《沉思录·卷九·不义与虚妄》第41条
Epicurus says, In my sickness my conversation was not about my bodily sufferings, nor, says he, did I talk on such subjects to those who visited me; but I continued to discourse on the nature of things as before, keeping to this main point, how the mind, while participating in such movements as go on in the poor flesh, shall be free from perturbations and maintain its proper good. Nor did I, he says, give the physicians an opportunity of putting on solemn looks, as if they were doing something great, but my life went on well and happily. Do, then, the same that he did both in sickness, if thou art sick, and in any other circumstances; for never to desert philosophy in any events that may befall us, nor to hold trifling talks either with an ignorant man or with one unacquainted with nature, is a principle of all schools of philosophy; but to be intent only on that which thou art now doing and on the instrument by which thou doest it.
注释摘要
奥勒留在这里引用了伊壁鸠鲁的一段自述，这在《沉思录》中并不常见。伊壁鸠鲁学派与斯多葛学派在宇宙论和伦理学的根基上是对立的，但奥勒留并非在进行学派论战，而是在病痛与人生困境面前，从一个对手身上看到了值得效仿的品行。伊壁鸠鲁说，他在病中不谈论身体的痛苦，也不向来访者诉苦，而是继续讨论自然哲学，专注于一个核心问题：心灵如何在与肉体的痛苦共处时，保持不受搅扰，并守…