it is terrible. When therefore we are hindered, or disturbed,
           or grieved, let us never attribute it to others, but to
           ourselves; that is, to our own principles. An uninstructed
           person will lay the fault of his own bad condition upon
           others. Someone just starting instruction will lay the fault
           on himself. Some who is perfectly instructed will place blame
           neither on others nor on himself.

           6. Don't be prideful with any excellence that is not your own.
           If a horse should be prideful and say, " I am handsome," it
           would be supportable. But when you are prideful, and say, " I
           have a handsome horse," know that you are proud of what is, in
           fact, only the good of the horse. What, then, is your own?
           Only your reaction to the appearances of things. Thus, when
           you behave conformably to nature in reaction to how things
           appear, you will be proud with reason; for you will take pride
           in some good of your own.

           7. Consider when, on a voyage, your ship is anchored; if you
           go on shore to get water you may along the way amuse yourself
           with picking up a shellish, or an onion. However, your
           thoughts and continual attention ought to be bent towards the
           ship, waiting for the captain to call on board; you must then
           immediately leave all these things, otherwise you will be
           thrown into the ship, bound neck and feet like a sheep. So it
           is with life. If, instead of an onion or a shellfish, you are
           given a wife or child, that is fine. But if the captain calls,
           you must run to the ship, leaving them, and regarding none of
           them. But if you are old, never go far from the ship: lest,
           when you are called, you should be unable to come in time.

           8. Don't demand that things happen as you wish, but wish that
           they happen as they do happen, and you will go on well.

           9. Sickness is a hindrance to the body, but not to your
           ability to choose, unless that is your choice. Lameness is a
           hindrance to the leg, but not to your ability to choose. Say
           this to yourself with regard to everything that happens, then
           you will see such obstacles as hindrances to something else,
           but not to yourself.

           10. With every accident, ask yourself what abilities you have
           for making a proper use of it. If you see an attractive
           person, you will find that self-restraint is the ability you
           have against your desire. If you are in pain, you will find
           fortitude. If you hear unpleasant language, you will find
           patience. And thus habituated, the appearances of things will
           not hurry you away along with them.

           11. Never say of anything, "I have lost it"; but, "I have
           returned it." Is your child dead? It is returned. Is your wife
           dead? She is returned. Is your estate taken away? Well, and is
           not that likewise returned? "But he who took it away is a bad
           man." What difference is it to you who the giver assigns to
           take it back? While he gives it to you to possess, take care
           of it; but don't view it as your own, just as travelers view a
           hotel.

           12. If you want to improve, reject such reasonings as these:
           "If I neglect my affairs, I'll have no income; if I don't
           correct my servant, he will be bad." For it is better to die
           with hunger, exempt from grief and fear, than to live in
           affluence with perturbation; and it is better your servant
           should be bad, than you unhappy.

           Begin therefore from little things. Is a little oil spilt? A
           little wine stolen? Say to yourself, "This is the price paid
           for apathy, for tranquillity, and nothing is to be had for
           nothing." When you call your servant, it is possible that he
           may not come; or, if he does, he may not do what you want. But
           he is by no means of such importance that it should be in his
           power to give you any disturbance.

           13. If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish
           and stupid with regard to external things. Don't wish to be
           thought to know anything; and even if you appear to be
           somebody important to others, distrust yourself. For, it is
           difficult to both keep your faculty of choice in a state
           conformable to nature, and at the same time acquire external
           things. But while you are careful about the one, you must of
           necessity neglect the other.

           14. If you wish your children, and your wife, and your friends
           to live for ever, you are stupid; for you wish to be in
           control of things which you cannot, you wish for things that
           belong to others to be your own. So likewise, if you wish your
           servant to be without fault, you are a fool; for you wish vice
           not to be vice," but something else. But, if you wish to have
           your desires undisappointed, this is in your own control.
           Exercise, therefore, what is in your control. He is the master
           of every other person who is able to confer or remove whatever
           that person wishes either to have or to avoid. Whoever, then,
           would be free, let him wish nothing, let him decline nothing,
           which depends on others else he must necessarily be a slave.

           15. Remember that you must behave in life as at a dinner
           party. Is anything brought around to you? Put out your hand
           and take your share with moderation. Does it pass by you?
           Don't stop it. Is it not yet come? Don't stretch your desire
           towards it, but wait till it reaches you. Do this with regard