Seneca, On Peace of Mind 11.6

If a man takes this into his inmost heart and looks upon all the misfortunes of other men, of which there is always a great plenty, in this spirit, remembering that there is nothing to prevent their coming upon him also, he will arm himself against them long before they attack him.

It is too late to school the mind to endurance of peril after peril has done. "I did not think this would happen," and "Would you ever have believed that this would have happened?" say you.

But why should it not? Where are the riches after which want, hunger, and beggary do not follow?

What office is there whose purple robe, augur's staff, and patrician reins have not as their accompaniment rags and banishment, the brand of infamy, a thousand disgraces, and utter reprobation?

What kingdom is there for which ruin, trampling under foot, a tyrant, and a butcher are not ready at hand?

Some people think it will never happen to them, because they are part of a certain tribe.

“Other countries will fall, but ours is timeless.”

Some people think it will never happen to them, because they have won their status.

“People are poor because they’re lazy. I earned everything I own.”

Some people think it will never happen to them, because they are so excellent in their appearances.

“Mark my words, you treat a man like he’s a king, and you’ll become a king.”

Some people think it will never happen to them, because they are chosen by Providence.

“God gave us this land.”

I have heard each of those phrases, and while I can respect the convictions, I’m afraid I can’t respect the principles behind them.

All nations fade away. Circumstances are quite arbitrary. Giving never guarantees any other receiving. God loves all of us, not just you.

It takes only the slightest adjustment in life, the tiniest change in our conditions, to teach us that nothing is as certain as we think it is.

We take our fineries and luxuries for granted. It never occurs to us that people in much of the rest of the world take their poverty for granted. We assume that our country, or our hard work, or our impeccable posturing, or the grace of the Almighty gave us our McMansions.

We are sorely mistaken. Fortune gave them to us, and Fortune will just as easily take them away.

We sweep the losers under the carpet, of course, since we say that they are the statistical aberrations. No. No they are not. They are the half that lived just like you, but just so happened to lose their toss in the game. You think you have won the game, but the game isn’t over.

The trick is to stop playing the game, and to start living a human life.

Nothing, absolutely nothing, the rich or famous man depends upon is at all reliable. It will all come and go at any moment. He would be wiser to rely on his own character, and to think nothing about what else it might bring him.

How can I say that I didn’t expect it? It fell upon so many other folks. Was I special?

How can I say that it would never happen to me? Didn’t it just happen to that other fellow?

Julius Caesar surely understood this when he saw his life flashing before his eyes.

It is far too late to accept it after the fact, because I have already chosen the wrong values. I have set myself in my ways, and I will have to bear the bitter consequences. Let me begin by not caring for these vanities at all, and then I couldn’t care less if I lose them.

Written in 11/2011

IMAGE: Vincenzo Camuccini, The Death of Caesar (c. 1805)