Размышления
Book 6
theeloquentandthewise—Heraclitus,Pythagoras,Socrates...
...theheroesofold,thesoldiersandkingswhofollowedthem...
...Eudoxus,Hipparchus,Archimedes...
...thesmart,thegenerous,thehardworking,thecunning,theselfish...
...andevenMenippusandhiscohorts,wholaughedatthewholebrief,fragilebusiness.
Allundergroundforalongtimenow.
Andwhatharmdoesitdothem?Ortheotherseither—theoneswhosenameswedon’tevenknow?
Theonlythingthatisn’tworthless:tolivethislifeouttruthfullyandrightly.Andbepatientwiththosewhodon’t.
48.Whenyouneedencouragement,thinkofthequalitiesthepeoplearoundyouhave:thisone’senergy,thatone’smodesty,another’sgenerosity,andsoon.Nothingisasencouragingaswhenvirtuesarevisiblyembodiedinthepeoplearoundus,whenwe’repracticallyshoweredwiththem.
It’sgoodtokeepthisinmind.
49.Itdoesn’tbotheryouthatyouweighonlyxorypoundsandnotthreehundred.Whyshoulditbotheryouthatyouhaveonlyxoryyearstoliveandnotmore?Youacceptthelimitsplacedonyourbody.Acceptthoseplacedonyourtime.
50.Doyourbesttoconvincethem.Butactonyourown,ifjusticerequiresit.Ifmetwithforce,thenfallbackonacceptanceandpeaceability.Usethesetbacktopracticeothervirtues.
