"Voluntas"

Today's reading from Brevissima is rather good, I think - it reminds me of some of the Stoics, and almost has a Neo-Stoic sound to it. It is #118, given the title "Voluntas" (or "Will"), from John Owen (c.1564-c.1628), Epigrammata 3.106:

Vis bonus esse? Velis tantum, fiesque volendo;

Is tibi posse dabit, qui tibi velle dedit.

Roughly translated into English:

You want to be good? Just want, and you will become so by wanting it;

He will give you the ability to do so, who gave you the power of will.

As the Stoics teach, there are some things you can control, and some things you cannot. Nothing external truly lies within your power, but the divine spark of free will within you gives you the power to choose between good and evil, between virtue and vice. You wish to be good? Be good! It is entirely up to you!