Discourses - Book IV   

the soldier will do it with less trouble, and quicker. When, then, I
neither fear anything which a tyrant can do to me, nor desire anything
which he can give, why do I still look on with wonder? Why am I
still confounded? Why do I fear the guards? Why am I pleased if he
speaks to me in a friendly way, and receives me, and why do I tell
others how he spoke to me? Is he a Socrates, is he a Diogenes that his
praise should be a proof of what I am? Have I been eager to imitate
his morals? But I keep up the play and go to him, and serve him so
long as he does not bid me to do anything foolish or unreasonable. But
if he says to me, "Go and bring Leon of Salamis," I say to him,
"Seek another, for I am no longer playing." "Lead him away." I follow;
that is part of the play. "But your head will be taken off." Does
the tyrant's head always remain where it is, and the heads of you
who obey him? "But you will be cast out unburied." If the corpse is I,
I shall be cast out; but if I am different from the corpse, speak more
properly according as the fact is, and do not think of frightening me.
These things are formidable to children and fools. But if any man
has once entered a philosopher's school and knows not what he is, he
deserves to be full of fear and to flatter those whom afterward he
used to flatter; if he has not yet learned that he is not flesh nor
bones nor sinews, but he is that which makes use of these parts of the
body and governs them and follows the appearances of things.
"Yes, but this talk makes us despise the laws." And what kind of
talk makes men more obedient to the laws who employ such talk? And the
things which are in the power of a fool are not law. And yet see how
this talk makes us disposed as we ought to be even to these men; since
it teaches us to claim in opposition to them none of the things in
which they are able to surpass us. This talk teaches us, as to the
body, to give it up, as to property, to give that up also, as to
children, parents, brothers, to retire from these, to give up all;
It only makes an exception of the opinions, which even Zeus has willed
to be the select property of every man. What transgression of the laws
is there here, what folly? Where you are superior and stronger,
there I give way to you: on the other hand, where I am superior, do
you yield to me; for I have studied this, and you have not. It is your
study to live in houses with floors formed of various stones, how your
slaves and dependents shall serve you, how you shall wear fine
clothing, have many hunting men, lute players, and tragic actors. Do I
claim any of these? have you made any study of opinions and of your
own rational faculty? Do you know of what parts it is composed, how
they are brought together, how they are connected, what powers it has,
and of what kind? Why then are you vexed, if another, who has made
it his study, has the advantage over you in these things? "But these
things are the greatest." And who hinders you from being employed
about these things and looking after them? And who has a better
stock of books, of leisure, of persons to aid you? Only turn your mind
at last to these things, attend, if it be only a short time, to your
own ruling faculty: consider what this is that you possess, and whence
it came, this which uses all others, and tries them, and selects and
rejects. But so long as you employ yourself about externals you will