Encheiridion — Epictetus

XLbc Dtscoursee of Bplctetue 217 are friends, do you wish me also to be like you ? But why, if you did well in intrusting your affairs to me, and it is not well for me to intrust mine to you, do you wish me to be so rash ? It is just the same as if I had a cask which is water-tight, and you one with a hole in it, and you should come and deposit with me your wine that I might put it into my cask, and then should complain that I also did not intrust my wine to you, for you have a cask with a hole in it. How then is there any equality here ? You intrusted your affairs to a man who is faithful and modest, to a man who thinks that his own actions alone are injurious and (or) useful, and that nothing external is. Would you have me intrust mine to you, a man who has dishonored his own faculty of will, and who wishes to gain some small bit of money or some office or promotion in the court (emperor's palace), even if yor should be going to murder your own children, like Medea? Where (in what) is this equality (fairness) ? But show yourself to me to be faithful, modest, and steady ; show me that you have friendly opinions ; show that your cask has no hole in it ; and you will see how I shall not wait for you to trust me with your own affairs, but I myself shall come to you and ask you to hear mine. For who does not choose to make use

2i s Gbe Discourses of JEptctetus of a good vessel ? Who does not value a benevolent and faithful adviser ? who will not willingly receive a man who is ready to bear a share, as we may say, of the difficulty of his circumstances, and by this very act to ease the burden, by taking a part of it-

THE ENCHEIRIDION, OR MANUAL.

OF things some are in our power, and others are not. In our power are opinion (vito- Xrjifnl), movement towards a thing (6p/itj), desire, aversion, (exHAi6iS,) turning from a thing ; and in a word, whatever are our acts. Not in our power are the body, property, reputation, offices (magisterial power), and in a word, whatever are not our own acts.

And the things in our power are by nature free, not subject to restraint or hindrance ; but the things not in our power are weak, slavish, subject to restraint, in the power of others. Remember then, that if you think the things which are Denature slavish to be free, and the things which 219

220 Zbe JEncbdrtOlon are in the power of others to be- your own, you will be hindered, you will lament, you will be disturbed, you will blame both gods and men ; but if you think that only which is your own to be your owu, and if you think that what is another's, as it really is, belongs to another, no man will ever compel you, no man will hinder you, you will never blame any man, you will accuse no man, you will do nothing involuntarily (against your will), no man will harm you, you will have no enemy, for you will not suffer any harm. If then you desire (aim at) such great things remember that you must not (attempt to) lay hold of them with a small effort ; but you must leave alone some things entirely, and postpone others for the present. But if you wish for these things also (such great things), and power (office) and wealth, perhaps you will not gain even these very things (power and wealth ) because you aim also at those former things (such great things) ; certainly you will fail in those things through which alone happiness and freedom are secured. Straightway then practise saying to every harsh appearance : You are an appearance, and in no manner what you appear to be. Then examine it by the rules which you possess, and by this first and chiefly, whether it relates to the things which are in tlbe JEncbetrlDfon 221 our power or to things which are not in our power ; and if it relates to anything which is not in our power, be ready to say that it does not concern you.