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to suffer its own things, which in any case will be dissolved either now or later by the law of nature (for it will depart either by wasting away with disease or by time); but to hold the soul itself on high and to be ordered with God in one's thoughts, and to know this, that it is absurd for us to philosophize outside of dangers, but in times of need to appear unphilosophical and to betray our promise. 32.4 You have clearly gone over in your mind all things, those that are ours, those that are others', as a man educated in both and an educator of others, and from all things you have gathered for yourself the remedy for humanity. 32.5 But so that I too may philosophize with you a little, if you bid this, I do not praise the small-mindedness of Aristotle, who, when defining happiness for us, up to a certain point proceeded correctly, declaring it to be an activity of the soul in accordance with virtue and adding "in a complete life"—and this very wisely—because of the changeable and fickle nature of our being; 32.6 but that other point was no longer magnificent, but even exceedingly base, that he also adds external prosperity, so that if one happens to be poor, or sickly, or of low birth, or an exile from his country, his happiness is hindered because of this. 32.7 But I praise the youthful and high-minded spirit of the Stoics, who say that external things are no hindrance to happiness, but that the virtuous man is blessed, even if the bull of Phalaris holds him while he is being burned. 32.8 And for this reason I admire those among us who have risked danger for the sake of the good or have borne misfortune youthfully; and I admire also those from the outside who are like them, such as that Anaxarchus, Epictetus, Socrates, not to mention many others. 32.9 Of whom the one, while his hands were being pounded in a mortar as the tyrant commanded, ordered the torturers to "pound the bag of Anaxarchus." What was he saying by this? Our wretched little flesh, since Anaxarchus himself, the philosophic soul, was not being pounded; which for us is called the outer and the inner man. 32.10 And the other, while his leg was being stretched and twisted, philosophized as if in a body that was not his own, and his leg seemed to be broken sooner than he felt the violence. 32.11 And Socrates, condemned to death by the Athenians and dwelling, as you know, in the prison, for a time conversed with his disciples about the body as another prison and, though he could have escaped, refused to do so; and when the hemlock was brought, he received it very gladly, as if not receiving it for death, but being offered a toast of friendship. 32.12 And I would have added to these our own Job, if I did not know that you are far from his sufferings, both being with God and about to be. 32.13 These things, it seems to me, you chant as a spell over yourself, O divine and sacred head, and thus healing yourself, you would both become more at ease and gladden us, your praisers and lovers, 32.14 in no way bent by the disease, nor, as the divine David says, hindered by the peace of sinners and their prosperity in life, but even being purified, if it is right to say this of you, and making your weakness a material for virtue. 33.T TO THE SAME 33.1 Some people find fault with you (for I perceive it), as being fond of improving your only property and being industrious in such a condition of body. And it is no wonder; since it is easier to philosophize about the affairs of others than about one's own. 33.2 But if I saw you doing this beyond measure, or applying yourself to philosophy either greedily or violently, I would have found fault (for the truth will be spoken), respecting neither friendship nor education. 33.3 But if you are indeed industrious, but not beyond measure, and you use what you labor for as is needful, and your suffering is also present, both occupying you with cares and persuading you that the things of the body are beyond your body, I do not see how I can not find fault with those who find fault, freeing you from the charge. 33.4 And I persuade myself of this, that no one is better than you at reasoning about matters, you whom all use as a teacher and counselor for their own affairs, both privately and publicly, nor more philosophical in caring for the soul. 33.5 But if also for the body to preserve or restore health of the monastery

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πάσχειν τὰ ἑαυτοῦ, πάντως ἢ νῦν ἢ ὕστερον λυθησόμε νον νόμῳ φύσεως (οἰχήσεται γὰρ ἢ νόσῳ κάμνον ἢ χρόνῳ)· αὐτὴν δ' ὑψοῦ τὴν ψυχὴν ἔχειν καὶ μετὰ Θεοῦ τετάχθαι τοῖς λογισμοῖς κἀκεῖνο εἰδέναι, ὅτι τῶν ἀτόπων ἐστὶν ἡμᾶς ἔξω μὲν κινδύνων φιλοσοφεῖν, ἐν δὲ ταῖς χρείαις ἀφιλοσόφους φαίνεσθαι καὶ διαψεύδεσθαι τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν. 32.4 Πάντ' ἐπῆλθες δηλαδὴ τῇ διανοίᾳ, ὅσ' ἡμέτερα, ὅσ' ἀλλότρια, ὡς ἀνὴρ πεπαιδευμένος ἐν ἀμφοτέροις καὶ παιδευτὴς ἄλλων, καὶ ἐκ πάντων σεαυτῷ συνελέξω τὸ τῆς ἀνθρωπίας φάρμακον. 32.5 Ἵνα δέ σοι κἀγὼ συμφιλοσοφήσω μικρόν, εἰ τοῦτο κελεύεις, οὐκ ἐπαινῶ τοῦ Ἀριστοτέλους τὸ μικρολόγον, ὃς τὴν εὐδαιμονίαν ἡμῖν ὁριζόμενος, μεχρὶ μέν τινος προῆλθεν ὀρθῶς, ψυχῆς ἐνέργειαν κατ' ἀρετὴν εἶναι ταύτην ἀποφηνάμενος καὶ προσθεὶς ἐν βίῳ τελείῳ-καὶ τοῦτο μάλα σοφῶς-διὰ τὸ τρεπτὸν ἡμῶν καὶ εὐμετάπτωτον τῆς φύσεως· 32.6 ἐκεῖνο δ' οὐκ ἔτι μεγαλοπρεπῶς, ἀλλὰ καὶ λίαν ταπεινῶς, ὅτι καὶ τὴν ἔξωθεν εὐετηρίαν προστίθησιν, ὡς, εἰ τύχοι πένης τις ὤν, ἢ νοσώδης, ἢ δυσγενής, ἢ φυγόπατρις, παρὰ τοῦτο αὐτῷ τῆς εὐδαιμονίας κωλυο μένης. 32.7 Ἐπαινῶ δὲ τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς Στοᾶς τὸ νεανικόν τε καὶ μεγαλόνουν, οἳ μηδὲν κωλύειν φασὶ πρὸς εὐδαιμονίαν τὰ ἔξωθεν, ἀλλ' εἶναι τὸν σπουδαῖον μακάριον, κἂν ὁ Φαλάριδος ταῦρος ἔχῃ καιόμενον. 32.8 Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο θαυμάζω μὲν τοὺς παρ' ἡμῖν ὑπὲρ τοῦ καλοῦ κινδυνεύσαντας ἢ συμφορὰν διενεγκόντας νεανικῶς· θαυμάζω δὲ καὶ τῶν ἔξωθεν τοὺς τούτοις παραπλησίους, οἷον τὸν Ἀνάξαρχον ἐκεῖνον, τὸν Ἐπίκτητον, τὸν Σωκράτην, ἵνα μὴ λέγω πολλούς. 32.9 Ὧν ὁ μὲν ἐν ὅλμῳ κοπτομένων αὐτοῦ τῶν χειρῶν, οὕτω τοῦ τυράννου κελεύοντος, πτίσσειν τὸν Ἀναξάρχου θύλακον διεκελεύετο τοῖς βασανισταῖς. Τί τοῦτο λέγων; τὸ μοχθηρὸν ἡμῶν σαρκίον, ὡς Ἀναξάρχου γ' οὐ πτισ σομένου, τῆς φιλοσόφου ψυχῆς· ὅπερ ἡμῖν ὁ ἐκτὸς καὶ ὁ ἐντὸς ἄνθρωπος ὀνομάζεται. 32.10 Ὁ δὲ τὸ σκέλος κατατεινόμενος καὶ στρεβλούμενος ἐφιλοσόφει ὥσπερ ἐν ἀλλοτρίῳ τῷ σώματι, καὶ θᾶττον κατεαγῆναι τὸ σκέλος ἢ ἐπαισθάνεσθαι τῆς βίας ἔδοξε. 32.11 Σωκράτης δὲ τὸν θάνατον ὑπ' Ἀθηναίων κατακριθεὶς καὶ οἰκῶν, ὡς οἶσθα, τὸ δεσμωτήριον, τέως μὲν ὡς ὑπὲρ ἄλλου δεσμωτηρίου τοῦ σώματος διελέγετο τοῖς μαθηταῖς καὶ φυγεῖν ἐξὸν ἀπηξίωσεν· ἐπειδὴ δὲ προσηνέχθη τὸ κώνειον, δέχεται μαλ' ἡδέως, ὥσπερ οὐκ ἐπὶ θανάτῳ δεχόμενος, ἀλλὰ φιλοτησίας προπινόμενος. 32.12 Προσέθηκα δ' ἂν τούτοις καὶ Ἰὼβ τὸν ἡμέτερον, εἰ μή σ' ᾔδειν πόρρω τῶν ἐκείνου παθῶν καὶ ὄντα σὺν Θεῷ καὶ ἐσόμενος. 32.13 Ταῦτά μοι δοκεῖς κατεπᾴδειν σεαυτοῦ, ὦ θεία καὶ ἱερὰ κεφαλή, καὶ οὕτω σεαυτὸν ἰατρεύων, αὐτός τ' ἂν ῥᾴων γενέσθαι καὶ ἡμᾶς εὐφρανεῖν τοὺς σοὺς ἐπαινέτας καὶ ἐραστάς, 32.14 οὐδὲν ὑπὸ τῆς νόσου καμπτόμενος, οὐδ', ὅ φησιν ὁ θεῖος ∆αυΐδ, ὑπὸ τῆς εἰρήνης τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν καὶ τῆς κατὰ τὸν βίον εὐροίας αὐτῶν ἐγκοπτόμενος, ἀλλὰ καὶ καθαιρόμενος, εἰ θέμις ἐπὶ σοῦ τοῦτο εἰπεῖν, καὶ ὕλην ἀρετῆς ποιούμενος τὴν ἀσθένειαν. 33.Τ ΤΩΙ ΑΥΤΩΙ 33.1 Λαμβάνονταί σού τινες (αἰσθάνομαι γάρ), ὡς φιλοκαλοῦντος τὸ μόνον σου κτῆμα καὶ φιλεργοῦντος ἐν τοιαύτῃ καταστάσει τοῦ σώματος. Καὶ θαυμαστὸν οὐδέν· ἐπειδὴ καὶ ῥᾷον ἐν τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις ἢ τοῖς οἱκείοις φιλοσοφεῖν. 33.2 Ἐγὼ δ' εἰ μὲν ἑώρων σε πέρα τοῦ μέτρου τοῦτο ποιοῦντα, ἢ πλεονεκτικῶς ἢ βιαίως τῇ φιλοσοφίᾳ προσκείμενον, κἂν ἐμεμψάμην (εἰρήσεται γὰρ τἀληθές), μηδὲν τὴν φιλίαν ἢ τὴν παίδευσιν αἰδεσθείς. 33.3 Εἰ δὲ φιλεργεῖς μέν, οὐκ ἔξω δὲ τοῦ μέτρου, χρῇ δ' εἰς δέον οἷς φιλεργεῖς, πρόσεστι δὲ καὶ τὸ πάθος ἐνασχολοῦν τε ταῖς φροντίσι καὶ πεῖθον ὡς ὑπὲρ τὸ σῶμά σοι τὰ τοῦ σώματος, οὐκ ἔχω πῶς μὴ τοῖς μεμφομένοις μέμψωμαι, σὲ τῆς αἰτίας ἐλευθερῶν. 33.4 Καὶ πρός γε τοῦτ' ἐμαυτὸν πείθω, ὅτι μήτε λογίσασθαι περὶ πραγμάτων σοῦ τις ἀμείνων, ᾧ γε καὶ πρὸς τὰ ἑαυτῶν ἅπαντες χρῶνται διδασκάλῳ καὶ παραινέτῃ ὁμοίως ἰδίᾳ καὶ δημοσίᾳ, μήτε ψυχῆς φροντίσαι φιλοσοφώτερος. 33.5 Εἰ δὲ καὶ τῷ σώματι τὴν ὑγείαν φυλάσσειν ἢ ἐπανάγειν μονῆς