All the Works of Epictetus · 68 of 100

Book III, Chapter 10

1.We should have all our Principles ready, to make use of, on every Occasion. At Dinner, such as relate to Dinner; in the Bath, such as relate to the Bath; and in the Bed, such as relate to the Bed.

Let not the stealing God of Sleep surprise, Nor creep in Slumbers, on thy weary Eyes, Ere ev’ry Action of the former Day Strictly thou dost, and righteously survey, What have I done? In what have I transgress’d? What Good, or Ill, has this Day’s Life express’d? Where have I fail’d, in what I ought to do? If Evil were thy Deeds, repent and mourn, If Good, rejoice ——————

Rowe ’s Pythagoras.

We should retain these Verses, so as to apply them to our Use: not merely to repeat them aloud, as we do the Verses in Honour of Apollo, [without minding what we are about].

2.Again: In a Fever, we should have such Principles ready, as relate to a Fever; and not, as soon as we are taken ill, to lose and forget all. Provided I do but act like a Philosopher, let what will happen. Some Way or other depart I must, from this frail Body, whether a Fever comes, or not. What is it to be a Philosopher? Is it not to be prepared against Events? Do not you comprehend, that you say, in Effect, if I am but prepared to bear all Events with Calmness, let what will happen; otherwise, you are like a Pancratiast, who, after receiving a Blow, should quit the Combat. In that Case indeed you may allowably leave off, and not [run the Hazard] of being whipt. But what shall we get by leaving off Philosophy? What then ought each of us to say upon every difficult Occasion? “It was for this, that I exercised: it was for this, that I prepared myself.” God says to you, give me a Proof if you have gone through the preparatory Combats, according to Rule: if you have followed a proper Diet; a proper Exercise: if you have obeyed your Master: and, after this, do you faint, at the very Time of Action? Now is the proper Time for a Fever. Bear it well: for Thirst: bear it well: for Hunger: bear it well. Is it not in your Power? Who shall restrain you? A Physician may restrain you from drinking; but he cannot restrain you from bearing your Thirst, well. He may restrain you from eating; but he cannot restrain you from bearing Hunger, well. —— But I cannot follow my Studies. —— And for what End do you follow them, Wretch? Is it not that you may be prosperous? That you may be constant? that you may think and act conformably to Nature? What restrains you, but that in a Fever, you may preserve your ruling Faculty conformable to Nature? Here is the Proof of the Matter. Here is the Trial of the Philosopher: for a Fever is a Part of Life, just as a Walk, a Voyage, or a Journey. Do you read, when you are walking? No: nor in a Fever. But when you walk well, you have every thing belonging to a Walker: so, if you bear a Fever well, you have every thing belonging to one in a Fever. What is it to bear a Fever well? Not to blame either God or Man: not to be afflicted at what happens: to expect Death in a right and becoming Manner; and to do what is to be done. When the Physician enters, not to dread what he may say; nor, if he should tell you, that you are in a fair Way, to be too much rejoiced: for what good hath he told you? When you were in Health, what Good did it do you? Not to be dejected, when he tells you, that you are very ill: for what is it to be very ill? To be near the Separation of Soul and Body. What Harm is there in this, then? If you are not near it now, will you not be near it hereafter? What, will the World be quite overset when you die? Why then, do you flatter your Physician? Why do you say, “If you please, Sir, I shall do well?” Why do you furnish an Occasion to his Pride? Why do not you treat a Physician, with regard to an insignificant Body, which is not yours, but by Nature mortal, as you do a Shoemaker, about your Foot; or a Carpenter, about a House? These are the Things necessary, to one in a Fever. If he fulfils these, he hath what belongs to him. For it is not the Business of a Philosopher to take care of these mere Externals; of his Wine, his Oil, or his Body; but his ruling Faculty: And how, with regard to Externals? So as not to behave inconsiderately, about them. What Occasion then, is there for Fear? What Occasion for Anger, about what belongs to others, and what is of no Value? For, two Rules we should always have ready: That nothing is good or evil, but Choice: and, That we are not to lead Events, but to follow them. “My Brother ought not to have treated me so.” Very true; but he must see to that. However he treats me, I am to act right, with regard to him; for the one is my own Concern; the other is not: the one cannot be restrained; the other may.