1. The subject for the good and wise man is his own master-faculty, as the body is for the physician and the trainer, and the soil is the subject for the husbandman. And the work of the good and wise man is to use appearances according to Nature. For it is the nature of every soul to consent to what is good and to reject what is evil, and to hold back about what is uncertain; and thus to be moved to pursue the good and to avoid the evil, and neither way towards what is neither good nor evil. For as it is not lawful for the money-changer or the seller of herbs to reject Cæsar’s coin, but if one present it, then, whether he will or no, he must give up what is sold for it, so it is also with the soul. When the Good appears, straightway the soul is moved towards it, and from the Evil. And never doth the soul reject any clear appearance of the good, no more than Cæsar’s coin. On this hangeth every movement both of God and man.
1. The good and wise man works on his own governing faculty, his power to judge and choose. The physician and trainer work on the body, and the farmer works on the soil. The good and wise man’s task is to respond to impressions in accordance with Nature. Every soul naturally accepts what is good, rejects what is evil, and withholds judgment about what is uncertain. It is therefore moved to pursue good and avoid evil. It is moved neither way toward what is neither good nor evil. A money changer or herb seller cannot lawfully reject Caesar’s coin. If someone offers it, the seller must hand over the goods, whether he wants to or not. So it is with the soul. When good appears, the soul immediately moves toward it, and away from evil. The soul never rejects a clear impression of good, any more than a seller rejects Caesar’s coin. Every movement of both God and man depends on this.
2. The nature and essence of the Good is in a certain disposition of the Will; likewise that of the Evil. What, then, are outward things? Matter for the Will, about which being occupied it shall attain its own good or evil. How shall it attain the Good? Through not being dazzled with admiration of what it works on. For our opinions of this, when right, make the will right, and when wrong make it evil. This law hath God established, and saith, “If thou wouldst have aught of good, have it from thyself.”
2. The nature and essence of good lie in a certain state of the will. The same is true of evil. What, then, are external things? They are material for the will to work with. Through working with them, the will reaches its own good or evil. How does it reach the good? By not being dazzled by admiration for what it works with. Our judgments about these things, when right, make the will right. When wrong, they make it evil. God has established this law and says, “If you want anything good, get it from yourself.”
“Through not being dazzled,” etc. Greek: Ἂν τὰς ὕλας μὴ θαυμάσῃ.
3. If these things are true (and if we are not fools or hypocrites), that Good, for man, lies in the Will, and likewise Evil, and all other things are nothing to us, why are we still troubled? why do we fear? The things for which we have been zealous are in no other man’s power; and for the things that are in others’ power we are not concerned. What difficulty have we now? But direct me, sayest thou. And why shall I direct thee? hath not God directed thee? hath He not given thee that which is thine own unhindered and unhampered, and hindered and hampered that which is not thine own? And what direction, what word of command didst thou receive from Him when thou camest thence? “Hold fast everything which is thine own—covet not that which is alien to thee. And faithfulness is thine, and reverence is thine: who, then, can rob thee of these things? Who can hinder thee to use them, if not thyself? But thyself can do it, and how? When thou art zealous about things not thine own, and hast cast away the things that are.” With such counsels and commands from Zeus, what wilt thou still from me? Am I greater than he? am I more worthy of thy faith? But if thou hold to these things, of what others hast thou need? But perchance these are none of his commands? Then bring forward the natural conceptions, bring the proofs of the philosophers, bring the things thou hast often heard, bring the things that thyself hast spoken, bring what thou hast read, bring what thou hast pondered.
3. Suppose these things are true, and we are not fools or hypocrites. Good and evil for human beings lie in the will, and all other things are nothing to us. Why, then, are we still troubled? Why are we afraid? The things we have worked for are in no one else’s power. And we do not concern ourselves with things in others’ power. What difficulty do we have now? But guide me, you say. Why should I guide you? Has God not guided you? Has he not made what is your own free from hindrance and restraint? Has he not made what is not your own subject to hindrance and restraint? What guidance, what command did you receive from him when you came from him? “Hold firmly to everything that is your own. Do not desire what belongs to others. Faithfulness is yours, and reverence is yours. Who, then, can rob you of these things? Who can stop you from putting them into practice, except yourself? But you yourself can do it. How? By pursuing things that are not your own and throwing away those that are.” With such advice and commands from Zeus, what more do you want from me? Am I greater than he is? Am I more worthy of your trust? If you hold to these things, what else do you need? But perhaps these are not his commands? Then bring forward our natural ideas. Bring forward the philosophers’ proofs. Bring forward what you have often heard, what you yourself have said, what you have read, and what you have considered.