The Teaching of Epictetus: Being the 'Encheiridion of Epictetus,' with Selections from the 'Dissertations' and 'Fragments'Epictetus
Philosophy
The Teaching of Epictetus: Being the 'Encheiridion of Epictetus,' with Selections from the 'Dissertations' and 'Fragments'
Epictetus
Philosophy, Ancient
5. And, furthermore, when he hath thus fashioned himself, he will not be
content with these things, who is a Cynic indeed. But know that he is an
herald from God to men, declaring to them the truth about good and evil
things; that they have erred, and are seeking the reality of good and
evil where it is not; and where it is, they do not consider; and he is a
spy, like Diogenes, when he was led captive to Philip after the battle
of Chæronea.[6] For the Cynic is, in truth, a spy of the things that are
friendly to men, and that are hostile; and having closely spied out all,
he must come back and declare the truth. And he must neither be stricken
with terror and report of enemies where none are; nor be in any
otherwise confounded or troubled by the appearances.
6. He must then be able, if so it chance, to go up impassioned, as on
the tragic stage, and speak that word of Socrates, “O men, whither are
ye borne away? What do ye? Miserable as ye are! like blind men ye wander
up and down. Ye have left the true road, and are going by a false; ye
are seeking peace and happiness where they are not, and if another shall
show you where they are, ye believe him not. Wherefore will ye seek it
in outward things? _In the body?_ It is not there—and if ye believe me
not, lo, Myro! lo, Ophellius.[7] _In possessions?_ It is not there, and
if ye believe me not, lo, Crœsus! lo, the wealthy of our own day, how
full of mourning is their life! _In authority?_ It is not there, else
should those be happy who have been twice or thrice consul; yet they are
not. Whom shall we believe in this matter? You, who look but on these
men from without, and are dazzled by the appearance, or the men
themselves? And what say they? Hearken to them when they lament, when
they groan, when by reason of those consulships, and their glory and
renown, they hold their state the more full of misery and danger! _In
royalty?_ It is not there; else were Nero happy and Sardanapalus; but
not Agamemnon himself was happy, more splendid though he was than Nero
or Sardanapalus; but while the rest are snoring what is he doing?
“He tore his rooted hair by handfuls out.”—_Il._ x.
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