The Fates have so encompassed men with ills,
That even the wind can find no entrance?
27. For many, as Crantor tells us, and those very wise men, not now
but long ago have deplored the condition of human nature, esteeming
life a punishment, and to be born a man the highest pitch of calamity;
this, Aristotle tells us, Silenus declared when he was brought captive
to Midas. I think it best to quote the expressions of the philosopher
himself, in his book entitled Eudemus, or Of the Soul, wherein he
speaks after this manner:—
“Wherefore, thou best and happiest of mankind, if we think those
blessed and happy who have departed this life, then it is not only
unlawful but even blasphemy to speak any thing that is false or
contumelious of them, since they are now changed into a better and
more refined nature. And this my opinion is so old, that the original
and author of it is utterly unknown; but it hath been derived down to
us even from eternity, so established is the truth of it. Besides,
thou seest what is so familiar in men’s mouths, and hath been for many
years a trite expression. What is that, saith he? He answered him: It
is best not to be born at all; and next to that, it is more eligible
to die than to live; and this is confirmed even by divine testimony.
Pertinently to this they say that Midas, after hunting, asked his
captive Silenus somewhat urgently, what was the most desirable thing
amongst men. At first he would return no answer, but was obstinately
silent. At last, when Midas would not give over importuning him, he
broke out into these words, though very unwillingly: ‘Thou seed of an
evil genius and precarious offspring of hard fortune, whose life is
but for a day, why dost thou compel me to tell thee those things it is
better thou wert ignorant of? For those live the least disturbed who
know not their misfortunes; but for men, the best for them is not to
be born at all, nor to be made partakers of the most excellent nature;
not to be is best for both sexes. This should have the first place in
our choice; and the next to this is, when we are born, to die as soon
as we can.’ It is plain therefore, that he declared the condition of
the dead to be better than that of the living.”
I could bring millions of examples to justify this topic, but I will
not be long.
28. We are not therefore to lament those who die in the bloom of their
years, as if they were spoiled of things which we call enjoyments in a
longer life; for it is uncertain, as we have often said, whether they
are deprived of good or evil, for the evil in the world far exceeds
the good. The good we obtain hardly and with anxious endeavor, but
the evil easily befalls us; for they say evils are linked together,
and by a mutual dependence of causes follow one another, but the good
lie scattered and disjoined, and with great difficulty are brought
within the compass of our life. Therefore we seem to have forgot our
condition; for not only is it true, as Euripides hath it, that