Il me semble que cette méditation anticipée des malheurs humains produit presque le même effet que la guérison obtenue avec le temps, sinon que, dans le premier cas, c'est le raisonnement qui guérit, et dans le second, la nature ; mais on comprend l'essentiel, à savoir que le mal tenu pour le plus grand de tous n'est jamais si grand qu'il puisse détruire la vie heureuse.

For of what value is their vaunted 'freedom from care'? In appearance it is indeed an alluring thing, but in reality often to be shunned. For it is inconsistent not to undertake any honourable business or course of conduct, or to lay it aside when undertaken, in order to avoid anxiety. Nay, if we continually flee from trouble, we must also flee from Virtue, who necessarily meets with some trouble in rejecting and loathing things contrary to herself, as when kindness rejects ill-will, temperance lust, and bravery cowardice. And so you may see that it is the just who are most pained at injustice, the brave at cowardice, the self-restrained at profligacy. It is, therefore, characteristic of the well-ordered mind both to rejoice at good deeds and to be pained at the reverse.

As for you, my young friends, I urge you to strive for virtue, for without it friendship cannot exist. And friendship, aside from virtue, is the greatest thing we can find in life.