Discourses, That We Ought not to Be Moved by a Desire of Those Things Which Are not in Our Power

Epictetus — The Slave

Don't you know that over a long life, many different things must happen? Fever will kill one person. A thief will kill another. A tyrant will kill a third. This is how the world works. This is what we live with. Cold weather and hot weather. Bad living conditions. Long trips on land and dangerous voyages at sea. Storms. All the circumstances around us — they destroy one person, exile another, send one on a diplomatic mission and another to war. So will you sit there trembling at all of this? Will you spend your time mourning and miserable and calling yourself unlucky? Will you depend on others for your peace of mind — not just one or two people, but thousands upon thousands?

Epictetus — The Slave Original

Know you not that in the course of a long time many and various kinds of things must happen; that a fever shall overpower one, a robber another, and a third a tyrant? Such is the condition of things around us, such are those who live with us in the world; cold and heat, and unsuitable ways of living, and journeys by land, and voyages by sea, and winds, and various circumstances which surround us, destroy one man, and banish another, and throw one upon an embassy and another into an army. Sit down then in a flutter at all these things, lamenting, unhappy, unfortunate, dependent on another, and dependent not on one or two, but on ten thousands upon ten thousands.

Epictetus — The Slave

Someone arrives from Rome. You think, "I hope nothing bad happened." But what harm could happen to you when you're not even there? Someone comes from Greece. "I hope there's no bad news." This way, every place on earth becomes a source of worry for you. Isn't it enough to deal with problems where you actually are? Do you need to suffer over distant places too, all because of what some letter might say? Is this what you call living securely? Now suppose your friends have died in faraway places. What happened to them except the normal human condition? How can you want to live to old age and also never see anyone you love die?

Epictetus — The Slave Original

Some person has arrived from Rome. I only hope there is no harm. But what harm can happen to you, where you are not? From Hellas (Greece) some one is come; I hope that there is no harm. In this way every place may be the cause of misfortune to you. Is it not enough for you to be unfortunate there where you are, and must you be so even beyond sea, and by the report of letters? Is this the way in which your affairs are in a state of security? Well then suppose that my friends have died in the places which are far from me. What else have they suffered than that which is the condition of mortals? Or how are you desirous at the same time to live to old age, and at the same time not to see the death of any person whom you love?