Discourses - Book III   

also upon reason? for I have leisure: my mind is not distracted.
What shall I do, since I have no distraction? What more suitable to
a man have I than this? When you have nothing to do, you are
disturbed, you go to the theatre or you wander about without a
purpose. Why should not the philosopher labour to improve his
reason? You employ yourself about crystal vessels: I employ myself
about the syllogism named "The Living": you about myrrhine vessels;
I employ myself about the syllogism named "The Denying." To you
everything appears small that you possess: to me all that I have
appears great. Your desire is insatiable: mine is satisfied. To
(children) who put their hand into a narrow necked earthen vessel
and bring out figs and nuts, this happens; if they fill the hand, they
cannot take it out, and then they cry. Drop a few of them and you will
draw things out. And do you part with your desires: do not desire many
things and you will have what you want.

CHAPTER 10

In what manner we ought to bear sickness

When the need of each opinion comes, we ought to have it in
readiness: on the occasion of breakfast, such as relate to
breakfast; in the bath, those that concern the bath; in bed, those
that concern bed.

Let sleep not come upon thy languid eyes
Before each daily action thou hast scann'd;
What's done amiss, what done, what left undone;
From first to last examine all, and then
Blame what is wrong in what is right rejoice.

And we ought to retain these verses in such way that we may use
them, not that we may utter them aloud, as when we exclaim "Paean
Apollo." Again in fever we should have ready such opinions as
concern a fever; and we ought not, as soon as the fever begins, to
lose and forget all. (A man who has a fever) may "If I philosophize
any longer, may I be hanged: wherever I go, I must take care of the
poor body, that a fever may not come." But what is philosophizing?
Is it not a preparation against events which may happen? Do you not
understand that you are saying something of this kind? "If I shall
still prepare myself to bear with patience what happens, may I be
hanged." But this is just as if a man after receiving blows should
give up the Pancratium. In the Pancratium it is in our power to desist
and not to receive blows. But in the other matter, we give up
philosophy, what shall we gain I gain? What then should a man say on
the occasion of each painful thing? "It was for this that I
exercised myself, for this I disciplined myself." God says to you,
"Give me a proof that you have duly practiced athletics, that you have
eaten what you ought, that you have been exercised, that you have
obeyed the aliptes." Then do you show yourself weak when the time