Discourses, In How Many Ways Appearances Exist, and What Aids We Should Provide Against Them

Epictetus — The Slave

Here's what causes all your mental disturbance: wanting something and then not getting it. So if I can change external things to match what I want, I change them. But if I can't, I'm ready to attack whoever gets in my way. Human nature refuses to lose what's good and refuses to fall into what's bad. Then finally, when I can neither change my situation nor attack the person blocking me, I sit down and complain. I curse whoever I can — Zeus and all the other gods. If they don't care about me, what good are they to me? "But you'll be godless." So what? How will that make things worse than they already are? Here's the bottom line: remember that unless being pious actually helps you, no one can stay pious. Don't these things seem obviously true?

Epictetus — The Slave Original

For the origin of perturbation is this, to wish for something, and that this should not happen. Therefore if I am able to change externals according to my wish, I change them; but if I cannot, I am ready to tear out the eyes of him who hinders me. For the nature of man is not to endure to be deprived of the good, and not to endure the falling into the evil. Then at last, when I am neither able to change circumstances nor to tear out the eyes of him who hinders me, I sit down and groan, and abuse whom I can, Zeus and the rest of the gods. For if they do not care for me, what are they to me? Yes, but you will be an impious man. In what respect, then, will it be worse for me than it is now? To sum up, remember that unless piety and your interest be in the same thing, piety cannot be maintained in any man. Do not these things seem necessary (true)?

Epictetus — The Slave

When death seems like something terrible, keep this rule ready: you should avoid terrible things, but death is unavoidable. So what can I do? Where can I run from it? Let's say I'm not some hero like Sarpedon who can say noble things like: 'I'll go into battle. Either I'll be brave myself, or I'll give someone else the chance to be brave. If I can't do anything great myself, at least I won't stop others from doing something great.' But suppose we can't act like heroes. Can't we at least think like them? Tell me where I can escape death. Show me the country where death never visits. Show me the people who never die. Find me a magic spell against death. If there isn't one, what do you want me to do? I can't escape death. But I can escape the fear of death. Should I die crying and shaking instead?

Epictetus — The Slave Original

When death appears an evil, we ought to have this rule in readiness, that it is fit to avoid evil things, and that death is a necessary thing. For what shall I do, and where shall I escape it? Suppose that I am not Sarpedon, the son of Zeus, nor able to speak in this noble way. I will go and I am resolved either to behave bravely myself or to give to another the opportunity of doing so; if I cannot succeed in doing anything myself, I will not grudge another the doing of something noble. Suppose that it is above our power to act thus; is it not in our power to reason thus? Tell me where I can escape death; discover for me the country, show me the men to whom I must go, whom death does not visit. Discover to me a charm against death. If I have not one, what do you wish me to do? I cannot escape from death. Shall I not escape from the fear of death, but shall I die lamenting and trembling?