 So, “enveloped by the mist and clouds of opinion” (De constantia I.2), we must never stop attempting to conquer our passions and emotions (adfectus) — desire, joy, fear and pain (cupiditas, gaudium, metus and dolor) — and our false opinions by means of reason. Not only do emotions disturb the equilibrium of the soul and impede constancy, they are false and dangerous, since they can upset the detachment needed by the wise man(sapiens). Consequently, it is necessary “to steel our mind and so temper it that we may achieve peace in the midst of turmoil and tranquility in the midst of conflict” (De constantia I.1). If reason, the lawful ruler of our mind, can conquer our passions and false opinions, we will be able to face public and private evil with true constancy. Due to three emotions, however —simulatio or deception, pietas or patriotism, and miseratio or pity for misfortunes of others — we all carry war around within ourselves. Even worse, what appears to us to be a virtue is actually a vice, for thinking that we suffer on account of the sufferings of our country causes us to grieve for our self and our property, while pity for the sufferings of others is unworthy of a wise man. We must therefore obey the Stoic injunction to extirpate all these harmful emotions.