THEN for a while she held her peace.But when her silence, so discreet, made my thoughts to cease from straying, she thus began to speak: 'If I have thoroughly learned the causes and the manner of your sickness, your former good fortune has so affected you that you are being consumed by longing for it.The change of one of her this alone has overturned your peace of mind through your own imagination.I understand the varied disguises of that unnatural state.I know how Fortune is ever most friendly and alluring to those whom she strives to deceive, until she overwhelms them with grief beyond bearing, by deserting them when least expected.
If you recall her nature, her ways, or her deserts, you will see that you never had in her, nor have lost with her, aught that was lovely.Yet, Ithink, I shall not need great labour to recall this to your memory.For then too, when she was at your side with all her flattery, you were wont to reproach her in strong and manly terms; and to revile her with the opinions that you had gathered in worship of me with my favoured ones.But no sudden change of outward affairs can ever come without some upheaval in the mind.
Thus has it followed Page 26
that you, like others, have fallen somewhat away from your calm peace of mind.But it is time now for you to make trial of some gentle and pleasant draught, which by reaching your inmost parts shall prepare the way for yet stronger healing draughts.Try therefore the assuring influence of gentle argument which keeps its straight path only when it holds fast to my instructions.And with this art of orators let my handmaid, the art of song, lend her aid in chanting light or weighty harmonies as we desire.
'What is it, mortal man, that has cast you down into grief and mourning? You have seen something unwonted, it would seem, something strange to you.But if you think that Fortune has changed towards you, you are wrong.These are ever her ways: this is her very nature.She has with you preserved her own constancy by her very change.She was ever changeable at the time when she smiled upon you, when she was mocking you with the allurements of false good fortune.You have discovered both the different faces of the blind goddess.To the eyes of others she is veiled in part:
to you she has made herself wholly known.If you find her welcome, make use of her ways, and so make no complaining.If she fills you with horror by her treachery, treat her with despite; thrust her away from you, for she tempts you to your ruin.For though she is the cause of this great trouble for you, she ought to have been the subject of Page 27calmness and peace.For no man can ever make himself sure that she will never desert him, and thus has she deserted you.Do you reckon such happiness to be prized, which is sure to pass away? Is good fortune dear to you, which is with you for a time and is not sure to stay, and which is sure to bring you unhappiness when it is gone? But seeing that it cannot be stayed at will, and that when it flees away it leaves misery behind, what is such a fleeting thing but a sign of coming misery? Nor should it ever satisfy any man to look only at that which is placed before his eyes.Prudence takes measure of the results to come from all things.The very changeableness of good and bad makes Fortune's threats no more fearful, nor her smiles to be desired.And lastly, when you have once put your neck beneath the yoke of Fortune, you must with steadfast heart bear whatever comes to pass within her realm.But if you would dictate the law by which she whom you have freely chosen to be your mistress must stay or go, surely you will be acting without justification; and your very impatience will make more bitter a lot which you cannot change.If you set your sails before the wind, will you not move forward whither the wind drives you, not whither your will may choose to go? If you intrust your seed to the furrow, will you not weigh the rich years and the barren against each other? You have given yourself over to Fortune's rule, and you must bow yourself to Page 28your mistress's ways.Are you trying to stay the force of her turning wheel? Ah! dull-witted mortal, if Fortune begin to stay still, she is no longer Fortune.
'As thus she turns her wheel of chance with haughty hand, and presses on like the surge of Euripus's tides, fortune now tramples fiercely on a fearsome king, and now deceives no less a conquered man by raising from the ground his humbled face.She hears no wretch's cry, she heeds no tears, but wantonly she mocks the sorrow which her cruelty has made.This is her sport: thus she proves her power; if in the selfsame hour one man is raised to happiness, and cast down in despair,' tis thus she shews her might.
' Now would I argue with you by these few words which Fortune herself might use: and do you consider whether her demands are fair "Why, O man," she might say, " do you daily accuse me with your complainings?
What injustice have I wrought upon you? Of what good things have I robbed you? Choose your judge whom you will, and before him strive with me for the right to hold your wealth and honours.If you can prove that any one of these does truly belong to any mortal man, readily will I grant that these you seek to regain were yours.When nature brought you forth from your mother's womb, I received you in my arms naked and bare of all things;I cherished you Page 29
