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Why we suffer Fear !

The touchstone of a true spirit; must be tested & as often as they fall, rises again with greater strength; For boldness, gains much strength by being challenged.

We suffer more often in imagination than in reality; It is likely that some troubles will befall us; Even bad fortune is fickle, perhaps it will come, perhaps not; in the meantime it is not; So look forward to better things.

On Groundless Fears

For our powers can never inspire in us implicit faith in ourselves, except when many difficulties have confronted us, & have occasionally, even come to close quarters with us. 

It is only in this way that the true spirit can be tested, – the spirit that will never consent to come under the jurisdiction of things, external to ourselves. 

This is the touchstone of such a spirit; no prizefighter can go with high spirits into strife, if they have never been beaten black & blue; the only contestant who can confidently enter the lists, is the person who has seen their own blood, who has felt their teeth rattle beneath their opponent's fist, who has been tripped & felt the full force, of their adversary's charge, who has been downed in body, but not in spirit, one who as often as they fall, rises again with greater defiance than ever. 

Fortune has often in the past got the upper hand of you, & yet you have not surrendered, but have leaped up & stood your ground still more eagerly. 

For boldness, gains much strength by being challenged; nevertheless, if you approve, allow me to offer some additional safeguards by which you may fortify yourself.

There are more things, Lucilius, likely to frighten us than there are to crush us; we suffer more often in imagination than in reality.

Yes, my dear Lucilius; we agree too quickly with what people say. 

We do not put to the test those things which cause our fear; we do not examine into them; we blench & retreat just like soldiers, who are forced to abandon their camp, because of a dust-cloud raised by stampeding cattle, or are thrown into a panic, by the spreading of some unauthenticated rumour, & somehow or other, it is the idle report that disturbs us most. 

For truth has its own definite boundaries, but that which arises from uncertainty, is delivered over to guesswork, & the irresponsible license, of a frightened mind. 

That is why no fear, is so ruinous, & so uncontrollable, as panic fear; For other fears are groundless, but this fear, is witless.

Let us then look carefully into the matter; It is likely, that some troubles, will befall us; but it is not, a present fact. 

How often has, the unexpected happened!, How often has, the expected never come to pass! 

Even though it is ordained to be, what does it avail to run out to meet your suffering? 

You will suffer soon enough, when it arrives; so look forward meanwhile to better things. 

What shall you gain by doing this? Time. 

There will be many happenings meanwhile, which will serve to postpone, or end or pass on to another person, the trials which are near or even in your very presence. 

Even bad fortune is fickle; Perhaps it will come, perhaps not; in the meantime it is not; So look forward to better things.