Encheiridion — Epictetus

130 Sbe ©tscourses of jeplctetitij both with Epicurus and the rest of your doctrines. It remains then that the pleasure of the soul is in the pleasure from things of the body ; and again that those bodily things must be the things which precede and the substance (nature) of the good.

Seek for doctrines which are consistent with what I say, and by making them your guide you will with pleasure abstain from things which have such persuasive power to lead us and overpower us. But if to the persuasive power of these things, we also devise such a philosophy as this which helps to push us on towards them and strengthens us to this end, what will be the consequence ?

In a piece of toreutic art which is the best part? the silver or the workmanship ? The substance of the hand is the flesh ; but the work of the hand is the principal part (that which precedes and leads the rest). The duties then are also three : those which are directed towards the existence of a thing ; those which are directed towards its existence in a particular kind ; and third, the chief or leading things themselves.

So also in man we ought not to value the material, the poor flesh, but the principal (leading things, rd itpoTjyov)AEva). What are these? Engaging in public business, marrying, begetting children, venerating God, taking care of pa-

Gbe Discoursed of Bpictetus 131 rents, and generally, having desires, aversions (exxAiveiv), pursuits of things and avoidances, in the way in which we ought to do these things, and according to our nature. And how are we constituted by nature ?

Free, noble, modest : for what other animal blushes ? what other is capable of receiving the appearance (the impression) of shame ? and we are so constituted by nature as to subject pleasure to these things, as a minister, a servant, in order that it may call forth our activity, in order that it may keep lis constant in acts which are conformable to nature.

How we must Exercise ourseeves against Appearances (<pavza6iai). — As we exercise ourselves against sophistical questions, so we ought to exercise ourselves daily against appearances ; for these appearances also propose questions to us. A certain person's son is dead. Answer ; the thing is not within the power of the will : it is not an evil. A father has disinherited a certain son. What do you think of it ?

It is a thing beyond the power of the will, not an evil. Caesar has condemned a person. It is a thing beyond the power of the will, not an evil. The man is afflicted at this. Affliction is a thing which depends on the will : it is an evil. He has borne the condemnation bravely. That is a thing within the power of

132 Zbe discourses of Epictetus the will : it is a good. If we train ourselves in this manner, we shall make progress ; for we shall never assent to anything of which there is not an appearance capable of being comprehended. Your son is dead. What has happened? Your son is dead. Nothing more? Nothing. Your ship is lost. What has happened? Your ship is lost. A man has been led to prison. What has happened? He has been led to prison.

But that herein he has fared badly, every man adds from his own opinion. But Zeus, you say, does not do right in these matters. Why ? because he has made you capable of endurance ? because he has made you magnanimous? because he has taken from that which befalls you the power of being evils? because it is in jour power to be happy while you are suffering what you suffer? because he has opened the door to you, when things do not please you ?

Man, go out and do not complain ? Hear how the Romans feel towards philosophers, if you would like to know. Italicus, who was the most in repute of the philosophers, once when I was present, being vexed with his own friends and as if he was suffering something intolerable, said : " I cannot bear it, you are killing me ; you will make me such as that man is," — pointing to me.