did, he who felt it would immediately become bad. Now, in the case of all
things which have a certain constitution, whatever harm may happen to any
of them, that which is so affected becomes consequently worse; but in the
like case, a man becomes both better, if one may say so, and more worthy
of praise by making a right use of these accidents. And finally remember
that nothing harms him who is really a citizen, which does not harm the
state; nor yet does anything harm the state, which does not harm law
[order]; and of these things which are called misfortunes not one harms
law. What then does not harm law does not harm either state or citizen.

34. To him who is penetrated by true principles even the briefest precept
is sufficient, and any common precept, to remind him that he should be
free from grief and fear. For example,--

"Leaves, some the wind scatters on the ground--
So is the race of men."

Leaves, also, are thy children; and leaves, too, are they who cry out as
if they were worthy of credit and bestow their praise, or on the contrary
curse, or secretly blame and sneer; and leaves, in like manner, are those
who shall receive and transmit a man's fame to after-times. For all such
things as these "are produced in the season of spring," as the poet says;
then the wind casts them down; then the forest produces other leaves in
their places. But a brief existence is common to all things, and yet thou
avoidest and pursuest all things as if they would be eternal. A little
time, and thou shalt close thy eyes; and him who has attended thee to thy
grave another will soon lament.

35. The healthy eye ought to see all visible things and not to say, I
wish for green things; for this is the condition of a diseased eye. And