How We Can Benefit from All External Things

In the case of appearances which are objects of the vision,⁵²⁹ nearly all have allowed the good and the evil to be in ourselves, and not in externals. No one gives the name of good to the fact that it is day, nor bad to the fact that it is night, nor the name of the greatest evil to the opinion that three are four. But what do men say? They say that knowledge is good, and that error is bad; so that even in respect to falsehood itself there is a good result, the knowledge that it is falsehood. So it ought to be in life also. Is health a good thing, and is sickness a bad thing? No, man. But what is it? To be healthy, and healthy in a right way, is good to be healthy in a bad way is bad; so that it is possible to gain advantage even from sickness, I declare. For is it not possible to gain advantage even from death, and is it not possible to gain advantage from mutilation? Do you think that Menoeceus gained little by death?⁵³⁰ Could a man who says so, gain so much as Menoeceus gained? Come, man, did he not maintain the character of being a lover of his country, a man of great mind, faithful, generous? And if he had continued to live, would he not have lost all these things? would he not have gained the opposite? would he not have gained the name of coward, ignoble, a hater of his country, a man who feared death?⁵³¹ Well, do you think that he gained little by dying? I suppose not. But did the father of Admetus⁵³² gain much by prolonging his life so ignobly and miserably? Did he not die afterwards? Cease, I adjure you by the gods, to admire material things. Cease to make yourselves slaves, first of things, then on account of things slaves of those who are able to give them or take them away.

When it comes to what we see,⁵²⁹ almost everyone agrees that good and evil are in us, not in external things. No one calls the fact that it is day good, or the fact that it is night bad. Nor does anyone call the belief that three is four the greatest evil. But what do people say? They say that knowledge is good and error is bad. So even a false belief can yield something good: the knowledge that it is false. The same should be true in life. Is health good, and is sickness bad? No, my friend. What is good, then? Being healthy and using your health rightly is good. Being healthy and using your health badly is bad. So I say that you can benefit even from sickness. Can you not benefit even from death? Can you not benefit from mutilation? Do you think Menoeceus gained little by dying?⁵³⁰ Could anyone who says so gain as much as Menoeceus gained? Come now, did he not preserve his character as a lover of his country? Did he not remain great-minded, faithful, and generous? And if he had lived, would he not have lost all these qualities? Would he not have gained their opposites? Would he not have been called a coward, ignoble, a hater of his country, and afraid of death?⁵³¹ Well, do you think he gained little by dying? I think not. But did Admetus's father⁵³² gain much by prolonging his life in such a disgraceful and miserable way? Did he not die afterward? I beg you by the gods, stop admiring material things. Stop making yourselves slaves, first to things, and then, because of those things, to those who can give or take them away.

Can advantage then be derived from these things? From all; and from him who abuses you. Wherein does the man who exercises before the combat profit the athlete? Very greatly. This man becomes my exerciser before the combat: he exercises me in endurance, in keeping my temper, in mildness. You say no: but he, who lays hold of my neck and disciplines my loins and shoulders, does me good; and the exercise master (the aliptes, or oiler) does right when he says; Raise him up with both hands, and the heavier he (ἐκεῖνος) is, so much the more is my advantage.⁵³³ But if a man exercises me in keeping my temper, does he not do me good?—This is not knowing how to gain an advantage from men. Is my neighbour bad? Bad to himself, but good to me: he exercises my good disposition, my moderation. Is my father bad? Bad to himself, but to me good. This is the rod of Hermes: touch with it what you please, as the saying is, and it will be of gold. I say not so: but bring what you please, and I will make it good.⁵³⁴ Bring disease, bring death, bring poverty, bring abuse, bring trial on capital charges: all these things through the rod of Hermes shall be made profitable. What will you do with death? Why, what else than that it shall do you honour, or that it shall show you by act through it,⁵³⁵ what a man is who follows the will of nature? What will you do with disease? I will show its nature, I will be conspicuous in it, I will be firm, I will be happy, I will not flatter the physician, I will not wish to die. What else do you seek? Whatever you shall give me, I will make it happy, fortunate, honoured, a thing which a man shall seek.

Can we benefit from these things? From all of them, even from someone who insults you. How does a sparring partner help an athlete? A great deal. The man who insults me becomes my sparring partner. He trains me to endure, keep my temper, and be gentle. You say he does not help me. But you agree that a man helps me when he grabs my neck and trains my back and shoulders. And the trainer (the aliptes, or oiler) is right to say: Lift him with both hands. The heavier he (ἐκεῖνος) is, the more I benefit.⁵³³ But if a man trains me to keep my temper, does he not help me? To deny this is to misunderstand how to benefit from other people. Is my neighbor bad? He is bad for himself, but good for me. He trains me to keep a good disposition and practice moderation. Is my father bad? He is bad for himself, but good for me. This is the rod of Hermes. As the saying goes, touch anything you please with it, and that thing will turn to gold. I would not put it that way. But bring me anything you please, and I will make it good.⁵³⁴ Bring disease, death, poverty, insults, or a trial on capital charges. The rod of Hermes will make all these things beneficial. What will you do with death? What else but make it bring you honor? Through death, you can show in action what a person who follows nature's will is like.⁵³⁵ What will you do with disease? I will show what disease is like. I will stand out in the way I face it. I will be firm and happy. I will not flatter the doctor, and I will not wish to die. What more do you want? Whatever you give me, I will make it happy, fortunate, honorable, and worth seeking.

You say No: but take care that you do not fall sick it is a bad thing. This is the same as if you should say, Take care that you never receive the impression (appearance) that three are four: that is bad. Man, how is it bad? If I think about it as I ought, how shall it then do me any damage? and shall it not even do me good? If then I think about poverty as I ought to do, about disease, about not having office,⁵³⁶ is not that enough for me? will it not be an advan tage? How then ought I any longer to look to seek evil and good in externals? What happens? these doctrines are maintained here, but no man carries them away home; but immediately every one is at war with his slave, with his neighbours, with those who have sneered at him, with those who have ridiculed him. Good luck to Lesbius,⁵³⁷ who daily proves that I know nothing.

You say no, but you warn me: Be careful not to get sick. Sickness is a bad thing. That is like saying, Be careful never to get the impression that three is four. That is bad. Man, how is it bad? If I think about it as I should, how can it harm me? Won't it even do me good? If I think as I should about poverty, illness, and not holding office,⁵³⁶ isn't that enough for me? Won't it benefit me? Why, then, should I still look for good and evil in external things? What happens instead? These teachings are upheld here, but no one takes them home. Instead, everyone immediately goes to war with his slave, his neighbors, those who have sneered at him, and those who have ridiculed him. Good luck to Lesbius,⁵³⁷ who proves every day that I know nothing.

Quarum Amor in te Quantus erat patriae Deciorum in pectore; quantum Dilexit Thebas, si Graecia vera, Menoeceus.

Their love for you was as great as the love for their country in the hearts of the Decii. It was as great as Menoeceus’s love for Thebes, if Greece tells the truth.