They seem to be all on the watch for the signal we hoist from
within: and if the soul grow wiser towards evening, the sorrow will
grow wiser too that the soul had fashioned for itself in the
morning.
11. No great inner event befalls those who summon it not; and yet is
there germ of great inner event in the smallest occurrence of life.
But events such as these are apportioned by justice, and to each man
is given of the spoil in accord with his merits. We become that
which we discover in the sorrows and joys that befall us; and the
least expected caprices of fate soon mould themselves on our
thoughts. It is in our past that destiny finds all her weapons, her
vestments, her jewels. Were the only son of Thersites and Socrates
to die the same day, Socrates' grief would in no way resemble the
grief of Thersites. Misfortune or happiness, it seems, must be
chastened ere it knock at the door of the sage; but only by stooping
low can it enter the commonplace soul.
12. As we become wiser we escape some of our instinctive destinies.
There is in us all sufficient desire for wisdom to transform into
consciousness most of the hazards of life. And all that has thus
been transformed can belong no more to the hostile powers.
Pages:
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55