Book 3, Chapter 25

“For this reason Carneades, as I see our Antiochus writes, used to criticize Chrysippus for praising these lines of Euripides:“‘There is no mortal untouched by pain“‘And sickness; many must bury children“‘And father them again, and death awaits us all.“‘These things bring anguish to humankind in vain:“‘Earth must be given back to earth, and everyone’s life“‘Reaped like the crops. So Necessity commands.’

60 “He denied that this kind of argument had any relevance at all to relieving distress. The very fact that we had fallen under so cruel a necessity, he said, was something to grieve over. An argument recalling other people’s misfortunes was suited to consoling the malicious. To me, however, the matter seems quite otherwise. The necessity of bearing the human condition forbids us, as it were, to fight against a god and reminds us that we are human—a reflection that greatly lightens mourning. And the list of examples is offered not to delight the malicious, but so that the mourner may think he must bear what he sees many others have borne with moderation and tranquility.

61 “For those who are collapsing and cannot hold themselves together under the weight of distress must be supported in every way. Hence Chrysippus thinks distress itself was named in Greek as though it were a dissolution of the whole person. It can be entirely uprooted once, as I said at the beginning, its cause is explained. That cause is nothing other than an opinion and judgment that a great evil is present and pressing upon us. Thus even bodily pain, whose bite is keenest, will be endured when hope of good is set before us; and a life passed honorably and splendidly brings such consolation that distress either does not touch those who have lived in this way, or mental pain pricks them only very lightly.”

“I find in our friend Antiochus’ writings that this was why Carneades repeatedly challenged Chrysippus over his praise of Euripides’ verses:“‘No one born to die escapes the touch of pain“‘Or sickness. Many must bury their children“‘And have others in turn; death awaits everyone.“‘These things cause the human race needless distress.“‘Earth has to return to earth, and everyone’s life“‘Must be reaped like grain. Necessity orders it.’

60 “He denied that this kind of talk did anything at all to ease distress. The very fact that we’d fallen under such a cruel necessity was something to grieve over, he said. As for that argument that recalled other people’s troubles, it was suited to consoling the malicious. I think quite the opposite. The necessity of accepting the human condition stops us from fighting, so to speak, against a god, and reminds us that we’re human. That thought does a great deal to ease grief. And we don’t list examples to please a malicious mind. We do it so that someone grieving will think they should bear what they see many people have borne with moderation and calm.

61 “People collapsing under the weight of distress, unable to hold themselves together, need support in every possible way. That’s why Chrysippus thinks distress got its Greek name, lypē, from a ‘loosening’ of the whole person. We can pull it out entirely by explaining its cause, as I said at the beginning. That cause is nothing but a belief and judgment that some great evil is present and pressing. So even physical pain, with its extremely sharp bite, will be endured if there’s the prospect of something good. And a life lived honorably and admirably provides so much comfort that distress either doesn’t touch those who’ve lived that way or gives their minds only a very slight painful prick.”