Elegant Fashion

And so the choices of those things are here held by the wise man, so that either by rejecting other pleasures he may obtain greater ones, or by enduring pains, to drive him back to be expelled. But in certain times, and often due to obligations or necessities of life, it will happen that both pleasures must be repudiated and annoyances not accepted. Accordingly, the choice of those things is bound here by the wise man, so that either by rejecting the pleasures he may at other times obtain greater or the enduring sorrows. We deem them most worthy of just hatred, who, being soothed by the flattery of the present pleasures, and corrupted, do not foresee what pains and what troubles they will receive, blinded by desire;

And the distinction between these things is easy and easy. For in free time, when the choice of choosing is free for us, and when nothing prevents us from being able to do what is most pleasing, every pleasure must be taken up, and every pain avoided. In certain times, however, it will often happen, either by the obligations or the necessities of things, so as to understand whence all this error was born, the pleasure of accusing and praising the pain, I will open the whole thing, and I will explain the very things which were said by that inventor of the truth and as it were the architect of the blessed life.

. For no one rejects, or hates, or shuns pleasure, because it is pleasure itself, but because great pains result from those who do not know how to follow pleasure by reason. Moreover, there is no one who desires to obtain pain itself because pain is important, enhanced, but because times of such a nature do not occur so that by toil and pain he may seek some great pleasure. For, to the slightest degree, who of us undertakes any laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? Who, however, rightfully condemns either one who wishes to be in that pleasure which obtains no annoyance, or one who shuns the pain by which no pleasure can be obtained? pleasures must be repudiated and annoyances not accepted. Accordingly, the choice of those things is bound here by the wise man, so that either by rejecting the pleasures he may at other times obtain greater or the enduring sorrows.