Many who appear to be friends are not so, and many who do not appear to be such are so in reality; but it is the part of a wise man to discern both these classes.
SER. CLII.
Youth which is not willing to work is laying up misfortunes for old age.
SER. CLVI.
What is bad is, not being punished here, but being worthy of punishment hereafter.
SER. CXXXV.
God has implanted hope in the human race that, having a comfort innate in them, those who have committed errors which are not irremediable may feel their sorrows lightened.
SER. CLXXXII.
Pleasure appears to be an equable kind of motion, but in reality it both is and is found to be rough.
THE FOLLOWING FRAGMENTS ARE FROM AN ANONYMOUS COLLECTION IN THE
BODLEIAN LIBRARY AT OXFORD
EXTRACTS FROM PHILO
About friends.
A steadiness towards one’s friends is a sign of a general stability of disposition, on which account one ought not to form friendship till one has carefully tested the characters of those with whom he proposes to form it; for not only is the forming of such friendship pleasant, but so also is the feeling that one has not to bear by one’s self burdens which oppress the soul, and not to depart from the association; for he who is the cause of differences in friendship is not known to the generality of men, but he is accustomed to bring common blame upon both parties, and very commonly on the innocent party more than on the guilty one.
Of secret things, you may share with mean persons those which increase your virtue; but as to those which deteriorate your mind, you must not pursue them yourself, nor impute them to your friends.
The life of man is like a sea, it is liable to every description of agitation and change, even in the height of prosperity; for nothing earth-born is firmly established, but all such things are carried about to and fro, like a vessel which is driven about in the sea by contrary winds.
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