edited from 'The Enchiridion' by Epictetus 135 A.C.E.
i always seem to get into this stuff when i'm sleep-deprived..
fulltext:
http://classics.mit.edu/Epictetus/epicench.html
44. These reasonings are unconnected: "I am richer than
you, therefore I am better"; "I am more eloquent than you, therefore I
am better." The connection is rather this: "I am richer than you, therefore
my property is greater than yours;" "I am more eloquent than you, therefore
my style is better than yours." But you, after all, are neither property
nor style.
1. Some things are in our control and others not. Things in our
control are opinion, pursuit, desire, aversion, and, in a word, whatever
are our own actions. Things not in our control are body, property, reputation,
command, and, in one word, whatever are not our own
actions.
The things in our control are by nature free, unrestrained, unhindered;
but those not in our control are weak, slavish, restrained, belonging to
others. Remember, then, that if you suppose that things which are slavish
by nature are also free, and that what belongs to others is your own, then
you will be hindered. You will lament, you will be disturbed, and you will
find fault both with gods and men. But if you suppose that only to be your
own which is your own, and what belongs to others such as it really is,
then no one will ever compel you or restrain you. Further, you will find
fault with no one or accuse no one. You will do nothing against your will.
No one will hurt you, you will have no enemies, and you not be
harmed.
27. As a mark is not set up for the sake of missing the
aim, so neither does the nature of evil exist in the
world.
42. When any person harms you, or speaks badly of you, remember
that he acts or speaks from a supposition of its being his duty. Now, it
is not possible that he should follow what appears right to you, but what
appears so to himself. Therefore, if he judges from a wrong appearance,
he is the person hurt, since he too is the person deceived. For if anyone
should suppose a true proposition to be false, the proposition is not hurt,
but he who is deceived about it. Setting out, then, from these principles,
you will meekly bear a person who reviles you, for you will say upon every
occasion, "It seemed so to him."
43. Everything has two handles, the one by which it may
be carried, the other by which it cannot. If your brother acts unjustly,
don't lay hold on the action by the handle of his injustice, for by that
it cannot be carried; but by the opposite, that he is your brother, that
he was brought up with you; and thus you will lay hold on it, as it is
to be carried.
5. Men are disturbed, not by things, but by the principles
and notions which they form concerning things. Death, for instance, is
not terrible, else it would have appeared so to Socrates. But the terror
consists in our notion of death that it is terrible. When therefore we
are hindered, or disturbed, or grieved, let us never attribute it to others,
but to ourselves; that is, to our own principles. An uninstructed person
will lay the fault of his own bad condition upon others. Someone just starting
instruction will lay the fault on himself. Some who is perfectly instructed
will place blame neither on others nor on himself.
8. Don't demand that things happen as you wish, but wish
that they happen as they do happen, and you will go on
well.
14. If you wish your children, and your wife, and your friends
to live for ever, you are stupid; for you wish to be in control of things
which you cannot, you wish for things that belong to others to be your
own. So likewise, if you wish your servant to be without fault, you are
a fool; for you wish vice not to be vice," but something else. But, if
you wish to have your desires undisappointed, this is in your own control.
Exercise, therefore, what is in your control. He is the master of every
other person who is able to confer or remove whatever that person wishes
either to have or to avoid. Whoever, then, would be free, let him wish
nothing, let him decline nothing, which depends on others else he must
necessarily be a slave.
fulltext:
http://classics.mit.edu/Epictetus/epicench.html
44. These reasonings are unconnected: "I am richer than
you, therefore I am better"; "I am more eloquent than you, therefore I
am better." The connection is rather this: "I am richer than you, therefore
my property is greater than yours;" "I am more eloquent than you, therefore
my style is better than yours." But you, after all, are neither property
nor style.
1. Some things are in our control and others not. Things in our
control are opinion, pursuit, desire, aversion, and, in a word, whatever
are our own actions. Things not in our control are body, property, reputation,
command, and, in one word, whatever are not our own
actions.
The things in our control are by nature free, unrestrained, unhindered;
but those not in our control are weak, slavish, restrained, belonging to
others. Remember, then, that if you suppose that things which are slavish
by nature are also free, and that what belongs to others is your own, then
you will be hindered. You will lament, you will be disturbed, and you will
find fault both with gods and men. But if you suppose that only to be your
own which is your own, and what belongs to others such as it really is,
then no one will ever compel you or restrain you. Further, you will find
fault with no one or accuse no one. You will do nothing against your will.
No one will hurt you, you will have no enemies, and you not be
harmed.
27. As a mark is not set up for the sake of missing the
aim, so neither does the nature of evil exist in the
world.
42. When any person harms you, or speaks badly of you, remember
that he acts or speaks from a supposition of its being his duty. Now, it
is not possible that he should follow what appears right to you, but what
appears so to himself. Therefore, if he judges from a wrong appearance,
he is the person hurt, since he too is the person deceived. For if anyone
should suppose a true proposition to be false, the proposition is not hurt,
but he who is deceived about it. Setting out, then, from these principles,
you will meekly bear a person who reviles you, for you will say upon every
occasion, "It seemed so to him."
43. Everything has two handles, the one by which it may
be carried, the other by which it cannot. If your brother acts unjustly,
don't lay hold on the action by the handle of his injustice, for by that
it cannot be carried; but by the opposite, that he is your brother, that
he was brought up with you; and thus you will lay hold on it, as it is
to be carried.
5. Men are disturbed, not by things, but by the principles
and notions which they form concerning things. Death, for instance, is
not terrible, else it would have appeared so to Socrates. But the terror
consists in our notion of death that it is terrible. When therefore we
are hindered, or disturbed, or grieved, let us never attribute it to others,
but to ourselves; that is, to our own principles. An uninstructed person
will lay the fault of his own bad condition upon others. Someone just starting
instruction will lay the fault on himself. Some who is perfectly instructed
will place blame neither on others nor on himself.
8. Don't demand that things happen as you wish, but wish
that they happen as they do happen, and you will go on
well.
14. If you wish your children, and your wife, and your friends
to live for ever, you are stupid; for you wish to be in control of things
which you cannot, you wish for things that belong to others to be your
own. So likewise, if you wish your servant to be without fault, you are
a fool; for you wish vice not to be vice," but something else. But, if
you wish to have your desires undisappointed, this is in your own control.
Exercise, therefore, what is in your control. He is the master of every
other person who is able to confer or remove whatever that person wishes
either to have or to avoid. Whoever, then, would be free, let him wish
nothing, let him decline nothing, which depends on others else he must
necessarily be a slave.
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