Letter 6

I understand, Lucilius, that I am not merely being corrected, but transformed. I do not promise myself, or even hope, that nothing remains in me that still needs changing. Of course there is much that must be gathered together, thinned out, or brought into stronger relief. Yet this very fact proves that my mind has moved toward something better: it now sees faults it did not know it had. In some illnesses, we congratulate the patient when he finally realizes he is ill. I wish I could share this sudden change in myself with you. Then I would begin to trust our friendship even more securely: that true friendship which neither hope, nor fear, nor concern for advantage can tear apart, the friendship in which people die together, and for which they die. I can show you many people who lacked not a friend but friendship itself. That cannot happen when two minds are drawn into partnership by an equal desire for what is honorable. Why not? Because such people know that everything is shared between them, and especially everything difficult. You cannot imagine how much progress I see each day bringing me. "Send me too," you say, "the things you have found so effective." I want to pour all of them into you; indeed, I am glad to learn anything if it lets me teach. Nothing, however excellent or useful, will delight me if I have to know it for myself alone. If wisdom were offered to me on the condition that I keep it shut away and never speak of it, I would reject it. No good thing is pleasant to possess without someone to share it. So I will send you the books themselves. To keep you from spending too much effort searching everywhere for what may help you, I will mark certain passages, so that you can go straight to the things I approve and admire. Still, the living voice and life together will help you more than any written words. You must come to the thing itself. First, people trust their eyes more than their ears; second, the road is long through rules, but short and effective through examples. Cleanthes would never have become the living likeness of Zeno if he had only heard him lecture. He lived with him, saw into his private purposes, and watched whether he lived according to his own principles. Plato, Aristotle, and the whole company of thinkers who would later go in different directions drew more from Socrates' character than from his words. It was not Epicurus' schoolroom, but shared life under the same roof, that made Metrodorus, Hermarchus, and Polyaenus great men. So I summon you not only to make progress, but to help me make progress. We will be of great service to each other. Meanwhile, since I owe you my small daily payment, I will tell you what pleased me today in Hecato. "You ask what progress I have made? I have begun to be a friend to myself." That is great progress. Such a person will never be alone. You may be sure that someone who is a friend to himself is also a friend to all humankind. Farewell.

I feel, my dear Lucilius, that I am being not only reformed, but transformed. I do not yet, however, assure myself, or indulge the hope, that there are no elements left in me which need to be changed. Of course there are many that should be made more compact, or made thinner, or be brought into greater prominence. And indeed this very fact is proof that my spirit is altered into something better,—that it can see its own faults, of which it was previously ignorant. In certain cases sick men are congratulated because they themselves have perceived that they are sick. I therefore wish to impart to you this sudden change in myself; I should then begin to place a surer trust in our friendship,—the true friendship which hope and fear and self-interest cannot sever, the friendship in which and for the sake of which men meet death. I can show you many who have lacked, not a friend, but a friendship; this, however, cannot possibly happen when souls are drawn together by identical inclinations into an alliance of honourable desires. And why can it not happen? Because in such cases men know that they have all things in common, especially their troubles. You cannot conceive what distinct progress I notice that each day brings to me. And when you say: “Give me also a share in these gifts which you have found so helpful,” I reply that I am anxious to heap all these privileges upon you, and that I am glad to learn in order that I may teach. Nothing will ever please me, no matter how excellent or beneficial, if I must retain the knowledge of it to myself. And if wisdom were given me under the express condition that it must be kept hidden and not uttered, I should refuse it. No good thing is pleasant to possess, without friends to share it. I shall therefore send to you the actual books; and in order that you may not waste time in searching here and there for profitable topics, I shall mark certain passages, so that you can turn at once to those which I approve and admire. Of course, however, the living voice and the intimacy of a common life will help you more than the written word. You must go to the scene of action, first, because men put more faith in their eyes than in their ears, and second, because the way is long if one follows precepts, but short and helpful, if one follows patterns. Cleanthes could not have been the express image of Zeno, if he had merely heard his lectures; he shared in his life, saw into his hidden purposes, and watched him to see whether he lived according to his own rules. Plato, Aristotle, and the whole throng of sages who were destined to go each his different way, derived more benefit from the character than from the words of Socrates. It was not the class-room of Epicurus, but living together under the same roof, that made great men of Metrodorus, Hermarchus, and Polyaenus. Therefore I summon you, not merely that you may derive benefit, but that you may confer benefit; for we can assist each other greatly. Meanwhile, I owe you my little daily contribution; you shall be told what pleased me to-day in the writings of Hecato; it is these words: “What progress, you ask, have I made? I have begun to be a friend to myself.” That was indeed a great benefit; such a person can never be alone. You may be sure that such a man is a friend to all mankind. Farewell.

[1] Intellego, Lucili, non emendari me tantum sed transfigurari; nec hoc promitto iam aut spero, nihil in me superesse quod mutandum sit. Quidni multa habeam quae debeant colligi, quae extenuari, quae attolli? Et hoc ipsum argumentum est in melius translati animi, quod vitia sua quae adhuc ignorabat videt; quibusdam aegris gratulatio fit cum ipsi aegros se esse senserunt. [2] Cuperem itaque tecum communicare tam subitam mutationem mei; tunc amicitiae nostrae certiorem fiduciam habere coepissem, illius verae quam non spes, non timor, non utilitatis suae cura divellit, illius cum qua homines moriuntur, pro qua moriuntur. [3] Multos tibi dabo qui non amico sed amicitia caruerint: hoc non potest accidere cum animos in societatem honesta cupiendi par voluntas trahit. Quidni non possit? sciunt enim ipsos omnia habere communia, et quidem magis adversa. [4] Concipere animo non potes quantum momenti afferri mihi singulos dies videam. 'Mitte' inquis 'et nobis ista quae tam efficacia expertus es.' Ego vero omnia in te cupio transfundere, et in hoc aliquid gaudeo discere, ut doceam; nec me ulla res delectabit, licet sit eximia et salutaris, quam mihi uni sciturus sum. Si cum hac exceptione detur sapientia, ut illam inclusam teneam nec enuntiem, reiciam: nullius boni sine socio iucunda possessio est. [5] Mittam itaque ipsos tibi libros, et ne multum operae impendas dum passim profutura sectaris, imponam notas, ut ad ipsa protinus quae probo et miror accedas. Plus tamen tibi et viva vox et convictus quam oratio proderit; in rem praesentem venias oportet, primum quia homines amplius oculis quam auribus credunt, deinde quia longum iter est per praecepta, breve et efficax per exempla. [6] Zenonem Cleanthes non expressisset, si tantummodo audisset: vitae eius interfuit, secreta perspexit, observavit illum, an ex formula sua viveret. Platon et Aristoteles et omnis in diversum itura sapientium turba plus ex moribus quam ex verbis Socratis traxit; Metrodorum et Hermarchum et Polyaenum magnos viros non schola Epicuri sed contubernium fecit. Nec in hoc te accerso tantum, ut proficias, sed ut prosis; plurimum enim alter alteri conferemus. [7] Interim quoniam diurnam tibi mercedulam debeo, quid me hodie apud Hecatonem delectaverit dicam. 'Quaeris' inquit 'quid profecerim? amicus esse mihi coepi.' Multum profecit: numquam erit solus. Scito esse hunc amicum omnibus. Vale.