BOOK VII
dost practise it still as a bare duty, not yet as a boon to thyself.
14. Let any external thing, that will, be incident to whatever is able to feel this incidence. For that which feels can, if it please, complain.[1] But I, if I do not consider what has befallen me to be an evil,[2] am still unhurt. And I can refuse so to consider it.
15. Let any say or do what he will, I must for my part be good. So might the emerald—or gold or purple—never tire of repeating, Whatever any one shall do or say, I must be an emerald and keep my colour.
16. The ruling Reason is never the disturber of its own peace, never, for instance, hurries itself into lust. But if another can cause it fear or pain, let it do so. For it will not let its own assumptions lead it into such aberrations.
Let the body take thought for itself, if it may, that it suffer no hurt and, if it do so suffer, let it proclaim the fact.[3] But the soul that has the faculty of fear, the faculty of pain, and alone can assume that these exist, can never suffer; for it is not given to making any such admission.[4]
In itself the ruling Reason wants for nothing unless it create its own needs, and in like manner nothing can disturb it, nothing impede it, unless the disturbance or impediment come from itself.
17. Well-being[5] is a good Being, or a ruling Reason that is good. What then doest thou here,
