Discourses - Book I   

complicated that I may exercise myself on it." Even athletes are
dissatisfied with slight young men, and say "He cannot lift me." "This
is a youth of noble disposition." But when the time of trial is
come, one of you must weep and say, "I wish that I had learned
more." A little more of what? If you did not learn these things in
order to show them in practice, why did you learn them? I think that
there is some one among you who are sitting here, who is suffering
like a woman in labour, and saying, "Oh, that such a difficulty does
not present itself to me as that which has come to this man; oh,
that I should be wasting my life in a corner, when I might be
crowned at Olympia. When will any one announce to me such a
contest?" Such ought to be the disposition of all of you. Even among
the gladiators of Caesar there are some who complain grievously that
they are not brought forward and matched, and they offer up prayers to
God and address themselves to their superintendents entreating that
they might fight. And will no one among you show himself such? I would
willingly take a voyage for this purpose and see what my athlete is
doing, how he is studying his subject. "I do not choose such a
subject," he says. Why, is it in your power to take what subject you
choose? There has been given to you such a body as you have, such
parents, such brethren, such a country, such a place in your
country: then you come to me and say, "Change my subject." Have you
not abilities which enable you to manage the subject which has been
given to you? "It is your business to propose; it is mine to
exercise myself well." However, you do not say so, but you say, "Do
not propose to me such a tropic, but such: do not urge against me such
an objection, but such." There will be a time, perhaps, when tragic
actors will suppose that they are masks and buskins and the long
cloak. I say, these things, man, are your material and subject.
Utter something that we may know whether you are a tragic actor or a
buffoon; for both of you have all the rest in common. If any one
then should take away the tragic actor's buskins and his mask, and
introduce him on the stage as a phantom, is the tragic actor lost,
or does he still remain? If he has voice, he still remains.
An example of another kind. "Assume the governorship of a province."
I assume it, and when I have assumed it, I show how an instructed
man behaves. "Lay aside the laticlave and, clothing yourself in
rags, come forward in this character." What then have I not the
power of displaying a good voice? How, then, do you now appear? As a
witness summoned by God. "Come forward, you, and bear testimony for
me, for you are worthy to be brought forward as a witness by me: is
anything external to the will good or bad? do I hurt any man? have I
made every man's interest dependent on any man except himself?" What
testimony do you give for God? "I am in a wretched condition,
Master, and I am unfortunate; no man cares for me, no man gives me
anything; all blame me, all speak ill of me." Is this the evidence
that you are going to give, and disgrace his summons, who has
conferred so much honour on you, and thought you worthy of being
called to bear such testimony?
But suppose that he who has the power has declared, "I judge you