The Academic Questions, Treatise De Finibus, and Tusculan Disputations, of M.T. Cicero, With a Sketch of the Greek Philosophers Mentioned by CiceroCicero, Marcus Tullius
Philosophy
The Academic Questions, Treatise De Finibus, and Tusculan Disputations, of M.T. Cicero, With a Sketch of the Greek Philosophers Mentioned by Cicero
Cicero, Marcus Tullius
Ethics -- Early works to 1800; Happiness -- Early works to 1800
This now is entirely evident, that the very greatest pleasure or annoyance
of the mind contributes more to making life happy or miserable than either
of these feelings can do if it is in the body for an equal length of time.
But we do not agree that, if pleasure be taken away, grief follows
immediately, unless by chance it happens that pain has succeeded and taken
the place of pleasure; but, on the other hand, we affirm that men do
rejoice at getting rid of pain even if no pleasure which can affect the
senses succeeds. And from this it may be understood how great a pleasure
it is not to be in pain. But as we are roused by those good things which
we are in expectation of, so we rejoice at those which we recollect. But
foolish men are tortured by the recollection of past evils; wise men are
delighted by the memory of past good things, which are thus renewed by the
agreeable recollection. But there is a feeling implanted in us by which we
bury adversity as it were in a perpetual oblivion, but dwell with pleasure
and delight on the recollection of good fortune. But when with eager and
attentive minds we dwell on what is past, the consequence is, that
melancholy ensues, if the past has been unprosperous; but joy, if it has
been fortunate.
XVIII. Oh what a splendid, and manifest, and simple, and plain way of
living well! For as certainly nothing could be better for man than to be
free from all pain and annoyance, and to enjoy the greatest pleasures of
both mind and body, do you not see how nothing is omitted which can aid
life, so as to enable men more easily to arrive at that chief good which
is their object! Epicurus cries out—the very man whom you pronounce to be
too devoted to pleasure—that man cannot live agreeably, unless he lives
honourably, justly, and wisely; and that, if he lives wisely, honourably,
and justly, it is impossible that he should not live agreeably. For a city
in sedition cannot be happy, nor can a house in which the masters are
quarrelling. So that a mind which disagrees and quarrels with itself,
cannot taste any portion of clear and unrestrained pleasure. And a man who
is always giving in to pursuits and plans which are inconsistent with and
contrary to one another, can never know any quiet or tranquillity.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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