is imposed on you, and you do not observe what you make the army
become as far as it is in your power; that if all imitate you, no
man will dig a trench, no man will put a rampart round, nor keep
watch, nor expose himself to danger, but will appear to be useless for
the purposes of an army. Again, in a vessel if you go as a sailor,
keep to one place and stick to it. And if you are ordered to climb the
mast, refuse; if to run to the head of the ship, refuse; and what
master, of a ship will endure you? and will he not pitch you overboard
as a useless thing, an impediment only and bad example to the other
sailors? And so it is here also: every man's life is a kind of
warfare, and it is long and diversified. You must observe the duty
of a soldier and do everything at the nod of the general; if it is
possible, divining what his wishes are: for there is no resemblance
between that general and this, neither in strength nor in
superiority of character. You are placed in a great office of
command and not in any mean place; but you are always a senator. Do
you not know that such a man must give little time to the affairs of
his household, but be often away from home, either as a governor or
one who is governed, or discharging some office, or serving in war
or acting as a judge? Then do you tell me that you wish, as a plant,
to be fixed to the same places and to be rooted? "Yes, for it is
pleasant." Who says that it is not? but a soup is pleasant, and a
handsome woman is pleasant. What else do those say who make pleasure
their end? Do you not see of what men yon have uttered the language?
that it is the language of Epicureans and catamites? Next while you
are doing what they do and holding their opinions, do you speak to
us the words of Zeno and of Socrates? Will you not throw away as far
as you can the things belonging to others with which you decorate
yourself, though they do not fit you at all? For what else do they
desire than to sleep without hindrance and free from compulsion, and
when they have risen to yawn at their leisure, and to wash the face,
then write and read what they choose, and then talk about some
trifling matter being praised by their friends whatever they may
say, then to go forth for a walk, and having walked about a little
to bathe, and then eat and sleep, such sleep as is the fashion of such
men? why need we say how? for one can easily conjecture. Come, do
you also tell your own way of passing the time which you desire, you
who are an admirer of truth and of Socrates and Diogenes. What do
you wish to do in Athens? the same, or something else? Why then do you
call yourself a Stoic? Well, but they who falsely call themselves
Roman citizens, are severely punished; and should those, who falsely
claim so great and reverend a thing and name, get off unpunished? or
is this not possible, but the law divine and strong and inevitable
is this, which exacts the severest punishments from those who commit
the greatest crimes? For what does this law say? "Let him who pretends
to things which do not belong to him be a boaster, a vainglorious man:
let him who disobeys the divine administration be base, and a slave;
let him suffer grief, let him be envious, let him pity; and in a
word let him be unhappy and lament."
"Well then; do you wish me to pay court to a certain person? to go