Chapter VIII.
The wise person is delighted in such a way by the health of the body or by children, that if they were to lose them, they would still consider themselves happy; since they desire nothing besides the highest good. Therefore, they do not fear their own or their loved ones' captivity, bodily ailments, and other adversities, because neither is anything taken away from their happiness nor added to their favorable circumstances.
33. I now inquire whether a wise person delights in bodily health. We cannot deny that they delight according to nature, and they prefer not to feel any pain rather than to feel pain; unless perhaps for the sake of Christ, for whom, if the situation demands it, they readily accept bodily weakness and offer their whole body to death. However, even apart from the cause of faith and justice, if health is lacking, their mind is not affected, nor is their body broken by pain, which can be solaced by the perfection of virtues.
34. I also ask whether he takes pleasure in his children? Who would deny that? For it is not a hard and unfeeling person that is sought, but a perfected one. Yet even if he were to lose his children, he would not be any less happy, nor any less perfected. For what is perfected is happy. Moreover, if he endures adversity rather than enjoying success, he is often considered more perfected in this regard: although neither the absence nor the presence of external comforts or bodily pleasures tends to diminish or add anything to virtue. But for most, it was more praiseworthy to endure adversity bravely than to have not encountered it. However, these things are valued by appearance, not by weight.
35. That profound thing, a just man desiring nothing, except that one and splendid good, directing himself towards this alone, considering this one thing as the ultimate good: not desiring any other thing with it, but always desiring solely itself, finding delight in this; if something else, such as the sweetness of children, is added to it and delights him, that is not lost, but is joined to it. For the things that accompany happiness do not diminish it, since they cannot increase it; because that full and inviolable thing remains, into which the soul has entered and inserted itself, etc. Virtue always remains steadfast amidst adversity and pleasant things; neither adversity diminishes its perfection, nor do pleasant things add to its perfection. For what does someone who reaches the summit feel about the loss of trivial things or gains?
And indeed, what is considered most serious by most people, he will not think himself miserable if he himself or his son were to fall into captivity. For he will bear with tolerable patience what nature has given him or what seems to be the will of God. In fact, the righteous man said: 'The word which the Lord has spoken is good' (2 Kings 20:19). And he said: 'Let peace and faith be in my days' (Ibid). Indeed, this righteous Ezechias did not rejoice in the affliction of captivity for his children, but he could not oppose the will of the Lord, and therefore he accepted his commandments with equanimity as a servant.' It should be added that which could be considered as deserving of distinction in captivity by virtue. For the blessed Jeremiah in captivity was no less blessed, nor was Daniel, nor Ezra, nor the blessed Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael, than if they had not fallen into captivity; for they were led into captivity in order to bring comfort to the people in their present circumstances, and to bring hope of escaping captivity. For it is the perfection of a virtuous man to sustain the fellowship of human nature with the courage of the mind, and to lead others to better things. They do not succumb to those things which seem terrible and fearful to most people, but rather, like a brave soldier, they endure the attacks of the gravest misfortunes and undergo conflicts, and like a wise helmsman, they steer the ship in the storm, avoiding shipwreck by plowing through the waves rather than by avoiding them. He is not fearful in persecution, nor softer in tortures, lest he provoke the one tormenting him: but rather like a strong athlete, who repels the one striking him, if not with slaughter, certainly with the whip of speech; who despises the tortures feared by many, saying: Their arrows have become the wounds of infants (Ps. 63:8); who, even when wrestling with the gravest of pains, does not present himself as pitiable; but rather shows himself like a light in a lantern, shining even amidst harsh storms and the most violent winds, and the strength of his soul cannot be extinguished. He is not soft in the face of injuries to his own, nor anxious about the tomb of his body, to which he knows heaven is owed; he is not more degraded in the captivity of the civic commoners; but like a strict judge, condemning the faithlessness and errors of the infidels, like Daniel who exposed the thefts of the priests and refuted their superstitions, showing that they were not based on any truth, but were overshadowed by deceit. Such a man is truly perfect, who desires to do good to all and for nothing bad to happen to anyone; and if anything happens against his will, he himself does not lose anything of his own happiness.
37. But perhaps someone might think that sickness and physical weakness are obstacles to fulfilling one's duty, because they cannot proceed with any manual labor or accomplishments. However, they will not see these as just obstacles: on the contrary, they will rebuke and accuse someone who mourns them pitifully, as if they were lazy, because they prioritize physical well-being over virtue of the soul, and they desire things that serve them, even though they possess the ability to command others to a greater extent. They groan in poverty, even though they have the power to surpass the wealth of the world; for the faithful, the entire world is a source of riches. They lament their lowly status, even though they should despise royal powers and command the rich and powerful. For this is the life of the righteous, who should also estimate their common possessions; indeed, even divide to the poor, dispense to the needy, restrain their own pleasures, reduce expenses, apply frugality, maintain moderation in prosperity, patience in adversity, tolerance in sorrow, magnanimity in danger, be ignorant of constant health, not be shaken by the fear of imminent death, nor consider him more excellent to whom according to nature children, relatives, health, happiness, and abundance have overflowed, than one to whom they have been lacking, nor weigh the merits of the world's external things, but the merits of virtue within the household.
Moreover, who denies that this form is just; so that one fears nothing, dreads nothing, except for the losses of virtue, and compresses the empty fears of others, which they have from anxiety over dangers, fear of death, weakness of the body; so that it teaches to be dissolved from the body, and that it is much better to be with Christ; so that it shows that the works are not hindered by the weaknesses of the body, but are increased; and they are not commended by the splendor of noble birth, or the support of relatives, or wealth, but by good love. For neither was Elijah less blessed than Moses; while the former was in need of food, a meagre diet, without children, without expense, without companions; the latter was the leader of the people, joyful with offspring, clothed with power, and they both founded a equal worth of diverse lineage, as it is declared in the Gospel (Matthew 17:3), when they shone forth with the Lord Jesus in the glory of the resurrection. For it seems that he gave equal reward to his witnesses of glory as if they were equal to these things. Elisaeus was no less blessed than David, for one was subject to kings while the other was endowed with royal power, and both attained a similar grace of prophetic sanctification.
What is lacking to the one who possesses that good, and always has as a companion and partner, virtue? In what state is he not powerful? In what poverty is he not wealthy? In what low birth is he not illustrious? In what leisure is he not industrious? In what weakness is he not vigorous? In what illness is he not strong? In what peaceful sleep is he not embraced, which virtue does not abandon even when he is resting? In what solitude is he not surrounded, which blessed life embraces, which grace clothes, which the garment of glory illuminates? He is no less happy when he is idle than when he is working, and no less glorious when he is asleep than when he is awake; for he is just as safe and healthy when he is asleep as when he is awake. When, however, can someone appear to be on holiday, whose mind is always active? When, however, can someone be alone, who is always in the company of that good thing, of which the Prophet says: 'We shall be filled with the good things of your house' (Psalm 64:5)? When can someone be desolate, whose conversation is in heaven? When one does not conform to his own beauty and the sole good, even if he is free in body, let him still elevate his mind. And just as one accustomed to playing the lyre would abandon it if he were to see it in disarray, with strings loosened and broken, and its use interrupted, and he himself would not seek its melodies but would soothe himself with his own voice: so too will this person allow his idle body to lie down, while delighting his heart, soothing himself with the remembrance of a good conscience, alleviating himself with divine oracular pronouncements and prophetic scriptures, embracing that sweet and pleasant soul, embracing it with his mind; to whom nothing sad can happen, since he always aspires to divine presence, and he himself is present to himself, suffused with the highest tranquility of mind.
Book Two