large/7215/moralia1_1301_librivox_64kb_mp3/morals1_12_plutarch_64kb_17
large/7215/moralia1_1301_librivox_64kb_mp3/morals1_12_plutarch_64kb
English
7215
So all are eager for what is above them, and are never content with what they have. The wealth of golden Gyges has no delight for me. SO ALL ARE EAGER FOR WHAT IS ABOVE THEM AND ARE NEVER CONTENT WITH WHAT THEY HAVE THE WEALTH OF GOLDEN GUYGIES HAS NO DEIGHT FOR ME
ill not restrain the prospect to themselves, but are perpetually looking abroad, and so become servile admirers of other men's fortune and reputation ; as adulterers are always gloating upon other men's wives and contemning their own. 10. Besides, this is a thing highly conducing to the tranquillity of the mind, for a man chiefly to consider him- self and his own aff"airs. But if this always cannot take place, he should not make comparisons wdth men of a superior condition to himself; though this is the epidemi OF THE TRANQUILLITY OF THE MIND. 149 cal frenzy of the vulgar. As for instance, slaves wlio lie in fetters applaud their good fortune whose shackles are off ; those who are loosed from their bonds Avould be free men by manumission ; these again aspire to be citizens ; the citizen would be rich ; the wealthy man would be a gover- nor of a provhice ; the haughty governor would be a king, and the king a God, hardly resting content unless he can hurl thunderbolts and dart lightning. N THEM WHICH WILL NOT ONLY DETAIN BUT PLEASE THEIR CONSIDERATION BUT THEY WILL NOT RESTRAIN THE PROSPECT TO THEMSELVES BUT ARE PERPETUALLY LOOKING ABROAD AND SO BECOME SERVILE ADMIRERS OF OTHER MEN'S FORTUNE AND REPUTATION AS ADULTERERS ARE ALWAYS GLOATING UPON OTHER MEN'S WIVES AND CONDEMNING THEIR OWN BESIDES THIS IS A THING HIGHLY CONDUCING TO THE TRANQUILLITY OF THE MIND FOR A MAN CHIEFLY TO CONSIDER HIMSELF AND HIS OWN AFFAIRS BUT IF THIS ALWAYS CANNOT TAKE PLACE HE SHOULD NOT MAKE COMPARISONS WITH MEN OF A SUPERIOR CONDITION TO HIMSELF THOUGH THIS IS THE EPIDEMICAL FRENZY OF THE VULGAR AS FOR INSTANCE SLAVES WHO LIE IN FETTERS APPLAUD THEIR GOOD FORTUNE WHOSE SHACKLES ARE OFF THOSE WHO ARE LOOSE FROM THEIR BONDS WOULD BE FREE MEN BY MANUMISSION THESE AGAIN ASPIRE TO BE CITIZENS THE CITIZEN WOULD BE RICH THE WEALTHY MAN WOULD BE A GOVERNOR OF A PROVINCE THE HAUGHTY GOVERNOR WOULD BE A KING AND THE KING A GOD HARDLY RESTING CONTENT UNLESS HE CAN HURL THUNDERBOLTS AND DART LIGHTNING
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