Multum animis hominum et fiduciae adicere et sollicitudinis detrahere potest morum ac fortunae in claris viris recognita mutatio, sive nostros status sive proximorum ingenia contemplemur: nam cum aliorum fortunas spectando ex condicione abiecta atque contempta emersisse claritatem videamus, quid aberit quin et ipsi meliora de nobis semper cogitemus, memores stultum esse perpetuae infelicitatis se praedamnare spemque, quae etiam incerta recte fovetur, interdum certam in desperationem convertere?
Recognition of change of character and fortune in famous men can add much confidence to our minds and take away much anxiety, whether we look at our own situations or those of our neighbours. For when in watching the fortunes of others we see how brilliance emerged from abjection and contempt, why shall we too not always have better thoughts about ourselves, mindful that it is foolish to sentence oneself in advance to perpetual infelicity and in the meanwhile convert hope, which it is right to foster even if uncertain, to certain despair?
final_alignments\Valerius_Memorable_Book6.json