you gain? If then a man listens like a stone, what profit
is there to the reviler? But if the reviler has as a stepping-stone (or
ladder) the weakness of him who is reviled, then he accomplishes
something. Strip him. What do you mean by him? Lay hold of his garment,
strip it off. I have insulted you. Much good may it do you.

This was the practice of Socrates; this was the reason why he always had
one face. But we choose to practise and study anything rather than the
means by which we shall be unimpeded and free. You say: "Philosophers
talk paradoxes." But are there no paradoxes in the other arts? And what
is more paradoxical than to puncture a man's eye in order that he may
see? If any one said this to a man ignorant of the surgical art, would
he not ridicule the speaker? Where is the wonder, then, if in philosophy
also many things which are true appear paradoxical to the inexperienced?

* * * * *

IN HOW MANY WAYS APPEARANCES EXIST, AND WHAT AIDS WE SHOULD PROVIDE
AGAINST THEM.--Appearances are to us in four ways. For either things
appear as they are; or they are not, and do not even appear to be; or
they are, and do not appear to be; or they are not, and yet appear to
be. Further, in all these cases to form a right judgment (to hit the
mark) is the office of an educated man. But whatever it is that annoys
(troubles) us, to that we ought to apply a remedy. If the sophisms of
Pyrrho and of the Academics are what annoys (troubles), we must apply
the remedy to them. If it is the persuasion of appearances, by which
some things appear to be good, when they are not good, let us seek a
remedy for this. If it is habit which annoys us, we must try to seek aid
against habit. What aid, then, can we find against habit? The contrary
habit. You hear the ignorant say: "That unfortunate person is dead; his
father and mother are overpowered with sorrow; he was cut off by an
untimely death and in a foreign land." Hear the contrary way of
speaking. Tear yourself from these expressions; oppose to one habit the
contrary habit; to sophistry oppose reason, and the exercise and
discipline of reason; against persuasive (deceitful) appearances we
ought to have manifest praecognitions ([Greek: prolaepseis]), cleared of
all impurities and ready to hand.

When death appears an evil, we ought to have this rule in readiness,
that it is fit to avoid evil things, and that death is a necessary
thing. For what shall I