of
themselves, are said to be so because they are not under the government of
reason, to which is assigned by nature the power over the whole soul. Why
the Greeks should call this {~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}, I do not easily apprehend; but we
define it much better than they, for we distinguish this madness
(_insania_), which, being allied to folly, is more extensive, from what we
call _furor_, or raving. The Greeks indeed would do so too, but they have
no one word that will express it: what we call _furor_, they call
{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}, as if the reason were affected only by a black bile, and not
disturbed as often by a violent rage, or fear, or grief. Thus we say
Athamas, Alcmaeon, Ajax, and Orestes, were raving (_furere_): because a
person affected in this manner was not allowed, by the twelve tables, to
have the management of his own affairs; therefore the words are not, if he
is mad (_insanus_), but, if he begins to be raving (_furiosus_). For they
looked upon madness to be an unsettled humour, that proceeded from not
being of sound mind; yet such a person might perform his ordinary duties,
and discharge the usual and customary requirements of life: but they
considered one that was raving as afflicted with a total blindness of the
mind, which, notwithstanding it is allowed to be greater than madness, is
nevertheless of such a nature, that a wise man may be subject to raving
(_furor_), but cannot possibly be afflicted by insanity (_insania_). But
this is another question: let us now return to our original subject.

VI. I think you said that it was your opinion that a wise man was liable
to grief.

_A._ And so, indeed, I think.

_M._ It is natural enough to think so, for we are not the offspring of
flints: but we have by nature something soft and tender in our souls,
which may be put into a violent motion by grief, as by a storm; nor did
that Crantor, who was one of the most distinguished men that our Academy
has ever produced, say this amiss: "I am by no means of their opinion who
talk so much in praise of I know not what insensibility, which