e than mixture and dispersion. Why, then, art thou disturbed?
Say to the ruling faculty, Art thou dead, art thou corrupted, art thou
playing the hypocrite, art thou become a beast, dost thou herd and feed
with the rest?[A]

[A] There is some corruption at the end of this section, but I
think that the translation expresses the emperor's meaning.
Whether intelligence rules all things or chance rules, a man
must not be disturbed. He must use the power that he has and be
tranquil.

40. Either the gods have no power or they have power. If, then, they
have no power, why dost thou pray to them? But if they have power, why
dost thou not pray for them to give thee the faculty of not fearing any
of the things which thou fearest, or of not desiring any of the things
which thou desirest, or not being pained at anything, rather than pray
that any of these things should not happen or happen? for certainly if
they can co-operate with men, they can co-operate for these purposes.
But perhaps thou wilt say the gods have placed them in thy power. Well,
then, is it not better to use what is in thy power like a free man than
to desire in a slavish and abject way what is not in thy power? And who
has told thee that the gods do not aid us, even in the things which are
in our power? Begin, then, to pray for such things, and thou wilt see.
One man prays thus: How shall I be able to lie with that woman? Do thou
pray thus: How shall I not desire to lie with her? Another prays thus:
How shall I be released from this? Pray thou: How shall I not desire to
be released? Another thus: How shall I not lose my little son? Thou
thus: How shall I not be afraid to lose him? In fine, turn thy prayers
this way, and see what comes.

41. Epicurus says, In my sickness my conversation was not about my
bodily sufferings, nor, says he, did I talk on such subjects to those
who visited me; but I continued to discourse on the nature of things as
before, keeping to this main point, how the mind, while participating in
such movements as go on in the poor flesh, shall be free from
perturbations and maintain its proper good. Nor did I, he says, give the
physicians an opportunity of putting on solemn looks, as if they were
doing something great, but my life went on well and happily. Do, then,
the same that he did both in sickness, if thou art sick, and in any
other circumstances; for never to desert philosophy in any events that
may befall us, nor to