Chapter X. On the Third Point for Self-Consideration

But after considering how great thou art in rank and dignity, thou shouldst consider likewise and especially what kind thou art in disposition and character. This consideration will confine ^thee to thyself, it will not suffer thee to fly far away from thy centre, neither will it allow thee to " walk in great matters or in wonderful things above thee " (Ps. cxxx. 2). For thou oughtest to be content with thyself and thine own measure, not going beyond thy limits either in height or in depth, either in length or in breadth. If thou wouldst not lose the mean of virtue, keep thyself in the middle place. Here shalt thou find security, here is the seat of the golden mean, and the golden mean is virtue. Every habitation outside the golden mean the man of wisdom regards as an exile. Therefore he will not have his dwelling in " length " which extends beyond the mean, or in " breadth " which stretches outside it ; not in " height " which rises above it, or in " depth " which lies below it. For he knows that excessive extension in length is wont to remove the mind from its base, whilst undue extension in breadth frequently causes mental disruption ; that the soul which mounts too high is in danger of falling, and that that which stoops too low runs the risk of being submerged. But I must express this more clearly, lest thou shouldst suppose me to bespeaking of that length and breadth and height and depth which the Apostle exhorts us "to comprehend with all the saints " (Ephes. iii. 18), and which I reserve for another chapter and another time. Here I call it length, when a man promises himself a long life ; and breadth, when one allows his mind to be distracted by superfluous solicitudes ; and height, when one unduly presumes on himself ; and depth, when one gives way to excessive discouragement. Now does not he who looks forward to a long course of life, truly withdraw himself from his base and centre, overstepping the bounds of existence by his premature cares ? Hence it comes to pass that men, exiled from themselves, so to speak, by forgetfulness of the present, make useless excursions by their vain solicitudes into other times and worlds, which perhaps shall never exist for them. In the same way, the mind that has too many things to look to, will necessarily be torn by a multitude of cares. For excessive expansion produces attenuation, and when attenuation is carried too far it ends in disruption. As to lofty presumption, what is that but the preparation for a calamitous fall ? For, as thou hast read, " Before destruction, the heart of a man is lifted up " (Prov. xviii. 12). On the other hand, what else is the immoderate dejection of pusillanimity but a kind of submersion in the abyss of despair ? But the man of fortitude will not suffer himself to be thus submerged. Neither shall the man of prudence be seduced by the uncertain hope of a long life. The temperate man, for his part, will moderate his solicitudes ; he will neither allow himself what is superfluous, nor deny himself what is needful. And the just man, finally, will not be over-presumptuous, but rather will say with holy Job, " And if just, I shall not lift up my head " (Job x. 15).