A Selection from the Discourses of Epictetus with the Encheiridion
property, reputation, offices (magisterial power), and in a word,
whatever are not our own acts. And the things in our power are by
nature free, not subject to restraint or hindrance; but the things not
in our power are weak, slavish, subject to restraint, in the power of
others. Remember then, that if you think the things which are by nature
slavish to be free, and the things which are in the power of others to
be your own, you will be hindered, you will lament, you will be
disturbed, you will blame both gods and men; but if you think that only
which is your own to be your own, and if you think that what is
another’s, as it really is, belongs to another, no man will ever compel
you, no man will hinder you, you will never blame any man, you will
accuse no man, you will do nothing involuntarily (against your will),
no man will harm you, you will have no enemy, for you will not suffer
any harm.
If then you desire (aim at) such great things remember that you must
not (attempt to) lay hold of them with a small effort; but you must
leave alone some things entirely, and postpone others for the present.
But if you wish for these things also (such great things), and power
(office) and wealth, perhaps you will not gain even these very things
(power and wealth) because you aim also at those former things (such
great things); certainly you will fail in those things through which
alone happiness and freedom are secured. Straightway then practise
saying to every harsh appearance: You are an appearance, and in no
manner what you appear to be. Then examine it by the rules which you
possess, and by this first and chiefly, whether it relates to the
things which are in our power or to things which are not in our power;
and if it relates to anything which is not in our power, be ready to
say that it does not concern you.
II.
Remember that desire contains in it the profession (hope) of obtaining
that which you desire; and the profession (hope) in aversion (turning
from a thing) is that you will not fall into that which you attempt to
avoid; and he who fails in his desire is unfortunate; and he who falls
into that which he would avoid is unhappy. If then you attempt to avoid
only the things contrary to nature which are within your power you will
not be involved in any of the things which you would avoid. But if you
attempt to avoid disease, or death, or poverty, you will be unhappy.
Take away then aversion from all things which are not in our power, and
transfer it to the things contrary to nature which are in our power.
But destroy desire completely for the present. For if you desire
anything which is not in our power, you must be unfortunate; but of the
things in our power, and which it would be good to desire, nothing yet
is before you. But employ only the power of moving towards an object
and retiring from it; and these powers indeed only slightly and with
exceptions and with remission.
III.
In everything which pleases the soul, or supplies a want, or is loved,
remember to add this to the (description, notion): What is the nature
of each thing, beginning from the smallest? If you love an earthen
vessel, say it is an earthen vessel which you love; for when it has
been broken you will not be disturbed. If you are kissing your child or
wife, say that it is a human being whom you are kissing, for when the
wife or child dies you will not be disturbed.
IV.
When you are going to take in hand any act remind yourself what kind of
an act it is. If you are going to bathe, place before yourself what
happens in the bath; some splashing the water, others pushing against
one another, others abusing one another, and some stealing; and thus
with more safety you will undertake the matter, if you say to yourself,
I now intend to bathe, and to maintain my will in a manner conformable
to nature. And so you will do in every act; for thus if any hindrance
to bathing shall happen let this thought be ready. It was not this only
that I intended, but I intended also to maintain my will in a way
conformable to nature; but I shall not maintain it so if I am vexed at
what happens.
V.
Men are disturbed not by the things which happen, but by the opinions
about the things; for example, death is nothing terrible, for if it
were it would have seemed so to Socrates; for the opinion about death
that it is terrible, is the terrible thing. When then we are impeded,
or disturbed, or grieved, let us never blame others, but ourselves—that
is, our opinions. It is the act of an ill-instructed man to blame
others for his own bad condition; it is the act of one who has begun to
be instructed, to lay the blame on himself; and of one whose
instruction is completed, neither to blame another, nor himself.
VI.
Be not elated at any advantage (excellence) which belongs to another.
If a horse when he is elated should say, I am beautiful, one might
endure it. But when you are elated, and say, I have a beautiful horse,
you must know that you are elated at having a good horse. What then is
your own? The use of appearances. Consequently when in the use of
appearances you are conformable to nature, then be elated, for then you
will be elated at something good which is your own.
VII.
As on a voyage when the vessel has reached a port, if you go out to get
water it is an amusement by the way to pick up a shellfish or some
bulb, but your thoughts ought to be directed to the ship, and you ought
to be constantly watching if the captain should call, and then you must
throw away all those things, that you may not be bound and pitched into
the ship like sheep. So in life also, if there be given to you instead
of a little bulb and a shell a wife and child, there will be nothing to
prevent (you from taking them). But if the captain should call, run to
the ship and leave all those things without regard to them. But if you
are old, do not even go far from the ship, lest when you are called you
make default.
VIII.
Seek not that the things which happen should happen as you wish; but
wish the things which happen to be as they are, and you will have a
tranquil flow of life.
IX.
Disease is an impediment to the body, but not to the will, unless the
will itself chooses. Lameness is an impediment to the leg, but not to
the will. And add this reflection on the occasion of everything that
happens; for you will find it an impediment to something else, but not
to yourself.
X.
On the occasion of every accident (event) that befalls you, remember to
turn to yourself and inquire what power you have for turning it to use.
If you see a fair man or a fair woman, you will find that the power to
resist is temperance (continence). If labor (pain) be presented to you,
you will find that it is endurance. If it be abusive words, you will
find it to be patience. And if you have been thus formed to the
(proper) habit, the appearances will not carry you along with them.
XI.
Never say about anything, I have lost it, but say I have restored it.
Is your child dead? It has been restored. Is your wife dead? She has
been restored. Has your estate been taken from you? Has not then this
also been restored? But he who has taken it from me is a bad man. But
what is it to you, by whose hands the giver demanded it back? So long
as he may allow you, take care of it as a thing which belongs to
another, as travellers do with their inn.
XII.
If you intend to improve, throw away such thoughts as these: if I
neglect my affairs, I shall not have the means of living: unless I
chastise my slave, he will be bad. For it is better to die of hunger
and so to be released from grief and fear than to live in abundance
with perturbation; and it is better for your slave to be bad than for
you to be unhappy. Begin then from little things. Is the oil spilled?
Is a little wine stolen? Say on the occasion, at such price is sold
freedom from perturbation; at such price is sold tranquillity, but
nothing is got for nothing. And when you call your slave, consider that
it is possible that he does not hear; and if he does hear, that he will
do nothing which you wish. But matters are not so well with him, but
altogether well with you, that it should be in his power for you to be
not disturbed.
XIII.
If you would improve, submit to be considered without sense and foolish
with respect to externals. Wish to be considered to know nothing; and
if you shall seem to some to be a person of importance, distrust
yourself. For you should know that it is not easy both to keep your
will in a condition conformable to nature and (to secure) external
things: but if a man is careful about the one, it is an absolute
necessity that he will neglect the other.
XIV.
If you would have your children and your wife and your friends to live
for ever, you are silly; for you would have the things which are not in
your power to be in your power, and the things which belong to others
to be yours. So if you would have your slave to be free from faults,
you are a fool; for you would have badness not to be badness, but
something else. But if you wish not to fail in your desires, you are
able to do that. Practise then this which you are able to do. He is the
master of every man who has the power over the things which another
person wishes or does not wish, the power to confer them on him or to
take them away. Whoever then wishes to be free let him neither wish for
anything nor avoid anything which depends on others: if he does not
observe this rule, he must be a slave.
XV.
Remember that in life you ought to behave as at a banquet. Suppose that
something is carried round and is opposite to you. Stretch out your
hand and take a portion with decency. Suppose that it passes by you. Do
not detain it. Suppose that it is not yet come to you. Do not send your
desire forward to it, but wait till it is opposite to you. Do so with
respect to children, so with respect to a wife, so with respect to
magisterial offices, so with respect to wealth, and you will be some
time a worthy partner of the banquets of the gods. But if you take none
of the things which are set before you, and even despise them, then you
will be not only a fellow banqueter with the gods, but also a partner
with them in power. For by acting thus Diogenes and Heracleitus and
those like them were deservedly divine, and were so called.
XVI.
When you see a person weeping in sorrow either when a child goes abroad
or when he is dead, or when the man has lost his property, take care
that the appearance do not hurry you away with it, as if he were
suffering in external things. But straightway make a distinction in
your own mind, and be in readiness to say, it is not that which has
happened that afflicts this man, for it does not afflict another, but
it is the opinion about this thing which afflicts the man. So far as
words then do not be unwilling to show him sympathy, and even if it
happens so, to lament with him. But take care that you do not lament
internally also.
XVII.
Remember that thou art an actor in a play, of such a kind as the
teacher (author) may choose; if short, of a short one; if long, of a
long one: if he wishes you to act the part of a poor man, see that you
act the part naturally; if the part of a lame man, of a magistrate, of
a private person, (do the same). For this is your duty, to act well the
part that is given to you; but to select the part, belongs to another.
XVIII.
When a raven has croaked inauspiciously, let not the appearance hurry
you away with it; but straightway make a distinction in your mind and
say, None of these things is signified to me, but either to my poor
body, or to my small property, or to my reputation, or to my children,
or to my wife: but to me all significations are auspicious if I choose.