Размышления

           Evenifthereareotherpeoplearound.

           Keeptheseninepointsinmind,likegiftsfromthenineMuses,andstartbecomingahumanbeing.Nowandfortherestofyourlife.

           Andalongwithnotgettingangryatothers,trynottopandereither.Bothareformsofselfishness;bothofthemwilldoyouharm.Whenyoustarttoloseyourtemper,remember:There’snothingmanlyaboutrage.It’scourtesyandkindnessthatdefineahumanbeing—andaman.That’swhopossessesstrengthandnervesandguts,nottheangrywhiners.Toreactlikethatbringsyouclosertoimpassivity—andsotostrength.Painistheoppositeofstrength,andsoisanger.Botharethingswesufferfrom,andyieldto.

           ...andonemorethought,fromApollo:

           x.Thattoexpectbadpeoplenottoinjureothersiscrazy.It’stoasktheimpossible.Andtoletthembehavelikethattootherpeoplebutexpectthemtoexemptyouisarrogant—theactofatyrant.

           19.Fourhabitsofthoughttowatchfor,anderasefromyourmindwhenyoucatchthem.Tellyourself:

           •Thisthoughtisunnecessary.

           •Thisoneisdestructivetothepeoplearoundyou.

           •Thiswouldn’tbewhatyoureallythink(tosaywhatyoudon’tthink—thedefinitionofabsurdity).

           Andthefourthreasonforself-reproach:thatthemoredivinepartofyouhasbeenbeatenandsubduedbythedegradedmortalpart—thebodyanditsstupidself-indulgence.