How We Should Bear Sickness

When the need of each opinion comes, we ought to have it in readiness:⁴⁸⁹ on the occasion of breakfast, such opinions as relate to breakfast; in the bath, those that concern the bath; in bed, those that concern bed.

We should have each opinion ready when we need it:⁴⁸⁹ at breakfast, opinions about breakfast; in the bath, opinions about bathing; in bed, opinions about bed.

And we ought to retain these verses in such way that we may use them, not that we may utter them aloud, as when we exclaim 'Paean Apollo.'⁴⁹¹ Again in fever we should have ready such opinions as concern a fever; and we ought not, as soon as the fever begins, to lose and forget all. (A man who has a fever) may say: If I philosophize any longer, may I be hanged: wherever I go, I must take care of the poor body, that a fever may not come.⁴⁹² But what is philosophizing? Is it not a preparation against events which may happen? Do you not understand that you are saying something of this kind? "If I shall still prepare myself to bear with patience what happens, may I be hanged." But this is just as if a man after receiving blows should give up the Pancratium. In the Pancratium it is in our power to desist and not to receive blows. But in the other matter if we give up philosophy, what shall we gain? What then should a man say on the occasion of each painful thing? It was for this that I exercised myself, for this I disciplined myself. God says to you, Give me a proof that you have duly practised athletics,⁴⁹³ that you have eaten what you ought, that you have been exercised, that you have obeyed the aliptes (the oiler and rubber). Then do you show yourself weak when the time for action comes? Now is the time for the fever. Let it be borne well. Now is the time for thirst, bear it well; now is the time for hunger, bear it well. Is it not in your power? who shall hinder you? The physician will hinder you from drinking; but he cannot prevent you from bearing thirst well: and he will hinder you from eating; but he cannot prevent you from bearing hunger well.

We should remember these verses so we can put them to use, not merely recite them aloud, as when we cry, 'Paean Apollo.'⁴⁹¹ Likewise, when we have a fever, we should have the right thoughts about it ready. We should not lose and forget them all as soon as the fever begins. A man with a fever may say: If I ever practice philosophy again, may I be hanged. Wherever I go, I have to look after this poor body to keep from getting a fever.⁴⁹² But what is practicing philosophy? Is it not preparation for whatever may happen? Don't you see that you are saying something like this? "If I ever again prepare myself to bear what happens patiently, may I be hanged." But this is just like someone giving up the Pancratium after being hit. In the Pancratium, we can quit and avoid being hit. But if we give up philosophy, what will we gain? What should a person say when something painful happens? This is what I trained for. This is why I disciplined myself. God says to you: Show me that you have trained properly as an athlete.⁴⁹³ Show me that you have eaten what you should, exercised, and obeyed the aliptes (the trainer who oils and rubs the athletes). Will you then show yourself weak when the time to act comes? Now is the time for fever. Bear it well. Now is the time for thirst. Bear it well. Now is the time for hunger. Bear it well. Is it not in your power to do so? Who can stop you? The physician will stop you from drinking, but he cannot stop you from bearing thirst well. He will stop you from eating, but he cannot stop you from bearing hunger well.

But I cannot attend to my philosophical studies.⁴⁹⁴ And for what purpose do you follow them? Slave, is it not that you may be happy, that you may be constant, is it not that you may be in a state conformable to nature and live so? What hinders you when you have a fever from having your ruling faculty conformable to nature? Here is the proof of the thing, here is the test of the philosopher. For this also is a part of life, like walking, like sailing, like journeying by land, so also is fever. Do you read when you are walking? No. Nor do you when you have a fever. But if you walk about well, you have all that belongs to a man who walks. If you bear a fever well, you have all that belongs to a man in a fever. What is it to bear a fever well? Not to blame God or man; not to be afflicted at that which happens, to expect death well. and nobly, to do what must be done: when the physician comes in, not to be frightened at what he says; nor if he says, 'you are doing well,'⁴⁹⁵ to be overjoyed. For what good has he told you? and when you were in health, what good was that to you? And even if he says, 'you are in a bad way,' do not despond. For what is it to be ill? is it that you are near the severance of the soul and the body? what harm is there in this? If you are not near now, will you not afterwards be near? Is the world going to be turned upside down when you are dead? Why then do you flatter the physician?⁴⁹⁶ Why do you say if you please, master, I shall be well?⁴⁹⁷ Why do you give him an opportunity of raising his eyebrows (being proud; or showing his importance)?⁴⁹⁸ Do you not value a physician, as you do a shoemaker when he is measuring your foot, or a carpenter when he is building your house, and so treat the physician as to the body which is not yours, but by nature dead? He who has a fever has an opportunity of doing this: if he does these things, he has what belongs to him. For it is not the business of a philosopher to look after these externals, neither his wine nor his oil nor his poor body, but his own ruling power. But as to externals how must he act? so far as not to be careless about them. Where then is there reason for fear? where is there then still reason for anger, and of fear about what belongs to others, about things which are of no value? For we ought to have these two principles in readiness, that except the will nothing is good nor bad; and that we ought not to lead events, but to follow them.⁴⁹⁹—My brother⁵⁰⁰ ought not to have behaved thus to me.—No; but he will see to that: and, however he may behave, I will conduct myself towards him as I ought. For this is my own business: that belongs to another; no man can prevent this, the other thing can be hindered.

But I cannot attend to my philosophical studies.⁴⁹⁴ And why do you study philosophy? Slave, is it not so that you may be happy and steadfast? Is it not so that you may be in a state that accords with nature and live accordingly? What stops you from keeping your ruling faculty in accord with nature when you have a fever? This is the proof, the test of the philosopher. Fever is also a part of life, just like walking, sailing, or traveling by land. Do you read when you are walking? No. Nor do you read when you have a fever. But if you walk well, you have everything that belongs to a person who walks. If you bear a fever well, you have everything that belongs to a person with a fever. What does it mean to bear a fever well? It means not blaming God or anyone else. It means not being distressed by what happens, facing death calmly and nobly, and doing what must be done. When the physician comes in, you must not be frightened by what he says. And if he says, 'you are doing well,'⁴⁹⁵ you must not be overjoyed. For what good news has he given you? And when you were healthy, what good was your health to you? Even if he says, 'you are in a bad way,' do not despair. For what does it mean to be ill? Does it mean that your soul and body are close to being separated? What harm is there in that? If you are not close to that separation now, will you not be close to it later? Is the world going to turn upside down when you die? Why, then, do you flatter the physician?⁴⁹⁶ Why do you say, 'if you please, master, I shall be well'?⁴⁹⁷ Why give him a chance to raise his eyebrows, showing pride or a sense of his own importance?⁴⁹⁸ Do you not value a physician as you value a shoemaker measuring your foot or a carpenter building your house? And do you not treat the physician in the same way when he attends to your body? That body is not yours, but by nature dead. A person with a fever has the chance to do all this. If he does it, he has what belongs to him. For a philosopher's business is not to concern himself with these external things, his wine, his oil, or his poor body. His business is to look after his own ruling faculty. How, then, should he deal with external things? He should not be careless about them. Where, then, is there any reason for fear? What reason is left for anger, or for fear about what belongs to others, about things of no value? For we should always have these two principles ready: nothing is good or bad except the will, and we should not try to lead events but follow them.⁴⁹⁹ My brother⁵⁰⁰ should not have treated me this way. No, but he must answer for that. However he behaves, I will treat him as I should. For my conduct is my own business. His conduct is someone else's business. No one can prevent me from doing what is mine to do, but what he does can be prevented.