When she finished her lay, its soothing tones left me spellbound with my ears alert in my eagerness to listen.So a while afterwards I said, 'Greatest comforter of weary minds, how have you cheered me with your deep thoughts and sweet singing too! No more shall I doubt my power to meet the blows of Fortune.So far am I from terror at the remedies which you did lately tell me were sharper, that I am longing to hear them, and eagerly I beg you for them.'
Then said she,' I knew it when you laid hold upon my words in silent attention, and I was waiting for that frame of mind in you, or more truly, I brought it about in you.They that remain are indeed bitter to the tongue, but sweet to the inner man.But as you say you are eager to hear, how ardently you would be burning, if you knew whither I am attempting to lead you! '
Whither is that? ' I asked.
'To the true happiness, of which your soul too dreams;but your sight is taken up in imaginary views thereof, so that you cannot look upon itself.'
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Then said I,' I pray you shew me what that truly is, and quickly.'
'I will do so,' she said,' for your sake willingly.But first I will try to picture in words and give you the form of the cause, which is already better known to you, that so, when that picture is perfect and you turn your eyes to the other side, you may recognise the form of true happiness.
'When a man would sow in virgin soil, first he clears away the bushes, cuts the brambles and the ferns, that the corn-goddess may go forth laden with her new fruit.The honey, that the bee has toiled to give us, is sweeter when the mouth has tasted bitter things.The stars shine with more pleasing grace when a storm has ceased to roar and pour down rain.After the morning star has dispersed the shades of night, the day in all its beauty drives its rosy chariot forth.So thou hast looked upon false happiness first; now draw thy neck from under her yoke: so shall true happiness now come into thy soul.'
She lowered her eyes for a little while as though searching the innermost recesses of her mind; and then she continued: -- ' The trouble of the many and various aims of mortal men bring them much care, and herein they go forward by different paths but strive to reach one end, which is happiness.And that good is that, to which if any man attain, he Page 58can desire nothing further.It is that highest of all good things, and it embraces in itself all good things: if any good is lacking, it cannot be the highest good, since then there is left outside it something which can be desired.Wherefore happiness is a state which is made perfect by the union of all good things.This end all men seek to reach, as I said, though by different paths.For there is implanted by nature in the minds of men a desire for the true good; but error leads them astray towards false goods by wrong paths.
'Some men believe that the highest good is to lack nothing, and so they are at pains to possess abundant riches.Others consider the true good to be that which is most worthy of admiration, and so they strive to attain to places of honour, and to be held by their fellow-citizens in honour thereby.Some determine that the highest good lies in the highest power;and so they either desire to reign themselves, or try to cleave to those who do reign.Others think that renown is the greatest good, and they therefore hasten to make a famous name by the arts of peace or of war.But more than all measure the fruit of good by pleasure and enjoyment, and these think that the happiest man is abandoned to pleasure.
'Further, there are those who confuse the aims and the causes of these good things: as those who desire riches for the sake of power or of pleasure, or those who seek power for the sake of money or celebrity.In these, then, and Page 59other things like to them, lies the aim of men's actions and prayers, such as renown and popularity, which seem to afford some fame, or wife and children, which are sought for the pleasure they give.On the other hand, the good of friends, which is the most honourable and holy of all, lies not in Fortune's but in Virtue's realm.All others are adopted for the sake of power or enjoyment.
'Again, it is plain that the good things of the body must be accounted to those false causes which we have mentioned; for bodily strength and stature seem to make men more able and strong; beauty and swiftness seem to give renown; health seems to give pleasure.By all these happiness alone is plainly desired.For each man holds that to be the highest good, which he seeks before all others.But we have defined the highest good to be happiness.Wherefore what each man desires above all others, he holds to be a state of happiness.
'Wherefore you have each of these placed before you as the form of human happiness: wealth, honours, power, glory, and pleasure.
Epicurus 1 considered these forms alone, and accordingly determined upon pleasure as the highest good, because all the others seemed but 59:1 -- Epicurus (B.C.342-270) was the famous founder of the Epicurean school of philosophy.His school had a large following of Romans under the Empire.His own teaching was of a higher nature than might be supposed from this bare statement that he thought 'pleasure was the highest good.' Page 60to join with it in bringing enjoyment to the mind.
