reason, for it is formed by nature to use all of
them. The third thing in the rational constitution is freedom from error
and from deception. Let then the ruling principle holding fast to these
things go straight on, and it has what is its own.

56. Consider thyself to be dead, and to have completed thy life up to
the present time; and live according to nature the remainder which is
allowed thee.

57. Love that only which happens to thee and is spun with the thread of
thy destiny. For what is more suitable?

58. In everything which happens keep before thy eyes those to whom the
same things happened, and how they were vexed, and treated them as
strange things, and found fault with them: and now where are they?
Nowhere. Why then dost thou too choose to act in the same way? and why
dost thou not leave these agitations which are foreign to nature to
those who cause them and those who are moved by them; and why art thou
not altogether intent upon the right way of making use of the things
which happen to thee? For then thou wilt use them well, and they will be
a material for thee [to work on]. Only attend to thyself, and resolve to
be a good man in every act which thou doest: and remember ...[A]

[A] This section is obscure, and the conclusion is so corrupt
that it is impossible to give any probable meaning to it. It is
better to leave it as it is than to patch it up, as some
critics and translators have done.

59. Look within. Within is the fountain of good, and it will ever bubble
up, if thou wilt ever dig.

60. The body ought to be compact, and to show no irregularity either in
motion or attitude. For what the mind shows in the face by maintaining
in it the expression of intelligence and propriety, that ought to be
required also in the whole body. But all these things should be observed
without affectation.

61. The art of life is more like the wrestler's art than the dancer's,
in respect of this, that it should stand ready and firm to meet onsets
which are sudden and unexpected.

62. Constantly observe who those are whose approbation thou wishest to
have, and what ruling principles they possess. For then thou wilt
neither blame those who offend involuntarily, nor wilt thou want their
approbation, if thou lookest to the sources of their opinions and
appetites.

63. Every soul, the philosopher says, is involuntarily deprived of
truth; consequently in the same way it is deprived of justice and
te