Letter 10

Yes, this is how it stands; I am not changing my opinion. Avoid the crowd, avoid the few, avoid even one person. I know no one with whom I would want you shared. And see what confidence I have in you: I dare to entrust you to yourself. They say that Crates, a pupil of the very Stilbo I mentioned in an earlier letter, saw a young man walking by himself and asked what he was doing there alone. "I am talking with myself," the young man said. "Then be careful, I beg you," Crates replied, "and pay close attention: you are talking with a bad man." When people are grieving or afraid, we keep watch over them so they do not misuse solitude. No unwise person should be left alone. That is when they stir up bad plans, prepare dangers for others or for themselves, arrange their corrupt desires, and expose everything the mind had hidden through fear or shame. Then the mind sharpens its boldness, inflames desire, and provokes anger. Finally, the one advantage solitude has - entrusting nothing to anyone and fearing no informer - is lost to the fool, because he betrays himself. So notice what I hope for you, or rather what I promise myself about you, since hope is the name of an uncertain good: I find no one with whom I would rather have you be than with yourself. I remember how nobly you once threw out certain words, and how full of strength they were. I immediately congratulated myself and said, "These words did not come from the edge of the lips; they have foundations. This man is not one of the crowd; he is looking toward his true safety." Speak that way and live that way. See that nothing holds you down. As for your old prayers, you may release the gods from answering them; take up new ones from the beginning. Ask for a good mind, for good health of the soul, and only then for good health of the body. Why should you not offer these prayers often? Ask the god boldly; you will be asking him for nothing that belongs to someone else. But, as usual, let me send a small gift with this letter. I found this true saying in Athenodorus: "Know that you are free from all desires when you have reached the point where you ask the god for nothing except what you could ask for openly." What madness people show now! They whisper the basest prayers to the gods; if anyone brings an ear close, they fall silent. What they do not want another human being to know, they tell to the god. Consider, then, whether this advice might be wholesome: live with people as if the god sees you; speak with the god as if people are listening. Farewell.

Yes, I do not change my opinion: avoid the many, avoid the few, avoid even the individual. I know of no one with whom I should be willing to have you shared. And see what an opinion of you I have; for I dare to trust you with your own self. Crates, they say, the disciple of the very Stilbo whom I mentioned in a former letter, noticed a young man walking by himself, and asked him what he was doing all alone. “I am communing with myself,” replied the youth. “Pray be careful, then,” said Crates, “and take good heed; you are communing with a bad man!” When persons are in mourning, or fearful about something, we are accustomed to watch them that we may prevent them from making a wrong use of their loneliness. No thoughtless person ought to be left alone; in such cases he only plans folly, and heaps up future dangers for himself or for others; he brings into play his base desires; the mind displays what fear or shame used to repress; it whets his boldness, stirs his passions, and goads his anger. And finally, the only benefit that solitude confers,—the habit of trusting no man, and of fearing no witnesses,—is lost to the fool; for he betrays himself. Mark therefore what my hopes are for you,—nay, rather, what I am promising myself, inasmuch as hope is merely the title of an uncertain blessing: I do not know any person with whom I should prefer you to associate rather than yourself. I remember in what a great-souled way you hurled forth certain phrases, and how full of strength they were! I immediately congratulated myself and said: “These words did not come from the edge of the lips; these utterances have a solid foundation. This man is not one of the many; he has regard for his real welfare.” Speak, and live, in this way; see to it that nothing keeps you down. As for your former prayers, you may dispense the gods from answering them; offer new prayers; pray for a sound mind and for good health, first of soul and then of body. And of course you should offer those prayers frequently. Call boldly upon God; you will not be asking him for that which belongs to another. But I must, as is my custom, send a little gift along with this letter. It is a true saying which I have found in Athenodorus: “Know that thou art freed from all desires when thou hast reached such a point that thou prayest to God for nothing except what thou canst pray for openly.” But how foolish men are now! They whisper the basest of prayers to heaven; but if anyone listens, they are silent at once. That which they are unwilling for men to know, they communicate to God. Do you not think, then, that some such wholesome advice as this could be given you: “Live among men as if God beheld you; speak with God as if men were listening”? Farewell.

[1] Sic est, non muto sententiam: fuge multitudinem, fuge paucitatem, fuge etiam unum. Non habeo cum quo te communicatum velim. Et vide quod iudicium meum habeas: audeo te tibi credere. Crates, ut aiunt, huius ipsius Stilbonis auditor, cuius mentionem priore epistula feci, cum vidisset adulescentulum secreto ambulantem, interrogavit quid illic solus faceret. 'Mecum' inquit 'loquor.' Cui Crates 'cave' inquit 'rogo et diligenter attende: cum homine malo loqueris'. [2] Lugentem timentemque custodire solemus, ne solitudine male utatur. Nemo est ex imprudentibus qui relinqui sibi debeat; tunc mala consilia agitant, tunc aut aliis aut ipsis futura pericula struunt, tunc cupiditates improbas ordinant; tunc quidquid aut metu aut pudore celabat animus exponit, tunc audaciam acuit, libidinem irritat, iracundiam instigat. Denique quod unum solitudo habet commodum, nihil ulli committere, non timere indicem, perit stulto: ipse se prodit. Vide itaque quid de te sperem, immo quid spondeam mihi - spes enim incerti boni nomen est -: non invenio cum quo te malim esse quam tecum. [3] Repeto memoria quam magno animo quaedam verba proieceris, quanti roboris plena: gratulatus sum protinus mihi et dixi, 'non a summis labris ista venerunt, habent hae voces fundamentum; iste homo non est unus e populo, ad salutem spectat'. [4] Sic loquere, sic vive; vide ne te ulla res deprimat. Votorum tuorum veterum licet deis gratiam facias, alia de integro suscipe: roga bonam mentem, bonam valetudinem animi, deinde tunc corporis. Quidni tu ista vota saepe facias? Audacter deum roga: nihil illum de alieno rogaturus es. [5] Sed ut more meo cum aliquo munusculo epistulam mittam, verum est quod apud Athenodorum inveni: 'tunc scito esse te omnibus cupiditatibus solutum, cum eo perveneris ut nihil deum roges nisi quod rogare possis palam'. Nunc enim quanta dementia est hominum! turpissima vota dis insusurrant; si quis admoverit aurem, conticiscent, et quod scire hominem nolunt deo narrant. Vide ergo ne hoc praecipi salubriter possit: sic vive cum hominibus tamquam deus videat, sic loquere cum deo tamquam homines audiant. Vale.