Book 1
10
What comparison can be made between their kind of activity and ours? If you consider what it is they do, you will see; for about what are they employed the whole day but in calculating, contriving, consulting,—about provisions, about an estate, or other interests like these? Is there any likeness, then, between reading a petition, entreat you to give me a permission to export corn, and this, entreat you to learn from Chrysippus what the administration of the universe is, and what place a reasonable creature holds in it; learn, too, what you yourself are, and wherein your good and evil consist? Are these things at all alike? Do they require an equal degree of application? And is it no more shameful to neglect the one than the other?
10
Well, then, are we older men the only idle dreamers?
10
No, but you young men are so in a greater degree. And as we old folks, when we see young ones trifling, are tempted to trifle with them; so, much more, if I were to see you earnest and ardent, I should be excited to labor with you.
Of natural affection.
