Therefore Aristotle, when he blames some ancient philosophers for imagining that by their genius they had brought philosophy to the highest perfection, says, they must be either extremely foolish or extremely vain; but that he himself could see that great improvements had been made therein in a few years, and that philosophy would in a little time arrive at perfection.

And Theophrastus is reported to have reproached nature at his death for giving to stags and crows so long a life, which was of no use to them, but allowing only so short a span to men, to whom length of days would have been of the greatest use; for if the life of man could have been lengthened, it would have been able to provide itself with all kinds of learning, and with arts in the greatest perfection.

He lamented, therefore, that he was dying just when he had begun to discover these.
What! does not every grave and distinguished philosopher acknowledge himself ignorant of many things, and confess that there are many things which he must learn over and over again?
And yet, though these men are sensible that they are standing still in the very midway of folly, than which nothing can be worse, they are under no great affliction, because no opinion that it is their duty to lament is ever mingled with this knowledge.

What shall we say of those who think it unbecoming in a man to grieve?
among whom we may reckon Q.Maximus, when he buried his son that had been consul, and L.Paulus, who lost two sons within a few days of one another.

Of the same opinion was M.Cato, who lost his son just after he had been elected praetor, and many others, whose names I have collected in my book on Consolation.