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
But if the pleasure of life is hindered by the graver diseases of the
body, how much more must it be so by those of the mind? But the diseases
of the mind are boundless and vain desires of riches, or glory, or
domination, or even of lustful pleasures. Besides these there are
melancholy, annoyance, sorrow, which eat up and destroy with anxiety the
minds of those men who do not understand that the mind ought not to grieve
about anything which is unconnected with some present or future pain of
body. Nor is there any fool who does not suffer under some one of these
diseases. Therefore there is no fool who is not miserable. Besides these
things there is death, which is always hanging over us as his rock is over
Tantalus; and superstition, a feeling which prevents any one who is imbued
with it from ever enjoying tranquillity. Besides, such men as they do not
recollect their past good fortune, do not enjoy what is present, but do
nothing but expect what is to come; and as that cannot be certain, they
wear themselves out with grief and apprehension, and are tormented most
especially when they find out, after it is too late, that they have
devoted themselves to the pursuit of money, or authority, or power, or
glory, to no purpose. For they have acquired no pleasures, by the hope of
enjoying which it was that they were inflamed to undertake so many great
labours. There are others, of little and narrow minds, either always
despairing of everything, or else malcontent, envious, ill-tempered,
churlish, calumnious, and morose; others devoted to amatory pleasures,
others petulant, others audacious, wanton, intemperate, or idle, never
continuing in the same opinion; on which account there is never any
interruption to the annoyances to which their life is exposed.
Therefore, there is no fool who is happy, and no wise man who is not. And
we put this much more forcibly and truly than the Stoics: for they assert
that there is no good whatever, but some imaginary shadow which they call
τὸ καλὸν, a name showy rather than substantial; and they insist upon it,
that virtue relying on this principle of honour stands in need of no
pleasure, and is content with its own resources as adequate to secure a
happy life.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account