PREFACE.
ix
now. For though the final triumph of Hellenism, the union of sane practice with sound theory which it was the mission of Hellenism to bring about, can hardly be said to be achieved in Epictetus, yet it is at least indicated there, and the promise of it made clearly visible to discerning eyes. He did not take formal and public possession of the citadel, but he showed for the first time how it was to be won.
When Arrian was putting forth his edition of the Discourses, he wrote a preface to the work in the form of a letter to a friend, Lucius Gellius, which indirectly throws some light on the origin of the Encheiridion. On account of its general interest for readers of Epictetus, I here translate it in full:—
I did not write the words of Epictetus in the manner in which a man might write such things. Neither have I put them forth among men, since, as I say, I did not even write them [in literary form, σνγγράφειν]. But whatever I heard him speak,
these
