Plain
Epictetus — The Slave

When you chase after what isn't yours, you lose what is yours. Zeus has already given you these clear instructions and impulses. So what more do you need from me? Am I stronger than Zeus? Am I more trustworthy than he is? If you follow his guidance, do you really need anything else? "But he hasn't given me clear orders," you'll say. Then look at your natural concepts. Look at the philosophical proofs you know. Think about what you've heard many times, what you've said yourself, what you've read, what you've thought deeply about. When you do this, you'll see that all these insights come from God.

Discourses, On the Same 63 of 388
Freedom & Control Knowing Yourself
Epictetus — The Slave Original

When you seek what is not your own, you lose that which is your own. Having such promptings and commands from Zeus, what kind do you still ask from me? Am I more powerful than he, am I more worthy of confidence? But if you observe these, do you want any others besides? "Well, but he has not given these orders," you will say. Produce your præcognitions ([Greek: prolaepseis]), produce these proofs of philosophers, produce what you have often heard, and produce what you have said yourself, produce what you have read, produce what you have meditated on; and you will then see that all these things are from God.

Discourses, On the Same 63 of 388
Epictetus — The Slave

But give me directions. Why should I give you directions? Hasn't Zeus already given you directions? Hasn't he given you what is truly yours — free from interference and obstacles — and made what isn't yours subject to interference and obstacles? What directions, what orders did you bring with you when you came from him? Keep what is yours by all means. Don't desire what belongs to others. Your integrity is yours. Your sense of honor is yours. Who can take these things from you? Who else but you can stop yourself from using them? But how do you actually behave?

Discourses, On the Same 62 of 388
Freedom & Control Knowing Yourself
Epictetus — The Slave Original

But give me directions. Why should I give you directions? Has not Zeus given you directions? Has he not given to you what is your own free from hindrance and free from impediment, and what is not your own subject to hindrance and impediment? What directions then, what kind of orders did you bring when you came from him? Keep by every means what is your own; do not desire what belongs to others. Fidelity (integrity) is your own, virtuous shame is your own; who then can take these things from you? who else than yourself will hinder you from using them? But how do you act?

Discourses, On the Same 62 of 388
‹ Previous Next ›

Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

About · Support