None of these philosophers will force you to die, but all of them will teach you how to die well. None will waste your time — they'll add their own time to yours. Talking with these thinkers isn't dangerous. Their friendship won't get you executed. Spending time with them won't bankrupt you. You can take whatever you want from them. They won't stop you from drinking deeply from their wisdom. What happiness awaits the person who chooses these great minds as mentors! You'll have friends to discuss everything with, big and small. You can ask their advice about yourself every day. They'll tell you the truth without insulting you. They'll praise you without flattering you. And you can shape your own character based on their example.
None of these men will force you to die, but all of them will teach you how to die: none of these will waste your time, but will add his own to it. The talk of these men is not dangerous, their friendship will not lead you to the scaffold, their society will not ruin you in expenses: you may take from them whatsoever you will; they will not prevent your taking the deepest draughts of their wisdom that you please. What blessedness, what a fair old age awaits the man who takes these for his patrons! he will have friends with whom he may discuss all matters, great and small, whose advice he may ask daily about himself, from whom he will hear truth without insult, praise without flattery, and according to whose likeness he may model his own character.