3.  What a soul that is which is ready, if at any moment it must be separated from the body, and ready either to be extinguished or dispersed or continue to exist; but so that this readiness comes from a man’s own judgment, not from mere obstinacy, as with the Christians,[A] but considerately and with dignity and in a way to persuade another, without tragic show.

    [A] See the Life of Antoninus.  This is the only passage in
    which the emperor speaks of the Christians.  Epictetus (iv. 7,
    6) names them Galilaei.

4.  Have I done something for the general interest?  Well then, I have had my reward.  Let this always be present to thy mind, and never stop [doing such good].

5.  What is thy art?  To be good.  And how is this accomplished well except by general principles, some about the nature of the universe, and others about the proper constitution of man?

6.  At first tragedies were brought on the stage as means of reminding men of the things which happen to them, and that it is according to nature for things to happen so, and that, if you are delighted with what is shown on the stage, you should not be troubled with that which takes place on the larger stage.  For you see that these things must be accomplished thus, and that even they bear them who cry out,[A] “O Cithaeron.”  And, indeed, some things are said well by the dramatic writers, of which kind is the following especially:—­

      “Me and my children if the gods neglect,
      This has its reason too."[B]

And again,—­

      “We must not chafe and fret at that which happens.”

And,—­

      “Life’s harvest reap like the wheat’s fruitful ear.”

And other things of the same kind.

After tragedy the old comedy was introduced, which had a magisterial freedom of speech, and by its very plainness of speaking was useful in reminding men to beware of insolence; and for this purpose too Diogenes used to take from these writers.

    [A] Sophocles, Oedipus Rex.

    [B] See vii. 41, 38, 40.

But as to the middle comedy, which came next, observe what it was, and again, for what object the new comedy was introduced, which gradually sank down into a mere mimic artifice.  That some good things are said even by these writers, everybody knows:  but the whole plan of such poetry and dramaturgy, to what end does it look?

7.  How plain does it appear that there is not another condition of life so well suited for philosophizing as this in which thou now happenest to be.