Размышления
Book 7
Whenyou’rebotheredbythingslikethat,remindyourself:"I’mgivingintopain."
65.Takecarethatyoudon’ttreatinhumanityasittreatshumanbeings.
66.HowdoweknowthatTelaugeswasn’tabettermanthanSocrates?
It’snotenoughtoaskwhetherSocrates’deathwasnobler,whetherhedebatedwiththesophistsmoreadeptly,whetherheshowedgreaterendurancebyspendingthenightoutinthecold,andwhenhewasorderedtoarrestthemanfromSalamisdecideditwaspreferabletorefuse,and"swaggeredaboutthestreets"(whichonecouldreasonablydoubt).
Whatmattersiswhatkindofsoulhehad.
Whetherhewassatisfiedtotreatmenwithjusticeandthegodswithreverenceanddidn’tlosehistemperunpredictablyatevildonebyothers,didn’tmakehimselftheslaveofotherpeople’signorance,didn’ttreatanythingthatnaturedidasabnormal,orputupwithitasanunbearableimposition,didn’tputhismindinhisbody’skeeping.
67.Naturedidnotblendthingssoinextricablythatyoucan’tdrawyourownboundaries—placeyourownwell-beinginyourownhands.It’squitepossibletobeagoodmanwithoutanyonerealizingit.Rememberthat.
Andthistoo:youdon’tneedmuchtolivehappily.Andjustbecauseyou’veabandonedyourhopesofbecomingagreatthinkerorscientist,don’tgiveuponattainingfreedom,achievinghumility,servingothers,obeyingGod.
68.
