The Teaching of Epictetus: Being the 'Encheiridion of Epictetus,' with Selections from the 'Dissertations' and 'Fragments' — John Shaqi
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
“Me to Ciconia brought the wind from Troy.”
—_Od._ ix, 39.
_Of things some are good, some evil, and some indifferent. Now the good
things are the virtues, and those that have the nature of virtue, and
the evil things the vices, and those that have the nature of vice; and
the indifferent things are between these, as wealth, health, life,
death, pleasure, affliction._ And how do you know this? Because
Hellanicus affirms it in his history of the Egyptians; for as well say
this as that Diogenes has it in his Ethics, or Chrysippus, or Cleanthes.
But have you tested any of their sayings, and formed an opinion for
yourself? Show me how you are wont to bear a storm at sea. Do you
remember the difference between good and evil when the sail clatters,
and some vexatious man comes to you as you are shrieking, and says—
——“Tell me, by the Gods, what you were lately saying, Is it any vice
to be shipwrecked? Hath it anything of the nature of vice?”
Would you not lay hold of a stick and shake it in his face: _Let us
alone, man; we are perishing, and you come to mock us!_ And do you
remember the difference if you are accused of something and Cæsar sends
for you? If one should come to you when you enter, pale and trembling,
and should say, “Why do you tremble, man? what is your business
concerned with? Doth Cæsar there within dispense virtue and vice to
those who go in to him? _Why_, you will say; _must you too mock me in my
calamities?_
——“Nevertheless, tell me, O Philosopher, why you tremble—is it not
merely death that you are in danger of, or imprisonment, or bodily
suffering, or exile, or disgrace? What else? Is it any vice? or anything
of the nature of vice?”
And you will reply somewhat to this effect: _Let me alone, man; my own
evils are enough for me._
And truly you say well, for your own evils are enough for you; which are
meanness, cowardice, and your false pretenses when you sat in the school
of philosophy. Why did you deck yourself in others’ glory? Why did you
call yourself a Stoic?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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