Plain
Epictetus — The Slave

You must not chase anything else — not your body, your possessions, political office, your reputation, or anything like that. God doesn't allow you to chase these things. If he wanted them to be good for you, he would have made them good for you. But he hasn't. So you can't disobey his commands. Protect what is truly your own good in everything. As for everything else, only deal with them as much as you're allowed to, and only in ways that make sense. Be content with just that. If you don't do this, you'll be miserable. You'll fail at everything. You'll be blocked and frustrated at every turn. These are the laws that come from above. These are your orders. You should explain these laws to others and follow them yourself — not the laws of legal experts like Masurius and Cassius.

Discourses, What Things We Should Exchange for Other Things 329 of 388
Freedom & Control Doing The Right Thing
Epictetus — The Slave Original

But I must not claim (seek) anything else, neither body nor possession, nor magistracy, nor good report, nor in fact anything. For he (God) does not allow me to claim (seek) them, for if he had chosen, he would have made them good for me; but he has not done so, and for this reason I cannot transgress his commands. Preserve that which is your own good in everything; and as to every other thing, as it is permitted, and so far as to behave consistently with reason in respect to them, content with this only. If you do not, you will be unfortunate, you will fail in all things, you will be hindered, you will be impeded. These are the laws which have been sent from thence (from God); these are the orders. Of these laws a man ought to be an expositor, to these he ought to submit, not to those of Masurius and Cassius.

Discourses, What Things We Should Exchange for Other Things 329 of 388
Epictetus — The Slave

Pay attention to how things appear to you. Watch over your thoughts carefully. What you're trying to protect is no small thing. You're protecting your self-respect, your reliability, your steady character, your freedom from strong emotions, your peace of mind, your fearlessness, your calm — in short, your liberty. What would you sell these for? Look at what you'd get in return. 'But won't I get anything for giving these up?' Look and see. If you do get something back, see what you're actually receiving instead. I have my dignity, he has a government position. He has a high office, I have my self-respect. But I don't cheer when it's wrong to cheer. I won't stand when I shouldn't stand. I am free and a friend of God, so I obey him willingly.

Discourses, What Things We Should Exchange for Other Things 328 of 388
Freedom & Control Knowing Yourself What Matters Most
Epictetus — The Slave Original

Attend therefore to the appearances of things, and watch over them; for that which you have to preserve is no small matter, but it is modesty and fidelity and constancy, freedom from the affects, a state of mind undisturbed, freedom from fear, tranquillity, in a word liberty. For what will you sell these things? See what is the value of the things which you will obtain in exchange for these.—But shall I not obtain any such thing for it?—See, and if you do in return get that, see what you receive in place of it. I possess decency, he possesses a tribuneship: he possesses a prætorship, I possess modesty. But I do not make acclamations where it is not becoming: I will not stand up where I ought not; for I am free, and a friend of God. and so I obey him willingly.

Discourses, What Things We Should Exchange for Other Things 328 of 388
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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