A certain man being vexed that he had saluted one who did not return his
civility, Socrates said to him, "It is ridiculous in you to be
unconcerned when you meet a sick man in the way, and to be vexed for
having met a rude fellow."
2. Another was saying that he had lost his appetite and could eat
nothing. Socrates, having heard it, told him he could teach him a remedy
for that. The man asking what it was, "Fast," said he, "for some time,
and I will warrant you will be in better health, spend less money, and
eat with more satisfaction afterwards."
3. Another complained that the water which came into the cistern was
warm, and nevertheless he was forced to drink it. "You ought to be glad
of it," said Socrates, "for it is a bath ready for you, whenever you have
a mind to bathe yourself." "It is too cold to bathe in," replied the
other. "Do your servants," said Socrates, "find any inconvenience in
drinking it, or in bathing in it?" "No, but I wonder how they can suffer
it." "Is it," continued Socrates, "warmer to drink than that of the
temple of AEsculapius?" "It is not near so warm." "You see, then," said
Socrates, "that you are harder to please than your own servants, or even
than the sick themselves."
4. A master having beaten his servant most cruelly, Socrates asked him
why he was so angry with him. The master answered, "Because he is a
drunkard, a lazy fellow who loves money, and is always idle." "Suppose
he be so," said Socrates: "but be your own judge, and tell me, which of
you two deserves rather to be punished for those faults?"
5. Another made a difficulty of undertaking a journey to Olympia. "What
is the reason," said Socrates to him, "that you are so much afraid of
walking, you, who walk up and down about your house almost all day long?
You ought to look upon this journey to be only a walk, and to think that
you will walk away the morning till dinner-time, and the afternoon till
supper, and thus you will insensibly find yourself at your journey's end.
For it is certain that in five or six days' time you go more ground in
walking up and down than you need to do in going from Athens to Olympia.
I will tell you one thing more: it is much better to set out a day too
soon than a day too late; for it is troublesome to be forced to go long
journeys; and on the contrary, it is a great ease to have the advantage
of a day beforehand. You were better therefore to hasten your departure
than be obliged to make haste upon the road."
6. Another telling him that he had been a great journey, and was
extremely weary, Socrates asked whether he had carried anything. The
other answered that he had carried nothing but his cloak. "Were you
alone?" said Socrates. "No; I had a slave with me." "Was not he
loaded?" continued Socrates. "Yes, for he carried all my things." "And
how did he find himself upon the road?" "Much better than I." "And if
you had been to carry what he did, what would have become of you?"
"Alas!" said he, "I should never have been able to have done it." "Is it
not a shame," added Socrates, "in a man like you, who have gone through
all the exercises, not to be able to undergo as much fatigue as his
slave?"