A neutral state of feeling is necessarily imperilled by a greedy pursuit of pleasures; hence the _dictum_, to be content with little is a great good; because little is most easily obtained.

The regulation of the desires is therefore of high moment.
According to Epicurus, desires fall into three grades.

Some are _natural_ and _necessary_, such as desire of drink, food, or life, and are easily gratified.

But when the uneasiness of a want is removed, the bodily pleasures admit of no farther increase; anything additional only _varies_ the pleasure.

Hence the luxuries which go beyond the relief of our wants are thoroughly superfluous; and the desires arising from them (forming the _second_ grade) though _natural, are not necessary_.