nd that to live
happily is nothing else except to live with pleasure.

XVII. And I will now explain in a few words the things which are
inseparably connected with this sure and solid opinion.

There is no mistake with respect to the ends themselves of good and evil,
that is to say, with respect to pleasure and pain; but men err in these
points when they do not know what they are caused by. But we admit that
the pleasures and pains of the mind are caused by the pleasures and pains
of the body. Therefore I grant what you were saying just now, that if any
philosophers of our school think differently (and I see that many men do
so, but they are ignorant people) they must be convicted of error. But
although pleasure of mind brings us joy, and pain causes us grief, it is
still true that each of these feelings originates in the body, and is
referred to the body; and it does not follow on that account that both the
pleasures and pains of the mind are not much more important than those of
the body. For with the body we are unable to feel anything which is not
actually existent and present; but with our mind we feel things past and
things to come. For although when we are suffering bodily pain, we are
equally in pain in our minds, still a very great addition may be made to
that if we believe that any endless and boundless evil is impending over
us. And we may transfer this assertion to pleasure, so that that will be
greater if we have no such fear.

This now is entirely evident, that the very greatest pleasure or annoyance
of the mind contributes more to making life happy or miserable than either
of these feelings can do if it is in the body for an equal length of time.
But we do not agree that, if pleasure be taken away, grief follows
immediately, unless by chance it happens that pain has succeeded and taken
the place of pleasure; but, on the other hand, we affirm that men do
rejoice at getting rid of pain even if no pleasure which can affect the
senses succeeds. And from this it may be understood how great a pleasure
it is not to be in pain. But as we are roused by those good things which
we are in expectation of, so we rejoice at those which we recollect. But
foolish men are tortured by the recollection of past evils; wise men are
delighted by the memory of past good things, which are thus renewed by the
agreeable recollection. But there is a feeling implanted in us by which we
bury adversity as it were in a perpetual oblivio