Vitae philosophorum

12. It would be impossible to banish fear on matters of the highest importance, if a man did not know the nature of the whole universe, but lived in dread of what the legends tell us. Hence without the study of nature there was no enjoyment of unmixed pleasures.

13. There would be no advantage in providing security against our fellow-men, so long as we were alarmed by occurrences over our heads or beneath the earth or in general by whatever happens in the boundless universe.

14. When tolerable security against our fellow-men is attained, then on a basis of power sufficient to afford support[*](Or, if ἐξορις τικῇ be read (with Meib., Kochalsky, and Apelt, cf.§ 154), power to expel.)and of material prosperity arises in most genuine form the security of a quiet private life withdrawn from the multitude.