terrible is death, terrible is exile; terrible is calumny; terrible is
poverty; fly, my friends; the enemy is near"; we shall answer,
"Begone, prophesy for yourself; we have committed only one fault, that
we sent such a scout."
Diogenes, who was sent as a scout before you, made a different
report to us. He says that death is no evil, for neither is it base:
he says that fame is the noise of madmen. And what has this spy said
about pain, about pleasure, and about poverty? He says that to be
naked is better than any purple robe, and to sleep on the bare
ground is the softest bed; and he gives as a proof of each thing
that he affirms his own courage, his tranquillity his freedom, and the
healthy appearance and compactness of his body. "There is no enemy
he says; "all is peace." How so, Diogenes? "See," he replies, "if I am
struck, if I have been wounded, if I have fled from any man." This
is what a scout ought to be. But you come to us and tell us one
thing after another. Will you not go back, and you will see clearer
when you have laid aside fear?
What then shall I do? What do you do when you leave a ship? Do you
take away the helm or the oars? What then do you take away? You take
what is your own, your bottle and your wallet; and now if you think of
what is your own, you will never claim what belongs to others. The
emperor says, "Lay aside your laticlave." See, I put on the
angusticlave. "Lay aside this also." See, I have only my toga. "Lay
aside your toga." See, I am naked. "But you still raise my envy." Take
then all my poor body; when, at a man's command, I can throw away my
poor body, do I still fear him?
"But a certain person will not leave to me the succession to his
estate." What then? had I forgotten that not one of these things was
mine. How then do we call them mine? just as we call the bed in the
inn. If, then, the innkeeper at his death leaves you the beds, all
well; but if he leaves them to another, he will have them, and you
will seek another bed. If then you shall not find one, you will
sleep on the ground: only sleep with a good will and snore, and
remember that tragedies have their place among the rich and kings
and tyrants, but no poor man fills a part in the tragedy, except as
one of the chorus. Kings indeed commence with prosperity: "ornament
the palaces with garlands," then about the third or fourth act they
call out, "O Cithaeron, why didst thou receive me?" Slave, where are
the crowns, where the diadem? The guards help thee not at all. When
then you approach any of these persons, remember this that you are
approaching a tragedian, not the actor but OEdipus himself. But you
say, "Such a man is happy; for he walks about with many," and I also
place myself with the many and walk about with many. In sum remember
this: the door is open; be not more timid than little children, but as
they say, when the thing does not please them, "I will play no loner,"
so do you, when things seem to you of such a kind, say I will no
longer play, and begone: but if you stay, do not complain.

CHAPTER 25