mind's self-satisfaction in the things which it enables thee to do
according to right reason, and in the condition that is assigned to thee
without thy own choice; if, I say, thou seest anything better than is,
turn to it with all thy soul, and enjoy that which thou hast found to be
the best. But if nothing appears to be better than the Deity which is
planted in thee, which has subjected to itself all thy appetites, and
carefully examines all the impressions, and, as Socrates said, has
detached itself from the persuasions of sense, and has submitted itself
to the gods, and cares for mankind; if thou findest everything else
smaller and of less value than this, give place to nothing else, for if
thou dost once diverge and incline to it, thou wilt no longer without
distraction be able to give the preference to that good thing which is
thy proper possession and thy own; for it is not right that anything of
any other kind, such as praise from the many, or power, or enjoyment of
pleasure, should come into competition with that which is rationally and
politically [or practically] good. All these things, even though they may
seem to adapt themselves [to the better things] in a small degree, obtain
the superiority all at once, and carry us away. But do thou, I say,
simply and freely choose the better, and hold to it.--But that which is
useful is the better.--Well, then, if it is useful to thee as a rational
being, keep to it; but if it is only useful to thee as an animal, say so,
and maintain thy judgment without arrogance: only take care that thou
makest the inquiry by a sure method.

7. Never value anything as profitable to thyself which shall compel thee
to break thy promise, to lose thy self-respect, to hate any man, to
suspect, to curse, to act the hypocrite, to desire anything which needs
walls and curtains: for he who has preferred to everything else his own
intelligence and daemon and the worship of its excellence, acts no tragic
part, does not groan, will not need either solitude or much company; and,