Plain
Epictetus — The Slave

Should I try to please you? Why? I suppose you know how one person judges another. Have you bothered to learn what makes someone good or bad? And how someone becomes one way or the other? Then why aren't you good yourself? "How am I not good?" he asks. Because no good person complains or groans or cries. No good person turns pale and shakes, or says "How will he treat me? How will he listen to me?" You fool, however it pleases him. Why do you care about what belongs to other people? Is it his fault if he receives poorly what comes from you? Of course. And can one person have the fault while another person suffers the harm? No. Then why are you worried about what belongs to other people?

Discourses, On Anxiety (solicitude) 149 of 388
Freedom & Control Knowing Yourself
Epictetus — The Slave Original

Should I try to please you? Why? I suppose, you know the measure by which one man is estimated by another. Have you taken pains to learn what is a good man and what is a bad man, and how a man becomes one or the other? Why then are you not good yourself? How, he replies, am I not good? Because no good man laments or groans or weeps, no good man is pale and trembles, or says, How will he receive me, how will he listen to me? Slave, just as it pleases him. Why do you care about what belongs to others? Is it now his fault if he receives badly what proceeds from you? Certainly. And is it possible that a fault should be one man's, and the evil in another? No. Why then are you anxious about that which belongs to others?

Discourses, On Anxiety (solicitude) 149 of 388
Epictetus — The Slave

This is why Zeno felt no anxiety when he went to meet King Antigonus. Antigonus had no power over anything Zeno truly valued. And Zeno didn't care about the things Antigonus could control. But Antigonus was anxious about meeting Zeno. He wanted to impress Zeno — but that was something outside his control. Zeno, however, didn't care about impressing Antigonus. When you're skilled at something, you don't worry about pleasing people who lack that skill.

Discourses, On Anxiety (solicitude) 148 of 388
Freedom & Control Calm Your Mind
Epictetus — The Slave Original

For this reason, when Zeno was going to meet Antigonus, he was not anxious, for Antigonus had no power over any of the things which Zeno admired; and Zeno did not care for those things over which Antigonus had power. But Antigonus was anxious when he was going to meet Zeno, for he wished to please Zeno; but this was a thing external (out of his power). But Zeno did not want to please Antigonus; for no man who is skilled in any art wishes to please one who has no such skill.

Discourses, On Anxiety (solicitude) 148 of 388
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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