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diff --git a/871-h/871-h.htm b/871-h/871-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d22606e --- /dev/null +++ b/871-h/871-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,5087 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" +"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Golden Sayings of Epictetus</title> + +<style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve"> + +body { margin-left: 20%; + margin-right: 20%; + text-align: justify; } + +h1, h2, h3, h4, h5 {text-align: center; font-style: normal; font-weight: +normal; line-height: 1.5; margin-top: .5em; margin-bottom: .5em;} + +h1 {font-size: 300%; + margin-top: 0.6em; + margin-bottom: 0.6em; + letter-spacing: 0.12em; + word-spacing: 0.2em; + text-indent: 0em;} +h2 {font-size: 150%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 1em;} +h3 {font-size: 130%; margin-top: 1em;} +h4 {font-size: 120%;} +h5 {font-size: 110%;} + +.no-break {page-break-before: avoid;} /* for epubs */ + +hr {width: 80%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em;} + +p {text-indent: 1em; + margin-top: 0.25em; + margin-bottom: 0.25em; } + +p.poem {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-size: 90%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; } + +p.noindent {text-indent: 0% } + +a:link {color:blue; text-decoration:none} +a:visited {color:blue; text-decoration:none} +a:hover {color:red} + +</style> +</head> +<body> + +<div style='text-align:center; font-size:1.2em; font-weight:bold'>The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Golden Sayings of Epictetus, by Epictetus</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and +most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms +of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online +at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you +are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the +country where you are located before using this eBook. +</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: The Golden Sayings of Epictetus</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Epictetus</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Translator: Hastings Crossley</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: April, 1997 [eBook #871]<br /> +[Most recently updated: February 12, 2023]</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Produced by: David P. Steelman and David Widger</div> +<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GOLDEN SAYINGS OF EPICTETUS ***</div> + +<h1>THE GOLDEN SAYINGS OF EPICTETUS</h1> + +<h2 class="no-break">Translated and Arranged by Hastings Crossley</h2> + +<hr /> + +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + +<table summary="" style=""> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0001">I</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0002">II</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0003">III</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0004">IV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0005">V</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0006">VI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0007">VII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0008">VIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0009">IX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0010">X</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0011">XI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0012">XII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0013">XIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0014">XIV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0015">XV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0016">XVI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0017">XVII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0018">XVIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0019">XIX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0020">XX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0021">XXI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0022">XXII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0023">XXIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0024">XXIV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0025">XXV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0026">XXVI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0027">XXVII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0028">XXVIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0029">XXIX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0030">XXX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0031">XXXI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0032">XXXII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0033">XXXIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0034">XXXIV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0035">XXXV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0036">XXXVI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0037">XXXVII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0038">XXXVIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0039">XXXIX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0040">XL</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0041">XLI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0042">XLII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0043">XLIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0044">XLIV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0045">XLV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0046">XLVI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0047">XLVII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0048">XLVIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0049">XLIX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0050">L</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0051">LI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0052">LII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0053">LIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0054">LIV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0055">LV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0056">LVI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0057">LVII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0058">LVIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0059">LIX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0060">LX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0061">LXI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0062">LXII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0063">LXIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0064">LXIV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0065">LXV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0066">LXVI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0067">LXVII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0068">LXVIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0069">LXIX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0070">LXX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0071">LXXI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0072">LXXII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0073">LXXIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0074">LXXIV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0075">LXXV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0076">LXXVI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0077">LXXVII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0078">LXXVIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0079">LXXIX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0080">LXXX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0081">LXXXI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0082">LXXXII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0083">LXXXIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0084">LXXXIV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0085">LXXXV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0086">LXXXVI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0087">LXXXVII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0088">LXXXVIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0089">LXXXIX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0090">XC</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0091">XCI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0092">XCII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0093">XCIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0094">XCIV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0095">XCV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0096">XCVI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0097">XCVII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0098">XCVIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0099">XCIX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0100">C</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0101">CI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0102">CII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0103">CIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0104">CIV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0105">CV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0106">CVI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0107">CVII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0108">CVIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0109">CIX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0110">CX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0111">CXI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0112">CXII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0113">CXIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0114">CXIV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0115">CXV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0116">CXVI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0117">CXVII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0118">CXVIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0119">CXIX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0120">CXX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0121">CXXI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0122">CXXII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0123">CXXIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0124">CXXIV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0125">CXXV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link126">CXXVI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0126">CXXVII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0127">CXXVIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0128">CXXIX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0129">CXXX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0130">CXXXI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0131">CXXXII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0132">CXXXIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0133">CXXXIV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0134">CXXXV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0135">CXXXVI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0136">CXXXVII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0137">CXXXVIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0138">CXXXIX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0139">CXL</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0140">CXLI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0141">CXLII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0142">CXLII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0143">CXLIV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0144">CXLV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0145">CXLVI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0146">CXLVII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0147">CXLVIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0148">CXLIX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0149">CL</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0150">CLI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0151">CLII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0152">CLIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0153">CLIV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0154">CLV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0155">CLVI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0156">CLVII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0157">CLVIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0158">CLIX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0159">CLX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0160">CLXI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0161">CLXII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0162">CLXIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0163">CLXIV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0164">CLXV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0165">CLXVI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0166">CLXVII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0167">CLXVIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0168">CLXIX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0169">CLXX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0170">CLXXI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0171">CLXXII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0172">CLXXIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0173">CLXXIV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0174">CLXXV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0175">CLXXVI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0176">CLXXVII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0177">CLXXVIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0178">CLXXIX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0179">CLXXX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0180">CLXXXI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0181">CLXXXII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0182">CLXXXIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0183">CLXXXIV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0184">CLXXXV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0185">CLXXXVI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0186">CLXXXVII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0187">CLXXXVIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0188">CLXXXIX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0189">(APPENDIX A)</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0190">Fragments Attributed to Epictetus</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0191">I</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0192">II</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0193">III</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0194">IV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0195">V</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0196">VI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0197">VII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0198">VIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0199">IX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0200">X</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0201">XI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0202">XII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0203">XIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0204">XIV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0205">XV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0206">XVI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0207">XVII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0208">XVIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0209">XIX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0210">XX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0211">XXI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0212">XXII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0213">XXIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0214">XXIV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0215">(APPENDIX B)</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0216">The Hymn of Cleanthes</a></td> +</tr> + +</table> + +<hr /> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0001"></a> +I</h3> + +<p> +Are these the only works of Providence within us? What words suffice to praise +or set them forth? Had we but understanding, should we ever cease hymning and +blessing the Divine Power, both openly and in secret, and telling of His +gracious gifts? Whether digging or ploughing or eating, should we not sing the +hymn to God:— +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +<i>Great is God</i>, for that He hath given us such instruments to till the +ground withal: +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +<i>Great is God</i>, for that He hath given us hands and the power of +swallowing and digesting; of unconsciously growing and breathing while we +sleep! +</p> + +<p> +Thus should we ever have sung; yea and this, the grandest and divinest hymn of +all:— +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +<i>Great is God</i>, for that He hath given us a mind to apprehend these +things, and duly to use them! +</p> + +<p> +What then! seeing that most of you are blinded, should there not be some one to +fill this place, and sing the hymn to God on behalf of all men? What else can I +that am old and lame do but sing to God? Were I a nightingale, I should do +after the manner of a nightingale. Were I a swan, I should do after the manner +of a swan. But now, since I am a reasonable being, I must sing to God: that is +my work: I do it, nor will I desert this my post, as long as it is granted me +to hold it; and upon you too I call to join in this self-same hymn. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0002"></a> +II</h3> + +<p> +How then do men act? As though one returning to his country who had sojourned +for the night in a fair inn, should be so captivated thereby as to take up his +abode there. +</p> + +<p> +“Friend, thou hast forgotten thine intention! This was not thy destination, but +only lay on the way thither.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay, but it is a proper place.” +</p> + +<p> +“And how many more of the sort there may be; only to pass through upon thy way! +Thy purpose was to return to thy country; to relieve thy kinsmen’s fears for +thee; thyself to discharge the duties of a citizen; to marry a wife, to beget +offspring, and to fill the appointed round of office. Thou didst not come to +choose out what places are most pleasant; but rather to return to that wherein +thou wast born and where wert appointed to be a citizen.” +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0003"></a> +III</h3> + +<p> +Try to enjoy the great festival of life with other men. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0004"></a> +IV</h3> + +<p> +But I have one whom I must please, to whom I must be subject, whom I must +obey:—God, and those who come next to Him. He hath entrusted me with myself: He +hath made my will subject to myself alone and given me rules for the right use +thereof. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0005"></a> +V</h3> + +<p> +Rufus used to say, <i>If you have leisure to praise me, what I say is +naught</i>. In truth he spoke in such wise, that each of us who sat there, +though that some one had accused him to Rufus:—so surely did he lay his finger +on the very deeds we did: so surely display the faults of each before his very +eyes. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0006"></a> +VI</h3> + +<p> +But what saith God?—“Had it been possible, Epictetus, I would have made both +that body of thine and thy possessions free and unimpeded, but as it is, be not +deceived:—it is not thine own; it is but finely tempered clay. Since then this +I could not do, I have given thee a portion of Myself, in the power of desiring +and declining and of pursuing and avoiding, and in a word the power of dealing +with the things of sense. And if thou neglect not this, but place all that thou +hast therein, thou shalt never be let or hindered; thou shalt never lament; +thou shalt not blame or flatter any. What then? Seemth this to thee a little +thing?”—God forbid!—“Be content then therewith!” +</p> + +<p> +And so I pray the Gods. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0007"></a> +VII</h3> + +<p> +What saith Antisthenes? Hast thou never heard?— +</p> + +<p> +<i>It is a kingly thing, O Cyrus, to do well and to be evil spoken of</i>. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0008"></a> +VIII</h3> + +<p> +“Aye, but to debase myself thus were unworthy of me.” +</p> + +<p> +“That,” said Epictetus, “is for you to consider, not for me. You know yourself +what you are worth in your own eyes; and at what price you will sell yourself. +For men sell themselves at various prices. This was why, when Florus was +deliberating whether he should appear at Nero’s shows, taking part in the +performance himself, Agrippinus replied, ‘But why do not <i>you</i> appear?’ he +answered, ‘Because I do not even consider the question.’ For the man who has +once stooped to consider such questions, and to reckon up the value of external +things, is not far from forgetting what manner of man he is. Why, what is it +that you ask me? Is death preferable, or life? I reply, Life. Pain or pleasure? +I reply, Pleasure.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well, but if I do not act, I shall lose my head.” +</p> + +<p> +“Then go and act! But for my part I will not act.” +</p> + +<p> +“Why?” +</p> + +<p> +“Because <i>you</i> think yourself but one among the many threads which make up +the texture of the doublet. <i>You</i> should aim at being like men in +general—just as your thread has no ambition either to be anything distinguished +compared with the other threads. But I desire to be the purple—that small and +shining part which makes the rest seem fair and beautiful. Why then do you bid +me become even as the multitude? Then were I no longer the purple.” +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0009"></a> +IX</h3> + +<p> +If a man could be throughly penetrated, as he ought, with this thought, that we +are all in an especial manner sprung from God, and that God is the Father of +men as well as of Gods, full surely he would never conceive aught ignoble or +base of himself. Whereas if Cæsar were to adopt you, your haughty looks would +be intolerable; will you not be elated at knowing that you are the son of God? +Now however it is not so with us: but seeing that in our birth these two things +are commingled—the body which we share with the animals, and the Reason and +Thought which we share with the Gods, many decline towards this unhappy kinship +with the dead, few rise to the blessed kinship with the Divine. Since then +every one must deal with each thing according to the view which he forms about +it, those few who hold that they are born for fidelity, modesty, and unerring +sureness in dealing with the things of sense, never conceive aught base or +ignoble of themselves: but the multitude the contrary. Why, what am I?—A +wretched human creature; with this miserable flesh of mine. Miserable indeed! +but you have something better than that paltry flesh of yours. Why then cling +to the one, and neglect the other? +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0010"></a> +X</h3> + +<p> +Thou art but a poor soul laden with a lifeless body. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0011"></a> +XI</h3> + +<p> +The other day I had an iron lamp placed beside my household gods. I heard a +noise at the door and on hastening down found my lamp carried off. I reflected +that the culprit was in no very strange case. “Tomorrow, my friend,” I said, +“you will find an earthenware lamp; for a man can only lose what he has.” +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0012"></a> +XII</h3> + +<p> +The reason why I lost my lamp was that the thief was superior to me in +vigilance. He paid however this price for the lamp, that in exchange for it he +consented to become a thief: in exchange for it, to become faithless. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0013"></a> +XIII</h3> + +<p> +But God hath introduced Man to be a spectator of Himself and of His works; and +not a spectator only, but also an interpreter of them. Wherefore it is a shame +for man to begin and to leave off where the brutes do. Rather he should begin +there, and leave off where Nature leaves off in us: and that is at +contemplation, and understanding, and a manner of life that is in harmony with +herself. +</p> + +<p> +See then that ye die not without being spectators of these things. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0014"></a> +XIV</h3> + +<p> +You journey to Olympia to see the work of Phidias; and each of you holds it a +misfortune not to have beheld these things before you die. Whereas when there +is no need even to take a journey, but you are on the spot, with the works +before you, have you no care to contemplate and study these? +</p> + +<p> +Will you not then perceive either who you are or unto what end you were born: +or for what purpose the power of contemplation has been bestowed on you? +</p> + +<p> +“Well, but in life there are some things disagreeable and hard to bear.” +</p> + +<p> +And are there none at Olympia? Are you not scorched by the heat? Are you not +cramped for room? Have you not to bathe with discomfort? Are you not drenched +when it rains? Have you not to endure the clamor and shouting and such +annoyances as these? Well, I suppose you set all this over against the +splendour of the spectacle and bear it patiently. What then? have you not +received greatness of heart, received courage, received fortitude? What care I, +if I am great of heart, for aught that can come to pass? What shall cast me +down or disturb me? What shall seem painful? Shall I not use the power to the +end for which I received it, instead of moaning and wailing over what comes to +pass? +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0015"></a> +XV</h3> + +<p> +If what philosophers say of the kinship of God and Man be true, what remains +for men to do but as Socrates did:—never, when asked one’s country, to answer, +“I am an Athenian or a Corinthian,” but “I am a citizen of the world.” +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0016"></a> +XVI</h3> + +<p> +He that hath grasped the administration of the World, who hath learned that +this Community, which consists of God and men, is the foremost and mightiest +and most comprehensive of all:—that from God have descended the germs of life, +not to my father only and father’s father, but to all things that are born and +grow upon the earth, and in an especial manner to those endowed with Reason +(for those only are by their nature fitted to hold communion with God, being by +means of Reason conjoined with Him)—why should not such an one call himself a +citizen of the world? Why not a son of God? Why should he fear aught that comes +to pass among men? Shall kinship with Cæsar, or any other of the great at Rome, +be enough to hedge men around with safety and consideration, without a thought +of apprehension: while to have God for our Maker, and Father, and Kinsman, +shall not this set us free from sorrows and fears? +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0017"></a> +XVII</h3> + +<p> +I do not think that an old fellow like me need have been sitting here to try +and prevent your entertaining abject notions of yourselves, and talking of +yourselves in an abject and ignoble way: but to prevent there being by chance +among you any such young men as, after recognising their kindred to the Gods, +and their bondage in these chains of the body and its manifold necessities, +should desire to cast them off as burdens too grievous to be borne, and depart +their true kindred. This is the struggle in which your Master and Teacher, were +he worthy of the name, should be engaged. You would come to me and say: +“Epictetus, we can no longer endure being chained to this wretched body, giving +food and drink and rest and purification: aye, and for its sake forced to be +subservient to this man and that. Are these not things indifferent and nothing +to us? Is it not true that death is no evil? Are we not in a manner kinsmen of +the Gods, and have we not come from them? Let us depart thither, whence we +came: let us be freed from these chains that confine and press us down. Here +are thieves and robbers and tribunals: and they that are called tyrants, who +deem that they have after a fashion power over us, because of the miserable +body and what appertains to it. Let us show them that they have power over +none.” +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0018"></a> +XVIII</h3> + +<p> +And to this I reply:— +</p> + +<p> +“Friends, wait for God. When He gives the signal, and releases you from this +service, then depart to Him. But for the present, endure to dwell in the place +wherein He hath assigned you your post. Short indeed is the time of your +habitation therein, and easy to those that are minded. What tyrant, what +robber, what tribunals have any terrors for those who thus esteem the body and +all that belong to it as of no account? Stay; depart not rashly hence!” +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0019"></a> +XIX</h3> + +<p> +Something like that is what should pass between a teacher and ingenuous youths. +As it is, what does pass? The teacher is a lifeless body, and you are lifeless +bodies yourselves. When you have had enough to eat today, you sit down and weep +about tomorrow’s food. Slave! if you have it, well and good; if not, you will +depart: the door is open—why lament? What further room is there for tears? What +further occasion for flattery? Why should one envy another? Why should you +stand in awe of them that have much or are placed in power, especially if they +be also strong and passionate? Why, what should they do to us? What they can +do, we will not regard: what does concern us, that they cannot do. Who then +shall rule one that is thus minded? +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0020"></a> +XX</h3> + +<p> +Seeing this then, and noting well the faculties which you have, you should +say,—“Send now, O God, any trial that Thou wilt; lo, I have means and powers +given me by Thee to acquit myself with honour through whatever comes to +pass!”—No; but there you sit, trembling for fear certain things should come to +pass, and moaning and groaning and lamenting over what does come to pass. And +then you upbraid the Gods. Such meanness of spirit can have but one +result—impiety. +</p> + +<p> +Yet God has not only given us these faculties by means of which we may bear +everything that comes to pass without being crushed or depressed thereby; but +like a good King and Father, He has given us this without let or hindrance, +placed wholly at our own disposition, without reserving to Himself any power of +impediment or restraint. Though possessing all these things free and all you +own, you do not use them! you do not perceive what it is you have received nor +whence it comes, but sit moaning and groaning; some of you blind to the Giver, +making no acknowledgment to your Benefactor; others basely giving themselves to +complaints and accusations against God. +</p> + +<p> +Yet what faculties and powers you possess for attaining courage and greatness +of heart, I can easily show you; what you have for upbraiding and accusation, +it is for you to show me! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0021"></a> +XXI</h3> + +<p> +How did Socrates bear himself in this regard? How else than as became one who +was fully assured that he was the kinsman of Gods? +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0022"></a> +XXII</h3> + +<p> +If God had made that part of His own nature which He severed from Himself and +gave to us, liable to be hindered or constrained either by Himself or any +other, He would not have been God, nor would He have been taking care of us as +He ought . . . . If you choose, you are free; if you choose, you need blame no +man—accuse no man. All things will be at once according to your mind and +according to the Mind of God. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0023"></a> +XXIII</h3> + +<p> +Petrifaction is of two sorts. There is petrifaction of the understanding; and +also of the sense of shame. This happens when a man obstinately refuses to +acknowledge plain truths, and persists in maintaining what is +self-contradictory. Most of us dread mortification of the body, and would spare +no pains to escape anything of that kind. But of mortification of the soul we +are utterly heedless. With regard, indeed, to the soul, if a man is in such a +state as to be incapable of following or understanding anything, I grant you we +do think him in a bad way. But mortification of the sense of shame and modesty +we go so far as to dub strength of mind! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0024"></a> +XXIV</h3> + +<p> +If we were as intent upon our business as the old fellows at Rome are upon what +interests them, we too might perhaps accomplish something. I know a man older +than I am, now Superintendent of the Corn-market at Rome, and I remember when +he passed through this place on his way back from exile, what an account he +gave me of his former life, declaring that for the future, once home again, his +only care should be to pass his remaining years in quiet and tranquility. “For +how few years have I left!” he cried. “That,” I said, “you will not do; but the +moment the scent of Rome is in your nostrils, you will forget it all; and if +you can but gain admission to Court, you will be glad enough to elbow your way +in, and thank God for it.” “Epictetus,” he replied, “if ever you find me +setting as much as one foot within the Court, think what you will of me.” +</p> + +<p> +Well, as it was, what did he do? Ere ever he entered the city, he was met by a +despatch from the Emperor. He took it, and forgot the whole of his resolutions. +From that moment, he has been piling one thing upon another. I should like to +be beside him to remind him of what he said when passing this way, and to add, +How much better a prophet I am than you! +</p> + +<p> +What then? do I say man is not made for an active life? Far from it! . . . But +there is a great difference between other men’s occupations and ours. . . . A +glance at theirs will make it clear to you. All day long they do nothing but +calculate, contrive, consult how to wring their profit out of food-stuffs, +farm-plots and the like. . . . Whereas, I entreat you to learn what the +administration of the World is, and what place a Being endowed with reason +holds therein: to consider what you are yourself, and wherein your Good and +Evil consists. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0025"></a> +XXV</h3> + +<p> +A man asked me to write to Rome on his behalf who, as most people thought, had +met with misfortune; for having been before wealthy and distinguished, he had +afterwards lost all and was living here. So I wrote about him in a humble +style. He however on reading the letter returned it to me, with the words: “I +asked for your help, not for your pity. No evil has happened unto me.” +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0026"></a> +XXVI</h3> + +<p> +True instruction is this:—to learn to wish that each thing should come to pass +as it does. And how does it come to pass? As the Disposer has disposed it. Now +He has disposed that there should be summer and winter, and plenty and dearth, +and vice and virtue, and all such opposites, for the harmony of the whole. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0027"></a> +XXVII</h3> + +<p> +Have this thought ever present with thee, when thou losest any outward thing, +what thou gainest in its stead; and if this be the more precious, say not, I +have suffered loss. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0028"></a> +XXVIII</h3> + +<p> +Concerning the Gods, there are who deny the very existence of the Godhead; +others say that it exists, but neither bestirs nor concerns itself nor has +forethought for anything. A third party attribute to it existence and +forethought, but only for great and heavenly matters, not for anything that is +on earth. A fourth party admit things on earth as well as in heaven, but only +in general, and not with respect to each individual. A fifth, of whom were +Ulysses and Socrates are those that cry:— +</p> + +<p> +<i>I move not without Thy knowledge!</i> +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0029"></a> +XXIX</h3> + +<p> +Considering all these things, the good and true man submits his judgement to +Him that administers the Universe, even as good citizens to the law of the +State. And he that is being instructed should come thus minded:—How may I in +all things follow the Gods; and, How may I rest satisfied with the Divine +Administration; and, How may I become free? For he is free for whom all things +come to pass according to his will, and whom none can hinder. What then, is +freedom madness? God forbid. For madness and freedom exist not together. +</p> + +<p> +“But I wish all that I desire to come to pass and in the manner that I desire.” +</p> + +<p> +—You are mad, you are beside yourself. Know you not that Freedom is a glorious +thing and of great worth? But that what I desired at random I should wish at +random to come to pass, so far from being noble, may well be exceeding base. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0030"></a> +XXX</h3> + +<p> +You must know that it is no easy thing for a principle to become a man’s own, +unless each day he maintain it and hear it maintained, as well as work it out +in life. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0031"></a> +XXXI</h3> + +<p> +You are impatient and hard to please. If alone, you call it solitude: if in the +company of men, you dub them conspirators and thieves, and find fault with your +very parents, children, brothers, and neighbours. Whereas when by yourself you +should have called it Tranquillity and Freedom: and herein deemed yourself like +unto the Gods. And when in the company of many, you should not have called it a +wearisome crowd and tumult, but an assembly and a tribunal; and thus accepted +all with contentment. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0032"></a> +XXXII</h3> + +<p> +What then is the chastisement of those who accept it not? To be as they are. Is +any discontented with being alone? let him be in solitude. Is any discontented +with his parents? let him be a bad son, and lament. Is any discontented with +his children? let him be a bad father.—“Throw him into prison!”—What +prison?—Where he is already: for he is there against his will; and wherever a +man is against his will, that to him is a prison. Thus Socrates was not in +prison, since he was there with his own consent. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0033"></a> +XXXIII</h3> + +<p> +Knowest thou what a speck thou art in comparison with the Universe?—-That is, +with respect to the body; since with respect to Reason, thou art not inferior +to the Gods, nor less than they. For the greatness of Reason is not measured by +length or height, but by the resolves of the mind. Place then thy happiness in +that wherein thou art equal to the Gods. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0034"></a> +XXXIV</h3> + +<p> +Asked how a man might eat acceptably to the Gods, Epictetus replied:—If when he +eats, he can be just, cheerful, equable, temperate, and orderly, can he not +thus eat acceptably to the Gods? But when you call for warm water, and your +slave does not answer, or when he answers brings it lukewarm, or is not even +found to be in the house at all, then not to be vexed nor burst with anger, is +not that acceptable to the Gods? +</p> + +<p> +“But how can one endure such people?” +</p> + +<p> +Slave, will you not endure your own brother, that has God to his forefather, +even as a son sprung from the same stock, and of the same high descent as +yourself? And if you are stationed in a high position, are you therefor +forthwith set up for a tyrant? Remember who you are, and whom you rule, that +they are by nature your kinsmen, your brothers, the offspring of God. +</p> + +<p> +“But I paid a price for them, not they for me.” +</p> + +<p> +Do you see whither you are looking—down to the earth, to the pit, to those +despicable laws of the dead? But to the laws of the Gods you do not look. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0035"></a> +XXXV</h3> + +<p> +When we are invited to a banquet, we take what is set before us; and were one +to call upon his host to set fish upon the table or sweet things, he would be +deemed absurd. Yet in a word, we ask the Gods for what they do not give; and +that, although they have given us so many things! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0036"></a> +XXXVI</h3> + +<p> +Asked how a man might convince himself that every single act of his was under +the eye of God, Epictetus answered:— +</p> + +<p> +“Do you not hold that things on earth and things in heaven are continuous and +in unison with each other?” +</p> + +<p> +“I do,” was the reply. +</p> + +<p> +“Else how should the trees so regularly, as though by God’s command, at His +bidding flower; at His bidding send forth shoots, bear fruit and ripen it; at +His bidding let it fall and shed their leaves, and folded up upon themselves +lie in quietness and rest? How else, as the Moon waxes and wanes, as the Sun +approaches and recedes, can it be that such vicissitude and alternation is seen +in earthly things? +</p> + +<p> +“If then all things that grow, nay, our own bodies, are thus bound up with the +whole, is not this still truer of our souls? And if our souls are bound up and +in contact with God, as being very parts and fragments plucked from Himself, +shall He not feel every movement of theirs as though it were His own, and +belonging to His own nature?” +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0037"></a> +XXXVII</h3> + +<p> +“But,” you say, “I cannot comprehend all this at once.” +</p> + +<p> +“Why, who told you that your powers were equal to God’s?” +</p> + +<p> +Yet God hath placed by the side of each a man’s own Guardian Spirit, who is +charged to watch over him—a Guardian who sleeps not nor is deceived. For to +what better or more watchful Guardian could He have committed which of us? So +when you have shut the doors and made a darkness within, remember never to say +that you are alone; for you are not alone, but God is within, and your Guardian +Spirit, and what light do they need to behold what you do? To this God you also +should have sworn allegiance, even as soldiers unto Cæsar. They, when their +service is hired, swear to hold the life of Cæsar dearer than all else: and +will you not swear your oath, that are deemed worthy of so many and great +gifts? And will you not keep your oath when you have sworn it? And what oath +will you swear? Never to disobey, never to arraign or murmur at aught that +comes to you from His hand: never unwillingly to do or suffer aught that +necessity lays upon you. +</p> + +<p> +“Is this oath like theirs?” +</p> + +<p> +They swear to hold no other dearer than Cæsar: you, to hold our true selves +dearer than all else beside. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0038"></a> +XXXVIII</h3> + +<p> +“How shall my brother cease to be wroth with me?” +</p> + +<p> +Bring him to me, and I will tell him. But to <i>thee</i> I have nothing to say +about <i>his</i> anger. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0039"></a> +XXXIX</h3> + +<p> +When one took counsel of Epictetus, saying, “What I seek is this, how even +though my brother be not reconciled to me, I may still remain as Nature would +have me to be,” he replied: “All great things are slow of growth; nay, this is +true even of a grape or of a fig. If then you say to me now, I desire a fig, I +shall answer, It needs time: wait till it first flower, then cast its blossom, +then ripen. Whereas then the fruit of the fig-tree reaches not maturity +suddenly nor yet in a single hour, do you nevertheless desire so quickly, and +easily to reap the fruit of the mind of man?—Nay, expect it not, even though I +bade you!” +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0040"></a> +XL</h3> + +<p> +Epaphroditus had a shoemaker whom he sold as being good-for-nothing. This +fellow, by some accident, was afterwards purchased by one of Cæsar’s men, and +became a shoemaker to Cæsar. You should have seen what respect Epaphroditus +paid him then. “How does the good Felicion? Kindly let me know!” And if any of +us inquired, “What is Epaphroditus doing?” the answer was, “He is consulting +about so and so with Felicion.”—Had he not sold him as good-for-nothing? Who +had in a trice converted him into a wiseacre? +</p> + +<p> +This is what comes of holding of importance anything but the things that depend +on the Will. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0041"></a> +XLI</h3> + +<p> +What you shun enduring yourself, attempt not to impose on others. You shun +slavery—beware of enslaving others! If you can endure to do that, one would +think you had been once upon a time a slave yourself. For Vice has nothing in +common with virtue, nor Freedom with slavery. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0042"></a> +XLII</h3> + +<p> +Has a man been raised to tribuneship? Every one that he meets congratulates +him. One kisses him on the eyes, another on the neck, while the slaves kiss his +hands. He goes home to find torches burning; he ascends to the Capitol to +sacrifice.—Who ever sacrificed for having had right desires; for having +conceived such inclinations as Nature would have him? In truth we thank the +Gods for that wherein we place our happiness. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0043"></a> +XLIII</h3> + +<p> +A man was talking to me to-day about the priesthood of Augustus. I said to him, +“Let the thing go, my good Sir; you will spend a good deal to no purpose.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well, but my name will be inserted in all documents and contracts.” +</p> + +<p> +“Will <i>you</i> be standing there to tell those that read them, That is my +name written there? And even if you could now be there in every case, what will +you do when you are dead?” +</p> + +<p> +“At all events my name will remain.” +</p> + +<p> +“Inscribe it on a stone and it will remain just as well. And think, beyond +Nicopolis what memory of you will there be?” +</p> + +<p> +“But I shall have a golden wreath to wear.” +</p> + +<p> +“If you must have a wreath, get a wreath of roses and put it on; you will look +more elegant!” +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0044"></a> +XLIV</h3> + +<p> +Above all, remember that the door stands open. Be not more fearful than +children; but as they, when they weary of the game, cry, “I will play no more,” +even so, when thou art in the like case, cry, “I will play no more” and depart. +But if thou stayest, make no lamentation. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0045"></a> +XLV</h3> + +<p> +Is there smoke in the room? If it be slight, I remain; if grievous, I quit it. +For you must remember this and hold it fast, that the door stands open. +</p> + +<p> +“You shall not dwell at Nicopolis!” +</p> + +<p> +Well and good. +</p> + +<p> +“Nor at Athens.” +</p> + +<p> +Then I will not dwell at Athens either. +</p> + +<p> +“Nor at Rome.” +</p> + +<p> +Nor at Rome either. +</p> + +<p> +“You shall dwell in Gyara!” +</p> + +<p> +Well: but to dwell in Gyara seems to me like a grievous smoke; I depart to a +place where none can forbid me to dwell: <i>that</i> habitation is open unto +all! As for the last garment of all, that is the poor body; beyond that, none +can do aught unto me. This why Demetrius said to Nero: “You threaten me with +death; it is Nature who threatens <i>you!</i>” +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0046"></a> +XLVI</h3> + +<p> +The beginning of philosophy is to know the condition of one’s own mind. If a +man recognises that this is in a weakly state, he will not then want to apply +it to questions of the greatest moment. As it is, men who are not fit to +swallow even a morsel, buy whole treatises and try to devour them. Accordingly +they either vomit them up again, or suffer from indigestion, whence come +gripings, fluxions, and fevers. Whereas they should have stopped to consider +their capacity. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0047"></a> +XLVII</h3> + +<p> +In theory it is easy to convince an ignorant person: in actual life, men not +only object to offer themselves to be convinced, but hate the man who has +convinced them. Whereas Socrates used to say that we should never lead a life +not subjected to examination. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0048"></a> +XLVIII</h3> + +<p> +This is the reason why Socrates, when reminded that he should prepare for his +trial, answered: “Thinkest thou not that I have been preparing for it all my +life?” +</p> + +<p> +“In what way?” +</p> + +<p> +“I have maintained that which in me lay!” +</p> + +<p> +“How so?” +</p> + +<p> +“I have never, secretly or openly, done a wrong unto any.” +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0049"></a> +XLIX</h3> + +<p> +In what character dost thou now come forward? +</p> + +<p> +As a witness summoned by God. “Come thou,” saith God, “and testify for me, for +thou art worthy of being brought forward as a witness by Me. Is aught that is +outside thy will either good or bad? Do I hurt any man? Have I placed the good +of each in the power of any other than himself? What witness dost thou bear to +God?” +</p> + +<p> +“I am in evil state, Master, I am undone! None careth for me, none giveth me +aught: all men blame, all speak evil of me.” +</p> + +<p> +Is this the witness thou wilt bear, and do dishonour to the calling wherewith +He hath called thee, because He hath done thee so great honour, and deemed thee +worthy of being summoned to bear witness in so great a cause? +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0050"></a> +L</h3> + +<p> +Wouldst thou have men speak good of thee? speak good of them. And when thou +hast learned to speak good of them, try to do good unto them, and thus thou +wilt reap in return their speaking good of thee. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0051"></a> +LI</h3> + +<p> +When thou goest in to any of the great, remember that Another from above sees +what is passing, and that thou shouldst please Him rather than man. He +therefore asks thee:— +</p> + +<p> +“In the Schools, what didst thou call exile, imprisonment, bonds, death and +shame?” +</p> + +<p> +“I called them things indifferent.” +</p> + +<p> +“What then dost thou call them now? Are they at all changed?” +</p> + +<p> +“No.” +</p> + +<p> +“Is it then thou that art changed?” +</p> + +<p> +“No.” +</p> + +<p> +“Say then, what are things indifferent?” +</p> + +<p> +“Things that are not in our power.” +</p> + +<p> +“Say then, what follows?” +</p> + +<p> +“That things which are not in our power are nothing to me.” +</p> + +<p> +“Say also what things you hold to be good.” +</p> + +<p> +“A will such as it ought to be, and a right use of the things of sense.” +</p> + +<p> +“And what is the end?” +</p> + +<p> +“To follow Thee!” +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0052"></a> +LII</h3> + +<p> +“That Socrates should ever have been so treated by the Athenians!” +</p> + +<p> +Slave! why say “Socrates”? Speak of the thing as it is: That ever then the poor +<i>body</i> of Socrates should have been dragged away and haled by main force +to prison! That ever hemlock should have been given to the <i>body</i> of +Socrates; that <i>that</i> should have breathed its life away!—Do you marvel at +this? Do you hold this unjust? Is it for this that you accuse God? Had Socrates +no compensation for this? Where then for him was the ideal Good? Whom shall we +hearken to, you or him? And what says he? +</p> + +<p> +“Anytus and Melitus may put me to death: to injure me is beyond their power.” +</p> + +<p> +And again:— +</p> + +<p> +“If such be the will of God, so let it be.” +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0053"></a> +LIII</h3> + +<p> +Nay, young man, for heaven’s sake; but once thou hast heard these words, go +home and say to thyself:—“It is not Epictetus that has told me these things: +how indeed should he? No, it is some gracious God through him. Else it would +never have entered his head to tell me them—he that is not used to speak to any +one thus. Well, then, let us not lie under the wrath of God, but be obedient +unto Him.”—-Nay, indeed; but if a raven by its croaking bears thee any sign, it +is not the raven but God that sends the sign through the raven; and if He +signifies anything to thee through human voice, will <i>He</i> not cause the +man to say these words to thee, that thou mayest know the power of the +Divine—how He sends a sign to some in one way and to others in another, and on +the greatest and highest matters of all signifies His will through the noblest +messenger? +</p> + +<p> +What else does the poet mean:— +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +I spake unto him erst Myself, and sent<br/> +Hermes the shining One, to check and warn him,<br/> +The husband not to slay, nor woo the wife! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0054"></a> +LIV</h3> + +<p> +In the same way my friend Heraclitus, who had a trifling suit about a petty +farm at Rhodes, first showed the judges that his cause was just, and then at +the finish cried, “I will not entreat you: nor do I care what sentence you +pass. It is you who are on your trial, not I!”—And so he ended the case. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0055"></a> +LV</h3> + +<p> +As for us, we behave like a herd of deer. When they flee from the huntsman’s +feathers in affright, which way do they turn? What haven of safety do they make +for? Why, they rush upon the nets! And thus they perish by confounding what +they should fear with that wherein no danger lies. . . . Not death or pain is +to be feared, but the <i>fear</i> of death or pain. Well said the poet +therefore:— +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +Death has no terror; only a Death of shame! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0056"></a> +LVI</h3> + +<p> +How is it then that certain external things are said to be natural, and other +contrary to Nature? +</p> + +<p> +Why, just as it might be said if we stood alone and apart from others. A foot, +for instance, I will allow it is natural should be clean. But if you take it as +a foot, and as a thing which does not stand by itself, it will beseem it (if +need be) to walk in the mud, to tread on thorns, and sometimes even to be cut +off, for the benefit of the whole body; else it is no longer a foot. In some +such way we should conceive of ourselves also. What art thou?—A man.—Looked at +as standing by thyself and separate, it is natural for thee in health and +wealth long to live. But looked at as a <i>Man</i>, and only as a part of a +Whole, it is for that Whole’s sake that thou shouldest at one time fall sick, +at another brave the perils of the sea, again, know the meaning of want and +perhaps die an early death. Why then repine? Knowest thou not that as the foot +is no more a foot if detached from the body, so thou in like case art no longer +a Man? For what is a Man? A part of a City:—first of the City of Gods and Men; +next, of that which ranks nearest it, a miniature of the universal City. . . . +In such a body, in such a world enveloping us, among lives like these, such +things must happen to one or another. Thy part, then, being here, is to speak +of these things as is meet, and to order them as befits the matter. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0057"></a> +LVII</h3> + +<p> +That was a good reply which Diogenes made to a man who asked him for letters of +recommendation.—“That you are a man, he will know when he sees you;—whether a +good or bad one, he will know if he has any skill in discerning the good or +bad. But if he has none, he will never know, though I write him a thousand +times.”—It is as though a piece of silver money desired to be recommended to +some one to be tested. If the man be a good judge of silver, he will know: the +coin will tell its own tale. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0058"></a> +LVIII</h3> + +<p> +Even as the traveller asks his way of him that he meets, inclined in no wise to +bear to the right rather than to the left (for he desires only the way leading +whither he would go), so should we come unto God as to a guide; even as we use +our eyes without admonishing them to show us some things rather than others, +but content to receive the images of such things as they present to us. But as +it is we stand anxiously watching the victim, and with the voice of +supplication call upon the augur:—“Master, have mercy on me: vouchsafe unto me +a way of escape!” Slave, would you then have aught else then what is best? is +there anything better than what is God’s good pleasure? Why, as far as in you +lies, would you corrupt your Judge, and lead your Counsellor astray? +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0059"></a> +LIX</h3> + +<p> +God is beneficent. But the Good also is beneficent. It should seem then that +where the real nature of God is, there too is to be found the real nature of +the Good. What then is the real nature of God?—Intelligence, Knowledge, Right +Reason. Here then without more ado seek the real nature of the Good. For surely +thou dost not seek it in a plant or in an animal that reasoneth not. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0060"></a> +LX</h3> + +<p> +Seek then the real nature of the Good in that without whose presence thou wilt +not admit the Good to exist in aught else.—What then? Are not these other +things also works of God?—They are; but not <i>preferred to honour</i>, nor are +they portions of God. But thou art a thing preferred to honour: thou art +thyself a fragment torn from God:—thou hast a portion of Him within thyself. +How is it then that thou dost not know thy high descent—dost not know whence +thou comest? When thou eatest, wilt thou not remember who thou art that eatest +and whom thou feedest? In intercourse, in exercise, in discussion knowest thou +not that it is a God whom thou feedest, a God whom thou exercisest, a God whom +thou bearest about with thee, O miserable! and thou perceivest it not. Thinkest +thou that I speak of a God of silver or gold, that is without thee? Nay, thou +bearest Him within thee! all unconscious of polluting Him with thoughts impure +and unclean deeds. Were an image of God present, thou wouldest not dare to act +as thou dost, yet, when God Himself is present within thee, beholding and +hearing all, thou dost not blush to think such thoughts and do such deeds, O +thou that art insensible of thine own nature and liest under the wrath of God! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0061"></a> +LXI</h3> + +<p> +Why then are we afraid when we send a young man from the Schools into active +life, lest he should indulge his appetites intemperately, lest he should debase +himself by ragged clothing, or be puffed up by fine raiment? Knows he not the +God within him; knows he not with whom he is starting on his way? Have we +patience to hear him say to us, Would I had <i>thee</i> with me!—Hast thou not +God where thou art, and having Him dost thou still seek for any other! Would He +tell thee aught else than these things? Why, wert thou a statue of Phidias, an +<i>Athena</i> or a <i>Zeus</i>, thou wouldst bethink thee both of thyself and +thine artificer; and hadst thou any sense, thou wouldst strive to do no +dishonour to thyself or him that fashioned thee, nor appear to beholders in +unbefitting guise. But now, because God is thy Maker, is that why thou carest +not of what sort thou shalt show thyself to be? Yet how different the artists +and their workmanship! What human artist’s work, for example, has in it the +faculties that are displayed in fashioning it? Is it aught but marble, bronze, +gold, or ivory? Nay, when the <i>Athena</i> of Phidias has put forth her hand +and received therein a <i>Victory</i>, in that attitude she stands for +evermore. But God’s works move and breathe; they use and judge the things of +sense. The workmanship of such an Artist, wilt thou dishonor Him? Ay, when he +not only fashioned thee, but placed thee, like a ward, in the care and +guardianship of thyself alone, wilt thou not only forget this, but also do +dishonour to what is committed to thy care! If God had entrusted thee with an +orphan, wouldst thou have thus neglected him? He hath delivered thee to thine +own care, saying, I had none more faithful than myself: keep this man for me +such as Nature hath made him—modest, faithful, high-minded, a stranger to fear, +to passion, to perturbation. . . . +</p> + +<p> +Such will I show myself to you all.—“What, exempt from sickness also: from age, +from death?”—Nay, but accepting sickness, accepting death as becomes a God! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0062"></a> +LXII</h3> + +<p> +No labour, according to Diogenes, is good but that which aims at producing +courage and strength of soul rather than of body. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0063"></a> +LXIII</h3> + +<p> +A guide, on finding a man who has lost his way, brings him back to the right +path—he does not mock and jeer at him and then take himself off. You also must +show the unlearned man the truth, and you will see that he will follow. But so +long as you do not show it him, you should not mock, but rather feel your own +incapacity. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0064"></a> +LXIV</h3> + +<p> +It was the first and most striking characteristic of Socrates never to become +heated in discourse, never to utter an injurious or insulting word—on the +contrary, he persistently bore insult from others and thus put an end to the +fray. If you care to know the extent of his power in this direction, read +Xenophon’s <i>Banquet</i>, and you will see how many quarrels he put an end to. +This is why the Poets are right in so highly commending this faculty:— +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +Quickly and wisely withal even bitter feuds would he settle. +</p> + +<p> +Nevertheless the practice is not very safe at present, especially in Rome. One +who adopts it, I need not say, ought not to carry it out in an obscure corner, +but boldly accost, if occasion serve, some personage of rank or wealth. +</p> + +<p> +“Can you tell me, sir, to whose care you entrust your horses?” +</p> + +<p> +“I can.” +</p> + +<p> +“Is it to the first comer, who knows nothing about them?” +</p> + +<p> +“Certainly not.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well, what of the man who takes care of your gold, your silver or your +raiment?” +</p> + +<p> +“He must be experienced also.” +</p> + +<p> +“And your body—have you ever considered about entrusting it to any one’s care?” +</p> + +<p> +“Of course I have.” +</p> + +<p> +“And no doubt to a person of experience as a trainer, a physician?” +</p> + +<p> +“Surely.” +</p> + +<p> +“And these things the best you possess, or have you anything more precious?” +</p> + +<p> +“What can you mean?” +</p> + +<p> +“I mean that which employs these; which weights all things; which takes counsel +and resolve.” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, you mean the soul.” +</p> + +<p> +“You take me rightly; I do mean the soul. By Heaven, I hold that far more +precious than all else I possess. Can you show me then what care you bestow on +a soul? For it can scarcely be thought that a man of your wisdom and +consideration in the city would suffer your most precious possession to go to +ruin through carelessness and neglect.” +</p> + +<p> +“Certainly not.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well, do you take care of it yourself? Did any one teach you the right method, +or did you discover it yourself?” +</p> + +<p> +Now here comes in the danger: first, that the great man may answer, “Why, what +is that to you, my good fellow? are you my master?” And then, if you persist in +troubling him, may raise his hand to strike you. It is a practice of which I +was myself a warm admirer until such experiences as these befell me. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0065"></a> +LXV</h3> + +<p> +When a youth was giving himself airs in the Theatre and saying, “I am wise, for +I have conversed with many wise men,” Epictetus replied, “I too have conversed +with many rich men, yet I am not rich!” +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0066"></a> +LXVI</h3> + +<p> +We see that a carpenter becomes a carpenter by learning certain things: that a +pilot, by learning certain things, becomes a pilot. Possibly also in the +present case the mere desire to be wise and good is not enough. It is necessary +to learn certain things. This is then the object of our search. The +Philosophers would have us first learn that there is a God, and that His +Providence directs the Universe; further, that to hide from Him not only one’s +acts but even one’s thoughts and intentions is impossible; secondly, what the +nature of God is. Whatever that nature is discovered to be, the man who would +please and obey Him must strive with all his might to be made like unto him. If +the Divine is faithful, he also must be faithful; if free, he also must be +free; if beneficent, he also must be beneficent; if magnanimous, he also must +be magnanimous. Thus as an imitator of God must he follow Him in every deed and +word. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0067"></a> +LXVII</h3> + +<p> +If I show you, that you lack just what is most important and necessary to +happiness, that hitherto your attention has been bestowed on everything rather +than that which claims it most; and, to crown all, that you know neither what +God nor Man is—neither what Good or Evil is: why, that you are ignorant of +everything else, perhaps you may bear to be told; but to hear that you know +nothing of yourself, how could you submit to that? How could you stand your +ground and suffer that to be proved? Clearly not at all. You instantly turn +away in wrath. Yet what harm have I done to you? Unless indeed the mirror harms +the ill-favoured man by showing him to himself just as he is; unless the +physician can be thought to insult his patient, when he tells him:—“Friend, do +you suppose there is nothing wrong with you? why, you have a fever. Eat nothing +to-day, and drink only water.” Yet no one says, “What an insufferable insult!” +Whereas if you say to a man, “Your desires are inflamed, your instincts of +rejection are weak and low, your aims are inconsistent, your impulses are not +in harmony with Nature, your opinions are rash and false,” he forthwith goes +away and complains that you have insulted him. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0068"></a> +LXVIII</h3> + +<p> +Our way of life resembles a fair. The flocks and herds are passing along to be +sold, and the greater part of the crowd to buy and sell. But there are some few +who come only to look at the fair, to inquire how and why it is being held, +upon what authority and with what object. So too, in this great Fair of life, +some, like the cattle, trouble themselves about nothing but the fodder. Know +all of you, who are busied about land, slaves and public posts, that these are +nothing but fodder! Some few there are attending the Fair, who love to +contemplate what the world is, what He that administers it. Can there be no +Administrator? is it possible, that while neither city nor household could +endure even a moment without one to administer and see to its welfare, this +Fabric, so fair, so vast, should be administered in order so harmonious, +without a purpose and by blind chance? There is therefore an Administrator. +What is His nature and how does He administer? And who are we that are His +children and what work were we born to perform? Have we any close connection or +relation with Him or not? +</p> + +<p> +Such are the impressions of the few of whom I speak. And further, they apply +themselves solely to considering and examining the great assembly before they +depart. Well, they are derided by the multitude. So are the lookers-on by the +traders: aye, and if the beasts had any sense, they would deride those who +thought much of anything but fodder! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0069"></a> +LXIX</h3> + +<p> +I think I know now what I never knew before—the meaning of the common saying, +<i>A fool you can neither bend nor break</i>. Pray heaven I may never have a +<i>wise fool</i> for my friend! There is nothing more intractable.—“My resolve +is fixed!”—Why so madman say too; but the more firmly they believe in their +delusions, the more they stand in need of treatment. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0070"></a> +LXX</h3> + +<p> +—“O! when shall I see Athens and its Acropolis again?”—Miserable man! art thou +not contented with the daily sights that meet thine eyes? canst thou behold +aught greater or nobler than the Sun, Moon, and Stars; than the outspread Earth +and Sea? If indeed thou apprehendest Him who administers the universe, if thou +bearest Him about within thee, canst thou still hanker after mere fragments of +stone and fine rock? When thou art about to bid farewell to the Sun and Moon +itself, wilt thou sit down and cry like a child? Why, what didst thou hear, +what didst thou learn? why didst thou write thyself down a philosopher, when +thou mightest have written what was the fact, namely, “I have made one or two +<i>Compendiums</i>, I have read some works of Chrysippus, and I have not even +touched the hem of Philosophy’s robe!” +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0071"></a> +LXXI</h3> + +<p> +Friend, lay hold with a desperate grasp, ere it is too late, on Freedom, on +Tranquility, on Greatness of soul! Lift up thy head, as one escaped from +slavery; dare to look up to God, and say:—“Deal with me henceforth as Thou +wilt; Thou and I are of one mind. I am Thine: I refuse nothing that seeeth good +to Thee; lead on whither Thou wilt; clothe me in what garb Thou pleasest; wilt +Thou have me a ruler or a subject—at home or in exile—poor or rich? All these +things will I justify unto men for Thee. I will show the true nature of each. . +. .” +</p> + +<p> +Who would Hercules have been had he loitered at home? no Hercules, but +Eurystheus. And in his wanderings through the world how many friends and +comrades did he find? but nothing dearer to him than God. Wherefore he was +believed to be God’s son, as indeed he was. So then in obedience to Him, he +went about delivering the earth from injustice and lawlessness. +</p> + +<p> +But thou art not Hercules, thou sayest, and canst not deliver others from their +iniquity—not even Theseus, to deliver the soil of Attica from its monsters? +Purge away thine own, cast forth thence—from thine own mind, not robbers and +monsters, but Fear, Desire, Envy, Malignity, Avarice, Effeminacy, Intemperance. +And these may not be cast out, except by looking to God alone, by fixing thy +affections on Him only, and by consecrating thyself to His commands. If thou +choosest aught else, with sighs and groans thou wilt be forced to follow a +Might greater than thine own, ever seeking Tranquillity without, and never able +to attain unto her. For thou seekest her where she is not to be found; and +where she is, there thou seekest her not! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0072"></a> +LXXII</h3> + +<p> +If a man would pursue Philosophy, his first task is to throw away conceit. For +it is impossible for a man to begin to learn what he has a conceit that he +already knows. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0073"></a> +LXXIII</h3> + +<p> +Give me but one young man, that has come to the School with this intention, who +stands forth a champion of this cause, and says, “All else I renounce, content +if I am but able to pass my life free from hindrance and trouble; to raise my +head aloft and face all things as a free man; to look up to heaven as a friend +of God, fearing nothing that may come to pass!” Point out such a one to me, +that I may say, “Enter, young man, into possession of that which is thine own. +For thy lot is to adorn Philosophy. Thine are these possessions; thine these +books, these discourses!” +</p> + +<p> +And when our champion has duly exercised himself in this part of the subject, I +hope he will come back to me and say:—“What I desire is to be free from passion +and from perturbation; as one who grudges no pains in the pursuit of piety and +philosophy, what I desire is to know my duty to the Gods, my duty to my +parents, to my brothers, to my country, to strangers.” +</p> + +<p> +“Enter then on the second part of the subject; it is thine also.” +</p> + +<p> +“But I have already mastered the second part; only I wished to stand firm and +unshaken—as firm when asleep as when awake, as firm when elated with wine as in +despondency and dejection.” +</p> + +<p> +“Friend, you are verily a God! you cherish great designs.” +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0074"></a> +LXXIV</h3> + +<p> +“The question at stake,” said Epictetus, “is no common one; it is this:—<i>Are +we in our senses, or are we not?</i>” +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0075"></a> +LXXV</h3> + +<p> +If you have given way to anger, be sure that over and above the evil involved +therein, you have strengthened the habit, and added fuel to the fire. If +overcome by a temptation of the flesh, do not reckon it a single defeat, but +that you have also strengthened your dissolute habits. Habits and faculties are +necessarily affected by the corresponding acts. Those that were not there +before, spring up: the rest gain in strength and extent. This is the account +which Philosophers give of the origin of diseases of the mind:—Suppose you have +once lusted after money: if reason sufficient to produce a sense of evil be +applied, then the lust is checked, and the mind at once regains its original +authority; whereas if you have recourse to no remedy, you can no longer look +for this return—on the contrary, the next time it is excited by the +corresponding object, the flame of desire leaps up more quickly than before. By +frequent repetition, the mind in the long run becomes callous; and thus this +mental disease produces confirmed Avarice. +</p> + +<p> +One who has had fever, even when it has left him, is not in the same condition +of health as before, unless indeed his cure is complete. Something of the same +sort is true also of diseases of the mind. Behind, there remains a legacy of +traces and blisters: and unless these are effectually erased, subsequent blows +on the same spot will produce no longer mere blisters, but sores. If you do not +wish to be prone to anger, do not feed the habit; give it nothing which may +tend its increase. At first, keep quiet and count the days when you were not +angry: “I used to be angry every day, then every other day: next every two, +next every three days!” and if you succeed in passing thirty days, sacrifice to +the Gods in thanksgiving. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0076"></a> +LXXVI</h3> + +<p> +How then may this be attained?—Resolve, now if never before, to approve thyself +to thyself; resolve to show thyself fair in God’s sight; long to be pure with +thine own pure self and God! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0077"></a> +LXXVII</h3> + +<p> +That is the true athlete, that trains himself to resist such outward +impressions as these. +</p> + +<p> +“Stay, wretched man! suffer not thyself to be carried away!” Great is the +combat, divine the task! you are fighting for Kingship, for Liberty, for +Happiness, for Tranquillity. Remember God: call upon Him to aid thee, like a +comrade that stands beside thee in the fight. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0078"></a> +LXXVIII</h3> + +<p> +Who then is a Stoic—in the sense that we call a statue of Phidias which is +modelled after that master’s art? Show me a man in this sense modelled after +the doctrines that are ever upon his lips. Show me a man that is sick—and +happy; an exile—and happy; in evil report—and happy! Show me him, I ask again. +So help me Heaven, I long to see <i>one</i> Stoic! Nay, if you cannot show me +one fully modelled, let me at least see one in whom the process is at work—one +whose bent is in that direction. Do me that favour! Grudge it not to an old +man, to behold a sight he has never yet beheld. Think you I wish to see the +<i>Zeus</i> or <i>Athena</i> of Phidias, bedecked with gold and ivory?—Nay, +show me, one of you, a human soul, desiring to be of one mind with God, no more +to lay blame on God or man, to suffer nothing to disappoint, nothing to cross +him, to yield neither to anger, envy, nor jealousy—in a word, why disguise the +matter? one that from a man would fain become a God; one that while still +imprisoned in this dead body makes fellowship with God his aim. Show me +him!—Ah, you cannot! Then why mock yourselves and delude others? why stalk +about tricked out in other men’s attire, thieves and robbers that you are of +names and things to which you can show no title! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0079"></a> +LXXIX</h3> + +<p> +If you have assumed a character beyond your strength, you have both played a +poor figure in that, and neglected one that is within your powers. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0080"></a> +LXXX</h3> + +<p> +Fellow, you have come to blows at home with a slave: you have turned the +household upside down, and thrown the neighbourhood into confusion; and do you +come to me then with airs of assumed modesty—do you sit down like a sage and +criticise my explanation of the readings, and whatever idle babble you say has +come into my head? Have you come full of envy, and dejected because nothing is +sent you from home; and while the discussion is going on, do you sit brooding +on nothing but how your father or your brother are disposed towards you:—“What +are they saying about me there? at this moment they imagine I am making +progress and saying, He will return perfectly omniscient! I wish I could become +omniscient before I return; but that would be very troublesome. No one sends me +anything—the baths at Nicopolis are dirty; things are wretched at home and +wretched here.” And then they say, “Nobody is any the better for the +School.”—Who comes to the School with a sincere wish to learn: to submit his +principles to correction and himself to <i>treatment?</i> Who, to gain a sense +of his wants? Why then be surprised if you carry home from the School exactly +what you bring into it? +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0081"></a> +LXXXI</h3> + +<p> +“Epictetus, I have often come desiring to hear you speak, and you have never +given me any answer; now if possible, I entreat you, say something to me.” +</p> + +<p> +“Is there, do you think,” replied Epictetus, “an <i>art</i> of speaking as of +other things, if it is to be done skilfully and with profit to the hearer?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yes.” +</p> + +<p> +“And are all profited by what they hear, or only some among them? So that it +seems there is an art of hearing as well as of speaking. . . . To make a statue +needs skill: to view a statue aright needs skill also.” +</p> + +<p> +“Admitted.” +</p> + +<p> +“And I think all will allow that one who proposes to hear philosophers speak +needs a considerable training in hearing. Is that not so? The tell me on what +subject your are able to <i>hear</i> me.” +</p> + +<p> +“Why, on good and evil.” +</p> + +<p> +“The good and evil of what? a horse, an ox?” +</p> + +<p> +“No; of a man.” +</p> + +<p> +“Do we know then what Man is? what his nature is? what is the idea we have of +him? And are our <i>ears</i> practised in any degree on the subject? Nay, do +you understand what Nature is? can you follow me in any degree when I say that +I shall have to use demonstration? Do you understand what Demonstration is? +what True or False is? . . . must I <i>drive</i> you to Philosophy? . . . Show +me what good I am to do by discoursing with you. Rouse my desire to do so. The +sight of a pasture it loves stirs in a sheep the desire to feed: show it a +stone or a bit of bread and it remains unmoved. Thus we also have certain +natural desires, aye, and one that moves us to speak when we find a listener +that is worth his salt: one that himself stirs the spirit. But if he sits by +like a stone or a tuft of grass, how can he rouse a man’s desire?” +</p> + +<p> +“Then you will say nothing to me?” +</p> + +<p> +“I can only tell you this: that one who knows not who he is and to what end he +was born; what kind of world this is and with whom he is associated therein; +one who cannot distinguish Good and Evil, Beauty and Foulness, . . . Truth and +Falsehood, will never follow Reason in shaping his desires and impulses and +repulsions, nor yet in assent, denial, or suspension of judgement; but will in +one word go about deaf and blind, thinking himself to be somewhat, when he is +in truth of no account. Is there anything new in all this? Is not this +ignorance the cause of all the mistakes and mischances of men since the human +race began? . . .” +</p> + +<p> +“This is all I have to say to you, and even this against the grain. Why? +Because you have not stirred my spirit. For what can I see in you to stir me, +as a spirited horse will stir a judge of horses? Your body? That you maltreat. +Your dress? That is luxurious. You behavior, your look?—Nothing whatever. When +you want to hear a philosopher, do not say, You say nothing to me’; only show +yourself worthy or fit to <i>hear</i>, and then you will see how you will move +the speaker.” +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0082"></a> +LXXXII</h3> + +<p> +And now, when you see brothers apparently good friends and living in accord, do +not immediately pronounce anything upon their friendship, though they should +affirm it with an oath, though they should declare, “For us to live apart in a +thing impossible!” For the heart of a bad man is faithless, unprincipled, +inconstant: now overpowered by one impression, now by another. Ask not the +usual questions, Were they born of the same parents, reared together, and under +the same tutor; but ask this only, in what they place their real +interest—whether in outward things or in the Will. If in outward things, call +them not friends, any more than faithful, constant, brave or free: call them +not even human beings, if you have any sense. . . . But should you hear that +these men hold the Good to lie only in the <i>Will</i>, only in rightly dealing +with the things of sense, take no more trouble to inquire whether they are +father and son or brothers, or comrades of long standing; but, sure of this one +thing, pronounce as boldly that they are friends as that they are faithful and +just: for where else can Friendship be found than where Modesty is, where there +is an interchange of things fair and honest, and of such only? +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0083"></a> +LXXXIII</h3> + +<p> +No man can rob us of our Will—no man can lord it over that! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0084"></a> +LXXXIV</h3> + +<p> +When disease and death overtake me, I would fain be found engaged in the task +of liberating mine own Will from the assaults of passion, from hindrance, from +resentment, from slavery. +</p> + +<p> +Thus would I fain to be found employed, so that I may say to God, “Have I in +aught transgressed Thy commands? Have I in aught perverted the faculties, the +senses, the natural principles that Thou didst give me? Have I ever blamed Thee +or found fault with Thine administration? When it was Thy good pleasure, I fell +sick—and so did other men: by <i>my</i> will consented. Because it was Thy +pleasure, I became poor: but <i>my</i> heart rejoiced. No power in the State +was mine, because Thou wouldst not: such power I never desired! Hast Thou ever +seen me of more doleful countenance on that account? Have I not ever drawn nigh +unto Thee with cheerful look, waiting upon Thy commands, attentive to Thy +signals? Wilt Thou that I now depart from the great Assembly of men? I go: I +give Thee all thanks, that Thou hast deemed me worthy to take part with Thee in +this Assembly: to behold Thy works, to comprehend this Thine administration.” +</p> + +<p> +Such I would were the subject of my thoughts, my pen, my study, when death +overtakes me. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0085"></a> +LXXXV</h3> + +<p> +Seemeth it nothing to you, never to accuse, never to blame either God or Man? +to wear ever the same countenance in going forth as in coming in? This was the +secret of Socrates: yet he never said that he knew or taught anything. . . . +Who amongst you makes this his aim? Were it indeed so, you would gladly endure +sickness, hunger, aye, death itself. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0086"></a> +LXXXVI</h3> + +<p> +How are we constituted by Nature? To be free, to be noble, to be modest (for +what other living thing is capable of blushing, or of feeling the impression of +shame?) and to subordinate pleasure to the ends for which Nature designed us, +as a handmaid and a minister, in order to call forth our activity; in order to +keep us constant to the path prescribed by Nature. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0087"></a> +LXXXVII</h3> + +<p> +The husbandman deals with land; physicians and trainers with the body; the wise +man with his own Mind. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0088"></a> +LXXXVIII</h3> + +<p> +Which of us does not admire what Lycurgus the Spartan did? A young citizen had +put out his eye, and been handed over to him by the people to be punished at +his own discretion. Lycurgus abstained from all vengeance, but on the contrary +instructed and made a good man of him. Producing him in public in the theatre, +he said to the astonished Spartans:—“I received this young man at your hands +full of violence and wanton insolence; I restore him to you in his right mind +and fit to serve his country.” +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0089"></a> +LXXXIX</h3> + +<p> +A money-changer may not reject Cæsar’s coin, nor may the seller of herbs, but +must when once the coin is shown, deliver what is sold for it, whether he will +or no. So is it also with the Soul. Once the Good appears, it attracts towards +itself; evil repels. But a clear and certain impression of the Good the Soul +will never reject, any more than men do Cæsar’s coin. On this hangs every +impulse alike of Man and God. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0090"></a> +XC</h3> + +<p> +Asked what Common Sense was, Epictetus replied:— +</p> + +<p> +As that may be called a Common Ear which distinguishes only sounds, while that +which distinguishes musical notes is not common but produced by training; so +there are certain things which men not entirely perverted see by the natural +principles common to all. Such a constitution of the Mind is called Common +Sense. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0091"></a> +XCI</h3> + +<p> +Canst thou judge men? . . . then make us imitators of thyself, as Socrates did. +<i>Do this, do not do that, else will I cast thee into prison:</i> this is not +governing men like reasonable creatures. Say rather, <i>As God hath ordained, +so do; else thou wilt suffer chastisement and loss</i>. Askest thou what loss? +None other than this: To have left undone what thou shouldst have done: to have +lost the faithfulness, the reverence, the modesty that is in thee! Greater loss +than this seek not to find! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0092"></a> +XCII</h3> + +<p> +“His son is dead.” +</p> + +<p> +What has happened? +</p> + +<p> +“His son is dead.” +</p> + +<p> +Nothing more? +</p> + +<p> +“Nothing.” +</p> + +<p> +“His ship is lost.” +</p> + +<p> +“He has been haled to prison.” +</p> + +<p> +What has happened? +</p> + +<p> +“He has been haled to prison.” +</p> + +<p> +But that any of these things are <i>misfortunes</i> to him, is an addition +which every one makes of his own. But (you say) God is unjust is this.—Why? For +having given thee endurance and greatness of soul? For having made such things +to be no evils? For placing happiness within thy reach, even when enduring +them? For open unto thee a door, when things make not for thy good?—Depart, my +friend and find fault no more! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0093"></a> +XCIII</h3> + +<p> +You are sailing to Rome (you tell me) to obtain the post of Governor of +Cnossus. You are not content to stay at home with the honours you had before; +you want something on a larger scale, and more conspicuous. But when did you +ever undertake a voyage for the purpose of reviewing your own principles and +getting rid of any of them that proved unsound? Whom did you ever visit for +that object? What time did you ever set yourself for that? What age? Run over +the times of your life—by yourself, if you are ashamed before me. Did you +examine your principles when a boy? Did you not do everything just as you do +now? Or when you were a stripling, attending the school of oratory and +practising the art yourself, what did you ever imagine you lacked? And when you +were a young man, entered upon public life, and were pleading causes and making +a name, who any longer seemed equal to you? And at what moment would you have +endured another examining your principles and proving that they were unsound? +What then am I to say to you? “Help me in this matter!” you cry. Ah, for that I +have no rule! And neither did you, if that was your object, come to me as a +philosopher, but as you might have gone to a herb-seller or a cobbler.—“What do +philosophers have rules for, then?”—Why, that whatever may betide, our ruling +faculty may be as Nature would have it, and so remain. Think you this a small +matter? Not so! but the greatest thing there is. Well, does it need but a short +time? Can it be grasped by a passer-by?—grasp it, if you can! +</p> + +<p> +Then you will say, “Yes, I met Epictetus!” +</p> + +<p> +Aye, just as you might a statue or a monument. You saw me! and that is all. But +a man who meets a man is one who learns the other’s mind, and lets him see his +in turn. Learn my mind—show me yours; and then go and say that you met me. Let +us try each other; if I have any wrong principle, rid me of it; if <i>you</i> +have, out with it. That is what meeting a philosopher means. Not so, you think; +this is only a flying visit; while we are hiring the ship, we can see Epictetus +too! Let us see what he has to say. Then on leaving you cry, “Out on Epictetus +for a worthless fellow, provincial and barbarous of speech!” What else indeed +did you come to judge of? +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0094"></a> +XCIV</h3> + +<p> +Whether you will or no, you are poorer than I! +</p> + +<p> +“What then do I lack?” +</p> + +<p> +What you have not: Constancy of mind, such as Nature would have it be: +Tranquillity. Patron or no patron, what care I? but you do care. I am richer +than you: I am not racked with anxiety as to what Cæsar may think of me; I +flatter none on that account. This is what I have, instead of vessels of gold +and silver! your vessels may be of gold, but your reason, your principles, your +accepted views, your inclinations, your desires are of earthenware. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0095"></a> +XCV</h3> + +<p> +To you, all you have seems small: to me, all I have seems great. Your desire is +insatiable, mine is satisfied. See children thrusting their hands into a +narrow-necked jar, and striving to pull out the nuts and figs it contains: if +they fill the hand, they cannot pull it out again, and then they fall to +tears.—“Let go a few of them, and then you can draw out the rest!”—You, too, +let your desire go! covet not many things, and you will obtain. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0096"></a> +XCVI</h3> + +<p> +Pittacus wronged by one whom he had it in his power to punish, let him go free, +saying, <i>Forgiveness is better than revenge</i>. The one shows native +gentleness, the other savagery. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0097"></a> +XCVII</h3> + +<p> +“My brother ought not to have treated me thus.” +</p> + +<p> +True: but <i>he</i> must see to that. However he may treat me, I must deal +rightly by him. This is what lies with me, what none can hinder. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0098"></a> +XCVIII</h3> + +<p> +Nevertheless a man should also be prepared to be sufficient unto himself—to +dwell with himself alone, even as God dwells with Himself alone, shares His +repose with none, and considers the nature of His own administration, intent +upon such thoughts as are meet unto Himself. So should we also be able to +converse with ourselves, to need none else beside, to sigh for no distraction, +to bend our thoughts upon the Divine Administration, and how we stand related +to all else; to observe how human accidents touched us of old, and how they +touch us now; what things they are that still have power to hurt us, and how +they may be cured or removed; to perfect what needs perfecting as Reason would +direct. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0099"></a> +XCIX</h3> + +<p> +If a man has frequent intercourse with others, either in the way of +conversation, entertainment, or simple familiarity, he must either become like +them, or change them to his own fashion. A live coal placed next a dead one +will either kindle that or be quenched by it. Such being the risk, it is well +to be cautious in admitting intimacies of this sort, remembering that one +cannot rub shoulders with a soot-stained man without sharing the soot oneself. +What will you do, supposing the talk turns on gladiators, or horses, or +prize-fighters, or (what is worse) on <i>persons</i>, condemning this and that, +approving the other? Or suppose a man sneers and jeers or shows a malignant +temper? Has any among us the skill of the lute-player, who knows at the first +touch which strings are out of tune and sets the instrument right: has any of +you such power as Socrates had, in all his intercourse with men, of winning +them over to his own convictions? Nay, but <i>you</i> must needs be swayed +hither and thither by the uninstructed. How comes it then that they prove so +much stronger than you? Because they speak from the fulness of the heart—their +low, corrupt views are their real convictions: whereas your fine sentiments are +but from the lips, outwards; that is why they are so nerveless and dead. It +turns one’s stomach to listen to <i>your</i> exhortations, and hear of your +miserable Virtue, that you prate of up and down. Thus it is that the Vulgar +prove too strong for you. Everywhere strength, everywhere victory waits your +conviction! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0100"></a> +C</h3> + +<p> +In general, any methods of discipline applied to the body which tend to modify +its desires or repulsions, are good—for ascetic ends. But if done for display, +they betray at once a man who keeps an eye on outward show; who has an ulterior +purpose, and is looking for spectators to shout, “Oh what a great man!” This is +why Apollonius so well said: “If you are bent upon a little private discipline, +wait till you are choking with heat some day—then take a mouthful of cold +water, and spit it out again, and tell no man!” +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0101"></a> +CI</h3> + +<p> +Study how to give as one that is sick: that thou mayest hereafter give as one +that is whole. Fast; drink water only; abstain altogether from desire, that +thou mayest hereafter conform thy desire to Reason. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0102"></a> +CII</h3> + +<p> +Thou wouldst do good unto men? then show them by thine own example what kind of +men philosophy can make, and cease from foolish trifling. Eating, do good to +them that eat with thee; drinking, to them that drink with thee; yield unto +all, give way, and bear with them. Thus shalt thou do them good: but vent not +upon them thine own evil humour! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0103"></a> +CIII</h3> + +<p> +Even as bad actors cannot sing alone, but only in chorus: so some cannot walk +alone. +</p> + +<p> +Man, if thou art aught, strive to walk alone and hold converse with thyself, +instead of skulking in the chorus! at length think; look around thee; bestir +thyself, that thou mayest know who thou art! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0104"></a> +CIV</h3> + +<p> +You would fain be victor at the Olympic games, you say. Yes, but weigh the +conditions, weigh the consequences; then and then only, lay to your hand—if it +be for your profit. You must live by rule, submit to diet, abstain from dainty +meats, exercise your body perforce at stated hours, in heat or in cold; drink +no cold water, nor, it may be, wine. In a word, you must surrender yourself +wholly to your trainer, as though to a physician. +</p> + +<p> +Then in the hour of contest, you will have to delve the ground, it may chance +dislocate an arm, sprain an ankle, gulp down abundance of yellow sand, be +scourge with the whip—and with all this sometimes lose the victory. Count the +cost—and then, if your desire still holds, try the wrestler’s life. Else let me +tell you that you will be behaving like a pack of children playing now at +wrestlers, now at gladiators; presently falling to trumpeting and anon to +stage-playing, when the fancy takes them for what they have seen. And you are +even the same: wrestler, gladiator, philosopher, orator all by turns and none +of them with your whole soul. Like an ape, you mimic what you see, to one thing +constant never; the thing that is familiar charms no more. This is because you +never undertook aught with due consideration, nor after strictly testing and +viewing it from every side; no, your choice was thoughtless; the glow of your +desire had waxed cold . . . . +</p> + +<p> +Friend, bethink you first what it is you would do, and then what your own +nature is able to bear. Would you be a wrestler, consider your shoulders, your +thighs, your loins—not all men are formed to the same end. Think you to be a +philosopher while acting as you do? think you go on thus eating, thus drinking, +giving way in like manner to wrath and to displeasure? Nay, you must watch, you +must labour; overcome certain desires; quit your familiar friends, submit to be +despised by your slave, to be held in derision by them that meet you, to take +the lower place in all things, in office, in positions of authority, in courts +of law. +</p> + +<p> +Weigh these things fully, and then, if you will, lay to your hand; if as the +price of these things you would gain Freedom, Tranquillity, and passionless +Serenity. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0105"></a> +CV</h3> + +<p> +He that hath no musical instruction is a child in Music; he that hath no +letters is a child in Learning; he that is untaught is a child in Life. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0106"></a> +CVI</h3> + +<p> +Can any profit be derived from these men? Aye, from all. +</p> + +<p> +“What, even from a reviler?” +</p> + +<p> +Why, tell me what profit a wrestler gains from him who exercises him +beforehand? The very greatest: he trains me in the practice of endurance, of +controlling my temper, of gentle ways. You deny it. What, the man who lays hold +of my neck, and disciplines loins and shoulders, does me good, . . . while he +that trains me to keep my temper does me none? This is what it means, not +knowing how to gain advantage from men! Is my neighbour bad? Bad to himself, +but good to me: he brings my good temper, my gentleness into play. Is my father +bad? Bad to himself, but good to me. This is the rod of Hermes; <i>touch what +you will with it</i>, they say, <i>and it becomes gold</i>. Nay, but bring what +you will and I will transmute it into Good. Bring sickness, bring death, bring +poverty and reproach, bring trial for life—all these things through the rod of +Hermes shall be turned to profit. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0107"></a> +CVII</h3> + +<p> +Till then these sound opinions have taken firm root in you, and you have gained +a measure of strength for your security, I counsel you to be cautious in +associating with the uninstructed. Else whatever impressions you receive upon +the tablets of your mind in the School will day by day melt and disappear, like +wax in the sun. Withdraw then somewhere far from the sun, while you have these +waxen sentiments. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0108"></a> +CVIII</h3> + +<p> +We must approach this matter in a different way; it is great and mystical: it +is no common thing; nor given to every man. Wisdom alone, it may be, will not +suffice for the care of youth: a man needs also a certain measure of +readiness—an aptitude for the office; aye, and certain bodily qualities; and +above all, to be counselled of God Himself to undertake this post; even as He +counselled Socrates to fill the post of one who confutes error, assigning to +Diogenes the royal office of high reproof, and to Zeno that of positive +instruction. Whereas <i>you</i> would fain set up for a physician provided with +nothing but drugs! Where and how they should be applied you neither know nor +care. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0109"></a> +CIX</h3> + +<p> +If what charms you is nothing but abstract principles, sit down and turn them +over quietly in your mind: but never dub yourself a Philosopher, nor suffer +others to call you so. Say rather: He is in error; for my desires, my impulses +are unaltered. I give in my adhesion to what I did before; nor has my mode of +dealing with the things of sense undergone any change. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0110"></a> +CX</h3> + +<p> +When a friend inclined to Cynic views asked Epictetus, what sort of person a +true Cynic should be, requesting a general sketch of the system, he +answered:—“We will consider that at leisure. At present I content myself with +saying this much: If a man put his hand to so weighty a matter without God, the +wrath of God abides upon him. That which he covets will but bring upon him +public shame. Not even on finding himself in a well-ordered house does a man +step forward and say to himself, I must be master here! Else the lord of that +house takes notice of it, and, seeing him insolently giving orders, drags him +forth and chastises him. So it is also in this great City, the World. Here also +is there a Lord of the House, who orders all thing:— +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +“Thou are the Sun! in thine orbit thou hast power to make the year and the +seasons; to bid the fruits of the earth to grow and increase, the winds arise +and fall; thou canst in due measure cherish with thy warmth the frames of men; +go make thy circuit, and thus minister unto all from the greatest to the least! +. . .”<br/> +“Thou canst lead a host against Troy; be Agamemnon!”<br/> +“Thou canst meet Hector in single combat; be Achilles!” +</p> + +<p> +“But had Thersites stepped forward and claimed the chief command, he had been +met with a refusal, or obtained it only to his own shame and confusion of face, +before a cloud of witnesses.” +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0111"></a> +CXI</h3> + +<p> +Others may fence themselves with walls and houses, when they do such deeds as +these, and wrap themselves in darkness—aye, they have many a device to hide +themselves. Another may shut his door and station one before his chamber to +say, if any comes, <i>He has gone forth! he is not at leisure!</i> But the true +Cynic will have none of these things; instead of them, he must wrap himself in +Modesty: else he will but bring himself to shame, naked and under the open sky. +<i>That</i> is his house; that is his door; that is the slave that guards his +chamber; that is his darkness! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0112"></a> +CXII</h3> + +<p> +Death? let it come when it will, whether it smite but a part of the whole: Fly, +you tell me—fly! But whither shall I fly? Can any man cast me beyond the limits +of the World? It may not be! And whithersoever I go, there shall I still find +Sun, Moon, and Stars; there I shall find dreams, and omens, and converse with +the Gods! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0113"></a> +CXIII</h3> + +<p> +Furthermore the true Cynic must know that he is sent as a Messenger from God to +men, to show unto them that as touching good and evil they are in error; +looking for these where they are not to be found, nor ever bethinking +themselves where they are. And like Diogenes when brought before Philip after +the battle of Chaeronea, the Cynic must remember that he is a Spy. For a Spy he +really is—to bring back word what things are on Man’s side, and what against +him. And when he had diligently observed all, he must come back with a true +report, not terrified into announcing them to be foes that are no foes, nor +otherwise perturbed or confounded by the things of sense. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0114"></a> +CXIV</h3> + +<p> +How can it be that one who hath nothing, neither raiment, nor house, nor home, +nor bodily tendance, nor servant, nor city, should yet live tranquil and +contented? Behold God hath sent you a man to show you in act and deed that it +may be so. Behold me! I have neither house nor possessions nor servants: the +ground is my couch; I have no wife, no children, no shelter—nothing but earth +and sky, and one poor cloak. And what lack I yet? am I not untouched by sorrow, +by fear? am I not free? . . . when have I laid anything to the charge of God or +Man? when have I accused any? hath any of you seen me with a sorrowful +countenance? And in what wise treat I those of whom you stand in fear and awe? +Is it not as slaves? Who when he seeth me doth not think that he beholdeth his +Master and his King? +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0115"></a> +CXV</h3> + +<p> +Give thyself more diligently to reflection: know thyself: take counsel with the +Godhead: without God put thine hand unto nothing! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0116"></a> +CXVI</h3> + +<p> +“But to marry and to rear offspring,” said the young man, “will the Cynic hold +himself bound to undertake this as a chief duty?” +</p> + +<p> +Grant me a republic of wise men, answered Epictetus, and perhaps none will +lightly take the Cynic life upon him. For on whose account should he embrace +that method of life? Suppose however that he does, there will then be nothing +to hinder his marrying and rearing offspring. For his wife will be even such +another as himself, and likewise her father; and in like manner will his +children be brought up. +</p> + +<p> +But in the present condition of things, which resembles an Army in battle +array, ought not the Cynic to be free from all distraction and given wholly to +the service of God, so that he can go in and out among men, neither fettered by +the duties nor entangled by the relations of common life? For if he transgress +them, he will forfeit the character of a good man and true; whereas if he +observe them, there is an end to him as the Messenger, the Spy, the Herald of +the Gods! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0117"></a> +CXVII</h3> + +<p> +Ask me if you choose if a Cynic shall engage in the administration of the +State. O fool, seek you a nobler administration that that in which he is +engaged? Ask you if a man shall come forward in the Athenian assembly and talk +about revenue and supplies, when his business is to converse with all men, +Athenians, Corinthians, and Romans alike, not about supplies, not about +revenue, nor yet peace and war, but about Happiness and Misery, Prosperity and +Adversity, Slavery and Freedom? +</p> + +<p> +Ask you whether a man shall engage in the administration of the State who has +engaged in such an Administration as this? Ask me too if he shall govern; and +again I will answer, Fool, what greater government shall he hold than he holds +already? +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0118"></a> +CXVIII</h3> + +<p> +Such a man needs also to have a certain habit of body. If he appears +consumptive, thin and pale, his testimony has no longer the same authority. He +must not only prove to the unlearned by showing them what his Soul is that it +is possible to be a good man apart from all that <i>they</i> admire; but he +must also show them, by his body, that a plain and simple manner of life under +the open sky does no harm to the body either. “See, I am proof of this! and my +body also.” As Diogenes used to do, who went about fresh of look and by the +very appearance of his body drew men’s eyes. But if a Cynic is an object of +pity, he seems a mere beggar; all turn away, all are offended at him. Nor +should he be slovenly of look, so as not to scare men from him in this way +either; on the contrary, his very roughness should be clean and attractive. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0119"></a> +CXIX</h3> + +<p> +Kings and tyrants have armed guards wherewith to chastise certain persons, +though they themselves be evil. But to the Cynic conscience gives this +power—not arms and guards. When he knows that he has watched and laboured on +behalf of mankind: that sleep hath found him pure, and left him purer still: +that his thoughts have been the thought of a Friend of the Gods—of a servant, +yet one that hath a part in the government of the Supreme God: that the words +are ever on his lips:— +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +Lead me, O God, and thou, O Destiny! +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +as well as these:— +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +If this be God’s will, so let it be! +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +Why should he not speak boldly unto his own brethren, unto his children—in a +word, unto all that are akin to him! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0120"></a> +CXX</h3> + +<p> +Does a Philosopher <i>apply</i> to people to come and hear him? does he not +rather, of his own nature, <i>attract</i> those that will be benefited by +him—like the sun that warms, the food that sustains them? What Physician +<i>applies</i> to men to come and be healed? (Though indeed I hear that the +Physicians at Rome do nowadays apply for patients—in my time they were applied +to.) I apply to you to come and hear that you are in evil case; that what +deserves your attention most is the last thing to gain it; that you know not +good from evil, and are in short a hapless wretch; a fine way to apply! though +unless the words of the Philosopher affect you thus, speaker and speech are +alike dead. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0121"></a> +CXXI</h3> + +<p> +A Philosopher’s school is a Surgery: pain, not pleasure, you should have felt +therein. For on entering none of you is whole. One has a shoulder out of joint, +another an abscess: a third suffers from an issue, a fourth from pains in the +head. And am I then to sit down and treat you to pretty sentiments and empty +flourishes, so that you may applaud me and depart, with neither shoulder, nor +head, nor issue, nor abscess a whit the better for your visit? Is it then for +this that young men are to quit their homes, and leave parents, friends, +kinsmen and substance to mouth out <i>Bravo</i> to your empty phrases! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0122"></a> +CXXII</h3> + +<p> +If any be unhappy, let him remember that he is unhappy by reason of himself +alone. For God hath made all men to enjoy felicity and constancy of good. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0123"></a> +CXXIII</h3> + +<p> +Shall we never wean ourselves—shall we never heed the teachings of Philosophy +(unless perchance they have been sounding in our ears like an enchanter’s +drone):— +</p> + +<p> +This World is one great City, and one is the substance whereof it is fashioned: +a certain period indeed there needs must be, while these give place to those; +some must perish for others to succeed; some move and some abide: yet all is +full of <i>friends</i>—first God, then Men, whom Nature hath bound by ties of +kindred each to each. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0124"></a> +CXXIV</h3> + +<p> +Nor did the hero weep and lament at leaving his children orphans. For he knew +that no man is an orphan, but it is the Father that careth for all continually +and for evermore. Not by mere report had he heard that the Supreme God is the +Father of men: seeing that he called Him <i>Father</i> believing Him so to be, +and in all that he did had ever his eyes fixed upon Him. Wherefore in +whatsoever place he was, there is was given him to live happily. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0125"></a> +CXXV</h3> + +<p> +Know you not that the thing is a warfare? one man’s duty is to mount guard, +another must go out to reconnoitre, a third to battle; all cannot be in one +place, nor would it even be expedient. But you, instead of executing you +Commander’s orders, complain if aught harsher than usual is enjoined; not +understanding to what condition you are bringing the army, so far as in you +lies. If all were to follow your example, none would dig a trench, none would +cast a rampart around the camp, none would keep watch, or expose himself to +danger; but all turn out useless for the service of war. . . . Thus it is here +also. Every life is a warfare, and that long and various. You must fulfil a +soldier’s duty, and obey each order at your commander’s nod: aye, if it be +possible, divine what he would have done; for between that Command and this, +there is no comparison, either in might or in excellence. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link126"></a> +CXXVI</h3> + +<p> +Have you again forgotten? Know you not that a good man does nothing for +appearance’ sake, but for the sake of having done right? . . . +</p> + +<p> +“Is there no reward then?” +</p> + +<p> +Reward! do you seek any greater reward for a good man than doing what is right +and just? Yet at the Great Games you look for nothing else; there the victor’s +crown you deem enough. Seems it to you so small a thing and worthless, to be a +good man, and happy therein? +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0126"></a> +CXXVII</h3> + +<p> +It befits thee not to be unhappy by reason of any, but rather to be happy by +reason of all men, and especially by reason of God, who formed us to this end. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0127"></a> +CXXVIII</h3> + +<p> +What, did Diogenes love no man, he that was so gentle, so true a friend to men +as cheerfully to endure such bodily hardships for the common weal of all +mankind? But how loved he them? As behoved a minister of the Supreme God, alike +caring for men and subject unto God. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0128"></a> +CXXIX</h3> + +<p> +I am by Nature made for my own good; not for my own evil. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0129"></a> +CXXX</h3> + +<p> +Remind thyself that he whom thou lovest is mortal—that what thou lovest is not +thine own; it is given thee for the present, not irrevocably nor for ever, but +even as a fig or a bunch of grapes at the appointed season of the year. . . . +</p> + +<p> +“But these are words of evil omen.”. . . +</p> + +<p> +What, callest thou aught <i>of evil omen</i> save that which signifies some +evil thing? <i>Cowardice</i> is a word of evil omen, if thou wilt, and meanness +of spirit, and lamentation and mourning, and shamelessness. . . . +</p> + +<p> +But do not, I pray thee, call of evil omen a word that is significant of any +natural thing:—as well call of evil omen the reaping of the corn; for that +means the destruction of the ears, though not of the World!—as well say that +the fall of the leaf is of evil omen; that the dried fig should take the place +of the green; that raisins should be made from grapes. All these are changes +from a former state into another; not destruction, but an ordered economy, a +fixed administration. Such is leaving home, a change of small account; such is +Death, a greater change, from what now is, not to what is not, but to what is +not <i>now</i>. +</p> + +<p> +“Shall I then no longer be?” +</p> + +<p> +Not so; thou wilt be; but something different, of which the World now hath +need. For thou too wert born not when thou chosest, but when the World had need +of thee. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0130"></a> +CXXXI</h3> + +<p> +Wherefore a good man and true, bearing in mind who he is and whence he came and +from whom he sprang, cares only how he may fill his post with due discipline +and obedience to God. +</p> + +<p> +Wilt thou that I continue to live? Then will I live, as one that is free and +noble, as Thou wouldst have me. For Thou hast made me free from hindrance in +what appertaineth unto me. But hast Thou no further need of me? I thank Thee! +Up to this hour have I stayed for Thy sake and none other’s: and now in +obedience to Thee I depart. +</p> + +<p> +“How dost thou depart?” +</p> + +<p> +Again I say, as Thou wouldst have me; as one that is free, as Thy servant, as +one whose ear is open unto what Thou dost enjoin, what Thou dost forbid. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0131"></a> +CXXXII</h3> + +<p> +Whatsoever place or post Thou assignest me, <i>sooner will I die a thousand +deaths</i>, as Socrates said, <i>than desert it</i>. And where wilt Thou have +me to be? At Rome or Athens? At Thebes or on a desert island? Only remember me +there! Shouldst Thou send me where man cannot live as Nature would have him, I +will depart, not in disobedience to Thee, but as though Thou wert sounding the +signal for my retreat: I am not deserting Thee—far be that from me! I only +perceive that thou needest me no longer. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0132"></a> +CXXXIII</h3> + +<p> +If you are in Gyaros, do not let your mind dwell upon life at Rome, and all the +pleasures it offered to you when living there, and all that would attend your +return. Rather be intent on this—how he that lives in Gyaros may live in Gyaros +like a man of spirit. And if you are at Rome, do not let your mind dwell upon +the life at Athens, but study only how to live at Rome. +</p> + +<p> +Finally, in the room of all other pleasures put this—the pleasure which springs +from conscious obedience to God. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0133"></a> +CXXXIV</h3> + +<p> +To a good man there is no evil, either in life or death. And if God supply not +food, has He not, as a wise Commander, sounded the signal for retreat and +nothing more? I obey, I follow—speaking good of my Commander, and praising His +acts. For at His good pleasure I came; and I depart when it pleases Him; and +while I was yet alive that was my work, to sing praises unto God! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0134"></a> +CXXXV</h3> + +<p> +Reflect that the chief source of all evils to Man, and of baseness and +cowardice, is not death, but the fear of death. +</p> + +<p> +Against this fear then, I pray you, harden yourself; to this let all your +reasonings, your exercises, your reading tend. Then shall you know that thus +alone are men set free. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0135"></a> +CXXXVI</h3> + +<p> +He is free who lives as he wishes to live; to whom none can do violence, none +hinder or compel; whose impulses are unimpeded, whose desires are attain their +purpose, who falls not into what he would avoid. Who then would live in +error?—None. Who would live deceived and prone to fall, unjust, intemperate, in +abject whining at his lot?—None. Then doth no wicked man live as he would, and +therefore neither is he free. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0136"></a> +CXXXVII</h3> + +<p> +Thus do the more cautious of travellers act. The road is said to be beset by +robbers. The traveller will not venture alone, but awaits the companionship on +the road of an ambassador, a quaestor or a proconsul. To him he attaches +himself and thus passes by in safety. So doth the wise man in the world. Many +are the companies of robbers and tyrants, many the storms, the straits, the +losses of all a man holds dearest. Whither shall he fall for refuge—how shall +he pass by unassailed? What companion on the road shall he await for +protection? Such and such a wealthy man, of consular rank? And how shall I be +profited, if he is stripped and falls to lamentation and weeping? And how if my +fellow-traveller himself turns upon me and robs me? What am I to do? I will +become a friend of Cæsar’s! in his train none will do me wrong! In the first +place—O the indignities I must endure to win distinction! O the multitude of +hands there will be to rob me! And if I succeed, Cæsar too is but a mortal. +While should it come to pass that I offend him, whither shall I flee from his +presence? To the wilderness? And may not fever await me there? What then is to +be done? Cannot a fellow-traveller be found that is honest and loyal, strong +and secure against surprise? Thus doth the wise man reason, considering that if +he would pass through in safety, he must attach himself unto God. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0137"></a> +CXXXVIII</h3> + +<p> +“How understandest thou <i>attach himself to God?</i>” +</p> + +<p> +That what God wills, he should will also; that what God wills not, neither +should he will. +</p> + +<p> +“How then may this come to pass?” +</p> + +<p> +By considering the movements of God, and His administration. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0138"></a> +CXXXIX</h3> + +<p> +And dost thou that hast received all from another’s hands, repine and blame the +Giver, if He takes anything from thee? Why, who art thou, and to what end +comest thou here? was it not He that made the Light manifest unto thee, that +gave thee fellow-workers, and senses, and the power to reason? And how brought +He thee into the world? Was it not as one born to die; as one bound to live out +his earthly life in some small tabernacle of flesh; to behold His +administration, and for a little while share with Him in the mighty march of +this great Festival Procession? Now therefore that thou hast beheld, while it +was permitted thee, the Solemn Feast and Assembly, wilt thou not cheerfully +depart, when He summons thee forth, with adoration and thanksgiving for what +thou hast seen and heard?—“Nay, but I would fain have stayed longer at the +Festival.”—Ah, so would the mystics fain have the rites prolonged; so perchance +would the crowd at the Great Games fain behold more wrestlers still. But the +Solemn Assembly is over! Come forth, depart with thanksgiving and modesty—give +place to others that must come into being even as thyself. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0139"></a> +CXL</h3> + +<p> +Why art thou thus insatiable? why thus unreasonable? why encumber the +world?—“Aye, but I fain would have my wife and children with me too.”—What, are +they then <i>thine</i>, and not His that gave them—His that made thee? Give up +then that which is not thine own: yield it to One who is better than thou. +“Nay, but why did He bring one into the world on these conditions?”—If it suits +thee not, depart! He hath no need of a spectator who finds fault with his lot! +Them that will take part in the Feast he needeth—that will lift their voices +with the rest that men may applaud the more, and exalt the Great Assembly in +hymns and songs of praise. But the wretched and the fearful He will not be +displeased to see absent from it: for when they were present, they did not +behave as at a Feast, nor fulfil their proper office; but moaned as though in +pain, and found fault with their fate, their fortune and their companions; +insensible to what had fallen to their lot, insensible to the powers they had +received for a very different purpose—the powers of Magnanimity, Nobility of +Heart, of Fortitude, or Freedom! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0140"></a> +CXLI</h3> + +<p> +Art <i>thou</i> then free? a man may say. So help me heaven, I long and pray +for freedom! But I cannot look my masters boldly in the face; I still value the +poor body; I still set much store on its preservation whole and sound. +</p> + +<p> +But I can point thee out a free man, that thou mayest be no more in search of +an example. Diogenes was free. How so? Not because he was of free parentage +(for that, indeed, was not the case), but because he was himself free. He had +cast away every handle whereby slavery might lay hold of him to enslave him, +nor was it possible for any to approach and take hold of him to enslave him. +All things sat loose upon him—all things were to him attached by but slender +ties. Hadst thou seized upon his possessions, he would rather have let them go +than have followed thee for them—aye, had it been even a limb, or mayhap his +whole body; and in like manner, relatives, friends, and country. For he knew +whence they came—from whose hands and on what terms he had received them. His +true forefathers, the Gods, his true Country, he never would have abandoned; +nor would he have yielded to any man in obedience and submission to the one nor +in cheerfully dying for the other. For he was ever mindful that everything that +comes to pass has its source and origin <i>there;</i> being indeed brought +about for the weal of that his true Country, and directed by Him in whose +governance it is. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0141"></a> +CXLII</h3> + +<p> +Ponder on this—on these convictions, on these words: fix thine eyes on these +examples, if thou wouldst be free, if thou hast thine heart set upon the matter +according to its worth. And what marvel if thou purchase so great a thing at so +great and high a price? For the sake of this that men deem liberty, some hang +themselves, others cast themselves down from the rock; aye, time has been when +whole cities came utterly to an end: while for the sake of Freedom that is +true, and sure, and unassailable, dost thou grudge to God what He gave, when He +claims it? Wilt thou not study, as Plato saith, to endure, not death alone, but +torture, exile, stripes—in a word, to render up all that is not thine own? Else +thou wilt be a slave amid slaves, wert thou ten thousand times a consul; aye, +not a whit the less, though thou climb the Palace steps. And thou shalt know +how true the saying of Cleanthes, that though the words of philosophers may run +counter to the opinions of the world, yet have they reason on their side. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0142"></a> +CXLIII</h3> + +<p> +Asked how a man should best grieve his enemy, Epictetus replied, “By setting +himself to live the noblest life himself.” +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0143"></a> +CXLIV</h3> + +<p> +I am free, I am a friend of God, ready to render Him willing obedience. Of all +else I may set store by nothing—neither by mine own body, nor possessions, nor +office, nor good report, nor, in a word, aught else beside. For it is not His +Will, that I should so set store by these things. Had it been His pleasure, He +would have placed my Good therein. But now He hath not done so: therefore I +cannot transgress one jot of His commands. In everything hold fast to that +which is thy Good—but to all else (as far as is given thee) within the measure +of Reason only, contented with this alone. Else thou wilt meet with failure, +ill success, let and hindrance. These are the Laws ordained of God—these are +His Edicts; these a man should expound and interpret; to these submit himself, +not to the laws of Masurius and Cassius. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0144"></a> +CXLV</h3> + +<p> +Remember that not the love of power and wealth sets us under the heel of +others, but even the love of tranquillity, of leisure, of change of scene—of +learning in general, it matters not what the outward thing may be—to set store +by it is to place thyself in subjection to another. Where is the difference +then between desiring to be a Senator, and desiring not to be one: between +thirsting for office and thirsting to be quit of it? Where is the difference +between crying, <i>Woe is me, I know not what to do, bound hand and foot as I +am to my books so that I cannot stir!</i> and crying, <i>Woe is me, I have not +time to read!</i> As though a book were not as much an outward thing and +independent of the will, as office and power and the receptions of the great. +</p> + +<p> +Or what reason hast thou (tell me) for desiring to read? For if thou aim at +nothing beyond the mere delight of it, or gaining some scrap of knowledge, thou +art but a poor, spiritless knave. But if thou desirest to study to its proper +end, what else is this than a life that flows on tranquil and serene? And if +thy reading secures thee not serenity, what profits it?—“Nay, but it doth +secure it,” quoth he, “and that is why I repine at being deprived of it.”—And +what serenity is this that lies at the mercy of every passer-by? I say not at +the mercy of the Emperor or Emperor’s favorite, but such as trembles at a +raven’s croak and piper’s din, a fever’s touch or a thousand things of like +sort! Whereas the life serene has no more certain mark than this, that it ever +moves with constant unimpeded flow. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0145"></a> +CXLVI</h3> + +<p> +If thou hast put malice and evil speaking from thee, altogether, or in some +degree: if thou hast put away from thee rashness, foulness of tongue, +intemperance, sluggishness: if thou art not moved by what once moved thee, or +in like manner as thou once wert moved—then thou mayest celebrate a daily +festival, to-day because thou hast done well in this manner, to-morrow in that. +How much greater cause is here for offering sacrifice, than if a man should +become Consul or Prefect? +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0146"></a> +CXLVII</h3> + +<p> +These things hast thou from thyself and from the Gods: only remember who it is +that giveth them—to whom and for what purpose they were given. Feeding thy soul +on thoughts like these, dost thou debate in what place happiness awaits thee? +in what place thou shalt do God’s pleasure? Are not the Gods nigh unto all +places alike; see they not alike what everywhere comes to pass? +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0147"></a> +CXLVIII</h3> + +<p> +To each man God hath granted this inward freedom. These are the principles that +in a house create love, in a city concord, among nations peace, teaching a man +gratitude towards God and cheerful confidence, wherever he may be, in dealing +with outward things that he knows are neither his nor worth striving after. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0148"></a> +CXLIX</h3> + +<p> +If you seek Truth, you will not seek to gain a victory by every possible means; +and when you have found Truth, you need not fear being defeated. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0149"></a> +CL</h3> + +<p> +What foolish talk is this? how can I any longer lay claim to right principles, +if I am not content with being what I am, but am all aflutter about what I am +supposed to be? +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0150"></a> +CLI</h3> + +<p> +God hath made all things in the world, nay, the world itself, free from +hindrance and perfect, and its parts for the use of the whole. No other +creature is capable of comprehending His administration thereof; but the +reasonable being Man possesses faculties for the consideration of all these +things—not only that he is himself a part, but what part he is, and how it is +meet that the parts should give place to the whole. Nor is this all. Being +naturally constituted noble, magnanimous, and free, he sees that the things +which surround him are of two kinds. Some are free from hindrance and in the +power of the will. Other are subject to hindrance, and depend on the will of +other men. If then he place his own good, his own best interest, only in that +which is free from hindrance and in his power, he will be free, tranquil, +happy, unharmed, noble-hearted, and pious; giving thanks to all things unto +God, finding fault with nothing that comes to pass, laying no charge against +anything. Whereas if he place his good in outward things, depending not on the +will, he must perforce be subject to hindrance and restraint, the slave of +those that have power over the things he desires and fears; he must perforce be +impious, as deeming himself injured at the hands of God; he must be unjust, as +ever prone to claim more than his due; he must perforce be of a mean and abject +spirit. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0151"></a> +CLII</h3> + +<p> +Whom then shall I fear? the lords of the Bedchamber, lest they should shut me +out? If they find me desirous of entering in, let them shut me out, if they +will. +</p> + +<p> +“Then why comest thou to the door?” +</p> + +<p> +Because I think it meet and right, so long as the Play lasts, to take part +therein. +</p> + +<p> +“In what sense art thou then shut out?” +</p> + +<p> +Because, unless I am admitted, it is not my <i>will</i> to enter: on the +contrary, my will is simply that which comes to pass. For I esteem what God +wills better than what I will. To Him will I cleave as His minister and +attendant; having the same movements, the same desires, in a word the same Will +as He. There is no such thing as being shut out for me, but only for them that +would force their way in. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0152"></a> +CLIII</h3> + +<p> +But what says Socrates?—“One man finds pleasure in improving his land, another +his horses. My pleasure lies in seeing that I myself grow better day by day.” +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0153"></a> +CLIV</h3> + +<p> +The dress is suited to the craft; the craftsman takes his name from the craft, +not from the dress. For this reason Euphrates was right in saying, “I long +endeavoured to conceal my following the philosophic life; and this profited me +much. In the first place, I knew that what I did aright, I did not for the sake +of lookers-on, but for my own. I ate aright—unto myself; I kept the even tenor +of my walk, my glance composed and serene—all unto myself and unto God. Then as +I fought alone, I was alone in peril. If I did anything amiss or shameful, the +cause of Philosophy was not in me endangered; nor did I wrong the multitude by +transgressing as a professed philosopher. Wherefore those that knew not my +purpose marvelled how it came about, that whilst all my life and conversation +was passed with philosophers without exception, I was yet none myself. And what +harm that the philosopher should be known by his acts, instead of mere outward +signs and symbols?” +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0154"></a> +CLV</h3> + +<p> +First study to conceal what thou art; seek wisdom a little while unto thyself. +Thus grows the fruit; first, the seed must be buried in the earth for a little +space; there it must be hid and slowly grow, that it may reach maturity. But if +it produce the ear before the jointed stalk, it is imperfect—a thing from the +garden of Adonis. Such a sorry growth art thou; thou hast blossomed too soon: +the winter cold will wither thee away! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0155"></a> +CLVI</h3> + +<p> +First of all, condemn the life thou art now leading: but when thou hast +condemned it, do not despair of thyself—be not like them of mean spirit, who +once they have yielded, abandon themselves entirely and as it were allow the +torrent to sweep them away. No; learn what the wrestling masters do. Has the +boy fallen? “Rise,” they say, “wrestle again, till thy strength come to thee.” +Even thus should it be with thee. For know that there is nothing more tractable +than the human soul. It needs but to <i>will</i>, and the thing is done; the +soul is set upon the right path: as on the contrary it needs but to nod over +the task, and all is lost. For ruin and recovery alike are from within. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0156"></a> +CLVII</h3> + +<p> +It is the critical moment that shows the man. So when the crisis is upon you, +remember that God, like a trainer of wrestlers, has matched you with a rough +and stalwart antagonist.—“To what end?” you ask. That you may prove the victor +at the Great Games. Yet without toil and sweat this may not be! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0157"></a> +CLVIII</h3> + +<p> +If thou wouldst make progress, be content to seem foolish and void of +understanding with respect to outward things. Care not to be thought to know +anything. If any should make account of thee, distrust thyself. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0158"></a> +CLIX</h3> + +<p> +Remember that in life thou shouldst order thy conduct as at a banquet. Has any +dish that is being served reached thee? Stretch forth thy hand and help thyself +modestly. Doth it pass thee by? Seek not to detain it. Has it not yet come? +Send not forth thy desire to meet it, but wait until it reaches thee. Deal thus +with children, thus with wife; thus with office, thus with wealth—and one day +thou wilt be meet to share the Banquets of the Gods. But if thou dost not so +much as touch that which is placed before thee, but despisest it, then shalt +thou not only share the Banquets of the Gods, but their Empire also. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0159"></a> +CLX</h3> + +<p> +Remember that thou art an actor in a play, and of such sort as the Author +chooses, whether long or short. If it be his good pleasure to assign thee the +part of a beggar, a ruler, or a simple citizen, thine it is to play it fitly. +For thy business is to act the part assigned thee, well: to choose it, is +another’s. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0160"></a> +CLXI</h3> + +<p> +Keep death and exile daily before thine eyes, with all else that men deem +terrible, but more especially Death. Then wilt thou never think a mean though, +nor covet anything beyond measure. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0161"></a> +CLXII</h3> + +<p> +As a mark is not set up in order to be missed, so neither is such a thing as +natural evil produced in the World. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0162"></a> +CLXIII</h3> + +<p> +Piety toward the Gods, to be sure, consists chiefly in thinking rightly +concerning them—that they <i>are</i>, and that they govern the Universe with +goodness and justice; and that thou thyself art appointed to obey them, and to +submit under all circumstances that arise; acquiescing cheerfully in whatever +may happen, sure it is brought to pass and accomplished by the most Perfect +Understanding. Thus thou wilt never find fault with the Gods, nor charge them +with neglecting thee. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0163"></a> +CLXIV</h3> + +<p> +Lose no time in setting before you a certain stamp of character and behaviour +both when by yourself and in company with others. Let silence be your general +rule; or say only what is necessary and in few words. We shall, however, when +occasion demands, enter into discourse sparingly. avoiding common topics as +gladiators, horse-races, athletes; and the perpetual talk about food and drink. +Above all avoid speaking of <i>persons</i>, either in way of praise or blame, +or comparison. +</p> + +<p> +If you can, win over the conversation of your company to what it should be by +your own. But if you find yourself cut off without escape among strangers and +aliens, be silent. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0164"></a> +CLXV</h3> + +<p> +Laughter should not be much, nor frequent, nor unrestrained. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0165"></a> +CLXVI</h3> + +<p> +Refuse altogether to take an oath if you can, if not, as far as may be. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0166"></a> +CLXVII</h3> + +<p> +Banquets of the unlearned and of them that are without, avoid. But if you have +occasion to take part in them, let not your attention be relaxed for a moment, +lest you slip after all into evil ways. For you may rest assured that be a man +ever so pure himself, he cannot escape defilement if his associates are impure. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0167"></a> +CLXVIII</h3> + +<p> +Take what relates to the body as far as the bare use warrants—as meat, drink, +raiment, house and servants. But all that makes for show and luxury reject. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0168"></a> +CLXIX</h3> + +<p> +If you are told that such an one speaks ill of you, make no defence against +what was said, but answer, He surely knew not my other faults, else he would +not have mentioned these only! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0169"></a> +CLXX</h3> + +<p> +When you visit any of those in power, bethink yourself that you will not find +him in: that you may not be admitted: that the door may be shut in your face: +that he may not concern himself about you. If with all this, it is your duty to +go, bear what happens, and never say to yourself, It was not worth the trouble! +For that would smack of the foolish and unlearned who suffer outward things to +touch them. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0170"></a> +CLXXI</h3> + +<p> +In company avoid frequent and undue talk about your own actions and dangers. +However pleasant it may be to you to enlarge upon the risks you have run, +others may not find such pleasure in listening to your adventures. Avoid +provoking laughter also: it is a habit from which one easily slides into the +ways of the foolish, and apt to diminish the respect which your neighbors feel +for you. To border on coarse talk is also dangerous. On such occasions, if a +convenient opportunity offer, rebuke the speaker. If not, at least by relapsing +into silence, colouring, and looking annoyed, show that you are displeased with +the subject. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0171"></a> +CLXXII</h3> + +<p> +When you have decided that a thing ought to be done, and are doing it, never +shun being <i>seen</i> doing it, even though the multitude should be likely to +judge the matter amiss. For if you are not acting rightly, shun the act itself; +if rightly, however, why fear misplaced censure? +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0172"></a> +CLXXIII</h3> + +<p> +It stamps a man of mean capacity to spend much time on the things of the body, +as to be long over bodily exercises, long over eating, long over drinking, long +over other bodily functions. Rather should these things take the second place, +while all your care is directed to the understanding. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0173"></a> +CLXXIV</h3> + +<p> +Everything has two handles, one by which it may be borne, the other by which it +may not. If your brother sin against you lay not hold of it by the handle of +injustice, for by that it may not be borne: but rather by this, that he is your +brother, the comrade of your youth; and thus you will lay hold on it so that it +may be borne. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0174"></a> +CLXXV</h3> + +<p> +Never call yourself a Philosopher nor talk much among the unlearned about +Principles, but do that which follows from them. Thus at a banquet, do not +discuss how people ought to eat; but eat as you ought. Remember that Socrates +thus entirely avoided ostentation. Men would come to him desiring to be +recommended to philosophers, and he would conduct them thither himself—so well +did he bear being overlooked. Accordingly if any talk concerning principles +should arise among the unlearned, be you for the most part silent. For you run +great risk of spewing up what you have ill digested. And when a man tells you +that you know nothing and you are not nettled at it, then you may be sure that +you have begun the work. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0175"></a> +CLXXVI</h3> + +<p> +When you have brought yourself to supply the needs of the body at small cost, +do not pique yourself on that, nor if you drink only water, keep saying on each +occasion, <i>I drink water!</i> And if you ever want to practise endurance and +toil, do so unto yourself and not unto others—do not embrace statues! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0176"></a> +CLXXVII</h3> + +<p> +When a man prides himself on being able to understand and interpret the +writings of Chrysippus, say to yourself:— +</p> + +<p> +If Chrysippus had not written obscurely, this fellow would have had nothing to +be proud of. But what is it that <i>I</i> desire? To understand Nature, and to +follow her! Accordingly I ask who is the Interpreter. On hearing that it is +Chrysippus, I go to him. But it seems I do not understand what he wrote. So I +seek one to interpret that. So far there is nothing to pride myself on. But +when I have found my interpreter, what remains is to put in practice his +instructions. This itself is the only thing to be proud of. But if I admire the +interpretation and that alone, what else have I turned out but a mere +commentator instead of a lover of wisdom?—except indeed that I happen to be +interpreting Chrysippus instead of Homer. So when any one says to me, +<i>Prithee, read me Chrysippus</i>, I am more inclined to blush, when I cannot +show my deeds to be in harmony and accordance with his sayings. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0177"></a> +CLXXVIII</h3> + +<p> +At feasts, remember that you are entertaining two guests, body and soul. What +you give to the body, you presently lose; what you give to the soul, you keep +for ever. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0178"></a> +CLXXIX</h3> + +<p> +At meals, see to it that those who serve be not more in number than those who +are served. It is absurd for a crowd of persons to be dancing attendance on +half a dozen chairs. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0179"></a> +CLXXX</h3> + +<p> +It is best to share with your attendants what is going forward, both in the +labour of preparation and in the enjoyment of the feast itself. If such a thing +be difficult at the time, recollect that you who are not weary are being served +by those that are; you who are eating and drinking by those who do neither; you +who are talking by those who are silent; you who are at ease by those who are +under constraint. Thus no sudden wrath will betray you into unreasonable +conduct, nor will you behave harshly by irritating another. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0180"></a> +CLXXXI</h3> + +<p> +When Xanthippe was chiding Socrates for making scanty preparation for +entertaining his friends, he answered:—“If they are friends of ours they will +not care for that; if they are not, we shall care nothing for them!” +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0181"></a> +CLXXXII</h3> + +<p> +Asked, <i>Who is the rich man?</i> Epictetus replied, “<i>He who is +content</i>.” +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0182"></a> +CLXXXIII</h3> + +<p> +Favorinus tells us how Epictetus would also say that there were two faults far +graver and fouler than any others—inability to bear, and inability to forbear, +when we neither patiently bear the blows that must be borne, nor abstain from +the things and the pleasures we ought to abstain from. “So,” he went on, “if a +man will only have these two words at heart, and heed them carefully by ruling +and watching over himself, he will for the most part fall into no sin, and his +life will be tranquil and serene.” He meant the words [Greek: Anechou kai +apechou]—“Bear and Forbear.” +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0183"></a> +CLXXXIV</h3> + +<p> +On all occasions these thoughts should be at hand:— +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +Lead me, O God, and Thou, O Destiny<br/> +Be what it may the goal appointed me,<br/> +Bravely I’ll follow; nay, and if I would not,<br/> +I’d prove a coward, yet must follow still! +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +Again: +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +Who to Necessity doth bow aright,<br/> +Is learn’d in wisdom and the things of God. +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +Once more:— +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +Crito, if this be God’s will, so let it be. As for me, Anytus and Meletus can +indeed put me to death, but injure me, never! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0184"></a> +CLXXXV</h3> + +<p> +We shall then be like Socrates, when we can indite hymns of praise to the Gods +in prison. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0185"></a> +CLXXXVI</h3> + +<p> +It is hard to combine and unite these two qualities, the carefulness of one who +is affected by circumstances, and the intrepidity of one who heeds them not. +But it is not impossible: else were happiness also impossible. We should act as +we do in seafaring. +</p> + +<p> +“What can I do?”—Choose the master, the crew, the day, the opportunity. Then +comes a sudden storm. What matters it to me? my part has been fully done. The +matter is in the hands of another—the Master of the ship. The ship is +foundering. What then have I to do? I do the only thing that remains to me—to +be drowned without fear, without a cry, without upbraiding God, but knowing +that what has been born must likewise perish. For I am not Eternity, but a +human being—a part of the whole, as an hour is part of the day. I must come +like the hour, and like the hour must pass! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0186"></a> +CLXXXVII</h3> + +<p> +And now we are sending you to Rome to spy out the land; but none send a coward +as such a spy, that, if he hear but a noise and see a shadow moving anywhere, +loses his wits and comes flying to say, <i>The enemy are upon us!</i> +</p> + +<p> +So if <i>you</i> go now, and come and tell us: “Everything at Rome is terrible: +Death is terrible, Exile is terrible, Slander is terrible, Want is terrible; +fly, comrades! the enemy are upon us!” we shall reply, Get you gone, and +prophesy to yourself! we have but erred in sending such a spy as you. Diogenes, +who was sent as a spy long before you, brought us back another report than +this. He says that Death is no evil; for it need not even bring shame with it. +He says that Fame is but the empty noise of madmen. And what report did this +spy bring us of Pain, what of Pleasure, what of Want? That to be clothed in +sackcloth is better than any purple robe; that sleeping on the bare ground is +the softest couch; and in proof of each assertion he points to his own courage, +constancy, and freedom; to his own healthy and muscular frame. “There is no +enemy near,” he cries, “all is perfect peace!” +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0187"></a> +CLXXXVIII</h3> + +<p> +If a man has this peace—not the peace proclaimed by Cæsar (how indeed should +<i>he</i> have it to proclaim?), nay, but the peace proclaimed by God through +reason, will not that suffice him when alone, when he beholds and reflects:—Now +can no evil happen unto me; for me there is no robber, for me no earthquake; +all things are full of peace, full of tranquillity; neither highway nor city +nor gathering of men, neither neighbor nor comrade can do me hurt. Another +supplies my food, whose care it is; another my raiment; another hath given me +perceptions of sense and primary conceptions. And when He supplies my +necessities no more, it is that He is sounding the retreat, that He hath opened +the door, and is saying to thee, Come!—Wither? To nought that thou needest +fear, but to the friendly kindred elements whence thou didst spring. Whatsoever +of fire is in thee, unto fire shall return; whatsoever of earth, unto earth; of +spirit, unto spirit; of water, unto water. There is no Hades, no fabled rivers +of Sighs, of Lamentation, or of Fire: but all things are full of Beings +spiritual and divine. With thoughts like these, beholding the Sun, Moon, and +Stars, enjoying earth and sea, a man is neither helpless nor alone! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0188"></a> +CLXXXIX</h3> + +<p> +What wouldst thou be found doing when overtaken by Death? If I might choose, I +would be found doing some deed of true humanity, of wide import, beneficent and +noble. But if I may not be found engaged in aught so lofty, let me hope at +least for this—what none may hinder, what is surely in my power—that I may be +found raising up in myself that which had fallen; learning to deal more wisely +with the things of sense; working out my own tranquillity, and thus rendering +that which is its due to every relation of life. . . . +</p> + +<p> +If death surprise me thus employed, it is enough if I can stretch forth my +hands to God and say, “The faculties which I received at Thy hands for +apprehending this thine Administration, I have not neglected. As far as in me +lay, I have done Thee no dishonour. Behold how I have used the senses, the +primary conceptions which Thous gavest me. Have I ever laid anything to Thy +charge? Have I ever murmured at aught that came to pass, or wished it +otherwise? Have I in anything transgressed the relations of life? For that Thou +didst beget me, I thank Thee for that Thou hast given: for the time during +which I have used the things that were Thine, it suffices me. Take them back +and place them wherever Thou wilt! They were all Thine, and Thou gavest them +me.”—If a man depart thus minded, is it not enough? What life is fairer and +more noble, what end happier than his? +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0189"></a> +(APPENDIX A)</h3> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0190"></a> +Fragments Attributed to Epictetus</h3> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0191"></a> +I</h3> + +<p> +A life entangled with Fortune is like a torrent. It is turbulent and muddy; +hard to pass and masterful of mood: noisy and of brief continuance. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0192"></a> +II</h3> + +<p> +The soul that companies with Virtue is like an ever-flowing source. It is a +pure, clear, and wholesome draught; sweet, rich, and generous of its store; +that injures not, neither destroys. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0193"></a> +III</h3> + +<p> +It is a shame that one who sweetens his drink with the gifts of the bee, should +embitter God’s gift Reason with vice. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0194"></a> +IV</h3> + +<p> +Crows pick out the eyes of the dead, when the dead have no longer need of them; +but flatterers mar the soul of the living, and <i>her</i> eyes they blind. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0195"></a> +V</h3> + +<p> +Keep neither a blunt knife nor an ill-disciplined looseness of tongue. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0196"></a> +VI</h3> + +<p> +Nature hath given men one tongue but two ears, that we may hear from others +twice as much as we speak. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0197"></a> +VII</h3> + +<p> +Do not give sentence in another tribunal till you have been yourself judged in +the tribunal of Justice. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0198"></a> +VIII</h3> + +<p> +If is shameful for a Judge to be judged by others. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0199"></a> +IX</h3> + +<p> +Give me by all means the shorter and nobler life, instead of one that is longer +but of less account! +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0200"></a> +X</h3> + +<p> +Freedom is the name of virtue: Slavery, of vice. . . . None is a slave whose +acts are free. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0201"></a> +XI</h3> + +<p> +Of pleasures, those which occur most rarely give the most delight. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0202"></a> +XII</h3> + +<p> +Exceed due measure, and the most delightful things become the least delightful. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0203"></a> +XIII</h3> + +<p> +The anger of an ape—the threat of a flatterer:—these deserve equal regard. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0204"></a> +XIV</h3> + +<p> +Chastise thy passions that they avenge not themselves upon thee. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0205"></a> +XV</h3> + +<p> +No man is free who is not master of himself. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0206"></a> +XVI</h3> + +<p> +A ship should not ride on a single anchor, nor life on a single hope. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0207"></a> +XVII</h3> + +<p> +Fortify thyself with contentment: that is an impregnable stronghold. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0208"></a> +XVIII</h3> + +<p> +No man who is a lover of money, of pleasure, of glory, is likewise a lover of +Men; but only he that is a lover of whatsoever things are fair and good. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0209"></a> +XIX</h3> + +<p> +Think of God more often than thou breathest. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0210"></a> +XX</h3> + +<p> +Choose the life that is noblest, for custom can make it sweet to thee. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0211"></a> +XXI</h3> + +<p> +Let thy speech of God be renewed day by day, aye, rather than thy meat and +drink. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0212"></a> +XXII</h3> + +<p> +Even as the Sun doth not wait for prayers and incantations to rise, but shines +forth and is welcomed by all: so thou also wait not for clapping of hands and +shouts and praise to do thy duty; nay, do good of thine own accord, and thou +wilt be loved like the Sun. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0213"></a> +XXIII</h3> + +<p> +Let no man think that he is loved by any who loveth none. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0214"></a> +XXIV</h3> + +<p> +If thou rememberest that God standeth by to behold and visit all that thou +doest; whether in the body or in the soul, thou surely wilt not err in any +prayer or deed; and thou shalt have God to dwell with thee. +</p> + +<p> +Note.—Schweighæuser’s great edition collects 181 fragments attributed to +Epictetus, of which but a few are certainly genuine. Some (as xxi., xxiv., +above) bear the stamp of Pythagorean origin; others, though changed in form, +may well be based upon Epictetean sayings. Most have been preserved in the +Anthology of John of Stobi (Stobæus), a Byzantine collector, of whom scarcely +anything is known but that he probably wrote towards the end of the fifth +century, and made his vast body of extracts from more than five hundred authors +for his son’s use. The best examination of the authenticity of the Fragments is +<i>Quaestiones Epicteteæ</i>, by R. Asmus, 1888. The above selection includes +some of doubtful origin but intrinsic interest.—Crossley. +</p> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0215"></a> +(APPENDIX B)</h3> + +<h3><a name="link2H_4_0216"></a> +The Hymn of Cleanthes</h3> + +<p class="poem"> +Chiefest glory of deathless Gods, Almighty for ever,<br/> +Sovereign of Nature that rulest by law, what Name shall we give Thee?—<br/> +Blessed be Thou! for on Thee should call all things that are mortal.<br/> +For that we are Thine offspring; nay, all that in myriad motion<br/> +Lives for its day on the earth bears one impress—Thy likeness—upon it.<br/> +Wherefore my song is of Thee, and I hymn thy power for ever.<br/> +<br/> +Lo, the vast orb of the Worlds, round the Earth evermore as it rolleth,<br/> +Feels Thee its Ruler and Guide, and owns Thy lordship rejoicing.<br/> +Aye, for Thy conquering hands have a servant of living fire—<br/> +Sharp is the bolt!—where it falls, Nature shrinks at the shock and doth shudder.<br/> +Thus Thou directest the Word universal that pulses through all things,<br/> +Mingling its life with Lights that are great and Lights that are lesser,<br/> +E’en as beseemeth its birth, High King through ages unending.<br/> +<br/> +Nought is done that is done without Thee in the earth or the waters<br/> +Or in the heights of heaven, save the deed of the fool and the sinner.<br/> +Thou canst make rough things smooth; at Thy voice, lo, jarring disorder<br/> +Moveth to music, and Love is born where hatred abounded.<br/> +Thus hast Thou fitted alike things good and things evil together,<br/> +That over all might reign one Reason, supreme and eternal;<br/> +Though thereunto the hearts of the wicked be hardened and heedless—<br/> +Woe unto them!—for while ever their hands are grasping at good things,<br/> +Blind are their eyes, yea, stopped are their ears to God’s Law universal,<br/> +Calling through wise disobedience to live the life that is noble.<br/> +This they mark not, but heedless of right, turn each to his own way,<br/> +Here, a heart fired with ambition, in strife and straining unhallowed;<br/> +There, thrusting honour aside, fast set upon getting and gaining;<br/> +Others again given over to lusts and dissolute softness,<br/> +Working never God’s Law, but that which wareth upon it.<br/> +<br/> +Nay, but, O Giver of all things good, whose home is the dark cloud,<br/> +Thou that wields Heaven’s bolt, save men from their ignorance grievous;<br/> +Scatter its night from their souls, and grant them to come to that Wisdom<br/> +Wherewithal, sistered with Justice, Thou rulest and governest all things;<br/> +That we, honoured by Thee, may requite Thee with worship and honour,<br/> +Evermore praising thy works, as is meet for men that shall perish;<br/> +Seeing that none, be he mortal or God, hath privilege nobler<br/> +Than without stint, without stay, to extol Thy Law universal. +</p> + +<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GOLDEN SAYINGS OF EPICTETUS ***</div> +<div style='text-align:left'> + +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will +be renamed. +</div> + +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United +States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. 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