[Sidenote: _P._ Why so? The wise man ought not to be cast down, when he has to wage war with Fortune, no more than the valiant man ought to be dismayed on hearing the noise of the battle.] ¶ whi so q{uo}d she. [Sidenote: [* fol. 33.]] For ryȝt as no strong man ne semeþ nat to 4212 abassen or disdaigne{n} as *ofte tyme as he hereþ þe noise of þe bataile. ne also it ne semeþ nat to þe wyse man to beren it greuously as oft[e] as he is lad in to þe strif of fortune. [Sidenote: The dangers of war enable the one to acquire more glory, and the difficulties of the other aid him to confirm and improve his wisdom.] for boþe to þat on man {and} eke to þat oþ{er} 4216 þilke difficulte is þe matere to þat oon man of encrese of his glorious renou{n}. {and} to þat oþer man to conferme hys sapience. þat is to seine þe asprenesse of hys estat. [Sidenote: Thus virtue, in its literal acceptation, is a power that, relying on its own strength, overcomes all obstacles.] ¶ For þerfore is it called uertue. for þat it susteniþ {and} 4220 enforceþ by hys strengþes þat it nis nat ouer-come{n} by aduersites. [Sidenote: You, who have made so much progress in virtue, are not to be carried away by delights and bodily lusts.] ¶ Ne certys þou þat art put in þe encrese or in þe heyȝt of uertue ne hast nat comen to fleten wiþ delices {and} forto welken in bodyly lust. [Sidenote: You must engage in a fierce conflict with every fortune--with adversity, lest it dismay you--with prosperity, lest it corrupt you.] ¶ þou sowest 4224 or plauntest a ful egre bataile in þi corage aȝeins euery fortune. for þat þe sorweful fortune ne co{n}fou{n}de þe nat. ne þat þe myrye fortune ne corrumpe þe nat. [Sidenote: Seize the _golden mean_ with all your strength. All below or above this line is a contemptible and a thankless felicity.] ¶ Occupy þe mene by stedfast strengþes. for al þat euer is vndir 4228 þe mene. or ellys al þat ou{er}-passeþ þe mene despiseþ welefulnesses. ¶ As who seiþ. it is vicious {and} ne haþ no mede of hys trauaile. [Sidenote: The choice of fortune lies in your own hands, but remember that even adverse fortune, unless it exercises the virtues of the good or chastises the wicked, is a punishment.] ¶ For it is set in ȝour{e} hand. as who seiþ it lieþ in ȝour{e} power what fortune ȝow is 4232 leuest. þat is to seyne good or yuel. ¶ For alle fortune þat semeþ sharpe or aspre yif it ne ex{er}cise nat þe good [[pg 147]] folk. ne chastisiþ þe wicked folk. it punisseþ.