Kitap 4
9
And, after all, what good will this do me? What greater good do you seek? From being impudent, you will become modest; from indecent, decent; from dissolute, sober. But if you seek any greater things than these, do as you are doing. It is no longer in the power of any God to save you.
What things we are to despise, and what chiefly to value.
10
The doubts and perplexities of all men are concerning externals,—what they shall do; how it will be; what will be the event; whether this thing will happen, or that. All this is the talk of persons engaged in things uncontrollable by will. For who says, How shall I do, not to assent to what is false; how, not to dissent from what is true? If any one is of such a good disposition as to be anxious about these things, I will remind him: Why are you anxious? It is in your own power. Be assured. Do not hastily give your assent before you have applied those tests prescribed by nature. Again, if he be anxious, for fear lest he should fail of what he seeks or incur what he shuns, I will first embrace him, because, slighting what others are fluttered and terrified about, he takes care of what is his own, where his very being is; then I will say to him: If you would not fail of what you seek, or incur what you shun, desire nothing that belongs to others; shun nothing that lies beyond your own control; otherwise you must necessarily be disappointed in what you seek, and incur what you shun. Where is the doubt here? Where the room for, How will it be? What will be the event? And fill this happen, or that? Is not the event uncontrollable by will? Yes. And does not the essence of good and evil consist in what is within the control of will? It is in your power, then, to treat every event conformably to Nature? Can any one restrain you? No one. Then do not say to me any more, How will it be? For, however it be, you will set it right, and the event to you will be auspicious.
