your own self, well integrated into your community and in
tune with the gods as well—embracing what they allot you,
and what they ordain.
- The elements move upward, downward, in all directions.
The motion of virtue is different—deeper. It moves at a
steady pace on a road hard to discern, and always forward. - The way people behave. They refuse to admire their
contemporaries, the people whose lives they share. No, but
to be admired by Posterity—people they’ve never met and
never will—that’s what they set their hearts on. You might as
well be upset at not being a hero to your great-grandfather. - Not to assume it’s impossible because you find it hard.
But to recognize that if it’s humanly possible, you can do it
too. - In the ring, our opponents can gouge us with their nails or
butt us with their heads and leave a bruise, but we don’t
denounce them for it or get upset with them or regard them
from then on as violent types. We just keep an eye on them
after that. Not out of hatred or suspicion. Just keeping a
friendly distance.
We need to do that in other areas. We need to excuse what
our sparring partners do, and just keep our distance—without
suspicion or hatred.