Cicero (on the Stoics) · 106–43 BCE
Tusculan Disputations 2 ¶41–43 — Cicero (on the Stoics)
From “On Bearing Pain”
Translation by C. D. Yonge (1853)
Cicero (on the Stoics), Tusculan Disputations 2 ¶41–43
I have now said enough about the effects of exercise, custom, and careful meditation. Proceed we now to consider the force of reason, unless you have something to reply to what has been said. A. That I should interrupt you! By no means, for your discourse has brought me over to your opinion. M. Let the Stoics, then, think it their business to determine whether pain be an evil or not, while they endeavor to show by some strained and trifling conclusions, which are nothing to the purpose, that pain is no evil. My opinion is that whatever it is, it is not so great as it appears, and I say that men are influenced to a great extent by some false representations and appearance of it, and that all which is really felt is capable of being endured. Where shall I begin, then? Shall I superficially go over what I said before, that my discourse may have a greater scope?
Cite this passage
Cicero (on the Stoics), Tusculan Disputations 2 ¶41–43, tr. C. D. Yonge (1853)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/tusculan-disputations/2.41
Cicero, Tusculan Disputations, tr. C. D. Yonge (1853). Text: Standard Ebooks (CC0). Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesWhatever pain is, it is not as bad as it looks, because people are strongly swayed by false impressions of it and what is actually felt can be endured. The speaker leaves aside the Stoic argument that pain is no evil, which he finds strained, and moves from training to the power of reason.
Themes and situations
- Pleasure and pain
- Judgements and impressions
- Resilience and endurance
- Illness or diagnosis
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