large/7215/moralia1_1301_librivox_64kb_mp3/morals1_12_plutarch_64kb_86
large/7215/moralia1_1301_librivox_64kb_mp3/morals1_12_plutarch_64kb
English
7215
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. So all are eager for what is above them, and are never content with what they have. 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 SO ALL ARE EAGER FOR WHAT IS ABOVE THEM AND ARE NEVER CONTENT WITH WHAT THEY HAVE
etter enabled to endure their loss Avith evenness of temper. But most men, as Arcesi- laus observed, think they must be critics upon other men's poems, survey their pictures with a curious eye, and examine their statues with all the delicacy of sculpture, but in the meanwhile transiently pass over their own lives, though there be some things in 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 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. FACTION AND GAIN A SOLID PLEASURE FROM THEM THAT SO WE MAY BE THE BETTER ENABLED TO ENDURE THEIR LOSS WITH EVENNESS OF TEMPER BUT MOST MEN AS ARCHICILUS OBSERVED THINK THEY MUST BE CRITICS UPON OTHER MEN'S POEMS SURVEY THEIR PICTURES WITH A CURIOUS EYE AND EXAMINE THEIR STATUES WITH ALL THE DELICACY OF SCULPTURE BUT IN THE MEANWHILE TRANSIENTLY PASS OVER THEIR OWN LIVES THOUGH THERE BE SOME THINGS IN 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
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