Epictetus' Discourses: A Stoic Guide To Happiness, Freedom, And Moral Self-Improvement
Explore the wisdom of Epictetus and his teachings on happiness, freedom,
and moral self-improvement in this insightful video on Stoicism.
The Discourses of Epictetus Book 3
'I must die. But must I die bawling?'
Epictetus,
a Greek Stoic and freed slave, ran a thriving philosophy school in
Nicopolis in the early second century AD. His animated discussions were
celebrated for their rhetorical wizardry and were written down by
Arrian, his most famous pupil. The Discourses argue that happiness lies
in learning to perceive exactly what is in our power to change and what
is not, and in embracing our fate to live in harmony with god and
nature. In this personal, practical guide to the ethics of Stoicism and
moral self-improvement, Epictetus tackles questions of freedom and
imprisonment, illness and fear, family, friendship and love.
#Apollo
#Archedemus #Argus #Epictetus #Polemon #Socrates #Hermes #Laius
#RussellNewton #NewtonMG #Epictetus'Discourses #AStoicGuideToHappiness
#Freedom #AndMoralSelf-Improvement
Transcript
The Discourses of Epictetus by Epictetus
Speaker:A certain young man a rhetorician came to see Epictetus,
Speaker:with his hair dressed more carefully than was usual and his attire in an
Speaker:ornamental style;
Speaker:whereupon Epictetus said .- Tell me you do not think that some dogs are
Speaker:beautiful and some horses,
Speaker:and so of all other animals.
Speaker:"I do think so," the youth replied.
Speaker:Are not then some men also beautiful and others ugly?
Speaker:"Certainly."
Speaker:Do we,
Speaker:then,
Speaker:for the same reason call each of them in the same kind beautiful,
Speaker:or each beautiful for something peculiar?
Speaker:And you will judge of this matter thus.
Speaker:Since we see a dog naturally formed for one thing,
Speaker:and a horse for another,
Speaker:and for another still,
Speaker:as an example,
Speaker:a nightingale,
Speaker:we may generally and not improperly declare each of them to be beautiful then
Speaker:when it is most excellent according to its nature;
Speaker:but since the nature of each is different,
Speaker:each of them seems to me to be beautiful in a different way.
Speaker:Is it not so?
Speaker:He admitted that it was.
Speaker:That then which makes a dog beautiful,
Speaker:makes a horse ugly;
Speaker:and that which makes a horse beautiful,
Speaker:makes a dog ugly,
Speaker:if it is true that their natures are different.
Speaker:"It seems to be so."
Speaker:For I think that what makes a pancratiast beautiful,
Speaker:makes a wrestler to be not good,
Speaker:and a runner to be most ridiculous;
Speaker:and he who is beautiful for the Pentathlon,
Speaker:is very ugly for wrestling.
Speaker:"It is so," said he.
Speaker:What,
Speaker:then,
Speaker:makes a man beautiful?
Speaker:Is that which in its kind makes both a dog and a horse beautiful?
Speaker:"It is," he said.
Speaker:What then makes a dog beautiful?
Speaker:The possession of the excellence of a dog.
Speaker:And what makes a horse beautiful?
Speaker:The possession of the excellence of a horse.
Speaker:What then makes a man beautiful?
Speaker:Is it not the possession of the excellence of a man?
Speaker:And do you,
Speaker:then,
Speaker:if you wish to be beautiful,
Speaker:young man,
Speaker:labour at this,
Speaker:the acquisition of human excellence.
Speaker:But what is this?
Speaker:Observe whom you yourself praise,
Speaker:when you praise many persons without partiality - do you praise the just or the
Speaker:unjust?
Speaker:"The just."
Speaker:Whether do you praise the moderate or the immoderate?
Speaker:"The moderate."
Speaker:And the temperate or the intemperate?
Speaker:"The temperate."
Speaker:If,
Speaker:then,
Speaker:you make yourself such a person,
Speaker:you will know that you will make yourself beautiful - but so long as you
Speaker:neglect these things,
Speaker:you must be ugly,
Speaker:even though you contrive all you can to appear beautiful.
Speaker:Further I do not know what to say to you - for if I say to you what I think,
Speaker:I shall offend you,
Speaker:and you will perhaps leave the school and not return to it - and if I do not
Speaker:say what I think,
Speaker:see how I shall be acting,
Speaker:if you come to me to be improved,
Speaker:and I shall not improve you at all,
Speaker:and if you come to me as to a philosopher,
Speaker:and I shall say nothing to you as a philosopher.
Speaker:And how cruel it is to you to leave you uncorrected.
Speaker:If at any time afterward you shall acquire sense,
Speaker:you will with good reason blame me and say,
Speaker:"What did Epictetus observe in me that,
Speaker:when he saw me in such a plight coming to him in such a scandalous condition,
Speaker:he neglected me and never said a word?
Speaker:did he so much despair of me?
Speaker:was I not young?
Speaker:was I not able to listen to reason?
Speaker:and how many other young men at this age commit many like errors?
Speaker:I hear that a certain Polemon from being a most dissolute youth underwent such
Speaker:a great change.
Speaker:Well,
Speaker:suppose that he did not think that I should be a Polemon;
Speaker:yet he might have set my hair right,
Speaker:he might have stripped off my decorations,
Speaker:he might have stopped me from plucking the hair out of my body;
Speaker:but when he saw me dressed like- what shall I say?
Speaker:- he kept silent."
Speaker:I do not say like what;
Speaker:but you will say,
Speaker:when you come to your senses and shall know what it is and what persons use
Speaker:such a dress.
Speaker:If you bring this charge against me hereafter,
Speaker:what defense shall I make?
Speaker:Why,
Speaker:shall I say that the man will not be persuaded by me?
Speaker:Was Laius persuaded by Apollo?
Speaker:Did he and get drunk and show no care for the oracle?
Speaker:Well then,
Speaker:for this reason did Apollo refuse to tell him the truth?
Speaker:I indeed do not know,
Speaker:whether you will be persuaded by me or not;
Speaker:but Apollo knew most certainly that Laius would not be persuaded and yet he
Speaker:spoke.
Speaker:But why did he speak?
Speaker:I say in reply .- But why is he Apollo,
Speaker:and why does he deliver oracles,
Speaker:and why has he fixed himself in this place as a prophet and source of truth and
Speaker:for the inhabitants of the world to resort to him?
Speaker:and why are the words "Know yourself" written in front of the temple,
Speaker:though no person takes any notice of them?
Speaker:Did Socrates persuade all his hearers to take care of themselves?
Speaker:Not the thousandth part.
Speaker:But,
Speaker:however,
Speaker:after he had been placed in this position by the deity,
Speaker:as he himself says,
Speaker:he never left it.
Speaker:But what does he say even to his judges?
Speaker:"If you acquit me on these conditions that I no longer do that which I do now,
Speaker:I will not consent and I will not desist;
Speaker:but I will go up both to young and to old,
Speaker:and,
Speaker:to speak plainly,
Speaker:to every man whom I meet,
Speaker:and I will ask the questions which I ask now;
Speaker:and most particularly will I do this to you my fellow-citizens,
Speaker:because you are more nearly related to me."
Speaker:Are you so curious,
Speaker:Socrates,
Speaker:and such a busybody?
Speaker:and how does it concern you how we act?
Speaker:and what is it that you say?
Speaker:"Being of the same community and of the same kin,
Speaker:you neglect yourself,
Speaker:and show yourself a bad citizen to the state,
Speaker:and a bad kinsman to your kinsmen,
Speaker:and a bad neighbor to your neighbors."
Speaker:"Who,
Speaker:then are you?
Speaker:" Here it is a great thing to say,
Speaker:"I am he whose duty it is to take care of men;
Speaker:for it is not every little heifer which dares to resist a lion;
Speaker:but if the bull comes up and resists him,
Speaker:say to the bull,
Speaker:if you choose,
Speaker:'And who are you,
Speaker:and what business have you here?
Speaker:'" Man,
Speaker:in every kind there is produced something which excels;
Speaker:in oxen,
Speaker:in dogs,
Speaker:in bees,
Speaker:in horses.
Speaker:Do not then say to that which excels,
Speaker:"Who,
Speaker:then,
Speaker:are you?
Speaker:" If you do,
Speaker:it will find a voice in some way and say,
Speaker:"I am such a thing as the purple in a garment - do not expect me to be like the
Speaker:others,
Speaker:or blame my nature that it has made me different from the rest of men."
Speaker:What then?
Speaker:am I such a man?
Speaker:Certainly not.
Speaker:And are you such a man as can listen to the truth?
Speaker:I wish you were.
Speaker:But however since in a manner I have been condemned to wear a white beard and a
Speaker:cloak,
Speaker:and you come to me as to a philosopher,
Speaker:I will not treat you in a cruel way nor yet as if I despaired of you,
Speaker:but I will say .- Young man,
Speaker:whom do you wish to make beautiful?
Speaker:In the first place,
Speaker:know who you are and then adorn yourself appropriately.
Speaker:You are a human being;
Speaker:and this is a mortal animal which has the power of using appearances rationally.
Speaker:But what is meant by "rationally?
Speaker:" Conformably to nature and completely.
Speaker:What,
Speaker:then,
Speaker:do you possess which is peculiar?
Speaker:Is it the animal part?
Speaker:No.
Speaker:Is it the condition of mortality?
Speaker:No.
Speaker:Is it the power of using appearances?
Speaker:No.
Speaker:You possess the rational faculty as a peculiar thing - adorn and beautify this;
Speaker:but leave your hair to him who made it as he chose.
Speaker:Come,
Speaker:what other appellations have you?
Speaker:Are you man or woman?
Speaker:"Man."
Speaker:Adorn yourself then as man,
Speaker:not as woman.
Speaker:Woman is naturally smooth and delicate;
Speaker:and if she has much hair (on her body),
Speaker:she is a monster and is exhibited at Rome among monsters.
Speaker:And in a man it is monstrous not to have hair;
Speaker:and if he has no hair,
Speaker:he is a monster;
Speaker:but if he cuts off his hairs and plucks them out,
Speaker:what shall we do with him?
Speaker:where shall we exhibit him?
Speaker:and under what name shall we show him?
Speaker:"I will exhibit to you a man who chooses to be a woman rather than a man."
Speaker:What a terrible sight!
Speaker:There is no man who will not wonder at such a notice.
Speaker:Indeed I think that the men who pluck out their hairs do what they do without
Speaker:knowing what they do.
Speaker:Man what fault have you to find with your nature?
Speaker:That it made you a man?
Speaker:What then?
Speaker:was it fit that nature should make all human creatures women?
Speaker:and what advantage in that case would you have had in being adorned?
Speaker:for whom would you have adorned yourself,
Speaker:if all human creatures were women?
Speaker:But you are not pleased with the matter - set to work then upon the whole
Speaker:business.
Speaker:Take away- what is its name?
Speaker:- that which is the cause of the hairs - make yourself a woman in all respects,
Speaker:that we may not be mistaken - do not make one half man,
Speaker:and the other half woman.
Speaker:Whom do you wish to please?
Speaker:The women?
Speaker:,
Speaker:Please them as a man.
Speaker:"Well;
Speaker:but they like smooth men."
Speaker:Will you not hang yourself?
Speaker:and if women took delight in catamites,
Speaker:would you become one?
Speaker:Is this your business?
Speaker:were you born for this purpose,
Speaker:that dissolute women should delight in you?
Speaker:Shall we make such a one as you a citizen of Corinth and perchance a prefect of
Speaker:the city,
Speaker:or chief of the youth,
Speaker:or general or superintendent of the games?
Speaker:Well,
Speaker:and when you have taken a wife,
Speaker:do you intend to have your hairs plucked out?
Speaker:To please whom and for what purpose?
Speaker:And when you have begotten children,
Speaker:will you introduce them also into the state with the habit of plucking their
Speaker:hairs?
Speaker:A beautiful citizen,
Speaker:and senator and rhetorician.
Speaker:We ought to pray that such young men be born among us and brought up.
Speaker:Do not so,
Speaker:I entreat you by the Gods,
Speaker:young man - but when you have once heard these words,
Speaker:go away and say to yourself,
Speaker:"Epictetus has not said this to me;
Speaker:for how could he?
Speaker:but some propitious good through him - for it would never have come into his
Speaker:thoughts to say this,
Speaker:since he is not accustomed to talk thus with any person.
Speaker:Come then let us obey God,
Speaker:that we may not be subject to his anger."
Speaker:You say,
Speaker:"No."
Speaker:But,
Speaker:if a crow by his croaking signifies anything to you,
Speaker:it is not the crow which signifies,
Speaker:but God through the crow;
Speaker:and if he signifies anything through a human voice,
Speaker:will he not cause the man to say this to you,
Speaker:that you may know the power of the divinity,
Speaker:that he signifies to some in this way,
Speaker:and to others in that way,
Speaker:and concerning the greatest things and the chief he signifies through the
Speaker:noblest messenger?
Speaker:What else is it which the poet says - For we ourselves have warned him,
Speaker:and have sent Hermes the careful watcher,
Speaker:Argus' slayer,
Speaker:The husband not to kill nor wed the wife.
Speaker:Was Hermes going to descend from heaven to say this to him?
Speaker:And now the Gods say this to you and send the messenger,
Speaker:the slayer of Argus,
Speaker:to warn you not to pervert that which is well arranged,
Speaker:nor to busy yourself about it,
Speaker:but to allow a man to be a man,
Speaker:and a woman to be a woman,
Speaker:a beautiful man to be as a beautiful man,
Speaker:and an ugly man as an ugly man,
Speaker:for you are not flesh and hair,
Speaker:but you are will;
Speaker:and if your will beautiful,
Speaker:then you will be beautiful.
Speaker:But up the present time I dare not tell you that you are ugly,
Speaker:for I think that you are readier to hear anything than this.
Speaker:But see what Socrates says to the most beautiful and blooming of men Alcibiades
Speaker:- "Try,
Speaker:then,
Speaker:to be beautiful."
Speaker:What does he say to him?
Speaker:"Dress your hair and pluck the hairs from your legs."
Speaker:Nothing of that kind.
Speaker:But "Adorn your will,
Speaker:take away bad opinions."
Speaker:"How with the body?
Speaker:" Leave it as it is by nature.
Speaker:Another has looked after these things - intrust them to him.
Speaker:"What then,
Speaker:must a man be uncleaned?
Speaker:" Certainly not;
Speaker:but what you are and are made by nature,
Speaker:cleanse this.
Speaker:A man should be cleanly as a man,
Speaker:a woman as a woman,
Speaker:a child as a child.
Speaker:You say no - but let us also pluck out the lion's mane,
Speaker:that he may not be uncleaned,
Speaker:and the cock's comb for he also ought to he cleaned.
Speaker:Granted,
Speaker:but as a cock,
Speaker:and the lion as a lion,
Speaker:and the hunting dog as a hunting dog.
Speaker:Chapter 2 In what a man ought to be exercised who has made proficiency;
Speaker:and that we neglect the chief things There are three things in
Speaker:which a man ought to exercise himself who would be wise and good.
Speaker:The first concerns the desires and the aversions,
Speaker:that a man may not fail to get what he desires,
Speaker:and that he may not fall into that which he does not desire.
Speaker:The second concerns the movements (toward)
Speaker:and the movements from an object,
Speaker:and generally in doing what a man ought to do,
Speaker:that he may act according to order,
Speaker:to reason,
Speaker:and not carelessly.
Speaker:The third thing concerns freedom from deception and rashness in judgement,
Speaker:and generally it concerns the assents.
Speaker:Of these topics the chief and the most urgent is that which relates to the
Speaker:affects;
Speaker:for an affect is produced in no other way than by a failing to obtain that
Speaker:which a man desires or a falling into that which a man would wish to avoid.
Speaker:This is that which brings in perturbations,
Speaker:disorders,
Speaker:bad fortune,
Speaker:misfortunes,
Speaker:sorrows,
Speaker:lamentations and envy;
Speaker:that which makes men envious and jealous;
Speaker:and by these causes we are unable even to listen to the precepts of reason.
Speaker:The second topic concerns the duties of a man;
Speaker:for I ought not to be free from affects like a statue,
Speaker:but I ought to maintain the relations natural and acquired,
Speaker:as a pious man,
Speaker:as a son,
Speaker:as a father,
Speaker:as a citizen.
Speaker:The third topic is that which immediately concerns those who are making
Speaker:proficiency,
Speaker:that which concerns the security of the other two,
Speaker:so that not even in sleep any appearance unexamined may surprise us,
Speaker:nor in intoxication,
Speaker:nor in melancholy.
Speaker:"This," it may be said,
Speaker:"is above our power."
Speaker:But the present philosophers neglecting the first topic and the second,
Speaker:employ themselves on the third,
Speaker:using sophistical arguments,
Speaker:making conclusions from questioning,
Speaker:employing hypotheses,
Speaker:lying.
Speaker:"For a man must," as it is said,
Speaker:"when employed on these matters,
Speaker:take care that he is not deceived."
Speaker:Who must?
Speaker:The wise and good man.
Speaker:This then is all that is wanting to you.
Speaker:Have you successfully worked out the rest?
Speaker:Are you free from deception in the matter of money?
Speaker:If you see a beautiful girl,
Speaker:do you resist the appearance?
Speaker:If your neighbor obtains an estate by will,
Speaker:are you not vexed?
Speaker:Now is there nothing else wanting to you except unchangeable firmness of mind?
Speaker:Wretch,
Speaker:you hear these very things with fear and anxiety that some person may despise
Speaker:you,
Speaker:and with inquiries about what any person may say about you.
Speaker:And if a man come and tell you that in a certain conversation in which the
Speaker:question was,
Speaker:"Who is the best philosopher," a man who was present said that a certain
Speaker:person was the chief philosopher,
Speaker:your little soul which was only a finger's length stretches out to two cubits.
Speaker:But if another who is present "You are mistaken;
Speaker:it is not worth while to listen to a certain person,
Speaker:for what does he know?
Speaker:he has only the first principles,
Speaker:and no more?
Speaker:" then you are confounded,
Speaker:you grow pale,
Speaker:you cry out immediately,
Speaker:"I will show him who I am,
Speaker:that I am a great philosopher."
Speaker:It is seen by these very things - why do you wish to show it by others?
Speaker:Do you not know that Diogenes pointed out one of the sophists in this way by
Speaker:stretching out his middle finger?
Speaker:And then when the man was wild with rage,
Speaker:"This," he said,
Speaker:"is the certain person .- I pointed him out to you."
Speaker:For a man is not shown by the finger,
Speaker:as a stone or a piece of wood - but when any person shows the man s principles,
Speaker:then he shows him as a man.
Speaker:Let us look at your principles also.
Speaker:For is it not plain that you value not at all your own will,
Speaker:but you look externally to things which are independent of your will?
Speaker:For instance,
Speaker:what will a certain person say?
Speaker:and what will people think of you?
Speaker:will you be considered a man of learning;
Speaker:have you read cry-Sip-us or Antipater?
Speaker:for if you have read Archedemus also,
Speaker:you have everything.
Speaker:Why are you still uneasy lest you should not show us who you are?
Speaker:Would you let me tell you what manner of man you have shown us that you are?
Speaker:You have exhibited yourself to us as a mean fellow,
Speaker:querulous,
Speaker:passionate,
Speaker:cowardly,
Speaker:finding fault with everything,
Speaker:blaming everybody,
Speaker:never quiet,
Speaker:vain - this is what you have exhibited to us.
Speaker:Go away now and read Archedemus;
Speaker:then,
Speaker:if a mouse should leap down and make a noise,
Speaker:you are a dead man.
Speaker:For such a death awaits you as it did- what was the man's name?
Speaker:- Crinis;
Speaker:and he too was proud,
Speaker:because he understood Archedemus.
Speaker:Wretch,
Speaker:will you not dismiss these things that do not concern you at all?
Speaker:These things are suitable to those who are able to learn them without
Speaker:perturbation,
Speaker:to those who can say - "I am not subject to anger,
Speaker:to grief,
Speaker:to envy .- I am not hindered,
Speaker:I am not restrained.
Speaker:What remains for me?
Speaker:I have leisure,
Speaker:I am tranquil - let us see how we must deal with sophistical arguments;
Speaker:let us see how when a man has accepted an hypothesis he shall not be led away
Speaker:to anything absurd."
Speaker:To them such things belong.
Speaker:To those who are happy it is appropriate to light a fire,
Speaker:to dine;
Speaker:if they choose,
Speaker:both to sing and to dance.
Speaker:But when the vessel is sinking,
Speaker:you come to me and hoist the sails.
Speaker:This has been
Speaker:The Discourses of Epictetus by Epictetus
