st
this the fact that you have not the want (desire) of power; when you see
another rich, see what you possess in place of riches: for if you
possess nothing in place of them, you are miserable; but if you have not
the want of riches, know that you possess more than this man possesses
and what is worth much more.

* * * * *

WHAT THINGS WE OUGHT TO DESPISE AND WHAT THINGS WE OUGHT TO VALUE.--The
difficulties of all men are about external things, their helplessness is
about external. What shall I do? how will it be? how will it turn out?
will this happen? will that? All these are the words of those who are
turning themselves to things which are not within the power of the will.
For who says, How shall I not assent to that which is false? how shall I
not turn away from the truth? If a man be of such a good disposition as
to be anxious about these things I will remind him of this: Why are you
anxious? The thing is in your own power, be assured; do not be
precipitate in assenting before you apply the natural rule. On the other
side, if a man is anxious (uneasy) about desire, lest it fail in its
purpose and miss its end, and with respect to the avoidance of things,
lest he should fall into that which he would avoid, I will first kiss
(love) him, because he throws away the things about which others are in
a flutter (others desire) and their fears, and employs his thoughts
about his own affairs and his own condition. Then I shall say to him: If
you do not choose to desire that which you will fail to obtain nor to
attempt to avoid that into which you will fall, desire nothing which
belongs to (which is in the power of) others, nor try to avoid any of
the things which are not in your power. If you do not observe this rule,
you must of necessity fail in your desires and fall into that which you
would avoid. What is the difficulty here? where is there room for the
words How will it be? and How will it turn out? and Will this happen or
that?

Now is not that which will happen independent of the will? Yes. And the
nature of good and of evil, is it not in the things which are within the
power of the will? Yes. Is it in your power then to treat according to
nature everything which happens? Can any person hinder you? No man. No
longer then say to me, How will it be? For, however it may be, you will
dispose of it well, and the result to you will be a fortunate one. What
would Hercules have been if he sa