and not common property? How many poets give forth ideas that have been uttered, or may be uttered, by philosophers! I need not touch upon the tragedians and our writers of national drama; for these last are also somewhat serious, and stand half-way between comedy and tragedy. What a quantity of sagacious verses lie buried in the mime! How many of Publilius's lines are worthy of being spoken by buskin-clad actors, as well as by wearers of the slipper!4
I shall quote one verse of his, which concerns philosophy, and particularly that phase of it which we were discussing a moment ago, wherein he says that the gifts of Chance are not to be regarded as part of our possessions:
Still alien is whatever you have gained
By coveting.5
I recall that you yourself expressed this idea much more happily and concisely:
What Chance has made yours is not really yours.
And a third, spoken by you still more happily, shall not be omitted:
The good that could be given, can be removed.
I shall not charge this up to the expense account, because I have given it to you from your own stock. Farewell.
Notes
1 1 As contrasted with the general Stoic doctrine of taking part in the world's work.
2 2 From Epicurus (lxxxv, 33), the famous saying of the Rhodian pilot.
3 3 Literally ‘spun around’ by the master and dismissed to freedom.
4 4 i.e. comedians or mimes.
5 5 Publilius Syrius, Sententiae.
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».
Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.
Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.
