Ch. 10
In what manner we ought to bear illness.
We should have all our principles ready for use
on every occasion, - at dinner, such as relate
to dinner; in the bath, such as relate to the bath; in
the bed, such as relate to the bed.
Let not the stealing god of sleep surprise,
Nor creep in slumbers on thy weary eyes,
Ere every action of the former day
Strictly thou dost, and righteously survey.
What have I done? In what have I transgressed?
What good, or ill, has this day's life expressed?
Where have I failed in what I ought to do?
If evil were thy deeds, repent and mourn;
If good, rejoice. Pythagoras, Golden Verses, 40-44.51
We should retain these verses so as to apply them
to our use; not merely to say them by rote, as we
do with verses in honor of Apollo.
Again, in a fever we should have such principles
ready as relate to a fever; and not, as soon as we
are taken ill, forget all. Provided I do but act like
a philosopher, let what will happen. Some way or
other I depart must from this frail body, whether a
fever comes or not. What is it to be a philosopher?
Is it not to be prepared against events? Do you not
comprehend that you then say, in effect, "If I am but
prepared to bear all events with calmness, let what
will happen?" Otherwise you are like an athlete,
who, after receiving a blow, should quit the combat.
In that case, indeed, you might leave off without
a penalty. But what shall we get by leaving off
philosophy?
What, then; ought each of us to say upon every difficult occasion, "It was for this that I exercised;
it was for this that I trained myself"? God says to
you, Give me a proof if you have gone through the
preparatory combats according to rule; if you have
followed a proper diet and proper exercise; if you
have obeyed your master; and after this, do you
faint at the very time of action?
Now is your time for a fever. Bear it well. For
thirst; bear it well. For hunger; bear it well. Is it
not in your power? Who shall restrain you? A physician may restrain you from drinking, but he cannot
restrain you from bearing your thirst well. He may
restrain you from eating, but he cannot restrain you
from bearing hunger well. "t But I cannot follow my
studies." And for what end do you follow them,
slave? Is it not that you may be prosperous, that
you may be constant, that you may think and act
conformably to Nature? What restrains you, but
that, in a fever, you may keep your Reason in har-
mony with Nature? Here is the test of the matter.
Here is the trial of the philosopher; for a fever is a
part of life, as is a walk, a voyage, or a journey. Do
you read when you are walking? No, nor in a fever.
But when you walk well, you attend to what belongs
to a walker; so, if you bear a fever well, you have
everything belonging to one in a fever. What is it to
bear a fever well? Not to blame either God or man,
not to be afflicted at what happens, to await death in
a right and becoming manner, and to do what is to
be done. When the physician enters, not to dread
what he may say; nor, if he should tell you that you
are doing well, to be too much rejoiced; for what good
has he told you? When you were in health, what
good did it do you? Not to be dejected when he tells
you that you are very ill; for what is it to be very ill?
To be near the separation of soul and body. What
harm is there in this, then? If you are not near it
now, will you not be near it hereafter? What, will
the world be quite overturned when you die? Why,
then, do you flatter your physician? Why do you
say, "If you please, sir, I shall do well"? Why
do you furnish an occasion to his pride? Why do
not you treat a physician, with regard to an insignificant body, - which is not yours, but by nature mortal,-as you do a shoemaker about your foot, or a
carpenter about a house? It is the season for these
things, to one in a fever. If he fulfils these, he has
what belongs to him. For it is not the business of a
philosopher to take care of these mere externals, - of
his wine, his oil, or his body,--but of his Reason.
And how with regard to externals? Not to behave
inconsiderately about them.
What occasion is there, then, for fear; what
occasion for anger, for desire, about things that belong to others, or are of no value? For two rules we
should always have ready, - that there is nothing good or evil save in the Will; and that we are not to lead events, but to follow them. " My brother ought not to
have treated me so." Very true; but he must see
to that. However he treats me, I am to act rightly
with regard to him; for the one is my own concern,
the other is not; the one cannot be restrained, the
other may.