It is impossible to love others more than to love yourself
Cicero
The brave are self-reliant, and "self-confidence" is used incorrectly in a pejorative sense, although the word is derived from confederre (trust), which contains positive connotations. People who rely on themselves certainly don't be overly afraid, because there is definitely a difference between self-confidence and timidity.
"Temperance" becomes a virtue that includes the three virtues of bravery, justice, and prudence (a common feature of all virtues, because they are all interconnected and united). Therefore, I regard "moderation" itself as a fourth virtue. For its special function is to guide the urgent impulses of the soul by constantly opposing desires, exercising restraint in all situations; the opposite evil is "despicable."
If you love others and those we love most closely, as much as we love ourselves, then this is a wonderful thing, a legitimate, just thing, but please think carefully that it is impossible to love others more than to love ourselves. Nor should I think of my friend in friendship as he loves me more than he loves himself, or I love him more than I love myself; and if I can, it will lead to confusion in life and all its obligations.
Thinking of my own fate, there are many times when I begin to lose faith in your view and feel extreme fear of human weakness. What I fear is that nature gives us a weak body, accompanied by incurable diseases and unbearable suffering, and nature gives us a soul, and our soul has a body of pain, in addition to the soul's own troubles and misfortunes entangled.
I judge from the weaknesses of others, and perhaps from my own weaknesses, rather than from virtue itself to the power of virtue, so I rebuke myself in such a tone. Just as the sea can be regarded as peaceful without the blowing of the wind, if there is not enough power to trouble the soul, then the soul can be perceived to be peaceful. A man should not covet anything, nor should his soul have any illusory passions, and if something falls on a man who is concerned with fate and all other trivialities, and he is neither afraid nor anxious within the limits of what he can bear, then what reason should he not be happy?
If virtue makes this possible, why can't virtue alone make people happy? Suffering is the main obstacle to happiness, and we have to resist death, including our own death and the death of our loved ones, but also our suffering and all the other chaos of our souls; pain, which seems to be the most active opponent of virtue, throws its javelin at the most violent of virtues, threatening the courage, perseverance and patience of the soul and causing it to disintegrate. So, must virtue give way to pain, and the happy life of the philosopher and the firm must succumb to pain? O great god, how depraved it is to think like this!
The Voice of Reason, Virtue and Soul
By Cicero
Translated by Wang Xiaochao, Changjiang Literature and Art Publishing House, 2015-1