What hinders a man, who has clearly separated (comprehended) these things, from living with a light heart and bearing easily the reins, quietly expecting everything which can happen, and enduring that which has already happened?  Would you have me to bear poverty?  Come and you will know what poverty is when it has found one who can act well the part of a poor man.  Would you have me to possess power?  Let me have power, and also the trouble of it.  Well, banishment?  Wherever I shall go, there it will be well with me; for here also where I am, it was not because of the place that it was well with me, but because of my opinions which I shall carry off with me, for neither can any man deprive me of them; but my opinions alone are mine and they cannot be taken from me, and I am satisfied while I have them, wherever I may be and whatever I am doing.  But now it is time to die.  Why do you say to die?  Make no tragedy show of the thing, but speak of it as it is.  It is now time for the matter (of the body) to be resolved into the things out of which it was composed.  And what is the formidable thing here? what is going to perish of the things which are in the universe? what new thing or wondrous is going to happen?  Is it for this reason that a tyrant is formidable?  Is it for this reason that the guards appear to have swords which are large and sharp?  Say this to others; but I have considered about all these things; no man has power over me.  I have been made free; I know his commands, no man can now lead me as a slave.  I have a proper person to assert my freedom; I have proper judges. (I say) are you not the master of my body?  What then is that to me?  Are you not the master of my property?  What then is that to me?  Are you not the master of my exile or of my chains?  Well, from all these things and all the poor body itself I depart at your bidding, when you please.  Make trial of your power, and you will know how far it reaches.

Whom then can I still fear?  Those who are over the bedchamber?  Lest they should do, what?  Shut me out?  If they find that I wish to enter, let them shut me out.  Why then do you go to the doors?  Because I think it befits me, while the play (sport) lasts, to join in it.  How then are you not shut out?  Because unless some one allows me to go in, I do not choose to go in, but am always content with that which happens; for I think that what God chooses is better than what I choose.  I will attach myself as a minister and follower to him; I have the same movements (pursuits) as he has, I have the same desires; in a word, I have the same will ([Greek:  sunthelo]).  There is no shutting out for me, but for those who would force their way in.  Why then do not I force my way in?  Because I know that nothing good is distributed within to those who enter.  But when I hear any man called fortunate because he is honored by Caesar, I say what does he happen to get?  A province (the government of a province).  Does he also obtain an opinion such