Laudator Temporis Acti

Cassius Dio 38.19.2-3 (Philistius to Cicero; tr. Earnest Cary):

First of all, now, I see you are in excellent physical health and strength, which is surely man’s chief natural blessing; and, next, that you have the necessities of life in sufficiency so as not to hunger or thirst or suffer cold or endure any other hardship through lack of means—which may appropriately be set down as the second natural blessing for man. For when one’s physical condition is good and one can live without anxiety, all the factors essential to happiness are enjoyed.

ἐγὼ τοίνυν πρῶτον μὲν ἁπάντων ὁρῶ σε ὑγιαίνοντα τῷ σώματι καὶ εὖ μάλα ἐρρωμένον, ὅπερ που πρῶτον κατὰ φύσιν ἀγαθόν ἐστιν ἀνθρώποις, ἔπειτα δὲ τὰ ἐπιτήδεια αὐτάρκη κεκτημένον, ὥστε μήτε πεινῆν μήτε διψῆν ἢ ῥιγοῦν ἢ καὶ ἄλλο τι ἄτοπον ὑπ᾽ ἀπορίας ὑπομένειν, ὃ δὴ καὶ δεύτερον εἰκότως ἄν τις ἀγαθὸν ἀνθρώπῳ φύσει τιθείη. ὅταν γάρ τινι ἥ τε τοῦ σώματος σύστασις εὖ ἔχῃ καὶ διαρκεῖν ἀφροντιστῶν δύνηται, πάντα τὰ πρὸς εὐδαιμονίαν ἐπιβάλλοντα καρποῦται.