An analysis of the craving for approval. The closing passage of the book strikes at the chase after others' recognition with three questions: who are those one wishes to please (οἷοί εἰσιν), for what gains (δι’ οἷα περιγινόμενα), and by what acts (δι’ οἵων ἐνεργειῶν). Look closely at the quality of these judges — and the worth of their approval collapses: to chase the praise of the worthless, seeking the worthless by worthless means, is a threefold absurdity. The governing discipline is desire (the deflation of fame); the sustaining one is assent.

Time will cover all. The second blow is time: "how quickly EXERCISEeternity (αἰών) will cover (καλύψει) all things — and how much it has already covered." Even if you win recognition, oblivion will erase it, as it has erased the countless before. The chase after fame is refuted twice over: by the worthlessness of its appraisers and by the brevity of the memory of it. Cf. 04-33 (names fade), 06-16 (posthumous fame is an "empty sound").

Place in the book. With this Book VI closes — on a note of sober contempt for vanity, prepared by the whole second half of the book (the portrait of 06-30, the "one fruit" of 06-16, the roll-call of the dead in 06-47).

Parallels. The vanity of fame — 04-33; 06-16; Med. 3.10; 8.44; 9.30; time / oblivion as the leveller — 04-33; 7.6; 8.21; the EXERCISEmemory of death.