All the Works of Epictetus · 42 of 100

Book II, Chapter 10

1.Examine who you are. In the first Place, a Man, that is, one who hath nothing superior to the Faculty of Choice; but all Things subject to this; and this itself uninslaved, and unsubjected, to any thing. Consider then, from what you are distinguished by Reason. You are distinguished from wild Beasts: you are distinguished from Cattle. Besides: you are a Citizen of the World, and a Part of it: not a subservient, but a principal, Part. You are capable of comprehending the divine Oeconomy; and of considering the Connections of Things. What then doth the Character of a Citizen promise? To hold no private Interest; to deliberate of nothing as a separate Individual, but like the Hand or the Foot; which, if they had Reason, and comprehended the Constitution of Nature, would never pursue, or desire, but with a Reference to the Whole. Hence the Philosophers rightly say, That, if a wise and good Man could foresee what was to happen, he would help forward Sickness, and Death, and Mutilation, to himself; being sensible, that these Things are appointed from the Order of the Universe; and that the Whole is superior to a Part, and the City, to the Citizen. But, since we do not foreknow what is to happen, it becomes our Duty to adhere to what is more naturally adapted to our Option: for, amongst other Things, we were born for this.

2.Remember next, that you are a Son: and what doth this Character promise? To esteem every thing that is his, as belonging to his Father: in every Instance to obey him: not to revile him to another: not to say or do any thing injurious to him: to give way and yield in every thing; co-operating with him to the utmost of his Power.

3.After this, know likewise, that you are a Brother: and that to this Character it belongs, to make Concessions; to be easily persuaded; to use gentle Language: never to claim, for yourself, any of the Things independent on Choice; but chearfully to give these, that you may have the larger Share of what is dependent on it. For consider what it is, instead of a Lettuce, for Instance, or a Chair, to procure for yourself a good Temper? How great an Advantage gained!

4.If, besides this, you are a Senator of any City, consider yourself as a Senator: if a Youth, as a Youth: if an old Man, as an old Man. For each of these Names, if it comes to be considered, always points out the proper Duties. But, if you go and revile your Brother, I tell you, you have forgotten who you are, and what is your Name. For even if you were a Smith, and made an ill Use of the Hammer, you would have forgotten the Smith: and, if you have forgotten the Brother, and are become, instead of a Brother, an Enemy, do you imagine you have made no Change of one Thing for another, in that Case? If, instead of a Man, a gentle, social Creature, you are become a wild Beast, mischievous, insidious, biting; have you lost nothing? But must you lose Money, in order to suffer Damage; and is there no other Thing, the Loss of which endamages a Man? If you were to part with your Skill in Grammar, or in Music, would you think the Loss of these a Damage? And, if you part with Honour, Decency, and Gentleness, do you think that no Matter? Yet the first are lost by some Cause external, and independent on Choice; but the last, by our own Fault. There is no Shame either in not having, or in losing the one; but either not to have, or to lose, the other, is equally shamefully, and reproachful, and unhappy. What doth the Pathic lose? The Man. What doth the smooth effeminate Fellow lose? Many other Things? but the Man also. What doth an Adulterer lose? The modest, the chaste Character; the Neighbour. What doth an angry Person lose? Something else. A Coward? Something else. No one is wicked without some Loss, or Damage. Now, if, after all, you have made the Loss of Money the only Damage, all these [Wretches] are unhurt and undamaged. Nay, it may be, even Gainers; as, by such Practices, their Money may possibly be increased. But consider: if you refer every thing to Money, the Man who loses his Nose is not hurt. Yes, say you; he is maimed in his Body. Well: but doth he who loses his Smell itself, lose nothing? Is there, then, no Faculty of the Soul, which he who possesses it is the better for; and he who parts with it, the worse?

What Sort do you mean?

Have we not a natural Sense of Honour?

We have.

Doth he, who loses this, suffer no Damage? Is he deprived of nothing? Doth he part with nothing that belongs to him? Have we no natural Fidelity No natural Affection? No natural Disposition to mutual Usefulness, to mutual Forbearance? Is he, then, who carelessly suffers himself to be damaged in these Respects, unhurt and undamaged?

5.What, then, shall not I hurt him, who hath hurt me?

Consider first what Hurt is, and remember what you have heard from the Philosophers. For, if both Good and Evil consist in Choice, see whether what you say, doth not amount to this: “Since he hath hurt himself, by injuring me; shall not I hurt myself by injuring him?” Why do we not make some such Representation to ourselves, as this? Are we hurt, when any Detriment happens to our bodily Possessions; and are we not at all hurt, when any happens to our Faculty of Choice? He who is deceived, or hath done an Injury, hath no Pain in his Head; nor loses an Eye, a Leg, or an Estate: and we wish for nothing beyond these. Whether we have a modest and faithful, or a shameless and unfaithful, Will and Choice, we make not the smallest Difference; except only in the Schools, as far as a few Words go. Therefore all the Improvement we make, reaches only to Words; and beyond them is absolutely nothing.