All the Works of Epictetus, Which Are Now Extant/Book 2/Chapter 24
CHAPTER XXIV.
Concerning a Person whom be treated with Disregard.
§. 1.When a certain Person said to him; "I have often come to you, with a Desire of hearing you; and you have never given me any Answer; but now, if possible, I intreat you to say something to me:" Do you think, replied Epictetus, that, as in other Things, so in Speaking, there is an Art, by which he, who understands it, speaks skilfully, and he, who doth not, unskilfully?
I do think so.
He then, who, by speaking, both benefits himself, and is able to benefit others, must speak, skilfully; but he who rather hurts, and is hurt, must be unskilful in this Art of speaking. For you may find some Speakers hurt, and others benefited. And are all Hearers benefited by what they hear? Or will you find some benefited, and some hurt[1]?
Both.
Then those who hear skilfully are benefited, and those who hear unskilfully, hurt.
Granted.
Is there an Art of Hearing, then, as well as of Speaking?
It seems so.
If you please, consider it thus too. To whom, do you think, the Practice of Music belongs?
To a Musician.
To whom the proper Formation of a Statue?
To a Statuary.
And do not you imagine some Art necessary, to view a Statue skilfully?
I do.
If, therefore, to speak properly belongs to one who is skilful, do not you see, that to hear with Benefit belongs likewise to one who is skilful? For the present, however, if you please, let us say no more of doing Things perfectly, and with Benefit, since we are both far enough, from any thing of that Kind: but this seems to be universally confessed, that he, who would hear Philosophers, needs some Kind of Exercise in Hearing. Is it not so? Tell me then, on what I shall speak to you? On what Subject are you able to hear me[2]?
On Good and Evil.
The Good and Evil of what? Of a Horse?
No.
Of an Ox.
No.
What then, of a Man?
Yes.
Do we know, then, what Man is? What is his Nature; what our Idea of him is; and how far our Ears are open in respect to this Matter[3]. Nay, do you understand what Nature is; or are you able, and in what Degree, to comprehend me, when I come to say; "But I must use Demonstration to you?" "How should you? Do you comprehend what Demonstration is; or, how a Thing is demonstrated; or by what Methods; or, what resembles a Demonstration, and yet is not a Demonstration? Do you know what True, or False is? What is consequent to a Thing, and what contradictory? Or unsuitable, or dissonant? But I must excite you to Philosophy. How shall I show you that Contradiction, among the Generality of Mankind, by which they differ, concerning Good and Evil, Profitable and Unprofitable, when you know not what Contradiction means? Show me then, what I shall gain, by discoursing with you? Excite an Inclination in me, as a proper Pasture excites an Inclination to eating, in a Sheep: for if you offer him a Stone, or a Piece of Bread, he will not be excited. Thus we too have certain natural Inclinations to speaking, when the Hearer appears to be somebody; when he gives us Encouragement: but if he sits by, like a Stone, or a Tuft of Grass, how can he excite any Desire in a Man? Doth a Vine say to an Husbandman, "Take care of me?" No: but invites him to take care of it, by showing him, that, if he doth, it will reward him for his Care. Who is there, whom engaging sprightly Children do not invite to play, and creep, and prattle, with them? But who was ever taken with an Inclination to divert himself, or bray, with an Ass? for, be the Creature ever so little, it is still a little Ass.
§. 2. Why do you say nothing to me, then?
I have only this to say to you: That, whoever is ignorant what he is, and wherefore he was born, and in what kind of a World, and in what Society; what Things are good, and what evil; what fair, and what base: who understands neither Discourse, nor Demonstration; nor what is true, nor what is false; nor is able to disginguish between them: such a one will neither exert his Desires, nor Aversions, nor Pursuits, conformably to Nature: he will neither intend, nor assent, nor deny, nor suspend, his Judgment, conformably to Nature: but will wander up and down, intirely deaf and blind, supposing himself to be somebody[4]; while he is in reality, nobody. Is there any thing new, in all this? Is not this Ignorance the Cause of all the Errors that have happened, from the very Original of Mankind? Why did Agamemnon and Achilles differ? Was it not for want of knowing what is advantageous, what disadvantageous? Doth not one of them say, It is advantageous to restore Chryseis to her Father; the other, That it is not? Doth not one say, That he ought to take away the Prize of the other; the other, that he ought not? Did they not, by these means, forget who they were, and for what Purpose they had come there? Why, what did you come for, Man: to gain a Mistress, or to fight?"To fight."With whom? With the Trojans, or Greeks?"With the Trojans."Leaving Hector, then, do you draw your Sword upon your own King? And do you, good Sir, forgetting the Duties of a King,
Intrusted with a Nation, and its Cares,
go to squabbling, about a Girl, with the bravest of your Allies; whom you ought, by every Method, to conciliate and preserve? And will you be inferior to a subtle Priest, who pays his Court, with the utmost Care, to you fine Gladiators?You see the Effects, which Ignorance of what is advantageous, produces."But I am rich [you may say], as well as other People."What, richer than Agamemnon?"But I am handsome too."What, handsomer than Achilles?"But I have fine Hair too."Had not Achilles finer and brighter? Yet he neither combed it nicely, nor curled it."But I am strong too."Can you lift such a Stone then, as Hector, or Ajax?"But I am of a noble Family too."Is your Mother a Goddess, or your Father descended from Jupiter? And what Good did all this do Achilles, when he sat crying for a Girl?"But I am an Orator."And was not he? Do not you see how he treated the most eloquent of the Greeks, Phœnix and Ulysses? How he struck them dumb? This is all I have to say to you; and even this, against my Inclination.
Why so?
Because you have given me no Encouragement. For what can I see in you, to encourage me, as spirited Horses do their Riders? Your Person? That you disfigure. Your Dress? That is effeminate. Your Behaviour? Your Look? Absolutely nothing. When you would hear a Philosopher, do not say to him, "You tell me nothing;" but only show yourself worthy, or fit, to hear; and you will find, how you will move him to speak.
Footnotes
[edit]- ↑ 2 Cor. ii. 16.
- ↑ See John viii. 43.
- ↑ Κατα ποσον, περι του, should be κατα ποσον περι τουτου. here is no Need of altering τα ωτα τετρημενα. Opening the ear, is a Phrase of Scripture. Job xxxiii. 16. xxxvi. 10. Is. xlii. 20. Mark vii. 34, 35. And even digging open the Ear. Ps. xl. 6. in the Hebrew.
- ↑ Δοκων μεν τις ειναι, ων δ' ουδεις, is very near to δοκει ειναι τι, μηδεν ων, Gal. vi. 3. There is a similar Expression of Plato, at the End of the Apology of Socrates.