e of it, and that
all which is really felt is capable of being endured. Where shall I begin,
then? shall I superficially go over what I said before, that my discourse
may have a greater scope?

This, then, is agreed upon by all, and not only by learned men, but also
by the unlearned, that it becomes the brave and magnanimous, those that
have patience and a spirit above this world, not to give way to pain. Nor
has there ever been any one who did not commend a man who bore it in this
manner. That, then, which is expected from a brave man, and is commended
when it is seen, it must surely be base in any one to be afraid of at its
approach, or not to bear when it comes. But I would have you consider
whether, as all the right affections of the soul are classed under the
name of virtues, the truth is that this is not properly the name of them
all, but that they all have their name from that leading virtue which is
superior to all the rest: for the name, "virtue," comes from _vir_, a man,
and courage is the peculiar distinction of a man: and this virtue has two
principal duties, to despise death and pain. We must, then, exert these,
if we would be men of virtue, or rather, if we would be men, because
virtue (_virtus_) takes its very name from _vir_, man.

XIX. You may inquire, perhaps, how? and such an inquiry is not amiss, for
philosophy is ready with her assistance. Epicurus offers himself to you, a
man far from a bad, or, I should rather say, a very good man; he advises
no more than he knows. "Despise pain," says he. Who is it saith this? Is
it the same man who calls pain the greatest of all evils? It is not,
indeed, very consistent in him. Let us hear what he says:--"If the pain is
excessive it must needs be short." I must have that over again, for I do
not apprehend what you mean exactly by "excessive" or "short." That is
excessive, than which nothing can be greater; that is short, than which
nothing is shorter. I do not regard the greatness of any pain from which,
by reason of the shortness of its continuance, I shall be delivered almost
before it reaches me. But, if the pain be as great as that of Philoctetes,
it will appear great indeed to me, but yet not the greatest that I am
capable of bearing; for the pain is confined to my foot: but my eye may
pain me, I may have a pain in the head, or sides, or lungs, or in every
part of me. It is far, then, from being excessive; therefore, says he,
pain of a long continuance has