Laudator Temporis Acti

For there was a man of genius, Zeno, and the disciples of his teaching are called Stoics. Here are examples of his maxims and precepts: the wise man is never moved by favour, never forgives anyone's misdeed; only the fool or the trifler feels pity; a real man does not yield to entreaty or appeasement; only the wise man is handsome however misshapen, rich however needy, a king however much a slave. We who are not wise are by their account runaways, exiles, enemies or even madmen. All misdeeds are equal; every misdemeanour is a heinous crime. The casual killing of a cock is no less a crime than strangling one's father. The wise man never "supposes" anything, never regrets anything, is never wrong, never changes his mind.

fuit enim quidam summo ingenio vir, Zeno, cuius inventorum aemuli Stoici nominantur. huius sententiae sunt et praecepta eius modi. sapientem gratia numquam moveri, numquam cuiusquam delicto ignoscere; neminem misericordem esse nisi stultum et levem; viri non esse neque exorari neque placari; solos sapientes esse, si distortissimi sint, formosos, si mendicissimi, divites, si servitutem serviant, reges; nos autem qui sapientes non sumus fugitivos, exsules, hostis, insanos denique esse dicunt; omnia peccata esse paria; omne delictum scelus esse nefarium, nec minus delinquere eum qui gallum gallinaceum, cum opus non fuerit, quam eum qui patrem suffocaverit; sapientem nihil opinari, nullius rei paenitere, nulla in re falli, sententiam mutare numquam.