Роздуми

           Ifyoumaintainyourclaimtotheseepithets—withoutcaringifothersapplythemtoyouornot—you’llbecomeanewperson,livinganewlife.Tokeeponbeingthepersonthatyou’vebeen—tokeepbeingmauledanddegradedbythelifeyou’reliving—istobedevoidofsenseandmuchtoofondoflife.Likethoseanimalfightersatthegames—tornhalftopieces,coveredinbloodandgore,andstillpleadingtobeheldovertilltomorrow...tobebittenandclawedagain.

           Setsail,then,withthishandfulofepithetstoguideyou.Andsteerasteadycourse,ifyoucan.Likeanemigranttotheislandsoftheblest.Andifyoufeelyourselfadrift—asifyou’velostcontrol—thenhopeforthebest,andputinsomewherewhereyoucanregainit.Orleavelifealtogether,notinanger,butmatter-of-factly,straightforwardly,withoutarrogance,intheknowledgethatyou’veatleastdonethatmuchwithyourlife.

           Andasyoutrytokeeptheseepithetsinmind,itwillhelpyouagreatdealtokeepthegodsinmindaswell.Whattheywantisnotflattery,butforrationalthingstobelikethem.Forfigstodowhatfigsweremeanttodo—anddogs,andbees...andpeople.

           9.Operatics,combatandconfusion.Slothandservility.Everydaytheyblotoutthosesacredprinciplesofyours—whichyoudaydreamthoughtlesslyabout,orjustletslide.