bethink yourself of the two periods of time, the one in which you will enjoy the pleasure, the other, in which, after having enjoyed it, you will repent of it, and reproach yourself; and set over against this how you will rejoice and commend yourself if you have abstained. But if it shall seem fitting to you to do the thing, beware lest you have been conquered by the flattery and the sweetness and the allurement of it. But set on the other side how much better would be the consciousness of having won that victory.
XXXV.When you are doing something which you have clearly recognised as being right to do, do not seek to avoid observation in the act, even though you should know that the multitude will form a wrong opinion about it. For if you are acting wrongly, then you should have avoided the action altogether. But if rightly, why fear those who wrongly rebuke you?
XXXVI.[1]As the sayings It is day, It is night, are perfectly justifiable if viewed disjunc-
- ↑ Schweighäuser says pathetically of this chapter: 'In nullo
