Epictetus on Stoa
Selected and edited by M. Divjak
Contents
Reason first and foremost
Things within and outside our control
Things do not disturb us
People cannot hurt you
It has been returned
How to win freedom
Ship in a harbor
Life as a banquet
Don't allow them to pull you down
Safeguard your mind
Prepare beforehand
On getting rich and powerful
Celebrities are not necessarily happy
Everything has a true price
Don't babble
Let your deeds speak
Live in harmony with nature
Comport yourself with dignity
On spiritual progress
Start living your ideals
Reason first and foremost
The life of wisdom is the life of reason.
The virtuous life depends on reason first and foremost. If you
safeguard your reason, it will safeguard you.
People who subordinate reason to their feelings of the moment
are actually slaves of their desires and aversions.
What is a good person? The one who achieves tranquility by
having formed the habit of asking on every occasion, "What is
the right thing to do now?"
Things within and outside our control
Happiness and freedom begin with a clear understanding of one
principle. Some things are within our control, and some things
are not ... Within our control are our own opinions,
aspirations, desires, and the things repel us ... Outside our
control, however, are such things as what kind of body we have,
whether we're born into wealth or strike it rich, how we are
regarded by others, and our status in societry.
Things do not disturb us
When something happens, the only thing in our power is your
attitude toward it; you can either accept it or resent it ... It
is not things that disturb us, but our interpretation of their
significance.
People cannot hurt you
Except for extreme physical abuse, other people cannot hurt
you unless you allow them to ... Don't consent to be hurt and
you won't be hurt - this is a choice over which you have
control.
It has been returned
Inner peace begins when we stop saying of things, "I have lost
it" and instead say, "It has been returned to where it came
from." Have your children died? They are returned to where they
came from ... The important thing is to take great care with
what you have while the world lets you have it, just as a
traveller takes care of a room at the inn.
How to win freedom
Freedom is the only worthy goal in life. It is won by
disregarding things that lie beyond our control ...
If it's freedom you seek, then will nothing and shun nothing
that depends on others, or you will always be a helpless slave.
Ship in a harbor
There is time and place for diversion and amusement, but you
should never allow them to override your true purposes. If you
were on a voyage and the ship anchored in a harbor, you might
go ashore for water and happen to pick up a shellfish or a
plant. But be careful: listen for the call of the captain. Keep
your attention directed at the ship. Getting distracted by
triffles is the easiest thing in the world. Should the captain
call, you must be ready to leave those distrations and come
running, without even looking back.
Life as a banquet
Think of your life as if it were a banquet where you would
behave graciously. When dishes are passed to you, extend your
hand and help yourself to a moderate portion. If a dish should
pass you by, enjoy what is already on your plate. Or if the
dish hasn't been passed to you yet, patiently wait your time.
Don't allow them to pull you down
If you find yourself in conversation with someone who is
depressed, hurt, or frustrated, show them kindness and give
them a sympathetic ear; just don't allow yourself to be pulled
down too.
Many people who have progressively lowered their personal
standards in an attempt to win social acceptance and life's
comforts bitterly resent those of philosophical bent who refuse
to compromise their spiritual ideals and who seek to better
themselves. Never live your life in reaction to these
diminished souls. Be compassionate toward them, and at the same
time hold to what you know is good.
Why then do you feel no shame in giving your precious mind over
to any person who might wish to influence you? Think twice
before you give up your own mind to someone who may revile you,
living you confused and upset.
Safeguard your mind
Your life is too short and you have important things to do. Be
discriminate about what images and ideas you permit into your
mind.
Be careful whom you associate with. It is human to imitate the
habits of those with whom we interact. We inadvertently adopt
their interests, their opinions, their values, and their habit
of interpreting events.
Just because some people are nice to you doesn't mean you
should spend time with them. Just because they seek you out and
are interested in you or your affairs doesn't mean you should
associate with them. Be selective about whom you take on as
friends, colleagues, and neighbors. All of these people can
affect your destiny.
Prepare beforehand
There is a place for prudent planning and for making provision
for situations to come. Proper preparation for the future
consists of forming good personal habits. This is done by
actively pursuing the good in all the particulars of your daily
life and by regularly examining your motives to make sure they
are free of the chackles of fear, greed, and laziness ...
Cultivate the habit of surveying and testing a prospective
action before undertaking it.
If some pleasure is promised to you and it seductively calls to
you, step back and give yourself some time before mindlessly
jumping at it ... If, in calmly considering the pleasure, you
realize that if you indulge in it you will regret it, abstain
and rejoice in your forbearance.
Instead of averting your eyes from the painful events of life,
look at them squarely and contemplate them often.
On getting rich and powerful
If I can get rich and powerful while preserving my own honor,
faithfulness to family, friends, principles, and self-respect,
show me how and I'll do it. But if I have to sacrifice my
personal integrity, it's stupid and silly to urge me on.
Celebrities are not necessarily happy
Don't make the mistake of assuming that celebrities, public
figures, political leaders, and wealthy, or people with great
intellectual or artistic gifts are necessarily happy. To do so
is to be bewildered by appearances ...
Everything has a true price
You will never earn the same rewards as others without
employing the same methods and investment of time as they do.
It is unreasonable to think we can earn rewards without being
willing to pay the true price.
Don't babble
So many people feel compelled to give voice to any passing
feeling, thought, or impression they have. They randomly dump
the contents of their minds without regard to the consequences.
This is practically and morally dangerous. If we babble about
every idea that occurs to us - big and small - we can easily
fritter away in the trivial currents of mindless talk ideas
that have true merit ... When we blather about trivial things,
we ourselves become trivial.
Let your deeds speak
Only the morally week feel compelled to defend or explain
themselves to others. Let the quality of your deeds speak on
your behalf.
Live in harmony with nature
Respect your body's needs. Give your body excellent care to
promote its health and well-being. Give it everything it
absolutely requires, including healthy food and drink,
dignified clothing, and a warm and comfortable home.
Your possessions should be proportionate to the needs of your
body, just as the shoe should fit the foot.
When you carry out your tasks, such as taking your bath, do so
- to the best of your ability - in harmony with nature. When
you eat, do so - to the best of your ability - in harmony
with nature, and so on.
Comport yourself with dignity
No matter where you find yourself, comport yourself as if you
were a distinguished person ... If you find yourself in a public
event, remain rooted in your own purposes and ideals.
On spiritual progress
As you think, so you become.
First, say to yourself what you would be; then do what you have
to do.
Know first who you are and what yoüre capable of. Just as
nothing great is created instantly, the same goes for
perfecting of our talents and aptitudes ... Still, don't kid
yourself: If you try to be something or someone you are not,
you belittle your true self and end up not developing in those
areas that you would have excelled at quite naturally.
It is one thing to wish to be a champion or to do something
skilfully; it is another to actually do it and to do it with
consummate skill. Different people are made for different
things.
Spiritual progress requires us to highlight what is essential
and to disregard everything else as trivial pursuits unworthy
of our attention ... Refrain from trying to win other people's
approval and admiration. You are taking a higher road.
One of the best ways to elevate your character immediately is
to find a worthy role models to emulate.
Start living your ideals
There is a big difference between saying valuable things and
doing valuable things.
Grow up! Who cares what other people think about you! Create
your own merit ... You have been given your own work to do. Get
to it right now, do your best at it, and don't be concerned
with who is watching you.
Now is the time to get serious about living your ideals ... How
long can you afford to put off who you really want to be? Your
nobler self cannot wait any longer. Put your principles into
practice - now. Stop the excuses and the procrastination. This
is your life! You aren't a child anymore. The sooner you set
yourself to your spiritual program, the happier you will be.
The longer you wait, the more you will be vulnerable to the
mediocrity and feel filled with shame and regret, because you
know you are capable of better. From this instant on, vow to
stop disappointing yourself. Separate yourself from the mob.
Decide to be extraordinary and do what you need to do - now.