Book 5, Chapter 28

80 “But let our argument keep within bounds and return to the point from which it turned aside. A happy life, I say, will submit to torture. It will not accompany justice, temperance, and above all courage, greatness of spirit, and endurance, only to halt at the sight of the torturer’s face; it will not remain outside the doors, at the prison’s threshold, as I said before, while all the virtues go forward to torment without a tremor of fear. What could be uglier, more misshapen, than a happy life left alone, separated from that most beautiful company? Yet this cannot possibly happen. The virtues cannot hold together without a happy life, nor can a happy life exist without the virtues.

81 “So they will not allow it to hang back; they will sweep it along with them into whatever pain and torment they themselves are led. For it is the wise man’s distinguishing mark to do nothing that could bring regret, nothing unwillingly; to do everything nobly, steadfastly, seriously, honorably; to expect nothing as certain to occur, and, when something happens, to marvel at nothing as if it had come unforeseen and new; to refer everything to his own judgment and stand by his own decisions. I certainly cannot conceive of anything happier than this.

82 “The Stoics’ conclusion is straightforward. They hold that the highest good is to accord with nature and live in harmony with it. Since this lies not only within the wise man’s duty but within his power, it must follow that a happy life is in the power of the same man who has the highest good in his power. Thus the wise man’s life is always happy.

“There you have what I consider the most courageous statements that can be made about a happy life—and, as matters now stand, unless you offer something better, the truest as well.”

80 “But let’s put a limit on this discussion and return to where it turned aside. A happy life will, I say, submit to torture. It won’t follow justice, self-control, and above all courage, greatness of spirit, and endurance, only to stop when it sees the torturer’s face. All the virtues will have gone on to torment without any fear in their minds. Happiness won’t hold back outside the prison, beyond its doors and threshold, as I said before. What could look uglier or more disgraceful than happiness left all alone, cut off from that wonderful company? But that can’t possibly happen. The virtues can’t hold together without a happy life, and a happy life can’t hold together without the virtues.

81 “So they won’t let happiness hang back. They’ll carry it along with them into whatever pain and torment they’re led to themselves. A wise person, after all, is distinguished by never doing anything he could regret, or anything against his will. He does everything splendidly, steadily, seriously, and rightly. He doesn’t expect anything as if it were sure to happen. When something does happen, he doesn’t react with amazement, as though it had come as something unexpected and new. He refers everything to his own judgment and stands by his own decisions. I certainly can’t think of anything happier than that.

82 “The Stoics, at least, reach their conclusion easily. They hold that the highest good is to be in harmony with nature and live consistently with it. That isn’t just a wise person’s duty; it’s also within his power. So the necessary result is that the person who has the highest good in his power also has a happy life in his power. In this way, a wise person’s life is always happy.

“There you have what I consider the most forceful things to say about a happy life. As things stand, I also consider them the truest, unless you can offer something better.”