VIII。　　As　we　say　commonly；　The　physician　hath　prescribed　unto　this　man；　riding；　unto　another；　cold　baths；　unto　a　third；　to　go　barefoot：　so　it　is　alike　to　say；　The　nature　of　the　universe　hath　prescribed　unto　this　man　sickness；　or　blindness；　or　some　loss；　or　damage　or　some　such　thing。　　For　as　there；　when　we　say　of　a　physician；　that　he　hath　prescribed　anything；　our　meaning　is；　that　he　hath　appointed　this　for　that；　as　subordinate　and　conducing　to　health：　so　here；　whatsoever　doth　happen　unto　any；　is　ordained　unto　him　as　a　thing　subordinate　unto　the　fates；　and　therefore　do　we　say　of　such　things；　that　they　do　happen；　or　fall　together；　as　of　square　stones；　when　either　in　walls；　or　pyramids　in　a　certain　position　they　fit　one　another；　and　agree　as　it　were　in　an　harmony；　the　masons　say；　that　they　do　（sumbainein）　as　if　thou　shouldest　say；　fall　together：　　so　that　in　the　general；　though　the　things　be　divers　that　make　it；　yet　the　consent　or　harmony　itself　is　but　one。　And　as　the　whole　world　is　made　up　of　all　the　particular　bodies　of　the　world；　one　perfect　and　complete　body；　of　the　same　nature　that　particular　bodies；　so　is　the　destiny　of　particular　causes　and　events　one　general　one；　of　the　same　nature　that　particular　causes　are。　What　I　now　say；　even　they　that　are　mere　idiots　are　not　ignorant　of：　for　they　say　commonly　（touto　eferen　autw）　that　is；　This　his　destiny　hath　brought　upon　him。　　This　therefore　is　by　the　fates　properly　and　particularly　brought　upon　this；　as　that　unto　this　in　particular　is　by　the　physician　prescribed。　　These　therefore　let　us　accept　of　in　like　manner；　as　we　do　those　that　are　prescribed　unto　us　our　physicians。　For　them　also　in　themselves　shall　We　find　to　contain　many　harsh　things；　but　we　nevertheless；　in　hope　of　health；　and　recovery；　accept　of　them。　　Let。　　the　fulfilling'　and　accomplishment　of　those　things　which　the　common　nature　bath　determined；　be　unto　thee　as　thy　health。　Accept　then；　and　be　pleased　with　whatsoever　doth　happen；　though　otherwise　harsh　and　un…pleasing；　as　tending　to　that　end；　to　the　health　and　welfare　of　the　universe；　and　to　Jove's　happiness　and　prosperity。　　For　this　whatsoever　it　be；　should　not　have　been　produced；　had　it　not　conduced　to　the　good　of　the　universe。　For　neither　doth　any　ordinary　particular　nature　bring　anything　to　pass；　that　is　not　to　whatsoever　is　within　the　sphere　of　its　own　proper　administration　and　government　agreeable　and　subordinate。　For　these　two　considerations　then　thou　must　be　well　pleased　with　anything　that　doth　happen　unto　thee。　　First；　because　that　for　thee　properly　it　was　brought　to　pass；　and　unto　thee　it　was　prescribed；　and　that　from　the　very　beginning　by　the　series　and　connection　of　the　first　causes；　it　hath　ever　had　a　reference　unto　thee。　And　secondly；　because　the　good　success　and　perfect　welfare；　and　indeed　the　very　continuance　of　Him；　that　is　the　Administrator　of　the　whole；　doth　in　a　manner　depend　on　it。　　For　the　whole　（because　whole；　therefore　entire　and　perfect）　is　maimed；　and　mutilated；　if　thou　shalt　cut　off　anything　at　all；　whereby　the　coherence；　and　contiguity　as　of　parts；　so　of　causes；　is　maintained　and　preserved。　Of　which　certain　it　is；　that　thou　doest　（as　much　as　lieth　in　thee）　cut　off；　and　in　some　sort　violently　take　somewhat　away；　as　often　as　thou　art　displeased　with　anything　that　happeneth。
  IX。　　Be　not　discontented；　be　not　disheartened；　be　not　out　of　hope；　if　often　it　succeed　not　so　well　with　thee　punctually　and　precisely　to　do　all　things　according　to　the　right　dogmata；　but　being　once　cast　off；　return　unto　them　again：　　and　as　for　those　many　and　more　frequent　occurrences；　either　of　worldly　distractions；　or　human　infirmities；　which　as　a　man　thou　canst　not　but　in　some　measure　be　subject　unto；　be　not　thou　discontented　with　them；　but　however；　love　and　affect　that　only　which　thou　dust　return　unto：　a　philosopher's　life；　and　proper　occupation　after　the　most　exact　manner。　And　when　thou　dust　return　to　thy　philosophy；　return　not　unto　it　as　the　manner　of　some　is；　after　play　and　liberty　as　it　were；　to　their　schoolmasters　and　pedagogues；　but　as　they　that　have　sore　eyes　to　their　sponge　and　egg：　　or　as　another　to　his　cataplasm；　or　as　others　to　their　fomentations：　　so　shalt　not　thou　make　it　a　matter　of　ostentation　at　all　to　obey　reason　but　of　ease　and　comfort。　And　remember　that　philosophy　requireth　nothing　of　thee；　but　what　thy　nature　requireth；　and　wouldest　thou　thyself　desire　anything　that　is　not　according　to　nature？　for　which　of　these　sayest　thou；　that　which　is　according　to　nature　or　against　it；　is　of　itself　more　kind　and　pleasing？　　Is　it　not　for　that　respect　especially；　that　pleasure　itself　is　to　so　many　men's　hurt　and　overthrow；　most　prevalent；　because　esteemed　commonly　most　kind；　and　natural？　But　consider　well　whether　magnanimity　rather；　and　true　liberty；　and　true　simplicity；　and　equanimity；　and　holiness；　whether　these　be　not　most　kind　and　natural？　　And　prudency　itself；　what　more　kind　and　amiable　than　it；　when　thou　shalt　truly　consider　with　thyself；　what　it　is　through　all　the　proper　objects　of　thy　rational　intellectual　faculty　currently　to　go　on　without　any　fall　or　stumble？　As　for　the　things　of　the　world；　their　true　nature　is　in　a　manner　so　involved　with　obscurity；　that　unto　many　philosophers；　and　those　no　mean　ones；　they　seemed　altogether　incomprehensible。　and　the　Stoics　themselves；　though　they　judge　them　not　altogether　incomprehensible；　yet　scarce　and　not　without　much　difficulty；　comprehensible；　so　that　all　assent　of　ours　is　fallible；　for　who　is　he　that　is　infallible　in　his　conclusions？　》From　the　nature　of　things；　pass　now　unto　their　subjects　and　matter：　how　temporary；　how　vile　are　they　I　such　as　may　be　in　the　power　and　possession　of　some　abominable　loose　liver；　of　some　common　strumpet；　of　some　notorious　oppressor　and　extortioner。　Pass　from　thence　to　the　dispositions　of　them　that　thou　doest　ordinarily　converse　with；　how　hardly　do　we　bear；　even　with　the　most　loving　and　amiable！　that　I　may　not　say；　how　hard　it　is　for　us　to　bear　even　with　our　own　selves；　in　such　obscurity；　and　impurity　of　things：　in　such　and　so　continual　a　flux　both　of　the　substances　and　time；　both　of　the　motions　themselves；　and　things　moved；　what　it　is　that　we　can　fasten　upon；　either　to　honour；　and　respect　especially；　or　seriously；　and　studiously　to　seek　after；　I　cannot　so　much　as　conceive　For　indeed　they　are　things　contrary。　　X。　Thou　must　comfort　thyself　in　the　expectation　of　thy　natural　dissolution；　and　in　the　meantime　not　grieve　at　the　delay；　but　rest　contented　in　those　two　things。　First；　that　nothing　shall　happen　unto　thee；　which　is　not　according　to　the　nature　of　the　universe。　　Secondly；　that　it　is　in　thy　power；　to　do　nothing　against　thine　own　proper　God；　and　inward　spirit。　For　it　is　not　in　any　man's　power　to　constrain　thee　to　transgress　against　him。　　XI。　　What　is　the　use　that　now　at　this　present　I　make　of　my　soul？　　Thus　from　time　to　time　and　upon　all　occasions　thou　must　put　this　question　to　thyself；　what　is　now　that　part　of　mine　which　they　call　the　rational　mistress　part；　employed　about？　Whose　soul　do　I　now　properly　possess？　a　child's？　or　a　youth's？　a　woman's？　or　a　tyrant's？　some　brute；　or　some　wild　beast's　soul？　XII。　　What　those　things　are　in　themselves；　which　by　the　greatest　part　are　esteemed　good；　thou　mayest　gather　even　from　this。　For　if　a　man　shall　hear　things　mentioned　as　good；　which　are　really　good　indeed；　such　as　are　prudence；　temperance；　justice；　fortitude；　after　so　much　heard　and　conceived；　he　cannot　endure　to　hear　of　any　more；　for　the　word　good　is　properly　spoken　of　them。　But　as　for　those　which　by　the　vulgar　are　esteemed　good；　if　he　shall　hear　them　mentioned　as　good；　he　doth　hearken　for　more。　He　is　well　contented　to　hear；　that　what　is　spoken　by　the　comedian；　is　but　familiarly　and　popularly　spoken；　so　that　even　the　vulgar　apprehend　the　difference。　　For　why　is　it　else；　that　this　offends　not　and　needs　not　to　be　excused；　when　virtues　are　styled　good：　but　that　which　is　spoken　in　commendation　of　wealth；　pleasure；　or　honour；　we　entertain　it　only　as　merrily　and　pleasantly　spoken？　Proceed　therefore；　and　inquire　further；　whether　it　may　not　be　that　those　things　also　which　being　mentioned　upon　the　stage　were　merrily；　and　with　great　applause　of　the　multitude；　scoffed　at　with　this　jest；　that　they　that　possessed　them　had　not　in　all　the　world　of　their　own；　（such　was　their　affluence　and　plenty）　so　much　as　a　place　where　to　avoid　their　excrements。　　Whether；　I　say；　those　ought　not　also　in　very　deed　to　be　much　respected；　and　esteemed　of；　as　the　only　things　that　are　truly　good。
  XIII。　　All　that　I　consist　of；　is　either　form　or　matter。　No　corruption　can　reduce　either　of　these　unto　nothing：　for　neither　did　I　of　nothing　become　a　subsistent　creature。　Every　part　of　mine　then。　　will　by　mutation　be　disposed　into　a　certain　part　of　the　whole　world；　and　that　in　time　into　another　part；　and　so　in　infinitum；　by　which　kind　of　mutation；　I　also　became　what　I　am；　and　so　did　they　that　begot　me；　and　they　before　them；　and　so　upwards　in　infinitum。　For　so　we　may　be　allowed　to　speak；　though　the　age　and　government　of　the　world；　be　to　some　certain　periods　of　time　limited；　and　confined。　　XIV。　　Reason；　and　rational　power；　are　faculties　which　content　themselves　with　themselves；　and　their　own　proper　operations。　　And　as　for　their　first　inclination　an