approaching the tyrant without fear? Nothing. If then a
man has the same opinion about his property as the man whom I have
instanced has about his body; and also about his children and his wife,
and in a word is so affected by some madness or despair that he cares
not whether he possesses them or not, but like children who are playing
with shells (quarrel) about the play, but do not trouble themselves
about the shells, so he too has set no value on the materials (things),
but values the pleasure that he has with them and the occupation, what
tyrant is then formidable to him, or what guards or what swords?

What hinders a man, who has clearly separated (comprehended) these
things, from living with a light heart and bearing easily the reins,
quietly expecting everything which can happen, and enduring that which
has already happened? Would you have me to bear poverty? Come and you
will know what poverty is when it has found one who can act well the
part of a poor man. Would you have me to possess power? Let me have
power, and also the trouble of it. Well, banishment? Wherever I shall
go, there it will be well with me; for here also where I am, it was not
because of the place that it was well with me, but because of my
opinions which I shall carry off with me, for neither can any man
deprive me of them; but my opinions alone are mine and they cannot be
taken from me, and I am satisfied while I have them, wherever I may be
and whatever I am doing. But now it is time to die. Why do you say to
die? Make no tragedy show of the thing, but speak of it as it is. It is
now time for the matter (of the body) to be resolved into the things out
of which it was composed. And what is the formidable thing here? what is
going to perish of the things which are in the universe? what new thing
or wondrous is going to happen? Is it for this reason that a tyrant is
formidable? Is it for this reason that the guards appear to have swords
which are large and sharp? Say this to others; but I have considered
about all these things; no man has power over me. I have been made free;
I know his commands, no man can now lead me as a slave. I have a proper
person to assert my freedom; I have proper judges. (I say) are you not
the master of my body? What then is that to me? Are you not the master
of my property? What then is that to me? Are you not the master of my
exile or of my chains? Well, from all these things and all the poor body
itself I depart at y