Discourses, To the Administrator of the Free Cities Who Was an Epicurean

Epictetus — The Slave

So with people, we shouldn't value the material stuff — the weak flesh. We should value what leads and guides us. What are those things? Taking part in public life, getting married, having children, honoring God, caring for parents. And in general: wanting things, avoiding things, pursuing things, and staying away from things — but doing all of this the right way, according to our nature. And how are we built by nature? Free, noble, and decent. What other animal feels shame? What other creature can even understand the idea of shame? Nature built us to put pleasure beneath these higher things. Pleasure should serve them like a minister or servant. It should motivate us to act. It should keep us steady in doing what fits our nature.

Epictetus — The Slave Original

So also in man we ought not to value the material, the poor flesh, but the principal (leading things, [Greek: ta proaegoumena]). What are these? Engaging in public business, marrying, begetting children, venerating God, taking care of parents, and generally, having desires, aversions ([Greek: echchlinein]), pursuits of things and avoidances, in the way in which we ought to do these things, and according to our nature. And how are we constituted by nature? Free, noble, modest; for what other animal blushes? what other is capable of receiving the appearance (the impression) of shame? and we are so constituted by nature as to subject pleasure to these things, as a minister, a servant, in order that it may call forth our activity, in order that it may keep us constant in acts which are conformable to nature.