The Death of Marcus Aurelius

The Death of Marcus Aurelius

Monday, July 17, 2023

Ellis Walker, Epictetus in Poetical Paraphrase 42


XLII. 

Laughter, if rightly us'd, may be confest
In some sort to distinguish man from beast,
While by due management it is allay'd,
While the strict rules of reason are obey'd;
But shews, if over-loud, or over-long,
Your head but weak, altho' your lungs be strong,
For ev'n a smile, not in its proper place,
Too just a blemish on your judgment lays:
But causeless laughter at each thing you see,
That grinning of the thoughtless mobile;
That senseless gaping mirth, that is exprest,
Without the provocation of a jest;
That wild convulsive writhing of the face,
That quite disfigures it from what it was,
Doth with humanity so little suit,
It makes you but a different sort of brute. 

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