All the Works of Epictetus, Which Are Now Extant/Book 1/Chapter 6
CHAPTER VI.
Of Providence.
§. 1.From every Event that happens in the World, it is easy to celebrate Providence, if a Person hath but these two Circumstances in himself; a Faculty of considering what happens to each Individual, and a grateful Temper. Without the first, he will not perceive the Usefulness of Things which happen: and without the other, he will not be thankful for them. If God had made Colours, and had not made the Faculty of seeing them, what would have been their Use?
None.
On the contrary, if he had made the Faculty, without such Objects as fall under its Observation, what would have been the Use of that?
None.
Again: If he had formed both the Faculty and the Objects, but had not made Light?
Neither in that Case would they have been of any Use.
§. 2. Who is it then that hath fitted each of these to the other? Who is it that hath fitted the Sword to the Scabbard, and the Scabbard to the Sword? Is it no one? From the very Construction of a complete Work, we are used to declare positively, that it must be the Operation of some Artificer, and not the Effect of mere Chance. Doth every such Work, then, demonstrate an Artificer; and do not visible Objects, and the Sense of Seeing, and Light, demonstrate one? Doth not the Difference of the Sexes, and their Inclination to each other, and the Use of their several Powers; do not these Things, neither, demonstrate an Artificer?
Most certainly they do.
§. 3. But farther: This Constitution of Understanding, by which we are not simply impressed by sensible Objects; but take and substract from them; and add and compose something out of them; and pass from some to others absolutely remote[1]: Is not all this, neither, sufficient to prevail on some Men, and make them ashamed of leaving an Artificer out of their Scheme? If not, let them explain to us what it is that effects each of these; and how it is possible that Things so wonderful, and which carry such Marks of Contrivance, should come to pass spontaneously, and without Design.
What, then, do these Things come to pass for our Service only?
Many for ours only; such as are peculiarly necessary for a reasonable Creature: but you will find many, common to us with mere Animals,
Then, do they too understand what is done?
Not at all: For Use is one Affair, and Understanding another. But God had Need of Animals, to make use of the Appearances of Things[2]; and of Us to understand that Use. It is sufficient, therefore, for them to eat, and drink, and sleep, and continue their Species, and perform other such Offices as belong to each of them: but to us, to whom he hath given likewise a Faculty of Understanding, these Offices are not sufficient. For if we do not act in a proper and orderly Manner, and suitably to the Nature and Conftitution of each Thing; we shall no longer attain our End. For where the Constitution of Beings is different, their Offices and Ends are different likewise. Thus where the Constitution is adapted only to Use, there Use is alone sufficient: But where understanding is added to Use, unless that too be duely exercised, the End of such a Being will never be attained.
§. 4. Well then: each of the Animals is constituted either for Food, or Husbandry, or to produce Milk; and the rest of them for some other like Use: and for these Purposes what need is there of understanding the Appearances of Things, and being able to make Distinctions concerning them? But God hath introduced Man, as a Spectator of Himself, and his Works; and not only as a Spectator, but an Interpreter of them. It is therefore shameful that Man should begin, and end, where irrational Creatures do. He is indeed rather to begin there, but to end where Nature itself hath fixt our End; and that is in Contemplation, and Understanding, and in a Scheme of Life conformable to Nature.
§. 5. Take care, then, not to die without Spectators of these Things. You take a Journey to Olympia to behold the Work[3] of Phidias, and each of you thinks it a Misfortune to die without a Knowledge of such Things: and will you have no Inclination to understand, and be Spectators of those Works, for which there is no need to take a Journey; but which are ready and at hand, even to those who bestow no Pains[4]! Will you never perceive, then, either what you are, or for what you were born; nor for what Purpose you are admitted Spectators of this Sight?
But there are some Things unpleasant and difficult, in Life.
And are there none at Olympia? Are not you heated? Are not you crouded? Are not you without good Conveniencies for bathing[5]? Are not you wet through, when it happens to rain? Do not you bear Uproar, and Noise, and other disagreeable Circumstances? But I suppose, by comparing all these with the Advantage of seeing so valuable a Sight, you support and go through them. Well: and [in the present Case] have not you received Faculties by which you may support every Event? Have not you received Greatness of Soul? Have not you received a manly Spirit? Have not you received Patience? What signifies to me any thing that happens, while I have a Greatness of Soul? What shall disconcert or trouble or appear grievous to me? Shall I not make use of my Faculties, to that Purpose for which they were granted me; but lament and groan at what happens?
§. 6. Oh, but my Nose[6] runs.
And what have you Hands for, Beast, but to wipe it?
But was there then any good Reason, that there should be such a dirty Thing in the World?
And how much better is it that you should wipe your Nose, than complain? Pray, what Figure do you think Hercules would have made, if there had not been such a Lion, and a Hydra, and a Stag, and unjust and brutal Men; whom he expelled and cleared away? And what would he have done, if none of these had existed? Is it not plain, that he must have wrapt himself up and slept? In the first place, then, he would never have become a Hercules, by slumbering away his whole Life in such Delicacy and Ease: or if he had, what Good would it have done? What would have been the Use of his Arm, and the rest of his Strength; of his Patience, and Greatness of Mind; if such Circumstances and Subjects of Action had not roused and exercised him?
What then, must we provide these Things for ourselves; and introduce a Boar, and a Lion, and a Hydra, into our Country?
This would be Madness and Folly. But as they were in being, and to be met with, they were proper Subjects to set off and exercise Hercules. Do you therefore likewise, being sensible of this, inspect the Faculties you have: and after taking a View of them, say, "Bring on me now, O Jupiter, what Difficulty thou wilt, for I have Faculties granted me by Thee, and Abilities by which I may acquire Honour and Ornament to myself."No: but you sit trembling, for fear this or that should happen: and lamenting, and mourning, and groaning at what doth happen; and then you accuse the Gods. For what is the Consequence of such a Meanspiritedness, but Impiety? And yet God hath not only granted us these Faculties, by which we may bear every Event, without being depressed or broken by it; but, like a good Prince, and a true Father, hath rendered them incapable of Restraint, Compulsion, or Hindrance, and intirely dependent on our own Pleasure: nor hath he reserved a Power, even to himself, of hindering or restraining them. Having these Things free, and your own, will you make no Use of them, nor consider what you have received, nor from whom? But sit groaning and lamenting, some of you, blind to him who gave them, and not acknowledging your Benefactor; and others, basely turning yourselves to Complaints and Accusations of God? Yet I undertake to show you, that you have Qualifications and Occasions for Greatness of Soul, and a manly Spirit: but what Occasions you have to find Fault, and complain, do you show me.
Footnotes
[edit]- ↑ The Translation follows ουδαμως in Mr. Upton's Addenda.
- ↑ See Introduction, §. 7.
- ↑ The famous Statue of Jupiter Olympius.
- ↑ The Translation follows a conjectural Emendation of Mr. Upton's on this Passage.
- ↑ It was one Part of the Elegance of those Times, to bathe every Day.
- ↑ Epictetus probably introduces this ridiculous Complaint, in order to intimate, that others commonly made are little less so. See M. Antoninus, 1. viii. §. 50. of Gataker's Edition and the Glasgow Translation.