Someone said to Epictetus: "I've come to hear you speak many times, but you never answered me. Now, if possible, please say something to me." Epictetus replied: "Do you think there's skill involved in speaking, just like there's skill in other arts? That someone with skill speaks well, and someone without skill speaks poorly?" The person said yes. "Then someone who benefits himself and others when he speaks — he speaks skillfully. But someone who harms himself and others when he speaks — isn't he unskilled at speaking? You'll find that some people are harmed by speaking, and others are helped by it."
TO (OR AGAINST) A PERSON WHO WAS ONE OF THOSE WHO WERE NOT VALUED (ESTEEMED) BY HIM.—A certain person said to him (Epictetus): Frequently I desired to hear you and came to you, and you never gave me any answer; and now, if it is possible, I entreat you to say something to me. Do you think, said Epictetus, that as there is an art in anything else, so there is also an art in speaking, and that he who has the art, will speak skilfully, and he who has not, will speak unskilfully?—I do think so.—He then who by speaking receives benefit himself, and is able to benefit others, will speak skilfully; but he who is rather damaged by speaking and does damage to others, will he be unskilled in this art of speaking? And you may find that some are damaged and others benefited by speaking.