Plain
Epictetus — The Slave

You value a doctor the same way you value a shoemaker measuring your foot or a carpenter building your house. So treat the doctor as someone working on your body — which isn't really yours anyway, but is naturally dying. Someone with a fever has a chance to practice this. If they handle it right, they're doing what's truly theirs to do. A philosopher's job isn't to fuss over externals — not wine, not oil, not this poor body — but to manage their own mind. How should they handle externals? Just don't be careless about them. So where's the reason for fear? Where's the reason for anger or worry about things that belong to others, about things that have no real value?

Discourses, In What Manner We Ought to Bear Sickness 241 of 388
Freedom & Control Facing Hardship
Epictetus — The Slave Original

Do you not value a physician, as you do a shoemaker when he is measuring your foot, or a carpenter when he is building your house, and so treat the physician as to the body which is not yours, but by nature dead? He who has a fever has an opportunity of doing this: if he does these things, he has what belongs to him. For it is not the business of a philosopher to look after these externals, neither his wine nor his oil nor his poor body, but his own ruling power. But as to externals how must he act? so far as not to be careless about them. Where then is there reason for fear? where is there then still reason for anger, and of fear about what belongs to others, about things which are of no value?

Discourses, In What Manner We Ought to Bear Sickness 241 of 388
Epictetus — The Slave

What does it mean to handle a fever well? Don't blame God or other people. Don't get upset about what's happening. Face the possibility of death with dignity. Do what needs to be done. When the doctor visits, don't panic at what he says. And if he says you're doing well, don't get too excited. What good news has he really given you? When you were healthy, what good was that to you anyway? And if he says you're in bad shape, don't lose hope. What does it mean to be sick? It means you're close to the separation of soul and body. What's harmful about that? If you're not close to it now, won't you be close to it later anyway? Is the world going to fall apart when you die? So why do you flatter the doctor? Why do you say 'Please, sir, tell me I'll be fine'? Why give him a chance to act important?

Discourses, In What Manner We Ought to Bear Sickness 240 of 388
Facing Hardship Death & Mortality
Epictetus — The Slave Original

What is it to bear a fever well? Not to blame God or man; not to be afflicted at that which happens, to expect death well and nobly, to do what must be done: when the physician comes in, not to be frightened at what he says; nor if he says you are doing well, to be overjoyed. For what good has he told you? and when you were in health, what good was that to you? And even if he says you are in a bad way, do not despond. For what is it to be ill? is it that you are near the severance of the soul and the body? what harm is there in this? If you are not near now, will you not afterwards be near? Is the world going to be turned upside down when you are dead? Why then do you flatter the physician? Why do you say if you please, master, I shall be well? Why do you give him an opportunity of raising his eyebrows (being proud; or showing his importance)?

Discourses, In What Manner We Ought to Bear Sickness 240 of 388
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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