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least glimpse, there is nothing which we are not prepared to undergo and
suffer to attain it. From this impulse of our minds, this desire for
genuine glory and honourable conduct, it is that such dangers are
supported in war, and that brave men are not sensible of their wounds in
action, or if they are sensible of them, prefer death to the departing but
the least step from their honour. The Decii saw the shining swords of
their enemies when they were rushing into the battle. But the honourable
character and the glory of the death which they were seeking, made all
fear of death of little weight. Do you imagine that Epaminondas groaned
when he perceived that his life was flowing out with his blood? No; for he
left his country triumphing over the Lacedaemonians, whereas he had found
it in subjection to them. These are the comforts, these are the things
that assuage the greatest pain.

XXV. You may ask, how the case is in peace? what is to be done at home?
how we are to behave in bed? You bring me back to the philosophers, who
seldom go to war. Among these, Dionysius of Heraclea, a man certainly of
no resolution, having learned fortitude of Zeno, quitted it on being in
pain; for, being tormented with a pain in his kidneys, in bewailing
himself he cried out, that those things were false which he had formerly
conceived of pain. And when his fellow-disciple, Cleanthes, asked him why
he had changed his opinion, he answered, "That the case of any man who had
applied so much time to philosophy, and yet was unable to bear pain, might
be a sufficient proof that pain is an evil. That he himself had spent many
years at philosophy, and yet could not bear pain. It followed, therefore,
that pain was an evil." It is reported that Cleanthes on that struck his
foot on the ground, and repeated a verse out of the Epigonae--

Amphiaraus, hear'st thou this below?

He meant Zeno: he was sorry the other had degenerated from him.

But it was not so with our friend Posidonius, whom I have often seen
myself, and I will tell you what Pompey used to say of him: that when he
came to Rhodes, after his departure from Syria, he had a great desire to
hear Posidonius, but was informed that he was very ill of a severe fit of
the gout; yet he had great inclination to pay a visit to so famous a
philosopher. Accordingly, when he had seen him, and paid his compliments,
and had spoken with great respect of him, he said he was very sorry that
he coul