Discourses, That We Ought not to Be Angry with Men; and What Are the Small and the Great Things Among Men

Epictetus — The Slave

But what do you mean by such great things? Wars and civil unrest, and the destruction of many men and cities. And what great matter is this? Is it nothing? But what great matter is the death of many cattle and sheep, and many nests of swallows or storks being burned or destroyed? Are these things alike? Very much alike. Human bodies are destroyed, and the bodies of cattle and sheep. Human homes are burned, and stork nests. What is great or terrible about this? Or show me the difference between a man's house and a stork's nest, since both are dwellings. Except that humans build their little houses of wood and tiles and bricks, and storks build theirs of sticks and mud. Are a stork and a human alike? What do you say? In body they are very much alike.

Epictetus — The Slave Original

But what do you mean by such great things? Wars and civil commotions, and the destruction of many men and cities. And what great matter is this? Is it nothing? But what great matter is the death of many oxen, and many sheep, and many nests of swallows or storks being burnt or destroyed? Are these things then like those? Very like. Bodies of men are destroyed, and the bodies of oxen and sheep; the dwellings of men are burnt, and the nests of storks. What is there in this great or dreadful? Or show me what is the difference between a man's house and a stork's nest, as far as each is a dwelling; except that man builds his little houses of beams and tiles and bricks, and the stork builds them of sticks and mud. Are a stork and a man then like things? What say you? In body they are very much alike.