Turn to her, therefore, with all your soul, sit at her feet, cherish her; a great distance will then begin to separate you from other men. You will be far ahead of all mortals, and even the gods will not be far ahead of you.
Do you ask what will be the difference between yourself and the gods? They will live longer. But, by my faith, it is the sign of a great artist to have confined a full likeness to the limits of a miniature. The wise man's life spreads out to him over as large a surface as does all eternity to a god.
There is one point in which the sage has an advantage over the god; for a god is freed from terrors by the bounty of nature, the wise man by his own bounty.
What a wonderful privilege, to have the weaknesses of a man and the serenity of a god! The power of Philosophy to blunt the blows of chance is beyond belief. No missile can settle in her body; she is well-protected and impenetrable. She spoils the force of some missiles and wards them off with the loose folds of her gown, as if they had no power to harm; others she dashes aside, and hurls them back with such force that they recoil upon the sender. Farewell.
Do you ask what will be the difference between yourself and the gods? They will live longer. But, by my faith, it is the sign of a great artist to have confined a full likeness to the limits of a miniature. The wise man's life spreads out to him over as large a surface as does all eternity to a god.
There is one point in which the sage has an advantage over the god; for a god is freed from terrors by the bounty of nature, the wise man by his own bounty.
What a wonderful privilege, to have the weaknesses of a man and the serenity of a god! The power of Philosophy to blunt the blows of chance is beyond belief. No missile can settle in her body; she is well-protected and impenetrable. She spoils the force of some missiles and wards them off with the loose folds of her gown, as if they had no power to harm; others she dashes aside, and hurls them back with such force that they recoil upon the sender. Farewell.
—from Seneca. Moral Letters 53
I find great comfort in thinking of Philosophy as feminine, even though I know how it offends the sensibilities of our age. I do so for the same reason a sailor speaks of his ship as a she, since I have the deepest affection, respect, and reverence for her, in that ascending order. Shun me all you like—I commit to chivalry.
I am grateful I was still taught to see male and female as more than a matter of sex, but as the reflection of all the complementarities in Nature, and I still believe a man should express himself as a gentleman, and a woman as a lady. This is not a matter of external formalities, but of internal character.
I know I am always a far better man for loving and honoring a woman, whether she be my mother, my wife, or my daughter, and a far worse man for treating her as a mere object for my gratification.
I immediately think of Lady Philosophy from Boethius’ Consolation, who instills in me a profound sense of awe and deference. If I can manage to follow her with all of my heart and mind, what harm could ever befall me?
She teaches me to rely upon my own virtues, and to rise above my circumstances. She comforts me when the world hurts, by reminding me why I need not be a slave to the world, and that the hurt is only from my own flawed estimation.
The Divine is the perfection of all things, and to be greater in self-sufficiency is to be greater in perfection. By inspiring me to thrive according to the nature within me, Philosophy brings me just so much closer to God.
You say I am weak because I will not live forever? No, I can be strong precisely because I can transform even this very brief moment into a glorious service to the true, the good, and the beautiful. There is no one out there who can stop me from being happy, if I only choose to be happy.
How wonderful that while a god has more power over his surroundings, a decent man develops more power over himself, and thereby fulfills his own distinct brand of perfection. Even the smallest of folks can have the spunk to make Ares or Athena jealous!
I find this passage so moving that I hesitate to say any more about it. Keep your bombs and your guns. Philosophy is the only defense I need.
I find great comfort in thinking of Philosophy as feminine, even though I know how it offends the sensibilities of our age. I do so for the same reason a sailor speaks of his ship as a she, since I have the deepest affection, respect, and reverence for her, in that ascending order. Shun me all you like—I commit to chivalry.
I am grateful I was still taught to see male and female as more than a matter of sex, but as the reflection of all the complementarities in Nature, and I still believe a man should express himself as a gentleman, and a woman as a lady. This is not a matter of external formalities, but of internal character.
I know I am always a far better man for loving and honoring a woman, whether she be my mother, my wife, or my daughter, and a far worse man for treating her as a mere object for my gratification.
I immediately think of Lady Philosophy from Boethius’ Consolation, who instills in me a profound sense of awe and deference. If I can manage to follow her with all of my heart and mind, what harm could ever befall me?
She teaches me to rely upon my own virtues, and to rise above my circumstances. She comforts me when the world hurts, by reminding me why I need not be a slave to the world, and that the hurt is only from my own flawed estimation.
The Divine is the perfection of all things, and to be greater in self-sufficiency is to be greater in perfection. By inspiring me to thrive according to the nature within me, Philosophy brings me just so much closer to God.
You say I am weak because I will not live forever? No, I can be strong precisely because I can transform even this very brief moment into a glorious service to the true, the good, and the beautiful. There is no one out there who can stop me from being happy, if I only choose to be happy.
How wonderful that while a god has more power over his surroundings, a decent man develops more power over himself, and thereby fulfills his own distinct brand of perfection. Even the smallest of folks can have the spunk to make Ares or Athena jealous!
I find this passage so moving that I hesitate to say any more about it. Keep your bombs and your guns. Philosophy is the only defense I need.
—Reflection written in 4/2013
IMAGE: Giovanni Martinelli, An Allegory of Wisdom (c. 1645)
No comments:
Post a Comment