Encheiridion — Epictetus

tfbe Discourses of JEpictetus 127 the appearances. When the water is moved, the ray also seems to be moved, yet it is not moved. And when then a man is seized with giddiness, it is not the arts and the virtues which are confounded, but the spirit (the nervous power) on which they are impressed ; but if the spirit be restored to its settled state, those things also are restored.

Miscellaneous. — When some person asked him how it happened that since reason has been more cultivated by the men of the present age, the progress made in former times was greater. In what respect, he answered, has it been more cultivated now, and in what respect was the progress greater then ? For in that in which it has now been more cultivated, in that also the progress will now be found.

At present it has been cultivated for the purpose of resolving syllogisms, and progress is made. But in former times it was cultivated for the purpose of maintaining the governing faculty in a condition conformable to nature, and progress was made. Do not then mix things which are different, and do not expect, when you are laboring at one thing to make progress in another.

But see if any man among us when he is intent upon this, the keeping himself in a state conformable to nature and living so always,

128 Zbc Discourses or Bpfctctus does not make progress. For you will not find such a man. It is not easy to exhort weak young men ; for neither is it easy to hold (soft) cheese with a hook. But those who have a good natural disposition, even if you try to turn them aside, cling still more to reason.

To the Administrator of the Free Cities who Was an Epicurean. — When the administrator came to visit him, and the man was an Epicurean, Epictetus said, It is propei for us who are not philosophers to inquire of you who are philosophers, as those who come to a strange city inquire of the citizens and those who are acquainted with it, what is the best thing in the world, in order that we also after inquiry may go in quest of that which is best and look at it, as strangers do with the things in cities.

For that there are three things which relate to man, — soul, body, and things external, scarcely any man denies. It remains for you philosophers to answer what is the best. What shall we say to men ? Is the flesh the best? and was it for this that Maximus sailed as far as Cassiope in winter (or bad weather) with his son, and accompanied him that he might be gratified in the flesh ? When the man said that it was not,

Hbe Discourses of Bptctetus 129 and added, Far be that from him. Is it not fit then, Epictetus said, to be actively employed about the best ? It is certainly of all things the most fit. What then do we possess which is better than the flesh ? The soul, he replied. And the good things of the best, are they better, or the good things of the worse ? The good things of the best.

And are the good things of the best within the power of the will or not within the power of the will ? They are within the power of the will. Is then the pleasure of the soul a thing within the power of the will ? It is, he replied. And on what shall this pleasure depend ? On itself ? But that cannot be conceived ; for there must first exist a certain substance or nature (ovdi'a) of good, by obtaining which we shall have pleasure in the soul.

He assented to this also. On what then shall we depend for this pleasure of the soul ? for if it shall depend on things of the soul, the substance (nature) of the good is discovered ; for good cannot be one thing, ar.d that at which we are rationally delighted another thing ; nor if that which precedes is not good, can that which comes after be good, for in order that the thing which comes after may be good, that which precedes must be good. But you would not affirm this, if you are in your right mind, for you would then say what is inconsistent 9