§85.25Qui hoc dicunt, rursus in idem revolvuntur, ut illis virtutum loco sint minora vitia.
Those who say this, fall back again into the same position, so that in place of virtues they have smaller vices.
Nam qui timet quidem, sed rarius et minus, non caret malitia, sed leviore vexatur.
For he who indeed fears, but less frequently and less, is not free from evil, but is troubled by a lighter one.
"At enim dementem puto, qui mala imminentia non extimescit. "Verum est, quod dicis, si mala sunt; sed si scit mala illa non esse et unam tantum turpitudinem malum iudicat, debebit secure pericula aspicere et aliis timenda contemnere.
"But indeed, I think he is mad who does not dread imminent evils." What you say is true, if they are evils; but if he knows that those are not evils, and judges baseness alone to be evil, he will have to look upon dangers with security and despise what others must fear.
Aut si stulti et amentis est mala non timere, quo quis prudentior est, hoc timebit magis.
Or, if it belongs to a foolish and mad person not to fear evils, the wiser anyone is, the more he will fear.
" §85.26Ut vobis," inquit, "videtur, praebebit se periculis fortis. "Minime; non timebit illa, sed vitabit.
"As it seems to you," he says, "the brave man will expose himself to dangers." By no means; he will not fear them, but avoid them.
Cautio illum decet, timor non decet.
Caution becomes him, fear does not become him.
"Quid ergo?" inquit, "mortem, vincla, ignes, alia tela fortunae non timebit? "Non.
"What then?" he says, "will he not fear death, chains, fires, and other weapons of fortune?" No.
Scit enim illa non esse mala, sed videri.
For he knows that those are not evils, but only seem to be.
Omnia ista humanae vitae formidines putat.
He considers all those things to be terrors of human life.
§85.27Describe captivitatem, verbera, catenas, egestatem et membrorum lacerationes vel per morbum vel per iniuriam et quicquid aliud adtuleris: inter lymphatos metus numerat.
Describe captivity, scourges, chains, poverty, and the tearing of limbs either through disease or through injury, and whatever else you bring up: he counts them among frantic fears.
Ista timidis timenda sunt.
Those are to be feared by the fearful.
An id existimas malum, ad quod aliquando nobis nostra sponte veniendum est?
Or do you think that is an evil, to which we must sometimes go of our own free will?
§85.28Quaeris quid sit malum? Cedere iis, quae mala vocantur, et illis libertatem suam dedere, pro qua cuncta patienda sunt.
Do you ask what is evil? To yield to those things which are called evils, and to surrender to them one's freedom, for which all things must be endured.
Perit libertas, nisi illa contemnimus, quae nobis iugum inponunt.
Freedom perishes, unless we despise those things which impose a yoke upon us.
Non dubitarent, quid conveniret forti viro, si scirent, quid esset fortitudo.
They would not doubt what is fitting for a brave man, if they knew what bravery is.
Non est enim inconsulta temeritas nec periculorum amor nec formidabilium adpetitio; scientia est distinguendi, quid sit malum et quid non sit.
For it is not unthinking rashness, nor love of dangers, nor desire for formidable things; it is the knowledge of distinguishing what is evil and what is not.
Diligentissima in tutela sui fortitudo est et eadem patientissima eorum, quibus falsa species malorum est.
Bravery is most diligent in the protection of itself, and at the same time most patient of those things which have a false appearance of evils.
"
"What then?
§85.29Quid ergo? Si ferrum intentatur cervicibus viri fortis, si pars subinde alia atque alia suffoditur, si viscera sua in sinu suo vidit, si ex intervallo, quo magis tormenta sentiat, reperitur et per adsiccata viscera recens demittitur sanguis, non timet? Istum tu dices nec dolere?" Iste vero dolet.
If a sword is pointed at the neck of a brave man, if one part after another is repeatedly stabbed, if he sees his own entrails in his own lap, if after an interval, so that he may feel the torments more, he is visited again and fresh blood is poured through his dried entrails, does he not fear? Will you say that such a man does not even feel pain?" He indeed feels pain.
Sensum enim hominis nulla exuit virtus.
For no virtue strips away human sensation.
Sed non timet; invictus ex alto dolores suos spectat.
But he does not fear; unconquered, he looks down upon his pains from on high.
Quaeris quis tunc animus illi sit? Qui aegrum amicum adhortantibus.
Do you ask what his mind is then? It is like that of those who encourage a sick friend.
§85.30"Quod malum est, nocet.
"That which is evil, harms.
Quod nocet, deteriorem facit.
That which harms, makes a person worse.
Dolor et paupertas deteriorem non faciunt; ergo mala non sunt. ""Falsum est," inquit, "quod proponitis; non enim, si quid nocet, etiam deteriorem facit.
Pain and poverty do not make a person worse; therefore they are not evils." "What you propose is false," he says; "for it is not the case that if something harms, it also makes a person worse.
Tempestas et procella nocet gubernatori, non tamen illum deteriorem facit. " §85.31Quidam e Stoicis ita adversus hoc respondent: deteriorem fieri gubernatorem tempestate ac procella, quia non possit id, quod proposuit, efficere nec tenere cursum suum; deteriorem illum in arte sua non fieri, in opere fieri.
A storm and a tempest harm a pilot, yet they do not make him worse." Some of the Stoics respond in this way against this: that the pilot does become worse by the storm and tempest, because he cannot accomplish what he proposed, nor keep his course; that he does not become worse in his art, but in his work.
Quibus Peripateticus "ergo," inquit, "et sapientem deteriorem faciet paupertas, dolor et quicquid aliud tale fuerit.
To whom the Peripatetic says: "Therefore, poverty, pain, and whatever else of that kind there may be, will also make the wise man worse.
Virtutem enim illi non eripiet, sed opera eius inpediet. " §85.32Hoc recte diceretur, nisi dissimilis esset gubernatoris condicio et sapientis.
For they will not snatch away his virtue, but they will hinder its works." This would be said rightly, if the condition of the pilot and of the wise man were not different.
Huic enim propositum est in vita agenda non utique, quod temptat, efficere, sed omnia recte facere.
For to the latter, the purpose in conducting life is not by all means to accomplish what he attempts, but to do all things rightly.
Gubernatori propositum est utique navem in portum perducere.
To the pilot, the purpose is by all means to bring the ship into harbor.
Artes ministrae sunt, praestare debent, quod promittunt.
The arts are handmaidens; they must perform what they promise.
Sapientia domina rectrixque est; artes serviunt vitae, sapientia imperat.
Wisdom is mistress and ruler; the arts serve life, wisdom commands.