These precepts having mastered, thou shalt know The system of the never-dying gods And dying men, and how from all the rest Each thing is sunder'd, and how held in one: And thou shalt know, as it is right thou shouldst, That nature everywhere is uniform, And so shalt neither hope for things that lie Beyond all hope, nor fail of any truth. But from such food abstain as we have named, And, while thou seek'st to purge and free thy soul, Use judgment, and reflect on everything, Setting o'er all best Thought as charioteer. Be glad to gather goods, nor less to lose. Of human ills that spring from spirit-powers Endure thy part nor peevishly complain. Cure what thou canst: 'tis well, and then reflect: "Fate never lays too much upon the good." Words many, brave and base, assail men's ears. Let these not disconcert or trammel thee; But when untruth is spoken, meekly yield. What next I say in every act observe: Let none by word or deed prevail on thee To do or say what were not best for thee. Think ere thou act, lest foolish things be done;-- For thoughtless deeds and words the caitiff mark;-- But strongly do what will not bring regret. Do naught thou dost not know; but duly learn. So shall thy life with happiness o'erflow. Be not neglectful of thy body's health; But measure use in drink, food, exercise-- I mean by 'measure' what brings no distress. Follow a cleanly, simple mode of life, And guard against such acts as envy breed. Then, if, when thou the body leav'st, thou mount To the free ether, deathless shalt thou be, A god immortal,--mortal never more! In this system six things are noteworthy: (1) Its comprehensiveness, in that it takes account of man's whole nature,--body, soul, and spirit; affections, intellect, and will, and of all his relations--to gods and men, to self and nature: (2) Its aimfulness, in that it promises happiness here and blessedness hereafter, as the reward of right living: (3) Its piety, in that it everywhere recognizes the need of divine assistance: (4) Its appreciation of science, as insight into the nature and grounds of multiplicity and unity: (5) Its stress laid on right doing, as the condition of right knowing: (6) Its belief in man's divinity and perfectibility. It is curious that the poem contains no reference to the doctrine of metempsychosis, which might apparently have been appealed to as a powerful moral sanction.