Plain
Epictetus — The Slave

Everything has two handles: one that lets you carry it, and one that doesn't. If your brother does something wrong, don't grab onto his wrongdoing — that handle won't work. Instead, grab onto the fact that he's your brother and that you grew up together. That's the handle that lets you deal with it.

The Enchiridion, Section 43 59 of 70
Human Nature Facing Hardship
Epictetus — The Slave Original

Everything has two handles: one by which it may be borne, another by which it cannot. If your brother acts unjustly, do not lay hold on the affair by the handle of his injustice, for by that it cannot be borne, but rather by the opposite—that he is your brother, that he was brought up with you; and thus you will lay hold on it as it is to be borne.

The Enchiridion, Section 43 59 of 70
Epictetus — The Slave

When someone hurts you or insults you, remember this: they're acting on what they believe is right. They can't follow what seems right to you — only what seems right to them. So if they're judging based on false beliefs, they're the ones getting hurt, not you. They're the ones being deceived. Think of it this way: if someone believes a true statement is false, the statement isn't damaged — only the person is confused. Keep this in mind, and you'll handle insults calmly. You'll just think, "That's how it seemed to them."

The Enchiridion, Section 42 58 of 70
Calm Your Mind Human Nature
Epictetus — The Slave Original

When any person does ill by you, or speaks ill of you, remember that he acts or speaks from an impression that it is right for him to do so. Now it is not possible that he should follow what appears right to you, but only what appears so to himself. Therefore, if he judges from false appearances, he is the person hurt, since he, too, is the person deceived. For if anyone takes a true proposition to be false, the proposition is not hurt, but only the man is deceived. Setting out, then, from these principles, you will meekly bear with a person who reviles you, for you will say upon every occasion, “It seemed so to him.”

The Enchiridion, Section 42 58 of 70
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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