Discourses by Epictetus (good books to read for beginners txt) 📕

most trifling thing. A seat probably means a seat of superiority, a magistrate’s seat, a Roman sella curulis. ↩

οὗτος ᾖ ἀβλαβής. See Johann Schweighäuser’s note. ↩

Socrates: “We must by no means then do an act of injustice.” Crito: “Certainly not.” Socrates: “Nor yet when you are wronged must you do wrong in return, as most people think, since you must in no way do an unjust act.” Plato, Crito, chapter 10. ↩

See the beginning of book II chapter XVI. ↩

The same remark will apply to most dissertations spoken or written on moral subjects: they are exercises of skill for him who delivers or writes them, or matter for criticism and perhaps a way of spending an idle hour for him who listens; and that is all. Epictetus blames our indolence and indifference as to acts, and the trifling of the schools of philosophy in disputation. ↩

See book I chapter II. ↩

See Cicero’s use of “opinatio” (Tusculan Disputations iv 11). ↩

See Johann Schweighäuser’s note. ↩

Doing nothing without the rule. This is a Greek proverb, used also by Persius, Satires v 119; compare Cicero, De Finibus iii 17; and Marcus Aurelius, Meditations ii 16. ↩

That is, so far shall I consider you from being able to judge rightly of things without a balance that I shall understand that not even with the aid of a balance can you do it, that you cannot even use a balance, and consequently that you are not worth a single word from me. Johann Schweighäuser ↩

This is a just conclusion. We must fix the canons or rules by which things are tried; and then the rules may be applied by the wise and good to all cases. ↩

This is what is said in the Gorgias of Plato, p. 472, 474. ↩

The word is ἔννοιαι, which Cicero explains to be the name as προλήψεις. Academica Priora ii 10. ↩

Socrates’ notion of envy is stated by Xenophon (Memorabilia iii 9, 8), to be this: “it is the pain or vexation which men have at the prosperity of their friends, and that such are the only envious persons.” Bishop Butler gives a better definition, at least a more complete description of the thing: “Emulation is merely the desire and hope of equality with or superiority over others, with whom we may compare ourselves. There does not appear to be any other grief in the natural passion, but only that want which is implied in desire. However this may be so strong as to be the occasion of great grief. To desire the attainment of this equality or superiority, by the particular means of others being brought down to our level, or below it, is, I think, the distinct notion of envy. From whence it is easy to see that the real end which the natural passion, emulation, and which the unlawful one, envy, aims at is the same; namely, that equality or superiority: and consequently that to do mischief is not the end of envy, but merely the means it makes use of to attain its end.” —⁠Sermons Upon Human Nature, I ↩

I have omitted the words ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐναντίου ἐκίνησε τὸν πλησιον. I see no sense in them; and the text is plain without them. ↩

I am not sure that I have understood rightly ἐξ ὧν δὲ αὐτός at the beginning of this sentence. ↩

The Symposium or Banquet of Xenophon is extant. Compare book III chapter XVI at 5, and book IV chapter V at the beginning. ↩

The aliptic art is the art of anointing and rubbing, one of the best means of maintaining a body in health. The iatric or healing art is the art of restoring to health a diseased body. The aliptic art is also equivalent to the gymnastic art, or the art of preparing for gymnastic exercises, which are also a means of preserving the body’s health, when the exercises are good and moderate. ↩

Epictetus in speaking of himself and of his experience at Rome. ↩

See note 206. ↩

In Diogenes Laërtius (Lives: Zeno, vii) there is a letter from Antigonus to Zeno and Zeno’s answer. Simplicius (note on the Enchiridion, chapter 51) supposes this Antigonus to be the King of Syria; but John Upton remarks that it is Antigonus Gonatas, king of Macedonia. ↩

See book I chapter VII. ↩

The original is “but that person (ἐκεῖνος) has power to kill me.” “That person” must be the person already mentioned, and Elizabeth Carter has done right in adding this explanation. ↩

The Thirty tyrants of Athens, as they were named (Xenophon, Hellenica ii). The talk of Socrates with Critias and Charicles two of the Thirty is reported in Xenophon’s Memorabilia (i 2, 33). The defense of Socrates before those who tried him and his conversation in prison are reported in Plato’s Apology, and in the Phaedon and Crito. Diogenes was captured by some pirates and sold (book IV chapter I at 115). ↩

There is some corruption here. ↩

Enchiridion, chapter 8: “Do not seek (wish) that things which take place shall