veting
everything with an insatiable desire, and in proportion as he derives more
pleasure from anything, thirsting the more violently after them? And as to
a man vainly elated, exulting with an empty joy, and boasting of himself
without reason, is not he so much the more miserable in proportion as he
thinks himself happier? Therefore, as these men are miserable, so on the
other hand those are happy, who are alarmed by no fears, wasted by no
griefs, provoked by no lusts, melted by no languid pleasures that arise
from vain and exulting joys. We look on the sea as calm when not the least
breath of air disturbs its waves; and in like manner the placid and quiet
state of the mind is discovered when unmoved by any perturbation. Now if
there be any one who holds the power of fortune, and everything human,
everything that can possibly befal any man, as supportable, so as to be
out of the reach of fear or anxiety; and if such a man covets nothing, and
is lifted up by no vain joy of mind, what can prevent his being happy? and
if these are the effects of virtue, why cannot virtue itself make men
happy?

VII. _A._ But the other of these two propositions is undeniable, that they
who are under no apprehensions, who are no ways uneasy, who covet nothing,
who are lifted up by no vain joy, are happy: and therefore I grant you
that; but as for the other, that is not now in a fit state for discussion;
for it has been proved by your former arguments that a wise man is free
from every perturbation of mind.

_M._ Doubtless, then, the dispute is over; for the question appears to
have been entirely exhausted.

_A._ I think indeed that that is almost the case.

_M._ But yet, that is more usually the case with the mathematicians than
philosophers. For when the geometricians teach anything, if what they have
before taught relates to their present subject, they take that for granted
which has been already proved; and explain only what they had not written
on before. But the philosophers, whatever subject they have in hand, get
together everything that relates to it; notwithstanding they may have
dilated on it somewhere else. Were not that the case, why should the
Stoics say so much on that question, whether virtue was abundantly
sufficient to a happy life? when it would have been answer enough, that
they had before taught, that nothing was good but what was honourable; for
as this had been proved, the consequence must be, that virtue was
suff