Ch. 12
Of training.
We are not to carry our training beyond Nature
and Reason; for thus we, who call ourselves
philosophers, shall not differ from jugglers. For it is
no doubt difficult to walk upon a rope, and not only
difficult, but dangerous. Ought we too, for that reason, to make it our study to walk upon a rope, or
balance a pole,52 or grasp a statue? 53 By no means.
It is not everything difficult or dangerous that is a
proper training, but such things as are conducive
to what lies before us to do.
"And what is it that lies before us to do? "
To have our desires and aversions free from restraint.
"How is that?"
Not to be disappointed of our desire, nor incur our
aversion. To this ought our training to be directed.
For without vigorous and steady training, it is not
possible to preserve our desire undisappointed and
our aversion unincurred; and therefore, if we suffer
it to be externally employed on things uncontrollable
by Will, be assured that your desire will neither gain
its object, nor your aversion avoid it.
And because habit has a powerful influence, and
we are habituated to apply our desire and aversion
to externals only. we must oppose one habit to another: and where the semblances are most treacherous, there oppose the force of training. I am inclined
to pleasure. I will bend myself, even unduly, to the
other side, as a matter of training. I am averse to
pain. I will strive and wrestle with these semblances,
that I may cease to shrink from any such object. For
who is truly in training? He who endeavors totally
to control desire, and to apply aversion only to things
controllable by Will, and strives for it most in the
most difficult cases. Hence different persons are to
be trained in different ways. What signifies it, to this
purpose, to balance a pole, or to go about with tent
and implements [of exhibition]? If you are hasty,
man, let it be your training to bear ill language
patiently; and when you are affronted, not to be
angry. Thus, at length, you may arrive at such a
proficiency as, when any one strikes you, to say to
yourself, " Let me suppose this to be like grasping a
statue." Next train yourself to make but a moderate use of wine, - not to drink a great deal, to which
some are so foolish as to train themselves, - but to
abstain from this first; and then to abstain from
women and from gluttony. Afterwards you will venture into the lists at some proper season, by way of
trial, if at all, to see whether these semblances get
the better of you as much as they used to do. But
at first flee from what is stronger than you. The contest between a fascinating woman and a young man
just initiated into philosophy is unequal. The brass
pot and the earthen pitcher, as the fable says, are an
unfair match.
Next to the desires and aversions is the second
class, of the pursuits and avoidances; that they may
be obedient to reason; that nothing may be done improperly, in point of time and place, or in any other
respect.
The third class relates to the faculty of assent and
to what is plausible and persuasive. As Socrates
said that we are not to lead a life which is not
tested, so neither are we to admit an untested sem-
blance; but to say, "Stop, let me see what you are
and whence you come," just as the police say, "Show
me your pass." " Have you that indorsement from
Nature which is necessary to the acceptance of every
semblance?"
In short, whatever things are applied to the body
by those who train it, so may these be used in our
training if they any way affect desire or aversion.
But if this be done for mere ostentation, it belongs
to one who looks and seeks for something external,
and strives for spectators to exclaim, "What a great
man!" Hence Apollonius said well, "If you have
a mind to train yourself for your own benefit, when
you are choking with heat, take a little cold water in
your mouth, and spit it out again, and hold your
tongue."