On Tranquillity of Mind (10)

And yet it is also highly conducive to tranquillity of mind to examine, if possible, oneself and one’s fortunes, but if that is not possible, to observe persons of inferior fortune, and not, as most people do, compare oneself with those who are superior; as, for example, those in prison account fortunate these who have been set free[*]; and they, men born free; and free men, citizens; and citizens, in their turn, the rich; and the rich, satraps; and satraps, kings; and kings, the gods, scarcely stopping short of

desiring the power to produce thunder and lightning. Thus, through being always conscious that they lack things which are beyond them, they are never grateful for what befits their station.

I want no wealth of Gyges rich in gold,

Nor have I ever envied him; I am

Not jealous of gods’ works, nor love a great

Kingdom: such things are far beyond my ken.[*]

But he was a Thasian, one may say.[*] Yet there are others, Chians, Galatians, or Bithynians, who are not content with whatever portion of either repute or power among their own fellow-countrymen has fallen to their lot, but weep because they do not wear the patrician shoe; yet if they do wear it, they weep because they are not yet Roman praetors; if they are praetors, because they are not consuls; and if consuls, because they were proclaimed, not first, but later.[*] What is this other than collecting excuses for ingratitude to Fortune in order to chastise and punish oneself? But he, at least, who has a mind filled with salutary thoughts, knowing that the sun looks down upon countless myriads of men,

As many of us as win the fruit of the spacious earth,[*]

if he be less famous or wealthy than some others, does not sit down in sorrow and dejection, but since he knows that he lives ten thousand times better and more suitably than tens of thousands in so great a number, he will go on his way praising his own guardian spirit and his life.

Now at Olympia you cannot win the victory by selecting competitors, but in this life circumstances permit you to take pride in your superiority to many, and to be an object of envy rather than envious of the others - unless, indeed, you make a Briareus or a Heracles your opponent. Whenever, then, you are lost in admiration of a man borne in his litter as being superior to yourself, lower your eyes and gaze upon the litter-bearers also; and whenever you account happy, as the man of Hellespont[*] did, that famous Xerxes crossing his bridge, look also upon those who are digging through Athos[*] beneath the lash, and those whose ears and noses are mutilated because the bridge was broken by the current. Consider also their state of mind: they account happy your life and your fortunes.

When Socrates[*] heard one of his friends remark how expensive the city was, saying Chian wine costs a mina, a purple robe three minae, a half-pint of honey five drachmas, he took him by the hand and led him to the meal-market, Half a peck for an obol! the city is cheap; then to the olive-market, A quart for two coppers!; then to the clothesmarket, A sleeveless vest for ten drachmas! the city is cheap. We also, therefore, whenever we hear another say that our affairs are insignificant and in a

woeful plight because we are not consuls or governors, may reply, Our affairs are splendid and our life is enviable: we do not beg, or carry burdens, or live by flattery.