The five days debate at Cicero's house in Tusculum between master and sophister.

SECT. XXVII. Whence the Remedies of Humane Frailties are to be drawn.

BUT because I suspect you do not put the que∣stion so much about the Perfect wise man, as about your self in a state of proficiency (for him you think to be free from all Passion, you would come to be so) let us see how great are those Re∣medies, which are by Philosophy prescrib'd to the Diseases of Souls, for, to be sure, there is some Physick for them; nor was Nature so insense an Ene∣my to Man-kind, as to provide so many means of recovery for Bodies, and none for Souls. To which she hath been so much the more kind, as that the aids of Bodies are fetch'd from without, the relief of Souls is inclos'd in themselves. But the greater and diviner Excellency is in them the greater Diligence do they need. On this account reason well consulted, behold what is the best, when neg∣lected, is entangled in many Errors. Therefore my whole discourse is to be turn'd to you; for you put the case, as of a wise man, but perhaps you enquire about your self. There are then diverse cures of those Passions, which I have laid down; for every Discontent is not asswag'd the same way, for there is one method to be taken with him who Mourns, another with him that Pitties, another again with him who Envieth. There is further in all the four Capital Passions, this distinction, whe∣ther the Discourse be better address'd against

Passion in general, which is a disobeying of Reason, or an over-vehement Affection; or against the particu∣lar ones, as Fear, Lust, and the rest. Again, whe∣ther that particular object, which occasions our Discontent, be to be taken hainously; or whether we should be discontented upon any occasion at all. As if one should be troubled that he is Poor, whether you should dispute with him that there is no evil in Poverty; or that a man should be con∣tented in every condition; clearly this is the bet∣ter, least, if you should not perswade in the in∣stance of Poverty; way must be given to Discon∣tent; but if Discontent be remov'd by the proper Arguments which we used yesterday, the evil of Poverty is also in some sort remov'd.