Encheiridion — Epictetus
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Zbe Discourses of lEpictetus 99 also. For who among us did not use the words healthy and unhealthy before Hippocrates lived, or did we utter these words as empty sounds? For we have also a certain preconception of health, but we are not able to adapt it. For this reason one says, Abstain from food ; another says, Give food ; another says, Bleed ; and another says, Use cupping.
What is the reason ? is it any other than that a man cannot properly adapt the preconception of health to particulars ? How we should Struggle against Appearances.— Every habit and faculty is maintained and increased by the corresponding actions : the habit of walking by walking, the habit of running by running. If you would be a good reader, read ; if a writer, write.
But when you shall not have read for thirty days in succession, but have done something else, you will know the consequence. In the same way, if you shall have lain down ten days, get up and attempt to make a long walk, and you will see how your legs are weakened. Generally then if you would make anything a habit, do it ; if you would not make it a habit, do not do it, but accustom yourself to do something else in place of it. So it is with respect to the affections of the ioo Zbe Discourses of Epictetus soul : when you have been angry, you must know that not only has this evil befallen you, but that you have also increased the habit, and in a manner thrown fuel upon fire. In this manner certainly, as philosophers say, also diseases of the mind grow up.
For when you have once desired money, if reason be applied to lead to a perception of the evil, the desire is stopped, and the ruling faculty of our mind is restored to the original authority.
But if you apply no means of cure, it no longer returns to the same state, but being again excited by the corresponding appearance, it is inflamed to desire quicker than before : and when this takes place continually, it is henceforth hardened (made callous), and the disease of the mind confirms the love of money.
For he who has had a fever, and has been relieved from it, is not in the same state that he was before, unless he has been completely cured. Something of the kind happens also in diseases of the soul. Certain traces and blisters are left in it, and unless a man shall completely efface them, when he is again lashed on the same places, the lash will produce not blisters (weals) but sores.
If then you wish not to be of an angry temper, do not feed the habit : throw nothing on it which will increase it : at first keep quiet, and count the days on which
Cbe discourses of Bpictetus 101 you have not been angry. I used to be in passion every day ; now every second day ; then every third, then every fourth. But if you have intermitted thirty days, make a sacrifice to God. For the habit at first begins to be weakened, and then is completely destroyed.
"I have not been vexed to-day, nor the day after, nor yet on any succeeding day during two or three months ; but I took care when some exciting things happened. Be assured that you are in a good way. How then shall this be done ? Be willing at length to be approved by yourself, be willing to appear beautiful to God, desire to be in purity with your own pure self and with God.
Then when any such appearance visits you, Plato says, Have recourse to expiations, go a suppliant to the temples of the averting deities. It is even sufficient if you resort to the society of noble and just men, and compare yourself with them, whether you find one who is living or dead.
But in the first place, be not hurried away by the rapidity of the appearance, but say, Appearances, wait for me a little ; let me see who you are, and what you are about ; let me put you to the test. And then do not allow the appearance to lead you on and draw lively pictures of the things which will follow ; for if
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