Epictetus Volume 2
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page 22
ARRIAN'S DISCOURSES OF EPICTETUS
fJLOV
21
^cbfcpaTes, real
"
<TQI p,\6t, ri iroiovp^ev ;
olov /ecu
oijTG)$ Trepiepyos 66,
;
ri Se
pov &v fcal crvyyevys
KOIVO>VO$
creavrov
22 teal
teal
TOW
7roX,ei
avyytvecri,
l<
yeiTova^
earl TO
rfj
(5
crv
ovv
on
a/ie"Xe9
Trape^ei? 7ro\irrjv icaicov
crvyyevrj KOL TOI<? yeirocri
"
evravOa
rfa el ;
((
bet
OVTOS el/jn,
ouSe jap \eovn TO rv%ov flotSiov
ro\fia avridTrivai avrS- av 8' o Tavpo$ irpoav (rot, So#,
crekOtov avdiarriTat, \eje avTu>
etireiv
avdpcotrcov."
t
" crv Be
"
T^9 el;" teal
ri crol ytteXei ;
"
avdptoire,
23 ev iravrl <yevei (jtverai
e^aiperov ev ftovcriv,
Iv tcvcrlv, v fMeXicrcraw, ev ITTTTO^.
py &r) \ej
n
A
>t
/
ff
\
^
n
/
av ovv
%aipeTG>
"
crot>
<f>cov)]V iroBev \aj3ov
TO)
t
i ;
<yc&
9
ei
5>\
be
/
>
^
epei
eipt, TOIOVTOV olov
/AT},
ev ifJiaTip Trop^vpa* pr} JJL a^iov opoiov elvai
24
irapa TOVS a\\ov$
T^ ovv ; eyw
crv
TroOev ;
TOIOVTO? ;
yap
TOLOVTOS 0*09 aKOveiv raXtfdr} ; &<pe\ev. aXV o///6)9
eireL TTOJ? fcareKpidrjv Trcoycova e^eLv 7ro\Lov /cat
Tpifitova KOI crv elcrep^y TTpos epe 009 TTyOo?
ov %pijao/Mai crot CO/AW? ouS*
<j>ov,
Deleted by Kronenberg, and tc nature" rather than
"
would seem to be more logical here (cf. Grant's
note on Aristotle's EtJiics, 2.1.3). But pou is supported by
the precisely similar trow of 30, which is if anything even
more illogical. In the original remark of Diogenes, whom
30 (see the note at that
Epictetus is clearly quoting in
point), IjKaXetv rp tfr&iru is used as it is normally in Greek.
1
<{
my nature
Apparently we have in these two locutions a form of
expression peculiar to Epictetus.
12
page 23
BOOK III.
i.
20-24
inasmuch as you are nearer akin
my fellow-citizens,
l
me."
Are you so inquisitive, O Socrates, and
meddlesome? And why do you care what we are
about ? ee Why, what is that you are saying ? You
are my partner and kinsman, and yet you neglect
yourself and provide the State with a bad citizen,
and your kin with a bad kinsman, and your neigh"
bours with a bad neighbour." " Well, who are you ?
Here it is a bold thing to say, fc l am he who must
needs take interest in men." For no ordinary ox
to
dares to withstand the lion himself 2 but if the bull
comes up and withstands him, say to the bull, if you
"
and " What do you
think fit, " But who are you ?
"
care ?
Man, in every species nature produces some
;
superior individual, among cattle, dogs, bees, horses.
Pray do not say to the superior individual, "Well,
then, who are you?" Or if you do, it will get a
voice from somewhere and reply to you, ee I am the
same sort of thing as red in a mantle ; 3 do not expect
me to resembl e the rest, and do not blame my nature 4
because it has made me different from the rest."
What follows ? Am I that kind of person ? ImAre you, indeed, the kind of person to
possible.
I would that you were !
listen to the truth ?
But
nevertheless, since somehow or other I have been
condemned to wear a grey beard and a rough cloak, 5
and you are coming to me as to a philosopher, I shall
not treat you cruelly, nor as though I despaired of
1
A free paraphrase of the Apology 29 C, E, and 30 A,
Compare also I. 9, 23.
2
Compare I. 2, 30.
a
Compare L 2, 17 (and note, where read "bright red")
and 22 j the reference is to the stripe in the toga prcwtetfta.
',
4
6
See critical note.
External symbols of a philosopher.
13
page 24
ARRIAN'S DISCOURSES OF EPICTETUS
dXX*
rlva 6i\i<$ /cakov Ttoieiv ;
veavlffice,
e/)&r
25 fyv&Qi TTp&TQV T/9 el fcal OVTQ)$ KGa-pet, creavrov.
r
TOVTO
cov <j>avTa<riaw
ri
26
e&Tiv ;
TOV ;
e%5
AcaXXo)7rtfe*
GO?
TO
;
$ov ;
avT09
Trjv
KOJJJYJV
rjdeX^crev.
$ a^e?
TO dvv}-
^
ical
ryvvaitca*
rpvfapd'
fcav
TO)
Ttz>a9
aye,
avrjp el ^7 71;^^ ;
yeyove
KCU
ov.
TO ^p^CFTLKOV ^CLVTadlai^ ; OV, TO
TOVTO KOCT/AGI ftal
e^ei? l^aiperov"
OV.
\ojLKOif
27
dvrjTo
TO Se
\oyt,?ca><;.
6fj,o\oyov/jievco$
fyvaei
ri ovv egaiperov
earl
o
'Az^p.
e/cecvi) <f>vcr6i
e^y
Tplj(a,<;
Xeta
TroXXa?,
Tepa? ecrTl /cat e> TO?? Tepacriv Iv'Pw/jLy o'ei/cvvTai.
28 ravTO * S' CTT' avBpos eari TO /t^
e%iv KCLV fjLev
<j)V(Ti
firj
repas ecrTtV,
?207,
fcal a?roTtXX^, T
Sei};6)fJV
fcal
ri
az/
8*
eavTov
avTO<;
O,VTOV 7roi^o*cy/ie^ ; TTOI)
"
irpoypd^coj^ev ;
SeL^co
avbpa, 09 ^eXe^ pa\\ov yvvrj elvai rj avrjp"
29
3
#ea/z<xT09* ovSels
Setvoi)
TT'pO'ypa^ijv'
\6fievoi
30
e<TTt^,
ou%l Oav/jidcrec TVJV
TOP Ata, ol/ta^ em avrol ot TiX-
ov 7rapaKo\ovdovvTe<;,
o TTOWVO-W, Troiov<nv,
eryfcakecrai,
orev ;
vrj
on,
TOVT
avil>
av6pa)ir f ri
o-ov TT} <f>vo~ei ; OT^ o~e
av&pa cyev
ri ovv ; 7rao"a9 iSet yvvaltcas yevvijcrcu ; KOI
1
Wolf and Blass
:
TOUTO 5.
page 25
BOOK III,
you., but I shall say :
i.
24-30
Young man, whom do you wish
to make beautiful ? First learn who you are,, and
then,, in the light of that knowledge, adorn yourself.
You are a human being ; that is, a mortal animal
gifted with the ability to use impressions rationally.
And what is "rationally"? In accordance with
nature and perfectly. What element of superiority,
then, do you possess ? The animal in you ? No,
Your mortality ? No. Your ability to use impressions ? No. Your reason is the element of superiority
which you possess; adorn and beautify that; hut
leave your hair to Him who fashioned it as "He
willed.
Come, what other designations apply to
you ? Are you a man or a woman ? A man. Very
well then, adorn a man,, not a woman.
Woman is
born smooth and dainty by nature, and if she is
very hairy she is a prodigy, and is exhibited at Rome
among the prodigies. But for a man not to be hairy
is the same
thing, and if by nature he has no hair he
is a prodigy, but if he cuts it out and plucks it out of
Where shall
himself, what shall we make of him ?
we exhibit him and what notice shall we post ? " I
will show you," we say to the audience, ** a man who
wishes to be a woman rather than a man." What a
dreadful spectacle
No one but will be amazed at
the notice ; by Zeus^ I fancy that even the men who
pluck out their own hairs do what they do without
Man, what reason have
realizing what it means.
I
Because it
you to complain against your nature ?
2 What then ?
into
a
the
world
as
man
?
brought you
Ought it to have brought all persons into the world
!
1
2
Compare the critical note on
23.
An almost verbatim quotation from Diogenes the Cynicl
See Athenaeus, XIII* 565 (X
,
page 26
ARRIAN'S DISCOURSES OF EPICTETUS
av o<eX09
7i
31
el
etcoor/AOV,
apeo-fcei, <JQI
ri TTOT
Troirjcrov*
apov
7roirf<rov
TrXavcbfteda,
l
l/ceivo ;
t9 ajravra
TO
{J,TJ
jJ,V
TO alnov rwv
e
cravrov yvvaltca, (va
rifuav avSpos, TO
TIVI de\t$ apecrat, ;
'rj/LLiav yvvaifcos.
o>9
aoi rov KOcrp,elo9aL ; tlvi av
rj&av yvvalxe? ; aXX' ov/c
TO Ttpay^dTiov ; oXoz/ t' o\a)v avTo
Tpiyfow
fir}
32
$]V
Trdwres
avrjp OVTOIS apecrov.
Xetot? yai poverty"
S'
TOW yvvcu" vai' a\\a
ov/c array^y ;
KOI el rofc
e^aipov, eyevov av icivaio$ ; roOro crot
TO pyov eaTiVj 7rl TOVTO eyevvrfdr}?, wa croi at
34 yvvalttes at afco\ao~TOi j^aip(c<nv ; TOLOVTOV ere
X&T7?z> VLopivBltov, KCLV
(f>rj/3ap)(ov
fj
35
OVTU>$ Tv%r}, aaTV-
CTTpaTijyov rj aycovodeTrjv ;
r)
aye /ca\ ya/wjcras TiX\<r6ai
/u-eXXe^? ;
eiil TI; teal iraiSia TTO^CT as elra Ka/celva
yfuv
teal
etcrdgei,? el?
/3oi/Xeur^9
T'IVL
Kal
Ti,\\6/Jiva
TO iro\iTev^a ; Ka~ko$ TTO\ITTI^
pqTwp. TOIOVTOVS Sel veov$
teal
ev^ecrOai rjfjuv <f>vecr0ai real avaTpe<j>ecrdai> ;
36
Mij,
Toi/9
6eov<$
aoi,
veavicnce*
aXX'
aira%
pot 'ETTttf'njTos OVK etprjfcev TroQev yap
aXXa deos r/9 TTOT* ev/Aevijs 8^ etceivov.
.
ovSe yap av eirrfkOev ^TTIKT^T^ ravra direlv
*
1
and
!
81 ; & 8.
Compare I. 29. 16 together with note on that passage,
for a more extended discussion Trans, of the Amer.
PUM. Assoc. 52(1921), 46.
y
fl
16
The interlocutor must have been a Corinthian.
page 27
BOOK III.
i.
30-36
women ? And if that had been the case, what
good would you be getting of your self-adornment ?
For whom would you be
adorning yourself, if all
were women?
Your paltry body 1 doesn't please
you, eh ? Make a clean sweep of the whole matter
eradicate your whatshall I call it? the cause of
your
as
;
hairiness ; make yourself a woman all
over, so as not
to deceive us, not half-man and half- woman.
Whom
do you wish to please ? Frail womankind ? Please
them as a man. f( Yes, but they like smooth men."
Oh, go hang! And if they liked sexual perverts,
would you have become such a pervert? Is this
your business in life, is this what you were born for,
that licentious women should take
pleasure in you?
2
Shall we make a man like you a citizen of
Corinth,
and perchance a warden of the city, or
superintendent of ephebi,3 or general, or superintendent of the
?
and
when
Well,
games
you have married are you
going to pluck out your hairs ? For whom and to
what end ? And when you have begotten boys, are
you going to introduce them into the body of
citizens as plucked creatures too?
A fine citizen
and senator and orator! Is this the kind of
young
men we ought to pray to have bom and brought up
for us ?
By the gods, young man, may such not be your fate
But once you have heard these words go
away and say
to yourself, "It was not Epictetus who said these
things to me why, how could they have occurred to
him ? but it was some kindly god or other
speaking
through him. For it would not have occurred to
Epictetus to say these things, because he is not in
!
;
8
Young men completing their education and serving their
term in .the army.
17
page 28
ARRIAN'S DISCOURSES OF EPICTETUS
37
$ye ovv rq> dew
OVK eitodon \eyetv 777309 ovSeva.
f
ov* dXX'
6eo")(o\(t)roi <$)/AV"
/copa% fcpavyd^cctv arjaaivy croL ri, ov% o
rre^aOwfjiev, iva
av fjiev
fj,rj
fcopa% early o o~r)fj,aiva>v t aXX' o $eo<> St' avrov'
av &e 81 dvOpcoirivr)^ (fxovijs (TTi^alvg ri s TOV
^
av0pa>7TOV
Trpocriroi'tjo'y
2
yvofc
Tr]v
vva/juv TOV
f
aoi
\eyeiv
aifioviov,
ravra,
iv
cm rot? fiv
KiVCO$ O"rjjU,a'l,Vl, 7Tpl $
QVTG)?, TOi? 8'
3
tcaXki<nov
/jLeyi&TGW teal fcvpicordTnv S^a
38 <ye\ov (rrj/JLaivei ; ri early aXXo, o \eyei, 6
T&V
ay-
7rel TTpo ol
5
TrefM^avre Sidfcropov
f avrov /creLveiv pyre pvdaa'Sai aicovriv.
'
39 o
E/)^? icarafias eue'XXev Alyi<rflq>
6
\eyew ravra
teal crol vvv \eyovcnv ol deol ravra,
7
'Eip/Metav irefjtyavre
Sid/cropov
e/c<rrp<f)W ra /ca\a)$ e'Xpvra
adai, d\\* d<f)Lvai, rov dv&pa avSpa, ryv yvvalfca
<yvvalica, rov /ca\bv c&9 avOpcoTrov tca\ov? rov
fjJr)
40 aio-xpov to5 avdpairov al&xpov.
ov$e r/3t%e$, d\\a
41 rca\r)v, ror e&et,
1
3
4
6
IT
*
Blass ; xoi^o-et 8.
5i(
poalpetris'
on OVK el icpeas
ravryv av
Blass : tra 71/0^15 S.
supplied by Sb.
Upton from Homer
:
^vet of TrpoetTrojuev S.
Oldfather: ire^avrcs &5<ncoirov S. The reading restored
is that of Zenodotus and Aristophanes, which has left some
traces in two M8&, one scholium, and a papyrus of the 3rd
cent, alter Christ, and especially in 39 below. See my note
in Class. PkiLol. , vol. 22, for a full discussion of this passage.
6
Bentley : avr$ S. For arguments in favour of Bentley's
emendation see Tram. Am. PhttoL Ass, 52 (1921) 49.
18
page 29
BOOK III.
i.
36-41
the habit of speaking to anyone. Come then,, let us
obey God, that we rest not under His wrath." Nay,
but if a raven gives you a sign by his
croaking, it is
not the raven that gives the sign, but God
through
the raven , whereas if He gives
you a sign through a
human voice, will you pretend that it Is the man who
is
saying these things to you, so that you may remain
ignorant of the power of the divinity, that He gives
signs to some men in this way, and to others in that,
but that in the greatest and most
sovereign matters
He gives His sign through His noblest messenger?
What else does the poet mean when he says
:
Since ourselves we did warn him,
Sending down Hermes, the messenger god, the
slayer of Argus,
Neither to murder the husband himself, nor make
love to his consort ? *
As Hermes descended to tell Aegisthus that, so now
the gods tell you the same thing,
Sending down Hermes, the messenger god, the
slayer of Argus,
not to distort utterly nor to take useless
pains about
that 'which is already right, but to leave the man a
man, and the woman a woman, the beautiful person
beautiful as a human being, the
ugly ugly as a
human being. Because you are not flesh, nor hair,
but moral purpose if you get that beautiful, then,
you will be beautiful. So far I do not have the
;
1
7
TcifjL-fyavTfs
Homer, Odyssey, w, 37-9.
S; see note 5 above.
a Oldfather ;
19
page 30
ARRIAN'S DISCOURSES OF EPICTETUS
on atV%po? el* So/eefc ydp JJLOI Trdvra
6e\iv d/covaai T) TOVTO. aXX' opa, ri \eyei
T) /eaXXi<TTGt) Trdvrcov teal mpacordra)
crot \eyeiV)
42
et
rl avrq*
Tretpa) ovv /eaXo9 elvai"
7rXar<re <rov rr)v Ko/j,r]v fcal ri\\e crov
"
"
??'
"
\eyet, ;
ra <TK\7}
;
firj
ryevoiro*
d\\a
fcocr/jiet,
crov rrjv
TO
Soypar a"
O>9 7T<f>V/CV.
(TOO^dtLOV OVV 77*0)9
a\\<p TOVTCOV
44 epeXqo-ev efcelvq) eTrLrpe^fov. 1
Tt ovv ; a/cd9apTOV Set etvcu ;
M^ yevoiro* aX,X' 09 el real irefyvKa<$ 3 TQVTOV fcddatrpe, av$pa cio? dvSpa KaBdpiov
43 Trpoatpecnv,
ra
el-aipe
(j)av\a
,*
45
elvai, yvvaitca c9 yvvaLtca, KCUO'LOV 009 TraiStov.
oi;*
a\\a Kal rov Xeoz/T09 e/cri\G)/jiv rrjv icop^v, iva prj
dftddapTO? rj, /cal TOV d\e/CTpvovo$ TOV \o$ov Se
yap real TOVTOV fcaOdpwv elvai.
aXA/
ct>9
TpvQva Kal IKGIVOV co9 XeovTO- /cal rbv
fcvva a>9 Kvvrjyert/cov.
Hepl rivd aa-fceiaQcu Set rov TrpOKo-^rovra /cal
Sri r&v fcvpicordrav d/jL\ov/jLV.
ft.
TyO9 Giarl rOTTO I, 7Tpl 0&9 do"K'T]9'fjVai $1 TOV
ayadoV o irepl ra9 6pe%et,$
eaopevov /ca\ov /cal
f
/cal ra9 efCKXi<ret,$, iva p^r'opeyopevo^
aTroruy^dvy
2 /JLTjT
/CK\LVO)V TTeptTTtTTTT;'
TTGol T9 Op^a^ KOi
1
originally.
1
An inexact quotation of Plato, Alcib. I. 131 D,
a
Compare I, 25, ia SO, 1 II. 5, 22.
The implication is that the interlocutor's conception of
;
a
**
"
;
has to da merely with things externaL
This triple division of philosophy
is the one original element in the teaching of Epictetus, and
even it is rather a pedagogical device than an innovation in
cleanliness
4
Compare H. 17, 15 ff.
page 31
BOOK III.
i.
41-11. 2
courage to tell you that you are ugly, for it looks to
me as though you would rather hear anything than
that.
But observe what Socrates says to Alcibiades,
the most handsome and youthfully beautiful of men
1
What does he tell
"Try, then, to be beautiful.''
him? "Dress your locks and pluck the hairs out
:
God forbid! No, he says, <f Make
beautiful your moral purpose, eradicate your worthless
How treat your paltry body, then? As
opinions."
of your legs?"
nature is. This is the concern of Another; 2
What then ? Does the body have
leave it to Him.
God forbid! but the man that
to be left unclean?
you are and were born to be, keep that man clean,
a man to be clean as a man, a woman as a woman,
a child as a child. No, but let's pluck out also the
lion's mane, so that he may not fail to be ""cleaned
up/' and the cock's comb, for he too ought to be
"cleaned up"! 3 Clean? Yes, but clean as a
cock, and the other clean as a lion, and the hunting
dog clean as a hunting dog
its
!
CHAPTER II
The fields of study in which the man who expects to
make progress will have to go into training; and that
we neglect what is most important
THERE are three fields of study 4 in which the man
who is going to be good and excellent must first
have been trained. The first has to do with desires
and aversions, that he may never fail to get what he
the second
desires, nor fall into what he avoids
;
thought.
Compare Vol. I. p. xxi, and .the literature there
cited.
ai
page 32
ARRIAN'S DISCOURSES OF EPICTETUS
f
TO KadiJKOv, (va rdt~i,,
f
?, (va prj a/^eXft)?' rpiros early 6
jrepl
rrjv dv^arrarr^crLav /cal dveLfcaiortjra fcal 0X0)9 6
3 Trepi ra9 crvy/caradecreis.
rovrcov fcvp LOOT <XT09 /cal
pd\i<Tra eTrelycov ecnlv d Trepl ra TraQrf TrdOos
<yap aXXo>9 ov rylverai el fj/r) ope^eco^ dTrorvy^avov(rii$
r)
/Cfe\lcreQ)$ TrepiTnTrTOVcr?]?.
rapa%d<;, Bopvftovs, aTvylas,
o
ouro? earnv o
SucrTu^ta?
eiri-
<j>po)v, 6 Trevdr), olfAoyyds, fyOovovs, o $6ovepov$?- o
4
C
OuS*
d/COVCTCM,
\6jOV
fyrj\QTV7rQV<5
TTOl&V,
vvdfJL0a.
ov Bel jdp
Seure/?o? earn* 6 irepl TO Ka,Qr\Kov*
fie elvai dTradij co9 dvSpidvra, d
<s)V
ra? ao~e^9 Tyovvra rd<; (vo-L/cas /cal
w9
5
Tpro9 ecrrlv
j8aXXo)j/,
Iva fjurjo*
0ova~a
6
6
77877
ro?9 Trpo/coTrrovo-iv ein-
o Trepl rrjv avratv rovr&v dcrfydXeiav.
ev VTTVOIS \d9rj 7^9 dve^eracrros 7rap\-
<j>avr acrla
firjS'
ev olvobaei yu-^Se
Ol Se vvv (f>(,\6cro<j)Ot, d<f>vre<> rov Trpcorov rorrov
fca\
rov Sevrepov Kara^/Lvovrai Trepl rov rpirov
T 2 r) pcorTJcr 6 ai
Trepawovras,
]
r
2
(" fears") conjectured by Reiske, very plausibly.
rep added by Oldfather after the similar correction by 5 in
I. 7, 1 (where
the fact that T$ is due to 5 should have been
recorded).
1
A briefer definition is given in I. 27, 10.
a
See critical note.
a
The expression is not logical,
22
for
the field of study
page 33
BOOK III.
ii.
2-6
with cases of choice and of refusal, and., in general,
with duty, that he may act in an orderly fashion, upon
good reasons, and not carelessly the third with the
avoidance of error and rashness in judgement, and, in
general, about cases of assent.
Among these the
;
most important and especially pressing is that which
has to do with the stronger emotions for a strong
emotion does not arise except a desire fails to
attain its object, or an aversion falls into what
it would avoid. 1
This is the field of study which
;
introduces to us
confusions,
tumults, misfortunes
and calamities and sorrows, lamentations, envies 2
and makes 3 us envious and jealous passions which
;
;
make it impossible for us even to listen to reason.
The second field of study deals with duty for I
;
ought not to be unfeeling like a statue, but should
maintain my relations, both natural and acquired, as
a religious man, as a son, a brother, a father, a
citizen.
The third belongs only to those who are already
making progress it has to do with the element of
certainty in the matters which have just been men;
tioned, so that even in dreams, or drunkenness, or a
state of melancholy-madness, a man may not be
taken unawares by the appearance of an untested
This, says someone, is beyond
sense-impression.
us.
But philosophers nowadays pass by the first and
second fields of study, and concentrate upon the
third, upon arguments which involve equivocal
premisses, which derive syllogisms by the process of
interrogation, which involve hypothetical premisses,
obviously can do nothing of the kind, but
probably not in the MS. tradition.
* See I,
7, 1, and note for these first three.
the fault
4
is
23