Book 4, Chapter 14

“Souls and bodies differ in this: a strong soul cannot be attacked by disease, while a strong body can. Bodily ailments can occur through no fault of our own, but not so the soul’s, whose diseases and disturbances all arise from a rejection of reason. They therefore occur only in human beings. Animals do something similar, but they do not fall prey to disturbances.

32 “The difference between keen and dull minds is that gifted people, like Corinthian bronze acquiring verdigris, are slower to fall ill and quicker to recover; dull people are not. Nor does a gifted person’s soul fall into every kind of disease and disturbance; †for few savage and monstrous disturbances can seize it; some even have, at first sight, an appearance of humanity, such as pity, distress, and fear. The soul’s infirmities and diseases are thought harder to root out than those principal vices opposed to the virtues. For vices can be removed while diseases remain, since the diseases are not healed as quickly as the vices are taken away.

33 “You have now heard the Stoics’ precise account of disturbances, which they call λογικά, ‘logical discussions,’ because they are argued with greater subtlety. Since our discourse has now sailed clear of these jagged reefs, so to speak, let us hold our course through the rest of the discussion, provided we have explained those matters clearly enough, given their obscurity.”

“Quite clearly enough. If anything needs more thorough investigation, we shall ask about it another time. For now we await the sails and the voyage you were just promising.”

“The difference between minds and bodies is this: healthy minds can’t be attacked by disease, but healthy bodies can. Physical troubles can occur through no fault of ours. Not so with mental ones: all the mind’s diseases and disturbances result from rejecting reason. That’s why they exist only in humans. Animals do something similar, but they don’t fall into disturbances.

32 “Sharp minds and dull ones differ in this: like Corinthian bronze resisting rust, gifted minds take longer to fall ill and recover more quickly. Dull minds don’t. Nor does a gifted mind fall into every disease and disturbance. For a gifted mind doesn’t fall into many savage, monstrous disorders; some, however, even seem at first to express human kindness, such as pity, distress, and fear. But the mind’s illnesses and diseases are thought harder to uproot than those major defects that are the opposites of the virtues. Defects can have been removed while diseases remain, because the diseases aren’t cured as quickly as the defects are removed.

33 “There you have the Stoics’ detailed discussions of disturbances. They call them logika, matters of logic, because they’re argued with greater precision. Now that our talk has sailed away from those jagged reefs, let’s hold our course for the rest of the discussion—provided I’ve made those points clear enough, considering how obscure the subject is.”

“Quite clear enough. If anything needs looking into more carefully, we’ll ask about it another time. Right now we’re waiting for the sails and the voyage you mentioned.”