but we, accept them in the hope of health. Let the perfecting and
accomplishment of the things which the common nature judges to be good,
be judged by thee to be of the same kind as thy health. And so accept
everything which happens, even if it seem disagreeable, because it leads
to this, to the health of the universe and to the prosperity and felicity
of Zeus [the universe]. For he would not have brought on any man what he
has brought, if it were not useful for the whole. Neither does the nature
of anything, whatever it may be, cause anything which is not suitable to
that which is directed by it. For two reasons then it is right to be
content with that which happens to thee, the one, because it was done for
thee and prescribed for thee, and in a manner had reference to thee,
originally from the most ancient causes spun with thy destiny; and the
other, because even that which comes severally to every man is to the
power which administers the universe a cause of felicity and perfection,
nay even of its very continuance. For the integrity of the whole is
mutilated, if thou cuttest off anything whatever from the conjunction and
the continuity either of the parts or of the causes. And thou dost cut
off, as far as it is in thy power, when thou art dissatisfied, and in a
manner triest to put anything out of the way.

9. Be not disgusted, nor discouraged, nor dissatisfied, if thou dost not
succeed in doing everything according to right principles, but when thou
hast failed, return back again, and be content if the greater part of
what thou dost is consistent with man's nature, and love this to which
thou returnest; and do not return to philosophy as if she were a master,
but act like those who have sore eyes and apply a bit of sponge and egg,
or as another applies a plaster, or drenching with water. For thus thou
wilt not fail to obey reason, and thou wilt repose in it. And remember
that philosophy requires only the things which thy nature requires; but
thou wouldst have something else which is not according to nature.--It