Be persuaded that things of a laborious nature contribute more than pleasures to virtue. Every passion of the soul is most hostile to its salvation. It is difficult to walk at one and the same time in many paths of life.[77] Pythagoras said, it is requisite to choose the most excellent life; for custom will make it pleasant. Wealth is an infirm anchor, glory is still more infirm; and in a similar manner the body, dominion, and honor. For all these are imbecile and powerless. What then are powerful anchors? Prudence, magnanimity, fortitude. These no tempest can shake. This is the law of God, that virtue is the only thing that is strong; and that every thing else is a trifle. All the parts of human life, in the same manner as those of a statue, ought to be beautiful. A statue indeed standing on its basis, but a worthy man on the subject of his deliberate choice, ought to be immovable. Frankincense ought to be given to the Gods, but praise to good men. It is requisite to defend those who are unjustly accused of having acted injuriously, but to praise those who excel in a certain good. Neither will the horse be judged to be generous, that is sumptuously adorned, but the horse whose nature is illustrious; nor is the man worthy who possesses great wealth, but he whose soul is generous. When the wise man opens his mouth, the beauties of his soul present themselves to the view, like the statues in a temple.[78] Remind yourself that all men assert that wisdom is the greatest good, but that there are few who strenuously endeavour to obtain this greatest good.[79] Pythagoras. Be sober, and remember to be disposed to believe; for these are the nerves of wisdom. Epicharmus. It is better to live lying on the grass, confiding in divinity and yourself, than to lie on a golden bed with perturbation. You will not be in want of any thing, which it is in the power of Fortune to give and take away.[80] Despise all those things, which when liberated from the body you will not want; and exercising yourself in those things of which when liberated from the body you will be in want, invoke the Gods to become your helpers.[81] Neither is it possible to conceal fire in a garment, nor a base deviation from rectitude in time. Wind indeed increases fire, but custom love.[82] Those alone are dear to divinity, who are hostile to injustice.[83] Those things which the body necessarily requires, are easily to be procured by all men, without labor and molestation; but those things to the attainment of which labor and molestation are requisite, are objects of desire, not to the body, but to depraved opinion. Aristoxenus Pythag. Stob. p. 132.