f nature? But she has only lent you life, as she
might lend you money, without fixing any certain time for its repayment.
Have you any grounds of complaint, then, that she recals it at her
pleasure? for you received it on these terms. They that complain thus,
allow, that if a young child dies the survivors ought to bear his loss
with equanimity; that if an infant in the cradle dies, they ought not even
to utter a complaint; and yet nature has been more severe with them in
demanding back what she gave. They answer by saying, that such have not
tasted the sweets of life; while the other had begun to conceive hopes of
great happiness, and indeed had begun to realize them. Men judge better in
other things, and allow a part to be preferable to none; why do they not
admit the same estimate in life? Though Callimachus does not speak amiss
in saying, that more tears had flowed from Priam than his son; yet they
are thought happier who die after they have reached old age. It would be
hard to say why; for I do not apprehend that any one, if a longer life
were granted to him, would find it happier. There is nothing more
agreeable to a man than prudence, which old age most certainly bestows on
a man, though it may strip him of everything else; but what age is long?
or what is there at all long to a man? Does not

Old age, though unregarded, still attend
On childhood's pastimes, as the cares of men?

But because there is nothing beyond old age, we call that long; all these
things are said to be long or short, according to the proportion of time
they were given us for. Aristotle saith, there is a kind of insect near
the river Hypanis, which runs from a certain part of Europe into the
Pontus, whose life consists but of one day; those that die at the eighth
hour, die in full age; those who die when the sun sets are very old,
especially when the days are at the longest. Compare our longest life with
eternity and we shall be found almost as short-lived as those little
animals.

XL. Let us, then, despise all these follies--for what softer name can I
give to such levities?--and let us lay the foundation of our happiness in
the strength and greatness of our minds, in a contempt and disregard of
all earthly things, and in the practice of every virtue. For at present we
are enervated by the softness of our imaginations, so that, should we
leave this world before the promises of our fortune-tellers are made good
to us, we should t