第34章

Isayforitalone;foritoftenbringsseveralcommoditiesalongwithit，forwhichitmayjustlybedesired:itacquiresusgood—will，andrendersuslesssubjectandexposedtoinsultandoffencefromothers，andthelike。ItwasalsooneoftheprincipaldoctrinesofEpicurus;

forthispreceptofhissect，Concealthylife，thatforbidsmentoencumberthemselveswithpublicnegotiationsandoffices，alsonecessarilypresupposesacontemptofglory，whichistheworld’sapprobationofthoseactionsweproduceinpublic。——[Plutarch，Whetherthesaying，Concealthylife，iswellsaid。]——Hethatbidsusconcealourselves，andtohavenootherconcernbutforourselves，andwhowillnothaveusknowntoothers，wouldmuchlesshaveushonouredandglorified;andsoadvisesIdomeneusnotinanysorttoregulatehisactionsbythecommonreputationoropinion，exceptsoastoavoidtheotheraccidentalinconveniencesthatthecontemptofmenmightbringuponhim。

Thesediscoursesare，inmyopinion，verytrueandrational;butweare，Iknownothow，doubleinourselves，whichisthecausethatwhatwebelievewedonotbelieve，andcannotdisengageourselvesfromwhatwecondemn。LetusseethelastanddyingwordsofEpicurus;theyaregrand，andworthyofsuchaphilosopher，andyettheycarrysometouchesoftherecommendationofhisnameandofthathumourhehaddecriedbyhisprecepts。Hereisaletterthathedictatedalittlebeforehislastgasp:

"EPICUYUSTOHEYMACHUS，health。

"WhilstIwaspassingoverthehappyandlastdayofmylife，I

writethis，but，atthesametime，afflictedwithsuchpaininmybladderandbowelsthatnothingcanbegreater，butitwasrecompensedwiththepleasuretheremembranceofmyinventionsanddoctrinesbroughttomysoul。Now，astheaffectionthouhasteverfromthyinfancybornetowardsmeandphilosophyrequires，takeupontheetheprotectionofMetrodorus’children。"

Thisistheletter。Andthatwhichmakesmeinterpretthatthepleasurehesayshehadinhissoulconcerninghisinventions，hassomereferencetothereputationhehopedforthenceafterhisdeath，isthemannerofhiswill，inwhichhegivesorderthatAmynomachusandTimocrates，hisheirs，should，everyJanuary，defraytheexpenseofthecelebrationofhisbirthdayasHermachusshouldappoint;andalsotheexpensethatshouldbemadethetwentiethofeverymooninentertainingthephilosophers，hisfriends，whoshouldassembleinhonourofthememoryofhimandofMetrodorus。——[Cicero，DeFinibus，ii。30。]

Carneadeswasheadofthecontraryopinion，andmaintainedthatglorywastobedesiredforitself，evenasweembraceourposthumousissueforthemselves，havingnoknowledgenorenjoymentofthem。Thisopinionhasnotfailedtobethemoreuniversallyfollowed，asthosecommonlyarethataremostsuitabletoourinclinations。Aristotlegivesitthefirstplaceamongstexternalgoods;andavoids，astooextremevices，theimmoderateeitherseekingorevadingit。Ibelievethat，ifwehadthebooksCicerowroteuponthissubject，weshouldtherefindprettystories;forhewassopossessedwiththispassion，that，ifhehaddared，Ithinkhecouldwillinglyhavefallenintotheexcessthatothersdid，thatvirtueitselfwasnottobecoveted，butupontheaccountofthehonourthatalwaysattendsit:

"PaulumsepultaedistatinertiaeCelatavirtus:"

["Virtueconcealedlittlediffersfromdeadsloth。"

——Horace，Od。，iv。9，29。]

whichisanopinionsofalse，thatIamvexeditcouldeverenterintotheunderstandingofamanthatwashonouredwiththenameofphilosopher。

Ifthisweretrue，menneednotbevirtuousbutinpublic;andweshouldbenofurtherconcernedtokeeptheoperationsofthesoul，whichisthetrueseatofvirtue，regularandinorder，thanastheyaretoarriveattheknowledgeofothers。Istherenomoreinit，then，butonlyslilyandwithcircumspectiontodoill？"Ifthouknowest，"saysCarneades，"ofaserpentlurkinginaplacewhere，withoutsuspicion，apersonisgoingtositdown，bywhosedeaththouexpectestanadvantage，thoudostillifthoudostnotgivehimcautionofhisdanger;andsomuchthemorebecausetheactionistobeknownbynonebutthyself。"Ifwedonottakeupofourselvestheruleofwell—doing，ifimpunitypasswithusforjustice，tohowmanysortsofwickednessshallweeverydayabandonourselves？IdonotfindwhatSextusPeduceusdid，infaithfullyrestoringthetreasurethatC。Plotiushadcommittedtohissolesecrecyandtrust，athingthatIhaveoftendonemyself，socommendable，asI

shouldthinkitanexecrablebaseness，hadwedoneotherwise;andIthinkitofgooduseinourdaystorecalltheexampleofP。SextiliusRufus，whomCiceroaccusestohaveentereduponaninheritancecontrarytohisconscience，notonlynotagainstlaw，butevenbythedeterminationofthelawsthemselves;andM。CrassusandHortensius，who，byreasonoftheirauthorityandpower，havingbeencalledinbyastrangertoshareinthesuccessionofaforgedwill，thatsohemightsecurehisownpart，satisfiedthemselveswithhavingnohandintheforgery，andrefusednottomaketheiradvantageandtocomeinforashare:secureenough，iftheycouldshroudthemselvesfromaccusations，witnesses，andthecognisanceofthelaws:

"MeminerintDeumsehaberetestem，idest（utegoarbitror）

mentemsuam。"

["LetthemconsidertheyhaveGodtowitness，thatis（asI

interpretit），theirownconsciences。"——Cicero，DeOffic。，iii。10。]

Virtueisaveryvainandfrivolousthingifitderiveitsrecommendationfromglory;and’tistonopurposethatweendeavourtogiveitastationbyitself，andseparateitfromfortune;forwhatismoreaccidentalthanreputation？

"Profectofortunainomniredominatur:earescunctasexlibidinemagis，quhmexvero，celebrat，obscuratque。"

["Fortunerulesinallthings;itadvancesanddepressesthingsmoreoutofitsownwillthanofrightandjustice。"

——Sallust，Catilina，c。8。]

Sotoorderitthatactionsmaybeknownandseenispurelytheworkoffortune;’tischancethathelpsustoglory，accordingtoitsowntemerity。Ihaveoftenseenhergobeforemerit，andoftenverymuchoutstripit。Hewhofirstlikenedglorytoashadowdidbetterthanhewasawareof;theyarebothofthemthingspre—eminentlyvaingloryalso，likeashadow，goessometimesbeforethebody，andsometimesinlengthinfinitelyexceedsit。Theywhoinstructgentlemenonlytoemploytheirvalourfortheobtainingofhonour:

"Quasinonsithonestum，quodnobilitatumnonsit;"

["Asthoughitwerenotavirtue，unlesscelebrated"

——CiceroDeOffic。iii。10。]

whatdotheyintendbythatbuttoinstructthemnevertohazardthemselvesiftheyarenotseen，andtoobservewelliftherebewitnessespresentwhomaycarrynewsoftheirvalour，whereasathousandoccasionsofwell—doingpresentthemselveswhichcannotbetakennoticeof？Howmanybraveindividualactionsareburiedinthecrowdofabattle？Whoevershalltakeuponhimtowatchanother’sbehaviourinsuchaconfusionisnotverybusyhimself，andthetestimonyheshallgiveofhiscompanions’deportmentwillbeevidenceagainsthimself:

"Veraetsapiensanimimagnitudo，honestumillud，quodmaximenaturamsequitur，infactispositum，noningloria，judicat。"

["Thetrueandwisemagnanimityjudgesthatthebraverywhichmostfollowsnaturemoreconsistsinactthanglory。"

——Cicero，DeOffic。i。19。]

AlltheglorythatIpretendtoderivefrommylifeisthatIhaveliveditinquiet;inquiet，notaccordingtoMetrodorus，orArcesilaus，orAristippus，butaccordingtomyself。Forseeingphilosophyhasnotbeenabletofindoutanywaytotranquillitythatisgoodincommon，leteveryoneseekitinparticular。

TowhatdoCaesarandAlexanderowetheinfinitegrandeuroftheirrenownbuttofortune？Howmanymenhassheextinguishedinthebeginningoftheirprogress，ofwhomwehavenoknowledge，whobroughtasmuchcouragetotheworkasthey，iftheiradversehaphadnotcutthemoffinthefirstsallyoftheirarms？AmongstsomanyandsogreatdangersIdonotrememberIhaveanywherereadthatCaesarwaseverwounded;athousandhavefalleninlessdangersthantheleastofthosehewentthrough。Aninfinitenumberofbraveactionsmustbeperformedwithoutwitnessandlost，beforeoneturnstoaccount。Amanisnotalwaysonthetopofabreach，orattheheadofanarmy，inthesightofhisgeneral，asuponascaffold;amanisoftensurprisedbetwixtthehedgeandtheditch;hemustrunthehazardofhislifeagainstahenroost;hemustdislodgefourrascallymusketeersoutofabarn;hemustprickoutsinglefromhisparty，andalonemakesomeattempts，accordingasnecessitywillhaveit。

Andwhoeverwillobservewill，Ibelieve，finditexperimentallytrue，thatoccasionsoftheleastlustreareeverthemostdangerous;andthatinthewarsofourowntimestherehavemorebravemenbeenlostinoccasionsoflittlemoment，andinthedisputeaboutsomelittlepaltryfort，thaninplacesofgreatestimportance，andwheretheirvalourmighthavebeenmorehonourablyemployed。

Whothinkshisdeathachievedtoillpurposeifhedonotfallonsomesignaloccasion，insteadofillustratinghisdeath，wilfullyobscureshislife，sufferinginthemeantimemanyveryjustoccasionsofhazardinghimselftoslipoutofhishands;andeveryjustoneisillustriousenough，everyman’sconsciencebeingasufficienttrumpettohim。

"Glorianostraesttestimoniumconscientiaenostrae。"

["Forourrejoicingisthis，thetestimonyofourconscience。"

——Corinthians，i。I。]

Hewhoisonlyagoodmanthatmenmayknowit，andthathemaybethebetteresteemedwhen’tisknown;whowillnotdowellbutuponconditionthathisvirtuemaybeknowntomen:isonefromwhommuchserviceisnottobeexpected:

"Credoch’elrestediquelverno，coseFacessedegneditenerneconto;

Mafurfin’aqueltemposinascose，Chenonacolpamias’hor’nonlecontoPercheOrlandoafarl’oprevirtuosePiuch’anarrarlepoisempreerapronto;

Nemaifualcun’de’suoifattiespresso，Senonquandoebbeitestimoniiappresso。"

["Therestofthewinter，Ibelieve，wasspentinactionsworthyofnarration，buttheyweredonesosecretlythatifIdonottellthemIamnottoblame，forOrlandowasmorebenttodogreatactsthantoboastofthem，sothatnodeedsofhiswereeverknownbutthosethathadwitnesses。"——Ariosto，OrlandoFurioso，xi。81。]

Amanmustgotothewarupontheaccountofduty，andexpecttherecompensethatneverfailsbraveandworthyactions，howprivatesoever，orevenvirtuousthoughts—thesatisfactionthatawell—disposedconsciencereceivesinitselfindoingwell。Amanmustbevaliantforhimself，anduponaccountoftheadvantageitistohimtohavehiscourageseatedinafirmandsecureplaceagainsttheassaultsoffortune:

"Virtus，repulsaanesciasordidxIntaminatisfulgethonoribusNecsumit，autponitsecuresArbitriopopularisaura。"

["Virtue，repudiatingallbaserepulse，shinesintaintlesshonours，nortakesnorleavesdignityatthemerewillofthevulgar。"——Horace，Od。，iii。2，17。]

Itisnotforoutwardshowthatthesoulistoplayitspart，butforourselveswithin，wherenoeyescanpiercebutourown;thereshedefendsusfromthefearofdeath，ofpain，ofshameitself:thereshearmsusagainstthelossofourchildren，friends，andfortunes:andwhenopportunitypresentsitself，sheleadsusontothehazardsofwar:

"Nonemolumentoaliquo，sedipsiushonestatisdecore。"

["Notforanyprofit，butforthehonourofhonestyitself。"

——Cicero，DeFinib。，i。10。]

Thisprofitisofmuchgreateradvantage，andmoreworthytobecovetedandhopedfor，than