy cleanliness, to seek after squalor, and to use foods that are not only cheap but offensive and harsh.
§5.5Quemadmodum desiderare delicatas res luxuriae est, ita usitatas et non magno parabiles fugere dementiae.
Just as to desire luxurious things belongs to luxury, so to flee customary things and those obtainable at no great price belongs to madness.
Frugalitatem exigit philosophia, non poenam, potest autem esse non incompta frugalitas.
Philosophy demands frugality, not punishment; moreover, there can be a frugality that is not unkempt.
Hic mihi modus placet: temperetur vita inter bonos mores et publicos; suspiciant omnes vitam nostram, sed agnoscant.
This limit pleases me: let life be tempered between good customs and public ones; let everyone look up to our life, but let them recognize it.
§5.6"Quid ergo? Eadem faciemus, quae ceteri? Nihil inter nos et illos intererit? "Plurimum.
"What then? Shall we do the same things as the rest? Will there be no difference between us and them?" Very much.
Dissimiles esse nos vulgo sciat, qui inspexerit propius.
Let him who has looked more closely know that we are dissimilar to the crowd.
Qui domum intraverit, nos potius miretur quam supellectilem nostram.
Let him who has entered our house admire us rather than our furniture.
Magnus ille est, qui fictilibus sic utitur quemadmodum argento. Nec ille minor est, qui sic argento utitur quemadmodum fictilibus.
Great is he who uses earthenware just as silver; nor is he less who uses silver just as earthenware.
Infirmi animi est pati non posse divitias.
It is the mark of a weak mind not to be able to endure riches.
§5.7Sed ut huius quoque diei lucellum tecum communicem, apud Hecatonem nostrum inveni cupiditatium finem etiam ad timoris remedia proficere.
But that I may share with you the little profit of this day too, I found in our Hecato that the limit of desires also avails for the remedies of fear.
"Desines," inquit, "timere, si sperare desieris. "Dices: "Quomodo ista tam diversa pariter eunt?" Ita est, mi Lucili: cum videantur dissidere, coniuncta sunt.
"You will cease," he says, "to fear, if you cease to hope." You will say: "How do those things which are so different go together?" So it is, my Lucilius: although they seem to disagree, they are joined.
Quemadmodum eadem catena et custodiam et militem copulat, sic ista, quae tam dissimilia sunt, pariter incedunt; spem metus sequitur Nec miror ista sic ire;
Just as the same chain couples both the prisoner and the soldier, so these things, which are so dissimilar, march together; fear follows hope.
utrumque pendentis animi est, utrumque futuri exspectatione solliciti.
Nor do I wonder that they go so; both belong to a suspended mind, both to one anxious with the expectation of the future.
§5.8Maxima autem utriusque causa est, quod non ad praesentia aptamur, sed cogitationes in longinqua praemittimus.
But the greatest cause of both is that we do not adapt ourselves to present things, but send our thoughts far ahead.
Itaque providentia, maximum bonum condicionis humanae, in malum versa est.
And so foresight, the greatest good of the human condition, has been turned into an evil.
§5.9Ferae pericula, quae vident, fugiunt; cum effugere, securae sunt; nos et venturo torquemur et praeterito.
Beasts flee the dangers which they see; when they have escaped, they are secure; we are tormented both by what is to come and by what is past.
Multa bona nostra nobis nocent, timoris enim tormentum memoria reducit, providentia anticipat.
Many of our goods harm us, for memory brings back the torment of fear, foresight anticipates it.
Nemo tantum praesentibus miser est.
No one is wretched only because of present things.
VALE.
FAREWELL.