Complete Works, Volume Five

of Books,

Whatever desires do not lead to pain even if they are not satisfied are not necessary. Instead, they contain an absolute or aimless longing when they are difficult to satisfy, or when they are rightly judged to be causes of some harm.
153

Of all the things that Wisdom provides for living happily, nothing is greater, more abundant, or more pleasant than the possession of friendship.
ibid. original: "ibid." meaning in the same place, referring to page 153.

The same science confirmed the mind so that it would not fear any eternal or long-lasting evil. It recognized that in this very span of life, the protection of friendship is most firm.
155

Law, or natural justice, is a token of utility. This utility is established by mutual agreement so that men do not harm one another and are not harmed. In this way, they live securely, which is what everyone seeks under the guidance of nature.
ibid.

Among whatever animals could not make an agreement to neither harm nor be harmed by one another, there is no concept of justice or injustice, nor of law or injury. In the same way, there is no such thing among those nations that either could not or would not enter into a pact to neither harm nor be harmed by one another.
156

Justice in itself, and specifically that which is considered just here or there, is nothing. It is not found in a man viewed in isolation. It exists only in mutual societies of men, according to the size of each region, where pacts can be made regarding not inflicting or receiving harm.
158

In justice, again considering that what is unjust in one place might be just in another, there is nothing that is evil in itself. Rather, evil consists in the fear and the stinging conscience by which one suspects and fears that unjust deeds will not stay hidden from those who punish crimes.
159

It is impossible for one who has secretly violated any law or sacred pact made to prevent someone from doing or suffering injury to be certain that the deed will remain hidden. Even if it is hidden a thousand times at present, it is uncertain whether it will remain hidden until death.
160

Universally, Law, or what is just, is the same among all nations, namely something useful

in the mutual society of men. However, when looking at specific regions and various individual causes, it happens that the same law or justice does not exist among all people.
162

What experience proves to be useful for mutual use in society, or in the common participation in things considered just, has the nature of justice, provided that it is such that the utility applies to everyone. But if someone establishes something as such, and yet it happens that it is not useful to those joined in society, then it no longer has the true nature of justice.
163

Even if utility sometimes fails from that which was considered just, if there is nevertheless some utility at times, and it therefore fits the preconception held about justice, it remains just for that time. This is certainly true among those who do not confuse themselves with empty talk and who look at human affairs more generally. The "preconception" or "prior understanding" refers to the Epicurean concept of prolepsis, an innate or developed mental image of a concept like justice.
ibid.

Where no new circumstance of things arises, and those things that were considered just regarding human actions are found not to fit the preconception held about justice, those things are not just at all. Where circumstances have changed, and those things decreed as just cease to be useful, they were indeed just for as long as they remained useful for mutual living in society. As soon as they ceased to be useful, they immediately ceased to be just.
164

He who sets out to prepare confidence and security for himself from external things, in the best way possible, treats things that can be prepared as his own. He treats impossible things as foreign. Furthermore, he did not touch many things that were possible, and he rejected all things that were not necessary to obtain.
ibid.

For those who were able to prepare full confidence and security from a society of men living with the same outlook and affection, they lived most pleasantly with one another, relying on the firmest pledge. Joined by the fullest bond of necessity, they preferred to undergo death for one who was destined for death without lamentations.
165