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Such a malady of the mind, to take the first instance, is curiosity, which is a desire to learn the troubles of others,Cf. Menander’s typical curious slave, a πολυπράγμων, who says (Frag. 850 Kock): οὐδεν γλυκύτερόν ἐστιν ἢ πάντ’ εἰδέναι.. a disease which is thought to be free from neither envy nor malice: Why do you look so sharp on others’ ills, Malignant man, yet overlook your own?Kock, Com. Att. Frag., iii. p. 476, ades. 359; Cf. 469 b, supra. Shift your curiosity from things without and turn it inwards; if you enjoy dealing with the recital of troubles, you have much occupation at home: Great as the water flowing down Alizon, Many as the leaves around the oak,A verse of unknown origin; the text is probably corrupt. so great a quantity of transgressions will you find in your own life, of afflictions in your own soul, of oversights in the performance of your own obligations.
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For as XenophonOeconomicus, viii. 19, 20. says that good householders have a special place for sacrificial utensils, and a special place for dinner-ware, and that farming implements should be stored elsewhere, and apart from them the weapons of war; even so in your own case you have one store of faults arising from envy, another from jealousy, another from cowardice, another from pettiness. Assault these, examine these! Block up the windows and the side-doors of your curiosity that open on your neighbours’ property, and open up others leading to your own-to the men’s quarters, to the women’s quarters, to the living-rooms of your servants! Here this curiosity and meddlesomeness of yours will have an occupation not unhelpful or malicious, but useful and salutary if each one will but say to himself, Where did I err? And what deed have I done? What duty neglected?Pythagoras, Carmina Aurea, 42; cf. Moralia, 168 b.
