us never cease to
be a foolish child? know you not that he who does the acts of a child,
the older he is, the more ridiculous he is?
So in this matter also: if you kiss your own child, or your brother or
friend, never give full license to the appearance ([Greek: phantasian]),
and allow not your pleasure to go as far as it chooses; but check it,
and curb it as those who stand behind men in their triumphs and remind
them that they are mortal. Do you also remind yourself in like manner,
that he whom you love is mortal, and that what you love is nothing of
your own; it has been given to you for the present, not that it should
not be taken from you, nor has it been given to you for all time, but as
a fig is given to you or a bunch of grapes at the appointed season of
the year. But if you wish for these things in winter, you are a fool. So
if you wish for your son or friend when it is not allowed to you, you
must know that you are wishing for a fig in winter. For such as winter
is to a fig, such is every event which happens from the universe to the
things which are taken away according to its nature. And further, at the
times when you are delighted with a thing, place before yourself the
contrary appearances. What harm is it while you are kissing your child
to say with a lisping voice: To-morrow you will die; and to a friend
also: To-morrow you will go away or I shall, and never shall we see one
another again? But these are words of bad omen--and some incantations
also are of bad omen; but because they are useful, I don't care for
this; only let them be useful. But do you call things to be of bad omen
except those which are significant of some evil? Cowardice is a word of
bad omen, and meanness of spirit, and sorrow, and grief, and
shamelessness. These words are of bad omen; and yet we ought not to
hesitate to utter them in order to protect ourselves against the things.
Do you tell me that a name which is significant of any natural thing is
of evil omen? say that even for the ears of corn to be reaped is of bad
omen, for it signifies the destruction of the ears, but not of the
world. Say that the falling of the leaves also is of bad omen, and for
the dried fig to take the place of the green fig, and for raisins to be
made from the grapes. For all these things are changes from a former
state into other states; not a destruction, but a certain fixed economy
and administration. Such is going away from home and a small change:
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