All the Works of Epictetus, Which Are Now Extant/Book 1/Chapter 23
CHAPTER XXIII.
Against Epicurus.
§. 1.Even Epicurus is sensible, that we are by Nature sociable: but having once placed our Good in the mere Shell, he can say nothing afterwards different from that. For, again, he strenuously maintains, that we ought not to admire, or receive, any thing separated from the Nature of Good. And he is in the right to maintain it. But how, then, came[1] any such Suspicions [as your Doctrines imply, to arise], if we have no natural Affection towards an Offspring? Why do you, Epicurus, dissuade a wise Man from bringing up Children? Why are you afraid, that, upon their Account, he may fall into Uneasinesses? Doth he fall into any for a Mouse, that feeds within his House? What is it to him, if a little Mouse bewails itself there? But Epicurus knew, that, if once a Child is born, it is no longer in our Power not to love and be solicitous for it. For the same Reason, he says, a wise man will not engage himself in public Business for he knew very well, what such an Engagement would oblige him to do: For what should restrain any one from Affairs, if we may behave among Men, as we would among a Swarm of Flies
§. 2. And doth He, who knows all this, dare to bid us not bring up Children? Not even a Sheep, or a Wolf, deserts its Offspring; and shall Man? What would you have? That we should be as silly as Sheep? Yet even these do not desert their Offspring. Or as savage as Wolves? Neither do these desert them. Pray, who would mind you, if he saw his Child fallen upon the Ground, and crying? For my part, I am of Opinion, that your Father and Mother, even if they could have foreseen, that you would have been the Author of such Doctrines, would not, however, have thrown you away.
Footnotes
[edit]- ↑ This Passage is obscure; and variously read, and explained by the Commentators. It is here translated conjecturally.