Роздуми
Book 3
If,atsomepointinyourlife,youshouldcomeacrossanythingbetterthanjustice,honesty,self-control,courage—thanamindsatisfiedthatithassucceededinenablingyoutoactrationally,andsatisfiedtoacceptwhat’sbeyonditscontrol—ifyoufindanythingbetterthanthat,embraceitwithoutreservations—itmustbeanextraordinarythingindeed—andenjoyittothefull.
Butifnothingpresentsitselfthat’ssuperiortothespiritthatliveswithin—theonethathassubordinatedindividualdesirestoitself,thatdiscriminatesamongimpressions,thathasbrokenfreeofphysicaltemptations(asSocratesusedtosay),andsubordinateditselftothegods,andlooksoutforhumanbeings’welfare—ifyoufindthatthere’snothingmoreimportantorvaluablethanthat...
...thendon’tmakeroomforanythingbutit—foranythingthatmightleadyouastray,temptyouofftheroad,andleaveyouunabletodevoteyourselfcompletelytoachievingthegoodnessthatisuniquelyyours.Itwouldbewrongforanythingtostandbetweenyouandattaininggoodness—asarationalbeingandacitizen.Anythingatall:theapplauseofthecrowd,highoffice,wealth,orself-indulgence.Allofthemmightseemtobecompatiblewithit—forawhile.Butsuddenlytheycontrolusandsweepusaway.
Somakeyourchoicestraightforwardly,onceandforall,andsticktoit.Choosewhat’sbest.
—Bestiswhatbenefitsme.
