Musonius Rufus, Fragments 51

When I was still a boy at school, I heard that this Greek saying, which I here set down, was uttered by Musonius the philosopher, and because the sentiment is true and striking as well as neatly and concisely rounded out, I was very happy to commit it to memory. 

 

"If one accomplishes some good though with toil, the toil passes, but the good remains; if one does something dishonorable with pleasure, the pleasure passes, but the dishonor remains." 

 

Afterwards I read that same sentiment in a speech of Cato's which was delivered at Numantia to the knights. Although it is expressed a little less compactly and concisely as compared with the Greek which I have quoted, yet because it is earlier and more ancient, it may well seem more impressive. 

 

The words from his speech are the following: "Consider this in your hearts: if you accomplish some good attended with toil, the toil will quickly leave you; but if you do some evil attended with pleasure, the pleasure will quickly pass away, but the bad deed will remain with you always."

 

I can hear the professional scholars already: “We have here another example of how derivative and unoriginal the thinking of Musonius was, recycling the words of Cato the Elder, or of the Greek Stoics that came before him.”

 

I can only shrug and say that I care far less if something happens to be original than I do if it happens to be true. Sharing something helpful is a service, while insisting on taking personal credit is a self-service. 

 

I am also told, by much the same sort of people, that Stoicism is a deeply inefficient philosophy, incapable of getting anything useful done. I can, however, turn to the very passage above for some guidance to set myself straight. 

 

Efficiency, the experts say, is about gaining as much as we can while giving up as little as we have to, the relationship of benefit and cost. I’m already a little worried about the selfishness that can follow from such an approach, and yet it really all depends on what it is we are hoping to gain, and what it is we are willing to lose. 

 

I can talk all I want about the most productive means, and none of it gets me anywhere without first identifying the proper end. Useful for what? 

 

It is in this that the Stoic differs from the usual money maker, or power broker, or fortune seeker, because the Stoic examines human nature itself, and finds that happiness is to be found not in hoarding trinkets, but in a sturdy and steady peace of mind. 

 

Now what, to use the popular term, is the most efficient way to achieve this goal? What is it in this life that is most fleeting, what is it that is most lasting? What will give me the greatest return on my investment? 

 

The circumstances of the moment will come and go very quickly, while the content of my character will stick with me for the long haul. The pain and the pleasure pass, though the state of the soul remains. 

 

Given what has greater or lesser significance, it turns out that working for virtue is far more efficient than working for gratification. 

 

In the end, Stoicism will get the job done quite admirably, as long as I understand what the job actually is, and as long I don’t feel the need to draw attention to myself while doing the work.