by Epictetus
BOOK III
III 3 What is the material proper to the good person and what is the goal they should strive to achieve
[1] The body is the raw material of the doctor and physical therapist. Land is the farmer’s raw material. The raw material of the good man is his mind – his goal being to respond to impressions the way nature intended. [2] As a general rule, nature designed the mind to assent to what is true, dissent from what is false and suspend judgement in doubtful cases. Similarly, it conditioned the mind to desire what is good, to reject what is bad and to regard with indifference what is neither one nor the other. [3] Just as it is not in the power of a banker or retailer to reject Caesar’s money – they are forced to make a proportional exchange whether they want to or not – so it is with the soul: [4] when presented with something good it gravitates toward it immediately, as it recoils from anything bad. The soul will never reject a clear impression of good, any more than Caesar’s coin can be refused. The actions of gods as well as men are entirely based on this principle.
[5] It follows that the good is preferred over every human association. I care nothing for my father – only for the good.
‘Are you that unfeeling?’
I am that way designed; it is the currency God gave me. [6] The upshot is that, if the good turns out to be something other than decency and fairness, then father, brother, country and the rest can all go hang. [7] Now look, am I supposed to step aside and abandon my good just so you can have yours? Why?
‘Because I’m your father.’
But not the good.
‘I’m your brother.’
But not the good.
[8] If, however, we locate the good in soundness of character, then it becomes good to maintain these relationships. Whoever gives up some material things also wins the good.
[9] ‘My father is laying waste to my inheritance.’
But not harming you.
‘My brother will claim more than his share.’
He’s welcome to as much as he likes. Will he take a greater share of honesty, loyalty and brotherly love? [10] No; even Zeus cannot deprive you of that fortune – because he chose not to be able to. He entrusted it to me and gave me a share equal to his own – free, clear and unencumbered.
[11] If people have a different currency, just flash it, and whatever is for sale there will be yours in exchange. [12] A corrupt governor has come to power in our province. What currency does he recognize? Silver. Show him silver, then, and you can cart off what you like. Here is an adulterer. His currency takes the form of pretty girls. ‘Take the money, and sell me the merchandise.’ In this way they are bought and sold. [13] Here is one whose taste runs to boys. Procure him his currency and you can take what you please. Another is devoted to the hunt. Offer him some handsome horse or dog, and he will groan and complain, but in the end sell off whatever he has in order to make your price. You see, another from within1 forces him to act like this, ever since he designated this his currency.
[14] Here is the primary means of training yourself: as soon as you leave in the morning, subject whatever you see or hear to close study. Then formulate answers as if they were posing questions. Today what did you see – some beautiful woman or handsome man? Test them by your rule – does their beauty have any bearing on your character? If not, forget them. What else did you see? [15] Someone in mourning for the death of a child? Apply your rule. Death too is indifferent, so dismiss it from your mind. A consul crossed your path; apply your rule. What category of thing is a consulship – a good of the mind or one of matter? If it’s the latter, then out with it, it failed our test. If it is nothing to you, reject it.
[16] Now, if we continued to practise this discipline every day from morning to night, we would see some results, by God. [17] As it is, though, we are overcome by every impression that we meet. Only in school – if even there – does our brain briefly come to life. Outside school, whenever we see a person in mourning, we think to ourselves, ‘She’s crushed.’ If we happen to spy a consul, we think, ‘There goes one lucky man.’ The sight of a person in exile elicits ‘How tragic’ in response; a beggar prompts us to think, ‘Poor guy, he doesn’t even have money enough for food.’ [18] These are the insidious opinions we need to concentrate hard to expunge. What, after all, are sighing and crying, except opinions? What is ‘misfortune’? An opinion. And sectarian strife, dissension, blame and accusation, ranting and raving – [19] they all are mere opinion, the opinion that good and bad lie outside us. Let someone transfer these opinions to the workings of the will, and I personally guarantee his peace of mind, no matter what his outward circumstances are like.
[20] The soul is like a bowl of water, with the soul’s impressions like the rays of light that strike the water. [21] Now, if the water is disturbed, the light appears to be disturbed together with it – though of course it is not. [22] So when someone loses consciousness, it is not the person’s knowledge and virtues that are impaired, it is the breath2 that contains them. Once the breath returns to normal, knowledge and the virtues are restored to normal also.3
III 4 To someone who became a little too excited
in the theatre
[1] When the governor of Epirus was too demonstrative for some in his support of a certain comic actor in the theatre, he came to Epictetus to share with him how peeved he was with his detractors.
Well, said Epictetus, what fault did they commit? They were only showing their enthusiasm the same way you did.
[2]‘Andthisishow theydemonstratetheir loyalties?’heasked.
Yes, Epictetus said; when they saw you, their governor, the friend and official of Caesar, making a flagrant display of partiality, naturally they were inclined to take sides too. [3] If it isn’t right to cheer so loud, stop doing it yourself; but if it is allowable, why be upset if you find them imitating you? Who, after all, should the masses imitate, if not you, their superior? Who else are they going to fix their eyes on? [4] ‘Look how the procurator of Caesar behaves,’ they say. ‘He’s shouting; in that case I’ll shout too. He’s leaping out of his seat; I think I’ll leap out of mine. His claque of slaves is shouting from every corner of the arena; I don’t have slaves, but I’ll make up for it by yelling louder than all of them.’
[5] You have to realize that, when you go to the theatre, you serve as a model and standard of conduct for the rest of the crowd. [6] The question, then, is why they should have faulted you. It’s because everyone hates the thing that stands in their way. They wanted one actor crowned, you wanted a different one: they stood in your way and you in theirs. They saw you win owing to your influence. So they did the only thing left for them to do, they ranted against the thing that stood in their way. [7] Don’t expect to get your wish and not get an earful concerning what they wished had happened.
The way they carry on should come as no surprise. I mean, don’t farmers and sailors rage against Zeus when he stands in their way? The emperor is railed against constantly. And don’t think the two of them are unaware of it. [8] Caesar’s spies report back to him whatever they overhear. And what is his response? He knows that if he punished every person who ever said something bad about him, he would have no one left to rule. [9] As far as you’re concerned, when you attend the theatre, don’t say, ‘Come on, Sophron, win the crown!’ Instead, say, ‘I pray that my will remains in tune with nature here; because no actor means more to me than I do to myself. [10] It’s absurd that I should lose, just so that someone else can win a prize for comic acting.’
[11] ‘So who should I hope wins? The winner. That way the victory is always exactly what I hoped for.’
‘But I want Sophron to be crowned.’
Then hold all the contests you want at your own house, and you can proclaim him victor in the Nemean, Pythian, Isthmian and Olympic Games conjointly.4 But out in public don’t ask for too much by hoping to gain a monopoly on a privilege shared by all – [12] otherwise get used to being vilified. Because when you engage in the same things as
the masses, you lower yourself to their level.
III 5 To students who leave school for reasons
of ill health
[1] ‘I am ill here,’ said a student, ‘and want to go home.’
[2] Because you were never ill at home, I suppose? Consider whether you are doing anything here to improve your will. Because if you aren’t achieving anything, you arrived for no good reason to begin with. [3] Leave, attend to your affairs at home; if your governing principle cannot be brought into line with nature, maybe your patch of land can, at least. You will add to your savings, look after your ageing father, frequent the law-courts, serve as a magistrate, and do whatever comes next – you sorry creature, in your sad and sorry way.
[4] But if you understand that you are getting rid of bad judgements and gaining others in their place, that you have transferred your attention from things outside control of the will to things within, and that now if you cry ‘Poor me!’ it is not for your father or your brother’s sake but your own, then why should sickness concern you any more? [5] You must realize that death and illness are bound to overtake us whatever it is we’re doing. They overtake the farmer at the plough, the sailor at the helm; [6] what do you want to be doing when they come upon you? Because you have to be doing something when you go; and if you can find anything better than this to be doing, then do it by all means.
[7] Speaking for myself, I hope death overtakes me when I’m occupied solely with the care of my character, in an effort to make it passionless, free, unrestricted and unrestrained. [8] That’s how I’d like to be engaged, because then I can sayto God, Is there any way I violated your commands? Or misapplied the gifts I received from you? Orused my senses and preconceptions unproductively? Did I ever blame you? Did I ever find fault with your administration? [9] I fell sick when you wanted it: so did others, but I did not complain. I became poor when you wanted, again without complaint. I did not hold office, because you did not want it; and never desired to hold office. Did you ever find me angry for that reason? Did you ever see me any way but with a smile on my face, ready to obey any orders that you had for me? [10] Now you want me to leave the fair, so I go, feeling nothing but gratitude for having been allowed to share with you in the celebration, to get to see your works and comprehend your rule.
[11] Let these be my thoughts, these my studies, whether writing or reading, when death overtakes me.
[12] ‘But my mother won’t be here to hold my head while I am ill.’
Well then go to your mother. You deserve, in fact, to be held by her whenever you’re ill.
[13] ‘But I had a nice little bed to lie on at home.’
Go to your nice bed, then; sick or well you deserve to lie on a bed like that. Please don’t miss out on whatever you can do there on my account.
[14] What does Socrates say? ‘One person likes tending to his farm, another to his horse; I like to daily monitor my self-improvement.’5
[15] ‘In what? Little phrases?’
Hush.
‘Clever theories, then?’
Don’t be absurd.
[16] ‘Well, as far as I can see, philosophers don’t busy themselves with anything but.’
It’s no small thing – can we agree? – never to accuse anyone, God or man, never to blame anyone, and to have the same countenance going in or out. [17] These are the things that Socrates knew, and yet he never said that he knew or taught anything; and if anyone came looking for phrases or theories he would escort them to either Protagoras or Hippias.6 He would have escorted someone looking for vegetables to a greengrocer in exactly the same way. Which of you has the same attitude? [18] If you did, you would gladly put up with illness, hunger and death. [19] Any of you who have been in love with some girl or other knows I speak the truth.
III 8 Why training for impressions is necessary
[1] Just as we practise answering sophistic questions, so should we train for impressions every day, [2] as they implicitly pose their own questions.
‘So-and-so’s son died.’ (‘The question’).
Answer: ‘Since it’s nothing he can control, it isn’t bad.’
‘So and so’s father left his son nothing when he died.’
‘Not something the son can control, so not bad.’
‘Caesar condemned him.’
‘Outside his control – not bad.’
[3] ‘He lamented these events.’
‘That is in his control – and bad.’
‘He withstood it like a man.’
‘That is in his control – and good.’
[4] If we make a habit of such analysis, we will make progress, because we will never assent to anything unless it involves a cognitive impression.7
[5] ‘His son died.’
What happened? His son died.
‘Nothing else?’
Nothing.
‘The ship was lost.’
What happened? The ship was lost.
‘He was thrown into jail.’
What happened? He was thrown into jail. ‘He’s in a bad situation’ is a stock comment that everyone adds on their own account.
[6] ‘But it’s not right of Zeus to do this.’
Why? Because he made you tough and proud, removed the stigma of evil from these circumstances and made it possible for you to be happy despite them? Or because he left the door open when things finally don’t agree with you? Friend, take advantage of it, and stop blaming God.
[7] If you care to know what the Romans think of philosophers, just listen. Italicus, who was reputed to be one of their finest philosophers, was angry with his friends once when I happened to be by. ‘I can’t stand it any more,’ he said, as though he were in extremis, ‘you’re killing me. You want me to end up’ – and here he pointed in my direction – ‘like him!’8
III 16 That one should be careful about entering into social relations
[1] It is inevitable if you enter into relations with people on a regular basis, either for conversation, dining or simple friendship, that you will grow to be like them, unless you can get them to emulate you. [2] Place an extinguished piece of coal next to a live one, and either it will cause the other one to die out, or the live one will make the other reignite. [3] Since a lot is at stake, you should be careful about fraternizing with non-philosophers in these contexts; remember that if you consort with someone covered in dirt you can hardly avoid getting a little grimy yourself.
[4] I mean, what are you going to do if your friend starts nattering about gladiators, horses and sports stars; or, even worse, if he starts gossiping about shared acquaintances: ‘He’s good, she’s bad, it’s good this happened, it’s too bad about that…’? What if he sneers, ridicules and even plays low-down tricks? [5] Do any of you have the musician’s ability to pick up an instrument, immediately identify which strings need attention, and bring the whole instrument into tune? Or Socrates’ gift in every setting of winning over the company to his side? Not likely. [6] Inevitably you are going to adopt the common person’s mentality instead.
[7] So why are they stronger than you? Because they talk such garbage from conviction, whereas your fine talk is no more than lip service. It lacks life and vigour; anyone listening to your speeches might well come to hate that damned ‘virtue’ you keep proclaiming. [8] That’s why those fools get the better of you. Conviction is quite a potent and irresistible force. [9] So until those fine principles take root in you so that you can begin to rely on them a little, I advise you to use discretion in associating with such people. Otherwise whatever you write down in class will melt away like wax in the sun. [10] Keep well out of the sun, then, so long as your principles are as pliant as wax.
[11] This is why philosophers say that we should even leave our native land, since old habits pull us back and make it hard to embark on a new routine; also, we can’t stand running into people who say, ‘Look at him, this so-and-so, trying to become a philosopher.’ [12] Similarly, doctors, for good reason, send their most chronic patients away
to a different environment and a different climate. [13] Adopt new habits yourself: consolidate your principles by putting them into practice.
[14] No. Instead from school it’s straight off to the theatre, to a gladiatorial game, to an athletic show or the circus. Then from there you come back here, and from here, off you go again, the same people, the same pursuits – [15] you show no serious discipline, concern, or care for yourself. ‘How do I handle chance impressions, naturally or unnaturally? Do I respond to them as I should, or don’t I?∗ Do I tell externals that they are nothing to me?’ [16] Unless this describes you, forsake your old habits, and your non-philosophical friends, if you hope to amount to anything.
III 20 Every circumstance represents an opportunity
[1] Just about everyone agrees that ‘good’ or ‘bad’ in the case of objective judgements applies to us, not to things outside us. [2] No one calls ‘good’ the fact that it is day, or ‘bad’ that it is night, or ‘the greatest of evils’ that three is equal to four. [3] No, they call correct judgement good and incorrect judgement bad – the consequence being that good even comes of error, when we recognize the error as such.
[4] And so it should be in life. ‘Being healthy is good, being sick is bad.’ No, my friend: enjoying health in the right way is good; making bad use of your health is bad. ‘So even illness can benefit us?’ [5] Why not, if even death and disability can? It was no small advantage Menoeceus derived from his dying, after all.9 ‘Whoever says so is welcome to the same advantages!’ Come, by his sacrifice didn’t he save himself – that is, the patriot in him, the benefactor, the man of honour, the man of his word – all of whom would have died had he survived? [6] Conversely, he would have acquired the reputation for being timid, mean, treacherous and weak.
