holiday in the Saturnalia: say that his master is from home: he will
return soon, and you will know what he suffers. "Who will return?"
Whoever has in himself the power over anything which is desired by the
man, either to give it to him or to take it away? "Thus, then, have we
many masters?" We have: for we have circumstances as masters prior
to our present masters; and these circumstances are many. Therefore it
must of necessity be that those who have the power over any of these
circumstances must be our masters. For no man fears Caesar himself,
but he fears death, banishment, deprivation of his property, prison,
and disgrace. Nor does any man love Caesar, unless Caesar is a
person of great merit, but he loves wealth, the office of tribune,
praetor or consul. When we love, and hate, and fear these things, it
must be that those who have the power over them must be our masters.
Therefore we adore them even as gods; for we think that what possesses
the power of conferring the greatest advantage on us is divine. Then
we wrongly assume that a certain person has the power of conferring
the greatest advantages; therefore he is something divine. For if we
wrongly assume that a certain person has the power of conferring the
greatest advantages, it is a necessary consequence that the conclusion
from these premises must be false.
What, then, is that which makes a man free from hindrance and
makes him his own master? For wealth does not do it, nor consulship,
nor provincial government, nor royal power; but something else must be
discovered. What then is that which, when we write, makes us free from
hindrance and unimpeded? "The knowledge of the art of writing."
What, then, is it in playing the lute? "The science of playing the
lute." Therefore in life also it is the science of life. You have,
then, heard in a general way: but examine the thing also in the
several parts. Is it possible that he who desires any of the things
which depend on others can be free from hindrance? "No." Is it
possible for him to be unimpeded? "No." Therefore he cannot be free.
Consider then: whether we have nothing which is in our own power only,
or whether we have all things, or whether some things are in our own
power, and others in the power of others. "What do you mean?" When you
wish the body to be entire, is it in your power or not? "It is not
in my power." When you wish it to be healthy? "Neither is this in my
power." When you wish it to be handsome? "Nor is this." Life or death?
"Neither is this in my power." Your body, then, is another's,
subject to every man who is stronger than yourself? "It is." But
your estate, is it in your power to have it when you please, and as
long as you please, and such as you please? "No." And your slaves?
"No." And your clothes? "No." And your house? "No." And your horses?
"Not one of these things." And if you wish by all means your
children to live, or your wife, or your brother, or your friends, is
it in your power? "This also is not in my power."
Whether, then, have you nothing which is in your own power, which
depends on yourself only and cannot be taken from you, or have you
anything of the kind? "I know not." Look at the thing, then, thus,
examine it. Is any man able to make you assent to that which is false?
"No man." In the matter of assent, then, you are free from hindrance