5p42sc.md (1164B)
1 I have thus completed all I wished to set forth touching the mind's power over 2 the emotions and the mind's freedom. Whence it appears, how potent is the wise 3 man, and how much he surpasses the ignorant man, who is driven only by his 4 lusts. For the ignorant man is not only distracted in various ways by external 5 causes without ever gaining the true acquiescence of his spirit, but moreover 6 lives, as it were unwitting of himself, and of God, and of things, and as soon 7 as he ceases to suffer, ceases also to be. 8 9 Whereas the wise man, in so far as he is regarded as such, is scarcely at all 10 disturbed in spirit, but, being conscious of himself, and of God, and of things, 11 by a certain eternal necessity, never ceases to be, but always possesses true 12 acquiescence of his spirit. 13 14 If the way which I have pointed out as leading to this result seems exceedingly 15 hard, it may nevertheless be discovered. Needs must it be hard, since it is so 16 seldom found. How would it be possible, if salvation were ready to our hand, and 17 could without great labour be found, that it should be by almost all men 18 neglected? But all things excellent are as difficult as they are rare. 19 20