[387e]
for a good life and is distinguished
from other men in having least need of anybody else.”
“True,” he replied. “Least of all then to him
is it a terrible thing to lose son1 or brother or his wealth or anything of the
sort.” “Least of all.” “Then he
makes the least lament and bears it most moderately when any such misfortune
overtakes him.” “Certainly.” “Then
we should be right in doing away with the lamentations of men of note and in
attributing them to women,2
1 Cf. the anecdotes of Pericles and Xenophon and the comment of Pater on Marcus Aurelius in Marius the Epicurean. Plato qualifies the Stoic extreme in 603 E. The Platonic ideal is μετριοπάθεια, the Stoic ἀπάθεια,
2 Cf. Plat. Rep. 398e.
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