y himself, and thinks of his own
administration and of its nature, and is employed in thoughts suitable
to himself; so ought we also to be able to talk with ourselves, not to
feel the want of others also, not to be unprovided with the means of
passing our time; to observe the divine administration, and the relation
of ourselves to everything else; to consider how we formerly were
affected towards things that happened and how at present; what are still
the things which give us pain; how these also can be cured and how
removed; if any things require improvement, to improve them according to
reason.

Well then, if some man should come upon me when I am alone and murder
me? Fool, not murder You, but your poor body.

What kind of solitude then remains? what want? why do we make ourselves
worse than children; and what do children do when they are left alone?
They take up shells and ashes, and they build something, then pull it
down, and build something else, and so they never want the means of
passing the time. Shall I then, if you sail away, sit down and weep,
because I have been left alone and solitary? Shall I then have no
shells, no ashes? But children do what they do through want of thought
(or deficiency in knowledge), and we through knowledge are unhappy.

Every great power (faculty) is dangerous to beginners. You must then
bear such things as you are able, but conformably to nature: but not ...
Practise sometimes a way of living like a person out of health that you
may at some time live like a man in health.

* * * * *

CERTAIN MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS.--As bad tragic actors cannot sing alone,
but in company with many, so some persons cannot walk about alone. Man,
if you are anything, both walk alone and talk to yourself, and do not
hide yourself in the chorus. Examine a little at last, look around, stir
yourself up, that you may know who you are.

You must root out of men these two things, arrogance (pride) and
distrust. Arrogance then is the opinion that you want nothing (are
deficient in nothing); but distrust is the opinion that you cannot be
happy when so many circumstances surround you. Arrogance is removed by
confutation; and Socrates was the first who practised this. And (to
know) that the thing is not impossible inquire and seek. This search
will do you no harm; and in a manner this is philosophizing, to seek how
it is possible to employ desire and aversion ([Greek: echchlisi