Book 3, Chapter 14

29 “This advance reflection on future evils softens the arrival of what you have long seen coming. Hence the praise for Theseus’ words in Euripides; we may, as we often do, turn them into Latin: “‘For I remembered what I heard from a learned man, “‘And pondered to myself the miseries to come: “‘Either a bitter death or exile’s mournful flight, “‘Or some great weight of evil always in my thoughts, “‘So that, if chance should bring some dreadful thing upon me, “‘No sudden care would tear me unprepared.’

30 “When Theseus says he heard this from a learned man, Euripides is speaking about himself. He had studied with Anaxagoras, who, they say, on hearing of his son’s death, remarked, ‘I knew I had fathered a mortal.’ These words show that such events are bitter for those who have not considered them beforehand. There is no doubt, then, that everything thought evil is harder to bear when unforeseen. Therefore, although this alone does not produce the greatest distress, since foresight and mental preparation are so powerful in diminishing pain, a human being should always have reflected on everything human. Surely this is that excellent and divine wisdom: to have human affairs deeply understood and thoroughly examined; to be surprised at nothing when it happens, and, before it happens, to think nothing incapable of happening. “‘Therefore everyone, when fortune is most favorable, should most “‘Reflect upon the way to bear adversity and hardship. “‘Returning from abroad, let him always think of dangers, losses, “‘A son’s wrongdoing, a wife’s death, or a daughter’s sickness; “‘These things are common, so none of them may ever strike the mind as new; “‘Whatever comes beyond expectation, count it all as gain.’”

29 “Thinking ahead about future troubles softens the arrival of things you saw coming long before. That’s why people praise what Theseus says in Euripides. We can put it into Latin, as we often do: “‘Because I remembered hearing this from a learned man, “‘I used to think over future miseries to myself: “‘A painful death, or the sad flight of exile, “‘Or some other weight of trouble I would always consider, “‘So that, if chance brought some terrible event, “‘Sudden worry wouldn’t tear me apart unprepared.’

30 “When Theseus says he heard it from a learned man, Euripides is talking about himself. He’d studied under Anaxagoras, who reportedly said when told his son was dead, ‘I knew I’d fathered a mortal.’ Those words show that these things hurt people who haven’t thought about them beforehand. So there’s no doubt that everything we think bad is harder when unforeseen. That isn’t the only thing that creates the greatest distress. Still, forethought and mental preparation do a lot to reduce pain. So a human being should always have thought through every human possibility. Surely this is what that outstanding, godlike wisdom means: to have thoroughly grasped and examined human affairs, to be surprised at nothing when it happens, and never, before something happens, to think it can’t happen. “‘So everyone, just when things are going especially well, should be especially careful “‘To think through how they’ll handle painful hardship. “‘Coming home from abroad, a man should always consider dangers and losses, “‘A son’s wrongdoing, or his wife’s death, or a daughter’s illness: “‘These things happen to everyone, so none of them should ever strike the mind as new. “‘Anything that turns out better than expected he should count as profit.’”