do, and where shall I escape it? Suppose that I
am not Sarpedon, the son of Zeus, nor able to speak in this noble way. I
will go and I am resolved either to behave bravely myself or to give to
another the opportunity of doing so; if I cannot succeed in doing
anything myself, I will not grudge another the doing of something noble.
Suppose that it is above our power to act thus; is it not in our power
to reason thus? Tell me where I can escape death; discover for me the
country, show me the men to whom I must go, whom death does not visit.
Discover to me a charm against death. If I have not one, what do you
wish me to do? I cannot escape from death. Shall I not escape from the
fear of death, but shall I die lamenting and trembling? For the origin
of perturbation is this, to wish for something, and that this should not
happen. Therefore if I am able to change externals according to my wish,
I change them; but if I cannot, I am ready to tear out the eyes of him
who hinders me. For the nature of man is not to endure to be deprived of
the good, and not to endure the falling into the evil. Then at last,
when I am neither able to change circumstances nor to tear out the eyes
of him who hinders me, I sit down and groan, and abuse whom I can, Zeus
and the rest of the gods. For if they do not care for me, what are they
to me? Yes, but you will be an impious man. In what respect, then, will
it be worse for me than it is now? To sum up, remember that unless piety
and your interest be in the same thing, piety cannot be maintained in
any man. Do not these things seem necessary (true)?

* * * * *

THAT WE OUGHT NOT TO BE ANGRY WITH MEN; AND WHAT ARE THE SMALL AND THE
GREAT THINGS AMONG MEN.--What is the cause of assenting to anything? The
fact that it appears to be true. It is not possible then to assent to
that which appears not to be true. Why? Because this is the nature of
the understanding, to incline to the true, to be dissatisfied with the
false, and in matters uncertain to withhold assent. What is the proof of
this? Imagine (persuade yourself), if you can, that it is now night. It
is not possible. Take away your persuasion that it is day. It is not
possible. Persuade yourself or take away your persuasion that the stars
are even in number. It is impossible. When then any man assents to that
which is false, be assured that he did not intend to assent to it as
false, for every soul is unwillingly depr