Where vice lives. Three nested theses about TERMvice (κακία), narrowing the field of its harm to a point. (1) "In general" (γενικῶς) vice "does no harm to the world" (οὐδὲν βλάπτει τὸν κόσμον): the cosmos absorbs even villainy as material (cf. 6.42 — the ruler of the Whole uses even the resisters). (2) "In particular," DOGMAone man's vice "harms not another" (οὐδὲν βλάπτει τὸν ἕτερον): another's κακία cannot corrupt my ruling part without my assent (5.25).

The harm — and the power over it. One address remains: vice DOGMA"is only harmful to him who has it in his power to be released from it, as soon as he shall choose" (ᾧ ἐπιτέτραπται καὶ ἀπηλλάχθαι αὐτῆς, ὁπόταν πρῶτον θελήσῃ, literally "to whom it has been granted also to be rid of it, the moment he first so wills"), that is, to its own bearer. Vice is not a fate: it holds only by one's own assent and is lifted by one's own decision — instantly, "the moment you will it." Hence the double conclusion: do not fear another's vice (it is not your harm) and do not despair of your own (it is in your power). The governing discipline is assent (vice is only in assent, and is undone by it), the sustaining one desire (not to tolerate in oneself what one is free to be rid of).