What does Voltaire mean by “cultivating the garden” in Candide?
Cultivating the garden means cultivating yourself. You have to work socially and intellectually. You don’t have to search for treasures because the only true treasure is the simple life because it brings the true happiness. The Garden is an allusion to the Garden of Epicurus. Epicurus tried to find the happy and tranquil life, characterized by peace, freedom, lack of pain. Here is a link about Epicurus and his Garden: http://www.pinktriangle.org.
