All the Works of Epictetus, Which Are Now Extant/Book 3/Chapter 9
CHAPTER IX.
Concerning a certain Orator, who was going to Rome on a Law Suit.
§. 1.When a Person came to him, who was going to Rome, on a Law Suit, in which his Dignity was concerned; and, after telling him the Occasion of his Journey, asked him, what he thought of the Affair? If you ask me, says Epictetus, what will happen to you at Rome, and whether you shall gain, or lose your Cause, I have no Theorem for this. But if you ask me, how you shall fare; I can answer, If you have right Principles, well, if wrong ones, ill. For Principle is to every one, the Cause of Action. For what is the Reason, that you so earnestly desired to be voted Governor of the Gnossians? Principle. What is the Reason, that you are now going to Rome? Principle. And in Winter too; and with Danger, and Expence? Why: because it is necessary. What tells you so? Principle. If then, Principles are the Causes of all our Actions, where-ever any one hath bad Principles, the Effect will be answerable to the Cause. Well then: are all our Principles found? Are both yours, and your Antagonists? How then do you differ? Or are yours better than his? Why? You think so; and so doth he, that his are better; and so do Madmen. This is a bad Criterion. But show me, that you have made some Examination, and taken some Care of your Principles. As you now take a Voyage to Rome, for the Government of the Gnossians, and are not contented to stay at home, with the Honours you before enjoyed, but desire something greater, and more illustrious; did you ever take such a Voyage, in order to examine your own Principles; and to throw away the bad ones, if you happened to have any? Did you ever apply to any one, upon this Account? What Time did you ever let yourself? What Age? Run over your Years. If you are ashamed of me, do it to yourself. Did you examine your Principles, when you were a Child? Did you not then do every thing, just as you do every thing, now? When you were a Youth, and frequented the Schools of the Orators, and made Declamations yourself, did you ever imagine, that you were deficient in any thing? And when you became a Man, and entered upon public Business, pleaded Causes, and acquired Credit, who, any longer, appeared to be equal to you? How would you have borne, that any one should examine, whether your Principles were bad? What, then, would you have me say to you?
Assist me in this Affair.
I have no Theorem for that. Neither are you come to me, if it be upon that Account you came, as to a Philosopher; but as you would come to an Herb-seller, or a Shoe-maker.
To what Purposes then, have the Philosophers Theorems?
For preserving and conducting the ruling Faculty conformably to Nature, whatever happens. Do you think this a small Thing?
No: but the greatest.
Well: and doth it requires but a short time? And may it be taken, as you pass by? If you can, take it then: and so you will say, "I have visited Epictetus."Ay: just as you would a Stone, or a Statue. For you have seen me, and nothing more. But he visits a Man, as a Man, who learns his Principles; and, in return, shows his own. Learn my Principles. Show me yours. Then say, you have visited me. Let us confute each other. If I have any bad Principle, take it away. If you have any, bring it forth. This is visiting a Philosopher. No. But "It lies in our Way; and, while we are about hiring a Ship, we may call on Epictetus. Let us see what it is he says." And then, when you are gone, you say, "Epictetus is nothing. His Language was inaccurate, was barbarous." For what else did you come to judge of? "Well: but if I employ[1] myself in these Things, I shall be without an Estate, like you; without Plate, without Equipage, like you."Nothing perhaps is necessary to be said to this, but that I do not want them. But, if you possess many Things, you still want others: so that, whether you will or not, you are poorer than I.
§. 2. What then do I want?
What you have not: Constancy; a Mind conformable to Nature; and Freedom from Perturbation. Patron, or no Patron, what care I? But you do. I am richer than you. I am not anxious what Cæsar will think of me. I flatter no one, on that Account. This I have, instead of Silver and Gold Plate. You have your Vessels, of Gold; but your Discourse, your Principles, your Affects, your Pursuits, your Desires, of mere Earthen Ware. When I have all these conformable to Nature, why should not I bestow some Study upon my Reasoning too? I am at Leisure. My Mind is under no Distraction. In this Freedom from Distraction, what shall I do? Have I any thing more becoming a Man, than this? You, when you have nothing [to do], are restless; you go to the Theatre, or perhaps to bathe[2]. "Why should not the Philosopher polish his Reasoning? You have fine[3] crystal and myrrhine Vases; I have acute Forms of Reasoning. To you, all you have appears, little; to me, all I have, great. Your Appetite is unsatiable; mine is satisfied. When Children thrust their Hand into a narrow Jar of Nuts and Figs, if they fill it, they cannot get it out again; then they fall a crying. Drop a few of them, and you will get out the rest. And do you too drop your Desire: do not covet many Things, and you will get [some].
Footnotes
[edit]- ↑ The first ως I apprehend should be ὦς, and is so translated.
- ↑ I can find no Sense of αναλυετε, which suits this Place. Perhaps the Reading should be παρα λουεσθε; and it is so translated. Bathing was a common Amusement of idle People. See B. III. c. 24. p. 495. of Mr. Upton's Edition.
- ↑ and how they quaff in Gold,
Crystal and myrrhine Cups, imboss'd with Gems.Paradise Regained, B. IV. v. 118.