o every rational being
all the other powers that it has, + so we have received from it this
power also. For as the universal nature converts and fixes in its
predestined place everything which stands in the way and opposes it, and
makes such things a part of itself, so also the rational animal is able
to make every hindrance its own material, and to use it for such
purposes as it may have designed.[A]

36. Do not disturb thyself by thinking of the whole of thy life. Let not
thy thoughts at once embrace all the various troubles which thou mayest
expect to befall thee: but on every occasion ask thyself, What is there
in this which is intolerable and past bearing? for thou wilt be ashamed
to confess. In the next place remember that neither the future nor the
past pains thee, but only the present. But this is reduced to a very
little, if thou only circumscribest it, and chidest thy mind if it is
unable to hold out against even this.

37. Does Panthea or Fergamus now sit by the tomb of Verus?[B] Does
Chaurias or Diotimus sit by the tomb of Hadrianus? That would be
ridiculous. Well, suppose they did sit there, would the dead be
conscious of it? and if the dead were conscious, would they be pleased?
and if they were pleased, would that make them immortal? Was it not in
the order of destiny that these persons too should first become old
women and old men and then die? What then would those do after these
were dead? All this is foul smell and blood in a bag.

[A] The text is corrupt at the beginning of the paragraph, but
the meaning will appear if the second [Greek: logikon] is
changed into [Greek: holon] though this change alone will not
establish the grammatical completeness of the text.

[B] "Verus" is a conjecture of Saumaise, and perhaps the true
reading.

38. If thou canst see sharp, look and judge wisely, + says the
philosopher.

39. In the constitution of the rational animal I see no virtue which is
opposed to justice; but I see a virtue which is opposed to love of
pleasure, and that is temperance.

40. If thou takest away thy opinion about that which appears to give
thee pain, thou thyself standest in perfect security.--Who is this
self?--The reason.--But I am not reason.--Be it so. Let then the reason
itself not trouble itself. But if any other part of thee suffers, let it
have its own opinion about itself (vii. 16).

41. Hindrance to the perceptions of sense is an evil to the animal