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04 - The Enchiridion - Epictetus · Logic Library

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  Chapter thirty one. For piety towards the gods, know that the most important
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  thing is this, to have right opinions about them, that they exist,
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  and that they govern the universe well and justly, and to have set yourself
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  to obey them, and to give way to all that happens following events with
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  a free will, in the belief that they are fulfilled by the highest mind.
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  For thus you will never blame the gods nor accuse them of neglecting you.
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  But this you cannot achieve unless you apply our conception of good and evil
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  to those things only which are in our power, and not to those which
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  are out of our power. For if you apply your notion of good or
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  evil to the latter, then as soon as you fail to get what you
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  will to get, or fail to avoid what you will to avoid, you
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  will be bound to blame and hate those you hold responsible for Every living creature
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  has a natural tendency to avoid and shun what seems harmful and all that causes
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  it, and to pursue and admire what is helpful in all that causes it.
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  It is not possis then, for one who thinks he is harmed to
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  take pleasure in what he thinks is the author of the harm, any more
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  than to take pleasure in the harm itself. That is why a father is
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  reviled by his son when he does not give his son a share of what
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  the son regards as good things. Thus, polynices and ethiocles were set at
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  enemony with one another by thinking that a king's throne was a good thing.
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  That is why the farmer and the sailor, and the merchant, and those
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  who lose wife for children revile the gods. For men's religion is bound up
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  with their interest. Therefore, he who makes it his concern rightly to direct
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  his will to get and his will to avoid, is thereby making piety his
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  concern. But it is proper on each occasion to make libation and sacrifice,
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  and to offer first fruits according to the custom of our fathers, with purity,
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  and not in slovenly or careless fashion, without meanness, and without extravagance.
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  Chapter thirty two. When you make use of prophecy, remember that while
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  you know not what the issue will be, but are come to learn it
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  from the prophet, you do know before you come what manner of thing it
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  is. If you are really a philosopher, for if the event is not
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  in our control, it cannot be either good or evil. Therefore, do
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  not bring with you to the profit the will to get or the will to
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  avoid, And do not approach him with trembling, but with your mind made
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  up that the whole issue is indifferent and does not affect you, and that
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  wherever it be, it will be in your power to make good use of
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  it, and no one shall hinder this. With confidence, then approach the
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  gods as counselors. And further, when the council has given you, remember
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  whose counsel it is and whom you will be disregarding. If you disobey and
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  consult the oracle, as Socrates thought, men should only when the whole question
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  turns upon the issue of events, and neither reason nor any art of man
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  provides opportunities for discovering what lies before you. Therefore, when it is your
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  duty to risk your life, friend or country, do not ask the oracle
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  whether you should risk your life. For if the prophet warns you that the
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  sacrifice is unfavorable, though it is plain that this means death or exile,
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  or injury to some part of your body. Yet reason requires that even at
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  this cost, you must stand by your friend and share your country's danger.
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  Wherefore, pay heed to the greater prophet Pythion Apollo, who cast out of
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  his temple the man who did not help his friend when he was being killed.
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  Chapter thirty three, lay down for yourself from the first a definite stamp
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  and style of conduct which you will maintain when you are alone and also in
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  the society of men. Be silent for the most part, or if you
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  speak, say only what is necessary, and in a few words, talk
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  but rarely if occasion calls you. But do not talk of ordinary things,
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  of gladiators or horse races, or athletes, or of meats or drinks.
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  These are topics that arise every where. But above all, do not talk
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  about men in blame or compliments or comparison. If you can turn the conversation
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  of your company by your talk to some fitting subject, But if you should
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  chance to be isolated among strangers, be silent. Do not laugh much,
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  nor at many things, nor without restraint. Refuse to take oaths altogether,
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  if that be possible, but if not, as far as circumstances allow,
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  refuse the entertainments of strangers and the vulgar. But if occasion arise to accept
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  them, then strain every nerve to avoid lapsing into the state of the vulgar.
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  For know that if your comrade have a stain on him, he that
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  associates with him must needs share the stain, even though he be clean in
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  himself. For your body, take just so much as your bare need requires,
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  such as food, drink, clothing, house servants, but cut down
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  all that tends to luxury an outward show avoid impurity to the utmost of your
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  power before marriage. And if you indulge your passion, let it be done
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  lawfully, But do not be offensive or censorious to those who indulge it,
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  and do not be always bringing up your own chastity. If someone tells you
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  that so and so speaks ill of you, do not defend yourself against what
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  he says, but answer he did not know my other faults, or he
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  would not have mentioned these alone. It is not necessary for the most part
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  to go to the games, but if you should have vacation to go,
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  show that your first concern is for yourself. That is wish that only to
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  happen, which does happen in him, only to win. Who does win
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  for so you will suffer no hindrance, but refrain entirely from applause or ridicule
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  or prolonged excitement. And when you go away, do not talk much of
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  what happened there, except so far as it tends to your improvement. For
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  to talk about it implies that the spectacle excited your wonder. Do not go
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  lightly or casually to hear lectures. But if you do go, maintain your
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  gravity and dignity, and do not make yourself offensive. When you are going
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  to meet anyone, and particularly some man of reputed eminence, set before your
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  mind the thought what would Socrates or Zeno have done? And you will not
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  fail to make proper use of the occasion. When you go to visit some
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  great man, prepare your mind by thinking that you will not find him in,
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  that you will be shut out, that the doors will be slammed in
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  your face, that he will pay no heed to you. And if in
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  spite of all this you find it fitting for you to go, go and
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  bear what happens, and never say to yourself it was not worth all this,
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  for that shows a vulgar mind, and one at odds with outward things.
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  In your conversation Avoid frequent and disapportionate mention of your own doings or adventures,
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  for other people. Do not take the same pleasure in hearing what has
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  happened to you as you take in recounting your adventures. Avoid raising men's laughter,
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  for it is a habit that easily slips into vulgarity, and it may
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  well suffice to lessen your neighbor's respect. It is dangerous, too, to
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  lapse into foul language when anything of the kind occurs. Rebuke the offender,
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  if the occasion allow, and if not, make it plain to him by
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  your silence or a blush or a frown, that you are angry at his
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  words. Chapter thirty four. When you imagine some pleasure, beware that it
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  does not carry you away like other imaginations. Wait awhile and give yourself pause.
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  Next, remember two things, how long you will enjoy the pleasure,
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  and also how long you will afterwards repent and revile yourself and set on the
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  other side the joy and self satisfaction you will feel if you refrain, And
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  if the moment seems come to realize it, take heed that you be not
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  overcome by the winning sweetness and attraction of it. Set in the other scale,
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  the thought, how much better is the consciousness of having vanquished it?
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  Chapter thirty five. When you do a thing because you have determined that it
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  ought to be done, never avoid being seen doing it, even if the
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  opinion of the multitude is going to condemn you. For if your action is
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  wrong, then avoid doing it altogether. But if it is right, why
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  do you fear those who will rebuke you wrongly? Chapter thirty six. The
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  phrase is it is day and it as night mean a great deal if taken
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  separately, but have no meaning if combined. In the same way, to
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  choose the larger portion of a banquet may be worthwhile for your body, but
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  if you want to maintain social decencies, it is worthless. Therefore, when
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  you are at meet with another, remember not only to consider the value of
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  what is set before you for the body, but also to maintain your self
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  respect before your host. Thirty seven. If you try to act a part
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  beyond your powers, you not only disgrace yourself in it, but you neglect
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  the part which you could have filled with success. Chapter thirty eight. As
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  in walking, you take care not to tread on a nail or to twist
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  your foot, So take care that you do not harm your governing principle.
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  And if we guard this in everything we do, we shall set to work
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  more securely. Chapter thirty nine. Every man's body is a measure for his
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  property, as the foot is the measure for his shoe. If you stick
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  to this limit, you will keep the right measure. If you go beyond
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  it, you are bound to be carried away down a precipice. In the
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  end, just as with the shoe. If once you go beyond the foot,
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  your shoe puts on gilding, and soon purple and embroidery. For when
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  once you go beyond the measure, there is no limit. Chapter forty.
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  Women from fourteen years upwards are called madam by men. Wherefore, when they
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  see that the only advantage they have got is to be marriageable, they begin
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  to make themselves smart, and to set all their hopes on this. We
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  must take pains, then, to make them understand that they are really honored
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  for nothing but a modest and decorous life. End of chapters thirty one through forty