and
exile, and scourging, and, in a word, to give up all which is not your
own? If you will not, you will be a slave among slaves, even if you be
ten thousand times a consul; and if you make your way up to the palace
(Caesar's residence), you will no less be a slave; and you will feel that
perhaps philosophers utter words which are contrary to common opinion
(paradoxes), as Cleanthes also said, but not words contrary to reason.
For you will know by experience that the words are true, and that there
is no profit from the things which are valued and eagerly sought to
those who have obtained them; and to those who have not yet obtained
them there is an imagination ([Greek: phantasia]), that when these
things are come, all that is good will come with them; then, when they
are come, the feverish feeling is the same, the tossing to and fro is
the same, the satiety, the desire of things, which are not present; for
freedom is acquired not by the full possession of the things which are
desired, but by removing the desire. And that you may know that this is
true, as you have labored for those things, so transfer your labor to
these: be vigilant for the purpose of acquiring an opinion which will
make you free; pay court to a philosopher instead of to a rich old man;
be seen about a philosopher's doors; you will not disgrace yourself by
being seen; you will not go away empty nor without profit, if you go to
the philosopher as you ought, and if not (if you do not succeed), try at
least; the trial (attempt) is not disgraceful.

* * * * *

ON FAMILIAR INTIMACY.--To this matter before all you must attend, that
you be never so closely connected with any of your former intimates or
friends as to come down to the same acts as he does. If you do not
observe this rule, you will ruin yourself. But if the thought arises in
your mind, "I shall seem disobliging to him and he will not have the
same feeling towards me," remember that nothing is done without cost,
nor is it possible for a man if he does not do the same things to be the
same man that he was. Choose then which of the two you will have, to be
equally loved by those by whom you were formerly loved, being the same
with your former self; or, being superior, not to obtain from your
friends the same that you did before.

* * * * *

WHAT THINGS WE SHOULD EXCHANGE FOR OTHER THINGS.--Keep this thought in
readiness, when you l