Short Works · Chapter
Chapter CLXIII explained
A brief aphorism comparing a fool's experience of good fortune to intoxication, suggesting it amplifies their foolishness rather than improving them.
What happens
A brief aphorism comparing a fool's experience of good fortune to intoxication, suggesting it amplifies their foolishness rather than improving them.
Themes in this chapter
Moderation and Simplicity
The excerpt warns against the corrupting and disorienting effect of excessive good fortune, aligning with the Stoic call for moderation and a simple, reasoned life.
Practical Ethics and Self-Discipline
The focus is on the practical consequence of lacking self-discipline; external fortune, when bestowed on an undisciplined mind ('a fool'), leads to a worse state of character.
Key passages
“A fool having enjoyed good fortune like intoxication to a great amount becomes more foolish.”
For a person lacking wisdom, an abundance of good luck acts like strong drink, making them even more foolish than they were before.
The comparison emphasizes that external advantages are not inherently good and can be harmful to those not prepared by virtue to handle them.