That a life of business is preferable to a private and inactive one; the friendship of great men is a laudable acquisition, yet their favors are ever to be solicited with modesty and caution.

Though, Scaeva, you have sufficient prudence of your own, and well know how to demean yourself toward your superiors; [yet] hear what are the sentiments of your old crony, who himself still requires teaching, just as if a blind man should undertake to show the way:  however see, if even I can advance any thing, which you may think worth your while to adopt as your own.

If pleasant rest, and sleep till seven o’clock, delight you; if dust and the rumbling of wheels, if the tavern offend you, I shall order you off for Ferentinum.  For joys are not the property of the rich alone:  nor has he lived ill, who at his birth and at his death has passed unnoticed.  If you are disposed to be of service to your friends, and to treat yourself with somewhat more indulgence, you, being poor, must pay your respects to the great.  Aristippus, if he could dine to his satisfaction on herbs, would never frequent [the tables] of the great.  If he who blames me, [replies Aristippus,] knew how to live with the great, he would scorn his vegetables.  Tell me, which maxim and conduct of the two you approve; or, since you are my junior, hear the reason why Aristippus’ opinion is preferable; for thus, as they report, he baffled the snarling cynic:  “I play the buffoon for my own advantage, you [to please] the populace.  This [conduct of mine] is better and far more honorable; that a horse may carry and a great man feed me, pay court to the great:  you beg for refuse, an inferior to the [poor] giver; though you pretend you are in want of nothing.”  As for Aristippus, every complexion of life, every station and circumstance sat gracefully upon him, aspiring in general to greater things, yet equal to the present:  on the other hand, I shall be much surprised, if a contrary way of life should become [this cynic], whom obstinacy clothes with a double rag.  The one will not wait for his purple robe; but dressed in any thing, will go through the most frequented places, and without awkwardness support either character:  the other will shun the cloak wrought at Miletus with greater aversion than [the bite of] dog or viper; he will die with cold, unless you restore him his ragged garment; restore it, and let him live like a fool as he is.  To perform exploits, and show the citizens their foes in chains, reaches the throne of Jupiter, and aims at celestial honors.  To have been acceptable to the great, is not the last of praises.  It is not every man’s lot to gain Corinth.  He [prudently] sat still who was afraid lest he should not succeed:  be it so; what then?  Was it not bravely done by him, who carried his point?  Either here therefore, or nowhere, is what we are investigating.  The one dreads the burden, as too much for a pusillanimous soul and a weak constitution; the other under takes, and carries it through.  Either virtue is an empty name, or the man who makes the experiment deservedly claims the honor and the reward.