The Enchiridion
By Epictetus (c. A.D. 135), trans. by Elizabeth Carter
1. Some things are in our control
and others not. Things in our control are opinion, pursuit,
desire, aversion, and, in a word, whatever are our own
actions. Things not in our control are body, property, reputation, command, and, in one word, whatever are not our own actions.
The things in our control are by nature free, unrestrained, unhindered; but those not in our control are weak, slavish, restrained,
belonging to others. Remember, then, that if you suppose
that things which are slavish by nature are also free, and
that what belongs to others is your own, then you will be
hindered. You will lament, you will be disturbed, and you will find
fault both with gods and men. But if you suppose that only to be yourown which is your own, and what belongs to others such as it really
is, then no one will ever compel you or restrain you.
Further, you will find fault with no one or accuse no one.
You will do nothing against your will. No one will hurt
you, you will have no enemies, and you not be harmed.
Aiming therefore at such great things, remember that you must not allow yourself to be carried, even with a slight tendency, towards
the attainment of lesser things. Instead, you must entirely
quit some things and for the present postpone the rest. But
if you would both have these great things, along with power
and riches, then you will not gain even the latter, because
you aim at the former too: but you will absolutely fail of
the former, by which alone happiness and freedom are achieved.
Work, therefore to be able to say to every harsh appearance, "You are but an appearance, and not absolutely the thing you appear to
be." And then examine it by those rules which you
have, and first, and chiefly, by this: whether it concerns
the things which are in our own control, or those which are
not; and, if it concerns anything not in our control, be prepared
to say that it is nothing to you.
2. Remember that following desire promises the attainment of that of which you are desirous; and aversion promises the
avoiding that to which you are averse. However, he who
fails to obtain the object of his desire is disappointed,
and he who incurs the object of his aversion wretched. If,
then, you confine your aversion to those objects only which are
contrary to the natural use of your faculties, which you have in your own control, you will never incur anything to which you are averse.
But if you are averse to sickness, or death, or poverty,
you will be wretched. Remove aversion, then, from all
things that are not in our control, and transfer it to
things contrary to the nature of what is in our control. But,
for the present, totally suppress desire: for, if you desire any of the things which are not in your own control, you must necessarily
be disappointed; and of those which are, and which it would
be laudable to desire, nothing is yet in your possession.
Use only the appropriate actions of pursuit and avoidance;
and even these lightly, and with gentleness and reservation.
3. With regard to whatever objects give you delight, are useful, or are deeply loved, remember to tell yourself of what
general nature they are, beginning from the most
insignificant things. If, for example, you are fond of a
specific ceramic cup, remind yourself that it is only
ceramic cups in general of which you are fond. Then, if it breaks, you will not be disturbed. If you kiss your child, or your wife,
say that you only kiss things which are human, and thus you
will not be disturbed if either of them dies.
4. When you are going about any action, remind yourself what nature the action is. If you are going to bathe, picture to
yourself the things which usually happen in the bath: some
people splash the water, some push, some use abusive
language, and others steal. Thus you will more safely go
about this action if you say to yourself, "I will now go bathe, and keep my own mind in a state conformable to nature." And in
the same manner with regard to every other action. For
thus, if any hindrance arises in bathing, you will have it
ready to say, "It was not only to bathe that I
desired, but to keep my mind in a state conformable to nature; and I will not keep it if I am bothered at things that happen.
5. Men are disturbed, not by things, but by the principles and notions which they form concerning things. Death, for instance,
is not terrible, else it would have appeared so to
Socrates. But the terror consists in our notion of death
that it is terrible. When therefore we are hindered, or
disturbed, or grieved, let us never attribute it to others, but
to ourselves; that is, to our own principles. An uninstructed person will lay the fault of his own bad condition upon others. Someone
just starting instruction will lay the fault on himself.
Some who is perfectly instructed will place blame neither
on others nor on himself.
6. Don't be prideful with any excellence that is not your own. If a horse should be prideful and say, " I am
handsome," it would be supportable. But when you are
prideful, and say, " I have a handsome horse,"
know that you are proud of what is, in fact, only the good of the horse. What, then, is your own? Only your reaction to the
appearances of things. Thus, when you behave conformably to
nature in reaction to how things appear, you will be proud
with reason; for you will take pride in some good of your
own.
7. Consider when, on a voyage, your ship is anchored; if you go on shore to get water you may along the way amuse yourself
with picking up a shellfish, or an onion. However, your
thoughts and continual attention ought to be bent towards
the ship, waiting for the captain to call on board; you
must then immediately leave all these things, otherwise you
will be thrown into the ship, bound neck and feet like a sheep. So it is with life. If, instead of an onion or a shellfish, you are
given a wife or child, that is fine. But if the captain
calls, you must run to the ship, leaving them, and
regarding none of them. But if you are old, never go far
from the ship: lest, when you are called, you should be unable to come in time.
8. Don't demand that things happen as you wish, but wish that they happen as they do happen, and you will go on well.
9. Sickness is a hindrance to the body, but not to your ability to choose, unless that is your choice. Lameness is a
hindrance to the leg, but not to your ability to choose.
Say this to yourself with regard to everything that
happens, then you will see such obstacles as hindrances to
something else, but not to yourself.
10. With every accident, ask yourself what abilities you have for making a proper use of it. If you see an attractive
person, you will find that self-restraint is the ability
you have against your desire. If you are in pain, you will
find fortitude. If you hear unpleasant language, you will
find patience. And thus habituated, the appearances of things will
not hurry you away along with them.
11. Never say of anything, "I have lost it"; but, "I
have returned it." Is your child dead? It is
returned. Is your wife dead? She is returned. Is your
estate taken away? Well, and is not that likewise returned?
"But he who took it away is a bad man." What difference is it to you who the giver assigns to take it back? While he gives it to
you to possess, take care of it; but don't view it as your
own, just as travelers view a hotel.
12. If you want to improve, reject such reasonings as these: "If I neglect my affairs, I'll have no income; if I don't
correct my servant, he will be bad." For it is better
to die with hunger, exempt from grief and fear, than to
live in affluence with perturbation; and it is better your
servant should be bad, than you unhappy.
Begin therefore from little things. Is a little oil spilt? A little wine stolen? Say to yourself, "This is the price paid for
apathy, for tranquility, and nothing is to be had for
nothing." When you call your servant, it is possible
that he may not come; or, if he does, he may not do what you want. But he is by no means of such importance that it should be in his
power to give you any disturbance.
13. If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid with regard to external things. Don't wish to be
thought to know anything; and even if you appear to be
somebody important to others, distrust yourself. For, it
is difficult to both keep your faculty of choice in a
state conformable to nature, and at the same time acquire external things. But while you are careful about the one, you must of
necessity neglect the other.
14. If you wish your children, and your wife, and your
friends to live for ever, you are stupid; for you wish to
be in control of things which you cannot, you wish for
things that belong to others to be your own. So likewise,
if you wish your servant to be without fault, you are a
fool; for you wish vice not to be vice," but something else. But, if you wish to have your desires un-disappointed, this is in your own
control. Exercise, therefore, what is in your control. He
is the master of every other person who is able to confer
or remove whatever that person wishes either to have or to
avoid. Whoever, then, would be free, let him wish nothing,
let him decline nothing, which depends on others else he must necessarily
be a slave.
21. Let death and exile, and all other things
which appear terrible be daily before your eyes, but
chiefly death, and you win never entertain any abject
thought, nor too eagerly covet anything.
22. If you have an earnest desire of attaining to philosophy, prepare yourself from the very first to be laughed at, to be
sneered by the multitude, to hear them say, "He is
returned to us a philosopher all at once," and "
Whence this supercilious look?" Now, for your part, don't have a supercilious look indeed; but keep steadily to those things
which appear best to you as one appointed by God to this
station. For remember that, if you adhere to the same
point, those very persons who at first ridiculed will
afterwards admire you. But if you are conquered by them, you
will incur a double ridicule.
26. The will of nature may be learned from those things in which we don't distinguish from each other. For example, when our neighbor's boy breaks a cup, or the like, we are presently ready to say, "These things will happen." Be assured, then, that when your own cup likewise is broken, you ought to be affected just as when another's cup was broken. Apply this in like manner to greater things. Is the child or wife of another dead? There is no one who would not say, "This is a human accident." but if anyone's own child happens to die, it is presently, "Alas I how wretched am I!" But it should be remembered how we are affected in hearing the same thing concerning others.
29. In every affair consider what precedes and
follows, and then undertake it. Otherwise you will begin
with spirit; but not having thought of the consequences,
when some of them appear you will shamefully desist.
"I would conquer at the Olympic games." But consider what
precedes and follows, and then, if it is for your
advantage, engage in the affair. You must conform to
rules, submit to a diet, refrain from dainties; exercise your
body, whether you choose it or not, at a stated hour, in heat and cold; you must drink no cold water, nor sometimes even wine. In a
word, you must give yourself up to your master, as to a
physician. Then, in the combat, you may be thrown into a
ditch, dislocate your arm, turn your ankle, swallow dust,
be whipped, and, after all, lose the victory. When you have evaluated
all this, if your inclination still holds, then go to war. Otherwise, take notice, you will behave like children who sometimes play like
wrestlers, sometimes gladiators, sometimes blow a trumpet,
and sometimes act a tragedy when they have seen and
admired these shows. Thus you too will be at one time a
wrestler, at another a gladiator, now a philosopher, then an orator; but with your whole soul, nothing at all. Like an ape, you mimic
all you see, and one thing after another is sure to please
you, but is out of favor as soon as it becomes familiar.
For you have never entered upon anything considerately, nor
after having viewed the whole matter on all sides, or made
any scrutiny into it, but rashly, and with a cold inclination. Thussome,
when they have seen a philosopher and heard a man speaking like Euphrates (though, indeed, who can speak like him?), have a mind to be
philosophers too. Consider first, man, what the matter is,
and what your own nature is able to bear. If you would be
a wrestler, consider your shoulders, your back, your
thighs; for different persons are made for different things. Do
you think that you can act as you do, and be a philosopher? That you can eat and drink, and be angry and discontented as you are now?
You must watch, you must labor, you must get the better of
certain appetites, must quit your acquaintance, be
despised by your servant, be laughed at by those you meet;
come off worse than others in everything, in magistracies, in honors,
in courts of judicature. When you have considered all these things round, approach, if you please; if, by parting with them, you have
a mind to purchase apathy, freedom, and tranquility. If
not, don't come here; don't, like children, be one while a
philosopher, then a publican, then an orator, and then one
of Caesar's officers. These things are not consistent. You must
be one man, either good or bad. You must cultivate either your own ruling faculty or externals, and apply yourself either to
things within or without you; that is, be either a
philosopher, or one of the vulgar.
30. Duties are universally measured by relations. Is anyone a father? If so, it is implied that the children should take care
of him, submit to him in everything, patiently listen to
his reproaches, his correction. But he is a bad father. Is
you naturally entitled, then, to a good father? No, only
to a father. Is a brother unjust? Well, keep your own situation towards him. Consider not what he does, but what you are to do to
keep your own faculty of choice in a state conformable to
nature. For another will not hurt you unless you please.
You will then be hurt when you think you are hurt. In this
manner, therefore, you will find, from the idea of a
neighbor, a citizen, a general, the corresponding duties if you accustom yourself to contemplate the several relations.
31. Be assured that the essential property of piety towards the gods is to form right opinions concerning them, as existing
"I and as governing the universe with goodness and
justice. And fix yourself in this resolution, to obey
them, and yield to them, and willingly follow them in all
events, as produced by the most perfect understanding. For thus
you will never find fault with the gods, nor accuse them as neglecting you. And it is not possible for this to be effected any other way
than by withdrawing yourself from things not in our own
control, and placing good or evil in those only which are.
For if you suppose any of the things not in our own
control to be either good or evil, when you are disappointed of
what you wish, or incur what you would avoid, you must necessarily find fault with and blame the authors. For every animal is naturally
formed to fly and abhor things that appear hurtful, and
the causes of them; and to pursue and admire those which
appear beneficial, and the causes of them. It is
impractical, then, that one who supposes himself to be hurt should be happy about the person who, he thinks, hurts him, just as it is
impossible to be happy about the hurt itself. Hence, also,
a father is reviled by a son, when he does not impart to
him the things which he takes to be good; and the
supposing empire to be a good made Polynices and Eteocles mutually enemies. On this account the husbandman, the sailor, the merchant,
on this account those who lose wives and children, revile
the gods. For where interest is, there too is piety
placed. So that, whoever is careful to regulate his
desires and aversions as he ought, is, by the very same means, careful of piety likewise. But it is also incumbent on everyone to offer
libations and sacrifices and first fruits, conformably to
the customs of his country, with purity, and not in a
slovenly manner, nor negligently, nor sparingly, nor
beyond his ability.
33. Immediately prescribe some character and
form of conduce to yourself, which you may keep both alone
and in company.
Be for the most part silent, or speak merely what is necessary, and in few words. We may, however, enter, though sparingly, into
discourse sometimes when occasion calls for it, but not on
any of the common subjects, of gladiators, or horse races,
or athletic champions, or feasts, the vulgar topics of
conversation; but principally not of men, so as either to blame, or praise, or make comparisons. If you are able, then, by your own
conversation bring over that of your company to proper
subjects; but, if you happen to be taken among strangers,
be silent.
Don't allow your laughter be much, nor on many occasions, nor profuse.
Avoid swearing, if possible, altogether; if not, as far as you are able.
Avoid public and vulgar entertainments; but, if ever an occasion calls you to them, keep your attention upon the stretch, that you
may not imperceptibly slide into vulgar manners. For be
assured that if a person be ever so sound himself, yet, if
his companion be infected, he who converses with him will
be infected likewise.
Provide things relating to the body no further than mere use; as meat, drink, clothing, house, family. But strike off and reject
everything relating to show and delicacy.
As far as possible, before marriage, keep yourself pure from
familiarities with women, and, if you indulge them, let it
be lawfully." But don't therefore be troublesome and
full of reproofs to those who use these liberties, nor frequently
boast that you yourself don't.
If anyone tells you that such a person speaks ill of you, don't make excuses about what is said of you, but answer: " He does
not know my other faults, else he would not have mentioned
only these."
It is not necessary for you to appear often at public spectacles; but if ever there is a proper occasion for you to be there, don't
appear more solicitous for anyone than for yourself; that
is, wish things to be only just as they are, and him only
to conquer who is the conqueror, for thus you will meet
with no hindrance. But abstain entirely from declamations and
derision and violent emotions. And when you come away, don't discourse a great deal on what has passed, and what does not contribute to
your own amendment. For it would appear by such discourse
that you were immoderately struck with the show.
Go not [of your own accord] to the rehearsals of any
authors , nor appear [at them] readily. But, if you
do appear, keep your gravity and sedateness, and at the
same time avoid being morose.
When you are going to confer with anyone, and particularly of those in a superior station, represent to yourself how Socrates or Zeno
would behave in such a case, and you will not be at a loss
to make a proper use of whatever may occur.
When you are going to any of the people in power, represent to yourself that you will not find him at home; that you will not be
admitted; that the doors will not be opened to you; that
he will take no notice of you. If, with all this, it is your
duty to go, bear what happens, and never say [to
yourself], " It was not worth so much." For this is vulgar, and like a man dazed by external things.
In parties of conversation, avoid a frequent and excessive mention of your own actions and dangers. For, however agreeable it may be
to yourself to mention the risks you have run, it is not
equally agreeable to others to hear your adventures.
Avoid, likewise, an endeavor to excite laughter. For this
is a slippery point, which may throw you into vulgar manners, and,
besides, may be apt to lessen you in the esteem of your acquaintance. Approaches to indecent discourse are likewise dangerous.
Whenever, therefore, anything of this sort happens, if
there be a proper opportunity, rebuke him who makes
advances that way; or, at least, by silence and blushing and a
forbidding look, show yourself to be displeased by such talk.
41. It is a mark of want of genius to spend much time in things relating to the body, as to be long in our exercises, in eating and drinking, and in the discharge of other animal functions. These should be done incidentally and slightly, and our whole attention be engaged in the care of the understanding.
48. The condition and characteristic of a vulgar person, is, that he never expects either benefit or hurt from himself, but from externals. The condition and characteristic of a philosopher is, that he expects all hurt and benefit from himself. The marks of a proficient are, that he censures no one, praises no one, blames no one, accuses no one, says nothing concerning himself as being anybody, or knowing anything: when he is, in any instance, hindered or restrained, he accuses himself; and, if he is praised, he secretly laughs at the person who praises him; and, if he is censured, he makes no defense. But he goes about with the caution of sick or injured people, dreading to move anything that is set right, before it is perfectly fixed. He suppresses all desire in himself; he transfers his aversion to those things only which thwart the proper use of our own faculty of choice; the exertion of his active powers towards anything is very gentle; if he appears stupid or ignorant, he does not care, and, in a word, he watches himself as an enemy, and one in ambush.