All the Works of Epictetus, Which Are Now Extant/Book 4/Chapter 7

by Epictetus

Layout 1

CHAPTER VII.

Of Fearlessness.

§. 1.What makes a Tyrant formidable? His Guards, say you, and their Swords; they who belong to the Bed-chamber; and they who shut out those, who would go in. What is the Reason then, that, if you bring a Child to him when he is surrounded by his Guards, it is not afraid? Is it because the Child doth not know what they mean? Suppose then, that any one doth know what is meant by Guards, and that they are armed with Swords; and, for that very Reason, comes in the Tyrant's Way, beings desirous, on account of some Misfortune, to die, and seeking to die easily by the Hand of another: Doth such a Man fear the Guards? No: for he wants the very Thing, that renders them formidable. Well then: if any one, without an absolute Desire to live or die, but, as it may happen, comes in the Way of a Tyrant, what restrains his approaching him without Fear? Nothing. If then another should think concerning his Estate, or Wife, or Children, as this Man doth concerning his Body; and, in short, from some Madness or Folly, should be of such a Disposition, as not to care whether he hath them, or hath them not; but, as Children, playing with Shells, make a Difference indeed in the Play, but do not trouble themselves about the Shells; so he should pay no Regard to the Materials [of Action]; but apply himself to the playing with, and Management of, them; what Tyrant, what Guards, or their Swords, are any longer formidable to such a Man?

§. 2. And is it possible, that any one should be thus disposed towards these Things from Madness^[1]; and the Galileans, from mere Habit; yet that no one should be able to learn, from Reason and Demonstration, that God made all Things in the World, and the whole World itself, unrestrained and perfect; and all its Parts for the Use of the Whole? All other Creatures are indeed excluded from a Power of comprehending the Administration of the World; but a reasonable Being hath Abilities for the Consideration of all these Things: both that it [self] is a Part, and what Part; and that it is fit the Parts should submit to the Whole. Besides, being by Nature constituted noble, magnanimous, and free, it sees, that, of the Things which relate to it, some are unrestrained and in its own Power, some restrained, and in the Power of others: the unrestrained, such as depend on Choice; the restrained, such as do not depend on it. And, for this Reason, if it esteems its Good and its Interest to consist in Things unrestrained, and in its own Power, it will be free, prosperous, happy, unhurt, magnanimous, pious; thankful^[2] to God for every thing; never finding fault with any thing, never censuring any thing that is brought to pass by him. But, if it esteems its Good, and its Interest, to consist in Externals, and Things independent on Choice, it must necessarily be restrained, be hindered, be enslaved to those who have the Power over those Things which it admires, and fears; it must necessarily be impious, as supposing itself injured by God, and unequitable, as claiming more than its Share; it must necessarily too be abject, and mean-spirited.

§. 3. What forbids, but that he, who distinguishes these Things, may live with an easy and light Heart, quietly expecting whatever may happen, and bearing contentedly what hath happened? Would you have Poverty [be my Lot]? Bring it; and you shall see what Poverty is, when it hath got one to act it well. Would you have Power? Bring Toils too along with it. Banishment? Where-ever I go, it will be well with me there: for it was well with me here, not on account of the Place, but of the Principles, which I shall carry away with me; for no one can deprive me of these: on the contrary, they alone are my Property, and cannot be taken away; and retaining them, suffices me where-ever I am, or what-ever I do.——"But it is now time to die."——What is it that you call dying^[3]? Do not talk of the Thing in a Tragedy Strain; but say, as the Truth is, that it is Time for a compound Piece of Matter to be resolved back into its Original. And where is the Terror of this? What Part of the World is going to be lost? What is going to happen new, or prodigious? Is it for this, that a Tyrant is formidable? Is it on this Account, that the Swords of his Guards seem so large and sharp? Try these Things upon others. For my Part, I have examined the Whole. No one hath an Authority over me. God hath made me free: I know his Commands: after this, no one can enslave me. I have a proper Assertor of my Freedom; proper Judges. Is it not of my Body, that you are the Master? What is that to me then? Of that Trifle my Estate? What is that to me then? Is it not of Banishment and Chains, that you are the Master? Why, all these again, and my whole Body I give up to you: when-ever you please, make a Trial of your Power, and you will find how far it extends.

§. 4. Whom then can I any longer fear? Those who belong to the Bed-chamber? Lest they should do——What? Shut me out? If they find me desirous to come in, let them.——"Why do you come to the Door then?"——Because it is fitting for me, that while the Play lasts, I should play too.——"How then are you incapable of being shut out?"——Because, if I am not admitted, I would not wish to go in; but would much rather, that Things should be as they are: for I esteem what God wills, to be better than what I will^[4]. I give myself up a Servant and a Follower to him. I pursue, I desire, in short, I will along with Him. Being shut out doth not relate to me; but to those who push to get in. Why then do not I push too? Because I know, that there is not any Good distributed there to those who get in. But when I hear any one congratulated on the Favour of Cæsar, I say, What hath he got?——"A Province^[5]."——Hath he then got such Principles too, as he ought to have?——"A public Charge."——Hath he then got with it the Knowledge how to use it too? If not, why should I be thrust about any longer to get in? Some one scatters Nuts and Figs. Children scramble and quarrel for them; but not Men: for they think them Trifles. But, if any one should scatter Shells, not even Children would scramble for these. Provinces are distributing. Let Children look to it. Money. Let Children look to it. Military Command, a Consulship. Let Children scramble for them. Let these be shut out, be beat, kiss the Hands of the Giver, of his Slaves. But to me, they are but mere Figs and Nuts.——"What then is to be done?"——if you miss them, while he is throwing them, do not trouble yourself about it: but, if a Fig should fall into your Lap, take it, and eat it; for one may pay so much Regard even to a Fig. But, if I am to stoop and throw down one, or be thrown down by another, and flatter those who are got in, a Fig is not worth this, nor any other of the Things which are not really good, and which the Philosophers have persuaded me not to esteem as good.

§. 5. Show me the Swords of the Guards.——"See how big, and how sharp they are."——What then do these great and sharp Swords do?——"They kill."——And what doth a Fever do?——"Nothing else."——And a Tile?——"Nothing else."——Would you have me then be struck with an awful Admiration of all these, and worship them, and go about a Slave to them all? Heaven forbid! But, having once learnt, that every thing that is born must likewise die, (that the World may not be at a Stand, or the Course of it hindered), I no longer make any Difference, whether this be effected by a Fever, or a Tile, or a Soldier: but, if any Comparison is to be made, I know, that the Soldier will effect it with less Pain, and more speedily. Since then I neither fear any of those Things, which he can inflict upon me, nor covet any thing which he can bestow, why do I stand any longer in Awe of a Tyrant? Why am I struck with Astonishment? Why do I fear his Guards? Why do I rejoice, if he speaks kindly to me, and receives me graciously; and relate to others, in what Manner he spoke to me? For is He Socrates, or Diogenes, that his Praise should show what I am? Or have I set my Heart on imitating his Manners? But, to keep up the Play, I go to him, and serve him, as long as he commands nothing unreasonable or improper. But, if he should say to me, "Go to Salamis, and bring Leo^[6]," I answer him, Seek another, for I play no longer.——"Lead him away."——I follow, in Sport.——"But your Head will be taken off."——And will his own always remain on; or yours, who obey him?——"But you will be thrown out, unburied."——If I am the Corpse, I shall be thrown out; but if I am something else than the Corpse^[7], speak more handsomely, as the Thing is, and do not think to fright me. These Things are frightful to Children and Fools. But if any one, who hath once entered into the School of a Philosopher, doth not know what he himself is, he deserves to be frighted, and to flatter what he lately flattered; if he hath not yet learnt, that he is neither Flesh, nor Bones, nor Nerves; but that which makes use of these, and regulates and comprehends the Appearances of Things.

§. 6. "Well: but these Reasonings make Men despise the Laws."——And what Reasonings then render those, who use them, more obedient to the Laws? But the Law of Fools is no Law. And yet, see how these Reasonings render us properly disposed, even towards such Persons, since they teach us, not to claim, in Opposition to them, any thing wherein they have it in their Power to be superior to us. They teach us to give up Body, to give up Estate, Children, Parents, Brothers, to yield every thing, to let go every thing, excepting only Principles; which even Jupiter hath excepted, and decreed to be every one's own Property. What Unreasonableness, what Breach of the Laws, is there in this? Where you are superior and stronger, there I give way to you: Where, on the contrary, I am superior, do you submit to me; for this hath been my Study, and not yours. Your Study hath been to walk upon a Mosaic Floor, to be attended by your Servants and Clients, to wear fine Clothes, to have a great Number of Hunters, Fiddlers, and Players. Do I lay any Claim [to these?] but [on the other hand,] have you then studied Principles, or even your own rational Faculty? Do you know, of what Parts it consists? How they are connected; what are its Articulations; what Powers it hath, and of what Kind? Why then do you take it amiss, if another, who hath studied them, hath the Advantage of you in these Things?——"But they are of all Things the greatest."——Well: and who restrains you from being conversant with them, and attending to them ever so carefully? Or who is better provided with Books, with Leisure, with Assistants? Only turn your Thoughts now-and-then to these Matters; bestow but a little Time upon your own ruling Faculty. Consider what it is you have, and whence it came, that uses all other Things, that examines them all, that chuses, that rejects. But while you employ yourself about Externals, you will have those indeed, such as no one else hath; but your ruling Faculty, such as you like to have it, sordid and neglected.

Footnotes

1. Epictetus, probably, means, not any remaining Disciples of Judas of Galilee, but the Christians, whom Julian afterwards affected to call Galileans. It helps to confirm this Opinion, that M. Antoninus (L 2. §. 3.) mentions them, by their proper Name of Christians, as suffering Death out of mere Obstinacy. It would have been more reasonable, and more worthy the Character of these great Men, to have enquired into the Principles, on which the Christians refused to worship Heathen Deities, and by which they were enabled to support their Sufferings with such amazing Constancy, than rashly to pronounce their Behaviour the Effect of Obstinacy and Habit. Epictetus and Antoninus were too exact Judges of human Nature, not to know, that Ignominy, Tortures, and Death, are not, merely on their own Account, Objects of Choice: nor could the Records of any Time or Nation, furnish them with an Example of Multitudes of Persons of both Sexes, of all Ages, Ranks, and natural Dispositions, in distant Countries, and successive Periods, resigning whatever is most valuable and dear to the Heart of Man, from a Principle of Obstinacy, or the mere Force of Habit: not to say, that Habit could have no influence on the first Sufferers.
2. This agrees with Eph. v. 20. Giving Thanks always for all Things unto God—.
3. The Translation here follows Mr. Upton's Manuscript, and Emendation.
4. Nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt. Matth. xxvi. 39.
5. The Translation of this Passage follows the Conjecture of Wolfius.
6. An Allusion to the Story, mentioned in the first Chapter of this Book, p. 324. Note (e).
7. See p. 288. Note (w).