Letter on Happiness pt. 2/2
Jimmy Harrington /
- Created on 2019-12-11 02:25:13
- Modified on 2019-12-14 05:20:34
- Aligned by Jimmy Harrington
Ἑλληνική Transliterate
English
[ 122 ]
Μήτε νέος τις ὢν μελλέτω φιλοσοφεῖν͵ μήτε γέρων ὑπάρχων κοπιάτω φιλοσοφῶν . οὔτε γὰρ ἄωρος οὐδείς ἐστιν οὔτε πάρωρος πρὸς τὸ κατὰ ψυχὴν ὑγιαῖνον . ὁ δὲ λέγων ἢ μήπω τοῦ φιλοσοφεῖν ὑπάρχειν ὥραν ἢ παρεληλυθέναι τὴν ὥραν ὅμοιός ἐστι τῷ λέγοντι πρὸς εὐδαιμονίαν ἢ μὴ παρεῖναι τὴν ὥραν ἢ μηκέτι εἶναι . ὥστε φιλοσοφητέον καὶ νέῳ καὶ γέροντι͵ τῷ μὲν ὅπως γηράσκων νεάζῃ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς διὰ τὴν χάριν τῶν γεγονότων͵ τῷ δὲ ὅπως νέος ἅμα καὶ παλαιὸς ᾖ διὰ τὴν ἀφοβίαν τῶν μελλόντων · μελετᾶν οὖν χρὴ τὰ ποιοῦντα τὴν εὐδαιμονίαν͵ εἴπερ παρούσης μὲν αὐτῆς πάντα ἔχομεν͵ ἀπούσης δὲ πάντα πράττομεν εἰς τὸ ταύτην ἔχειν .
[ 123 ]
Ἃ δέ σοι συνεχῶς παρήγγελλον͵ ταῦτα καὶ πρᾶττε καὶ μελέτα͵ στοιχεῖα τοῦ καλῶς ζῆν ταῦτ΄ εἶναι διαλαμβάνων . Πρῶτον μὲν τὸν θεὸν ζῷον ἄφθαρτον καὶ μακάριον νομίζων͵ ὡς ἡ κοινὴ τοῦ θεοῦ νόησις ὑπεγράφη͵ μηθὲν μήτε τῆς ἀφθαρσίας ἀλλότριον μήτε τῆς μακαριότητος ἀνοίκειον αὐτῷ πρόσαπτε · πᾶν δὲ τὸ φυλάττειν αὐτοῦ δυνάμενον τὴν μετὰ ἀφθαρσίας μακαριότητα περὶ αὐτὸν δόξαζε . θεοὶ μὲν γὰρ εἰσίν · ἐναργὴς γὰρ αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἡ γνῶσις · οἵους δ΄ αὐτοὺς οἱ πολλοὶ νομίζουσιν͵ οὐκ εἰσίν · οὐ γὰρ φυλάττουσιν αὐτοὺς οἵους νομίζουσιν . ἀσεβὴς δὲ οὐχ ὁ τοὺς τῶν πολλῶν θεοὺς ἀναιρῶν͵
[ 124 ]
ἀλλ΄ ὁ τὰς τῶν πολλῶν δόξας θεοῖς προσάπτων . οὐ γὰρ προλήψεις εἰσὶν ἀλλ΄ ὑπολήψεις ψευδεῖς αἱ τῶν πολλῶν ὑπὲρ θεῶν ἀποφάσεις . ἔνθεν αἱ μέγισται βλάβαι αἴτιαι τοῖς κακοῖς ἐκ θεῶν ἐπάγονται καὶ ὠφέλειαι . ταῖς γὰρ ἰδίαις οἰκειούμενοι διὰ παντὸς ἀρεταῖς τοὺς ὁμοίους ἀποδέχονται͵ πᾶν τὸ μὴ τοιοῦτον ὡς ἀλλότριον νομίζοντες . Συνέθιζε δὲ ἐν τῷ νομίζειν μηδὲν πρὸς ἡμᾶς εἶναι τὸν θάνατον ἐπεὶ πᾶν ἀγαθὸν καὶ κακὸν ἐν αἰσθήσει · στέρησις δέ ἐστιν αἰσθήσεως ὁ θάνατος . ὅθεν γνῶσις ὀρθὴ τοῦ μηθὲν εἶναι πρὸς ἡμᾶς τὸν θάνατον ἀπολαυστὸν ποιεῖ τὸ τῆς ζωῆς θνητόν͵ οὐκ ἄπειρον προστιθεῖσα χρόνον͵ ἀλλὰ τὸν τῆς ἀθανασίας ἀφελομένη πόθον .
[ 125 ] οὐθὲν γάρ ἐστιν ἐν τῷ ζῆν δεινὸν τῷ κατειληφότι γνησίως τὸ μηδὲν ὑπάρχειν ἐν τῷ μὴ ζῆν δεινόν . ὥστε μάταιος ὁ λέγων δεδιέναι τὸν θάνατον οὐχ ὅτι λυπήσει παρών͵ ἀλλ΄ ὅτι λυπεῖ μέλλων . ὃ γὰρ παρὸν οὐκ ἐνοχλεῖ͵ προσδοκώμενον κενῶς λυπεῖ . τὸ φρικωδέστατον οὖν τῶν κακῶν ὁ θάνατος οὐθὲν πρὸς ἡμᾶς͵ ἐπειδήπερ ὅταν μὲν ἡμεῖς ὦμεν͵ ὁ θάνατος οὐ πάρεστιν͵ ὅταν δὲ ὁ θάνατος παρῇ͵ τόθ΄ ἡμεῖς οὐκ ἐσμέν . οὔτε οὖν πρὸς τοὺς ζῶντάς ἐστιν οὔτε πρὸς τοὺς τετελευτηκότας͵ ἐπειδήπερ περὶ οὓς μὲν οὐκ ἔστιν͵ οἳ δ΄ οὐκέτι εἰσίν . Ἀλλ΄ οἱ πολλοὶ τὸν θάνατον ὁτὲ μὲν ὡς μέγιστον τῶν κακῶν φεύγουσιν͵ ὁτὲ δὲ ὡς ἀνάπαυσιν τῶν ἐν τῷ ζῆν ( κακῶν αἱροῦνται . ὁ δὲ σοφὸς οὔτε παραιτεῖται τὸ ζῆν )
Μήτε νέος τις ὢν μελλέτω φιλοσοφεῖν͵ μήτε γέρων ὑπάρχων κοπιάτω φιλοσοφῶν . οὔτε γὰρ ἄωρος οὐδείς ἐστιν οὔτε πάρωρος πρὸς τὸ κατὰ ψυχὴν ὑγιαῖνον . ὁ δὲ λέγων ἢ μήπω τοῦ φιλοσοφεῖν ὑπάρχειν ὥραν ἢ παρεληλυθέναι τὴν ὥραν ὅμοιός ἐστι τῷ λέγοντι πρὸς εὐδαιμονίαν ἢ μὴ παρεῖναι τὴν ὥραν ἢ μηκέτι εἶναι . ὥστε φιλοσοφητέον καὶ νέῳ καὶ γέροντι͵ τῷ μὲν ὅπως γηράσκων νεάζῃ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς διὰ τὴν χάριν τῶν γεγονότων͵ τῷ δὲ ὅπως νέος ἅμα καὶ παλαιὸς ᾖ διὰ τὴν ἀφοβίαν τῶν μελλόντων · μελετᾶν οὖν χρὴ τὰ ποιοῦντα τὴν εὐδαιμονίαν͵ εἴπερ παρούσης μὲν αὐτῆς πάντα ἔχομεν͵ ἀπούσης δὲ πάντα πράττομεν εἰς τὸ ταύτην ἔχειν .
[ 123 ]
Ἃ δέ σοι συνεχῶς παρήγγελλον͵ ταῦτα καὶ πρᾶττε καὶ μελέτα͵ στοιχεῖα τοῦ καλῶς ζῆν ταῦτ΄ εἶναι διαλαμβάνων . Πρῶτον μὲν τὸν θεὸν ζῷον ἄφθαρτον καὶ μακάριον νομίζων͵ ὡς ἡ κοινὴ τοῦ θεοῦ νόησις ὑπεγράφη͵ μηθὲν μήτε τῆς ἀφθαρσίας ἀλλότριον μήτε τῆς μακαριότητος ἀνοίκειον αὐτῷ πρόσαπτε · πᾶν δὲ τὸ φυλάττειν αὐτοῦ δυνάμενον τὴν μετὰ ἀφθαρσίας μακαριότητα περὶ αὐτὸν δόξαζε . θεοὶ μὲν γὰρ εἰσίν · ἐναργὴς γὰρ αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἡ γνῶσις · οἵους δ΄ αὐτοὺς οἱ πολλοὶ νομίζουσιν͵ οὐκ εἰσίν · οὐ γὰρ φυλάττουσιν αὐτοὺς οἵους νομίζουσιν . ἀσεβὴς δὲ οὐχ ὁ τοὺς τῶν πολλῶν θεοὺς ἀναιρῶν͵
[ 124 ]
ἀλλ΄ ὁ τὰς τῶν πολλῶν δόξας θεοῖς προσάπτων . οὐ γὰρ προλήψεις εἰσὶν ἀλλ΄ ὑπολήψεις ψευδεῖς αἱ τῶν πολλῶν ὑπὲρ θεῶν ἀποφάσεις . ἔνθεν αἱ μέγισται βλάβαι αἴτιαι τοῖς κακοῖς ἐκ θεῶν ἐπάγονται καὶ ὠφέλειαι . ταῖς γὰρ ἰδίαις οἰκειούμενοι διὰ παντὸς ἀρεταῖς τοὺς ὁμοίους ἀποδέχονται͵ πᾶν τὸ μὴ τοιοῦτον ὡς ἀλλότριον νομίζοντες . Συνέθιζε δὲ ἐν τῷ νομίζειν μηδὲν πρὸς ἡμᾶς εἶναι τὸν θάνατον ἐπεὶ πᾶν ἀγαθὸν καὶ κακὸν ἐν αἰσθήσει · στέρησις δέ ἐστιν αἰσθήσεως ὁ θάνατος . ὅθεν γνῶσις ὀρθὴ τοῦ μηθὲν εἶναι πρὸς ἡμᾶς τὸν θάνατον ἀπολαυστὸν ποιεῖ τὸ τῆς ζωῆς θνητόν͵ οὐκ ἄπειρον προστιθεῖσα χρόνον͵ ἀλλὰ τὸν τῆς ἀθανασίας ἀφελομένη πόθον .
[ 125 ] οὐθὲν γάρ ἐστιν ἐν τῷ ζῆν δεινὸν τῷ κατειληφότι γνησίως τὸ μηδὲν ὑπάρχειν ἐν τῷ μὴ ζῆν δεινόν . ὥστε μάταιος ὁ λέγων δεδιέναι τὸν θάνατον οὐχ ὅτι λυπήσει παρών͵ ἀλλ΄ ὅτι λυπεῖ μέλλων . ὃ γὰρ παρὸν οὐκ ἐνοχλεῖ͵ προσδοκώμενον κενῶς λυπεῖ . τὸ φρικωδέστατον οὖν τῶν κακῶν ὁ θάνατος οὐθὲν πρὸς ἡμᾶς͵ ἐπειδήπερ ὅταν μὲν ἡμεῖς ὦμεν͵ ὁ θάνατος οὐ πάρεστιν͵ ὅταν δὲ ὁ θάνατος παρῇ͵ τόθ΄ ἡμεῖς οὐκ ἐσμέν . οὔτε οὖν πρὸς τοὺς ζῶντάς ἐστιν οὔτε πρὸς τοὺς τετελευτηκότας͵ ἐπειδήπερ περὶ οὓς μὲν οὐκ ἔστιν͵ οἳ δ΄ οὐκέτι εἰσίν . Ἀλλ΄ οἱ πολλοὶ τὸν θάνατον ὁτὲ μὲν ὡς μέγιστον τῶν κακῶν φεύγουσιν͵ ὁτὲ δὲ ὡς ἀνάπαυσιν τῶν ἐν τῷ ζῆν ( κακῶν αἱροῦνται . ὁ δὲ σοφὸς οὔτε παραιτεῖται τὸ ζῆν )
[
122
]
Let no one when young delay to study philosophy , nor
when he is old grow weary of his study . For no one can
come too early or too late to secure the health of his soul .
And the man who says that the age for philosophy has either
not yet come or has gone by is like the man who says that
the age for happiness is not yet come to him , or has passed
away . Wherefore both when young and old a man must
study philosophy , that as he grows old he may be young in
blessings through the grateful recollection of what has been ,
and that in youth he may be old as well , since he will know
no fear of what is to come . We must then meditate on the
things that make our happiness , seeing that when that is
with us we have all , but when it is absent we do all to win it .
[ 123 ]
The things that I used unceasingly to commend to you ,
these do and practice , considering them to be the first principles of the good life . First of all believe that god is a being
immortal and blessed , even as the common idea of a god is
engraved on men’s minds , and do not assign to him anything
alien to his immortality or ill-suited to his blessedness : but
believe about him everything that can uphold his blessedness
and immortality . For gods there are , since the knowledge of
them is by clear vision . But they are not such as the many
believe them to be : for indeed they do not consistently represent them as they believe them to be . And the impious man is
not he who denies the gods of the many , but he who attaches
to the gods the beliefs of the many . For the statements of the
many about the gods are not conceptions derived from sensation , but false suppositions , according to which the greatest
misfortunes befall the wicked and the greatest blessings the
good by the gift of the gods . For men being accustomed always to their own virtues welcome those like themselves , but
regard all that is not of their nature as alien .
[ 124 ]
Become accustomed to the belief that death is nothing
to us . For all good and evil consists in sensation , but death
is deprivation of sensation . And therefore a right understanding that death is nothing to us makes the mortality of
life enjoyable , not because it adds to it an infinite span of
time , but because it takes away the craving for immortality .
For there is nothing terrible in life for the man who has truly
comprehended that there is nothing terrible in not living . So
that the man speaks but idly who says that he fears death not
because it will be painful when it comes , but because it is
painful in anticipation . For that which gives no trouble
when it comes , is but an empty pain in anticipation . So
death , the most terrifying of ills , is nothing to us , since so
long as we exist , death is not with us ; but when death
comes , then we do not exist . It does not then concern either
the living or the dead , since for the former it is not , and the
latter are no more .
[ 125 ]
But the many at one moment shun death as the greatest
of evils , at another yearn for it as a respite from the evils in
life . But the wise man neither seeks to escape life nor fears
the cessation of life , for neither does life offend him nor
does the absence of life seem to be any evil . And just as
with food he does not seek simply the larger share and nothing else , but rather the most pleasant , so he seeks to enjoy
not the longest period of time , but the most pleasant .
Let no one when young delay to study philosophy , nor
when he is old grow weary of his study . For no one can
come too early or too late to secure the health of his soul .
And the man who says that the age for philosophy has either
not yet come or has gone by is like the man who says that
the age for happiness is not yet come to him , or has passed
away . Wherefore both when young and old a man must
study philosophy , that as he grows old he may be young in
blessings through the grateful recollection of what has been ,
and that in youth he may be old as well , since he will know
no fear of what is to come . We must then meditate on the
things that make our happiness , seeing that when that is
with us we have all , but when it is absent we do all to win it .
[ 123 ]
The things that I used unceasingly to commend to you ,
these do and practice , considering them to be the first principles of the good life . First of all believe that god is a being
immortal and blessed , even as the common idea of a god is
engraved on men’s minds , and do not assign to him anything
alien to his immortality or ill-suited to his blessedness : but
believe about him everything that can uphold his blessedness
and immortality . For gods there are , since the knowledge of
them is by clear vision . But they are not such as the many
believe them to be : for indeed they do not consistently represent them as they believe them to be . And the impious man is
not he who denies the gods of the many , but he who attaches
to the gods the beliefs of the many . For the statements of the
many about the gods are not conceptions derived from sensation , but false suppositions , according to which the greatest
misfortunes befall the wicked and the greatest blessings the
good by the gift of the gods . For men being accustomed always to their own virtues welcome those like themselves , but
regard all that is not of their nature as alien .
[ 124 ]
Become accustomed to the belief that death is nothing
to us . For all good and evil consists in sensation , but death
is deprivation of sensation . And therefore a right understanding that death is nothing to us makes the mortality of
life enjoyable , not because it adds to it an infinite span of
time , but because it takes away the craving for immortality .
For there is nothing terrible in life for the man who has truly
comprehended that there is nothing terrible in not living . So
that the man speaks but idly who says that he fears death not
because it will be painful when it comes , but because it is
painful in anticipation . For that which gives no trouble
when it comes , is but an empty pain in anticipation . So
death , the most terrifying of ills , is nothing to us , since so
long as we exist , death is not with us ; but when death
comes , then we do not exist . It does not then concern either
the living or the dead , since for the former it is not , and the
latter are no more .
[ 125 ]
But the many at one moment shun death as the greatest
of evils , at another yearn for it as a respite from the evils in
life . But the wise man neither seeks to escape life nor fears
the cessation of life , for neither does life offend him nor
does the absence of life seem to be any evil . And just as
with food he does not seek simply the larger share and nothing else , but rather the most pleasant , so he seeks to enjoy
not the longest period of time , but the most pleasant .