“He seeks a long temptation who seeks a long life.
“What God has not loved in His friends—power, rank, riches, dignities—do not thou love in thine.
“Snares thou eatest, drinkest, wearest, sleepest in; all things are snares.
“We are exiles through love and wantonness and inclination, not through locality; exiles in the country of defilement, of dark passions, of ignorance, of wicked loves and hates.
“In so far as thou lovest thyself—that is, this temporal life—so far dost thou love what is transitory.
“Adverse matters do not make thee wretched, but rather show thee to have been so; prosperity blinds the soul, by covering and increasing misery, not by removing it.
“Every one ought to love all men. Whoever wishes another to show special love toward him is a robber, and an offender against all.
“Mixed through this body, thou wast wretched enough; for thou wast subject to all its corruptions, even to the bite of the flea or the sorunculus. This did not suffice thee. Thou hast mixed thyself up with other quasi bodies, the opinion of men, admiration, love, honour, fear and the like. When these are harmed, pain comes to thee, as from bodily hurt. Thy honour is hurt when contempt is shown thee; and so with the rest. Think also thus regarding bodily forms.
“Unless thou hast despised whatever men can do to thwart or aid thee, thou wilt not be able to contemn their disposition toward thee, their hate and love, their opinions, good or bad.
“Why dost thou wish to be loved by men?