Plain
Epictetus — The Slave

Your question makes sense. But I'm worried about how I'll speak to him. Can't you speak to him however you want? But I'm afraid I'll get flustered. If you were going to write Dion's name, would you be afraid of getting flustered? Not at all. Why not? Because you've practiced writing that name, right? Exactly. And if you were going to read the name out loud, wouldn't you feel confident? Of course. Why? Because every skill gives you strength and confidence in what it covers. Haven't you practiced speaking? What else did you learn in school? Logic and tricky arguments? What for? To learn how to speak well, right? And speaking well means speaking at the right time, carefully, intelligently, without mistakes, without stumbling — and with confidence. Yes.

Discourses, On Anxiety (solicitude) 150 of 388
Calm Your Mind Knowing Yourself
Epictetus — The Slave Original

Your question is reasonable; but I am anxious how I shall speak to him. Cannot you then speak to him as you choose? But I fear that I may be disconcerted? If you are going to write the name of Dion, are you afraid that you would be disconcerted? By no means. Why? is it not because you have practised writing the name? Certainly. Well, if you were going to read the name, would you not feel the same? and why? Because every art has a certain strength and confidence in the things which belong to it. Have you then not practised speaking? and what else did you learn in the school? Syllogisms and sophistical propositions? For what purpose? was it not for the purpose of discoursing skilfully? and is not discoursing skilfully the same as discoursing seasonably and cautiously and with intelligence, and also without making mistakes and without hindrance, and besides all this with confidence? Yes.

Discourses, On Anxiety (solicitude) 150 of 388
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
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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