IV. To Rusticus I am beholding, that I first entered into
the conceit that my life wanted some redress and cure.
And then, that I did not fall into the ambition of ordinary sophists,
either to write tracts concerning the common theorems, or to exhort
men unto virtue and the study of philosophy by public orations;
as also that I never by way of ostentation did affect to show
myself an active able man, for any kind of bodily exercises.
And that I gave over the study of rhetoric and poetry, and of
elegant neat language. That I did not use to walk about the house
in my long robe, nor to do any such things. Moreover I learned
of him to write letters without any affectation, or curiosity;
such as that was, which by him was written to my mother from Sinuessa:
and to be easy and ready to be reconciled, and well pleased
again with them that had offended me, as soon as any of them
would be content to seek unto me again. To read with diligence;
not to rest satisfied with a light and superficial knowledge,
nor quickly to assent to things commonly spoken of: whom also I
must thank that ever I lighted upon Epictetus his Hypomnemata,
or moral commentaries and commone-factions: which also he gave
me of his own.

V. From Apollonius, true liberty, and unvariable steadfastness,
and not to regard anything at all, though never so little,
but right and reason: and always, whether in the sharpest pains,
or after the loss of a child, or in long diseases, to be still
the same man; who also was a present and visible example unto me,
that it was possible for the same man to be both vehement and remiss:
a man not subject to be vexed, and offended with the incapacity
of his scholars and auditors in his lectures and expositions;