In this purely rational system of ethics the contradiction reveals itself thus, the Stoic is obliged in his doctrine of the way to the blessed life (for that is what his ethical system always remains) to insert a recommendation of suicide (as among the magnificent ornaments and apparel of Eastern despots there is always a costly vial of poison) for the case in which the sufferings of the body, which cannot be philosophised away by any principles or syllogistic reasonings, are paramount and incurable; thus its one aim, blessedness, is rendered vain, and nothing remains as a mode of escape from suffering except death; in such a case then death must be voluntarily accepted, just as we would take any other medicine.
Kontraesan hori arrazoimen hutsaren etika hartan bertan ere nabarmentzen da, estoikoa beharturik aurkitzen denean bizitza zoriontsurako bere irakaspideari (zeren horretan gelditzen baita beti bere etika) suizidioaren gomendioa eranstera (ekialdeko despoten apainduria arazeriatsu eta ponpeziaren pean pozoia daukan flaskotxo prezagarri bat aurkitzen dugun bezala), gorputzeko sofrimenduak inolako printzipio eta ondorioz filosofatuz kendu ezin diren kasurako, jasanezin eta sendaezin direnean, eta haren helburu bakarra, dohatsutasuna ere hutsaldu eta sofrimenduari ihes egiteko, heriotza besterik gelditzen ez denean, zeina beste edozein sendagai bezala axolakabe hartu behar baita.