the golden sayings-第3章

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〃But　I　paid　a　price　for　them；　not　they　for　me。〃



Do　you　see　whither　you　are　lookingdown　to　the　earth；　to

the　pit；　to　those　despicable　laws　of　the　dead？　But　to　the　laws　of

the　Gods　you　do　not　look。





XXXV





When　we　are　invited　to　a　banquet；　we　take　what　is　set　before

us；　and　were　one　to　call　upon　his　host　to　set　fish　upon　the　table

or　sweet　things；　he　would　be　deemed　absurd。　Yet　in　a　word；　we　ask

the　Gods　for　what　they　do　not　give；　and　that；　although　they　have

given　us　so　many　things！





XXXVI







Asked　how　a　man　might　convince　himself　that　every　single　act

of　his　was　under　the　eye　of　God；　Epictetus　answered：



〃Do　you　not　hold　that　things　on　earth　and　things　in　heaven

are　continuous　and　in　unison　with　each　other？〃



〃I　do；〃　was　the　reply。



〃Else　how　should　the　trees　so　regularly；　as　though　by　God's

command；　at　His　bidding　flower；　at　His　bidding　send　forth　shoots；

bear　fruit　and　ripen　it；　at　His　bidding　let　it　fall　and　shed

their　leaves；　and　folded　up　upon　themselves　lie　in　quietness　and

rest？　How　else；　as　the　Moon　waxes　and　wanes；　as　the　Sun

approaches　and　recedes；　can　it　be　that　such　vicissitude　and

alternation　is　seen　in　earthly　things？



〃If　then　all　things　that　grow；　nay；　our　own　bodies；　are　thus

bound　up　with　the　whole；　is　not　this　still　truer　of　our　souls？

And　if　our　souls　are　bound　up　and　in　contact　with　God；　as　being

very　parts　and　fragments　plucked　from　Himself；　shall　He　not　feel

every　movement　of　theirs　as　though　it　were　His　own；　and　belonging

to　His　own　nature？〃





XXXVII







〃But；〃　you　say；　〃I　cannot　comprehend　all　this　at　once。〃



〃Why；　who　told　you　that　your　powers　were　equal　to　God's？〃



Yet　God　hath　placed　by　the　side　of　each　a　man's　own　Guardian

Spirit；　who　is　charged　to　watch　over　hima　Guardian　who　sleeps

not　nor　is　deceived。　For　to　what　better　or　more　watchful　Guardian

could　He　have　committed　wach　of　us？　So　when　you　have　shut　the

doors　and　made　a　darkness　within；　remember　never　to　say　that　you

are　alone；　for　you　are　not　alone；　but　God　is　within；　and　your

Guardian　Spirit；　and　what　light　do　they　need　to　behold　what　you

do？　To　this　God　you　also　should　have　sworn　allegiance；　even　as

soliders　unto　Caesar。　They；　when　their　service　is　hired；　swear　to

hold　the　life　of　Caesar　dearer　than　all　else：　and　will　you　not

swear　your　oath；　that　are　deemed　worthy　of　so　many　and　great

gifts？　And　will　you　not　keep　your　oath　when　you　have　sworn　it？

And　what　oath　will　you　swear？　Never　to　disobey；　never　to　arraign

or　murmur　at　aught　that　comes　to　you　from　His　hand：　never

unwillingly　to　do　or　suffer　aught　that　necessity　lays　upon　you。



〃Is　this　oath　like　theirs？〃



They　swear　to　hold　no　other　dearer　than　Caesar：　you；　to　hold

our　true　selves　dearer　than　all　else　beside。　





XXXVIII







〃How　shall　my　brother　cease　to　be　wroth　with　me？〃



Bring　him　to　me；　and　I　will　tell　him。　But　to　thee　I　have

nothing　to　say　about　his　anger。





XXXIX







When　one　took　counsel　of　Epictetus；　saying；　〃What　I　seek　is

this；　how　even　though　my　brother　be　not　reconciled　to　me；　I　may

still　remain　as　Nature　would　have　me　to　be；〃　he　replied：　〃All

great　things　are　slow　of　growth；　nay；　this　is　true　even　of　a

grape　or　of　a　fig。　If　then　you　say　to　me　now；　I　desire　a　fig；　I

shall　answer；　It　needs　time：　wait　till　it　first　flower；　then　cast

its　blossom；　then　ripen。　Whereas　then　the　fruit　of　the　fig…tree

reaches　not　maturity　suddenly　nor　yet　in　a　single　hour；　do　you

nevertheless　desire　so　quickly；　and　easily　to　reap　the　fruit　of

the　mind　of　man？　Nay；　expect　it　not；　even　though　I　bade　you！〃





XL







Epaphroditus　had　a　shoemaker　whom　he　sold　as　being　good…for…nothing。

This　fellow；　by　some　accident；　was　afterwards

purchased　by　one　of　Caesar's　men；　and　became　a　shoemaker　to

Caesar。　You　should　have　seen　what　respect　Epaphroditus　paid　him

then。　〃How　does　the　good　Felicion？　Kindly　let　me　know！〃　And　if

any　of　us　inquired；　〃What　is　Epaphroditus　doing？〃　the　answer　was；

〃He　is　consulting　about　so　and　so　with　Felicion。〃　Had　he　not

sold　him　as　good…for…nothing？　Who　had　in　a　trice　converted　him

into　a　wiseacre？



This　is　what　comes　of　holding　of　importance　anything　but　the

things　that　depend　on　the　Will。





XLI







What　you　shun　enduring　yourself；　attempt　not　to　impose　on

others。　You　shun　slavery　beware　of　enslaving　others！　If　you　can

endure　to　do　that；　one　would　thing　you　had　been　once　upon　a　time

a　slave　yourself。　For　Vice　has　nothing　in　common　with　virtue；　nor

Freedom　with　slavery。





XLII







Has　a　man　been　raised　to　tribuneship？　Every　one　that　he

meets　congratulates　him。　One　kisses　him　on　the　eyes；　another　on

the　neck；　while　the　slaves　kiss　his　hands。　He　goes　home　to　find

torches　burning；　he　ascends　to　the　Capitol　to　sacrifice。　Who

ever　sacrificed　for　having　had　right　desires；　for　having

conceived　such　inclinations　as　Nature　would　have　him？　In　truth　we

thank　the　Gods　for　that　wherein　we　place　our　happiness。





XLIII





A　man　was　talking　to　me　to…day　about　the　priesthood　of

Augustus。　I　said　to　him；　〃Let　the　thing　go；　my　good　Sir；　you　will

spend　a　good　deal　to　no　purpose。〃



〃Well；　but　my　name　will　be　inserted　in　all　documents　and

contracts。〃



〃Will　you　be　standing　there　to　tell　those　that　read　them；

That　is　my　name　written　there？　And　even　if　you　could　now　be　there

in　every　case；　what　will　you　do　when　you　are　dead？〃



〃At　all　events　my　name　will　remain。〃



〃Inscribe　it　on　a　stone　and　it　will　remain　just　as　well。　And

think；　beyond　Nicopolis　what　memory　of　you　will　there　be？〃



〃But　I　shall　have　a　golden　wreath　to　wear。〃



〃If　you　must　have　a　wreath；　get　a　wreath　of　roses　and　put　it

on；　you　will　look　more　elegant！〃





XLIV





Above　all；　remember　that　the　door　stands　open。　Be　not　more

fearful　than　children；　but　as　they；　when　they　weary　of　the　game；

cry；　〃I　will　play　no　more；〃　even　so；　when　thou　art　in　the　like

case；　cry；　〃I　will　play　no　more〃　and　depart。　But　if　thou　stayest；

make　no　lamentation。





XLV





Is　there　smoke　in　the　room？　If　it　be　slight；　I　remain；　if

grievous；　I　quit　it。　For　you　must　remember　this　and　hold　it　fast；

that　the　door　stands　open。



〃You　shall　not　dwell　at　Nicopolis！〃



Well　and　good。



〃Nor　at　Athens。〃



Then　I　will　not　dwell　at　Athens　either。



〃Nor　at　Rome。〃



Nor　at　Rome　either。



〃You　shall　dwell　in　Gyara！〃



Well：　but　to　dwell　in　Gyara　seems　to　me　like　a　grievous

smoke；　I　depart　to　a　place　where　none　can　forbid　me　to　dwell：

that　habitation　is　open　unto　all！　As　for　the　last　garment　of　all；

that　is　the　poor　body；　beyond　that；　none　can　do　aught　unto　me。

This　why　Demetrius　said　to　Nero：　〃You　threaten　me　with　death；　it

is　Nature　who　threatens　you！〃





XLVI







The　beginning　of　philosophy　is　to　know　the　condition　of

one's　own　mind。　If　a　man　recognises　that　this　is　in　a　weakly

state；　he　will　not　then　want　to　apply　it　to　questions　of　the

greatest　moment。　As　it　is；　men　who　are　not　fit　to　swallow　even　a

morsel；　buy　whole　treatises　and　try　to　devour　them。　Accordingly

they　either　vomit　them　up　again；　or　suffer　from　indigestion；

whence　come　gripings；　fluxions；　and　fevers。　Whereas　they　should

have　stopped　to　consider　their　capacity。





XLVII





In　theory　it　is　easy　to　convince　an　ignorant　person：　in

actual　life；　men　not　only　object　to　offer　themselves　to　be

convinced；　but　hate　the　man　who　has　convinced　them。　Whereas

Socrates　used　to　say　that　we　should　never　lead　a　life　not

subjected　to　examination。





XLVIII





This　is　the　reason　why　Socrates；　when　reminded　that　he

should　prepare　for　his　trial；　answered：　〃Thinkest　thou　not　that　I

have　been　preparing　for　it　all　my　life？〃



〃In　what　way？〃



〃I　have　maintained　that　which　in　me　lay/〃



〃How　so？〃



〃I　have　never；　secretly　or　openly；　done　a　wrong　unto　any。〃





XLIX





In　what　character　dost　thou　now　come　forward？



As　a　witness　summoned　by　God。　〃Come　thou；〃　saith　God；　〃and

testify　for　me；　for　thou　art　worthy　of　being　brought　forward　as　a

witness　by　Me。　Is　aught　that　is　outside　thy　will　either　good　or

bad？　Do　I　hurt　any　man？　Have　I　placed　the　good　of　each　in　the

power　of　any　other　than　himself？　What　witness　dost　thou　bear　to

God？〃



〃I　am　in　evil　state；　Master；　I　am　undone！　None　careth　for

me；　none　giveth　me　aught：　all　men　blame；　all　speak　evil　of　me。〃



Is　this　the　witness　thou　wilt　bear；　and　do　dishonour　to　the

calling　wherewith　He　hath　called　thee；　because　He　hath　done　thee

so　great　honour；　and　deemed　thee　worthy　of　being　summoned　to　bear

witness　in　so　great　a　cause？





L





Wouldst　thou　have　men　speak　good　of　thee？　speak　good　of

them。　And　when　thou　hast　learned　to　speak　good　of　them；　try　to　do

good　unto　them；　and　thus　thou　wilt　reap　in　return　their　speaking

good　of　thee。





LI





When　thou　goest　in　to　any　of　the　great；　remember　that

Another　from　above　sees　what　is　passing；　and　that　thou　shouldst

please　Him　rather　than　man。　He　therefore　asks　thee：



〃In　the　Schools；　what　didst　thou　call　exile；　imprisionment；

bonds；　death　and　shame？〃



〃I　called　them　things　indifferent。〃



〃What　then　dost　thou　call　them　now？　Are　they　at　all

changed？〃



〃No。〃



〃Is　it　then　thou　that　art　changed？〃



〃No。〃



〃Say　then；　what　are　things　indifferent？〃



〃Things　that　are　not　in　our　power。〃



〃Say　then；　what　follows？〃



〃That　things　which　are　not　in　our　power　are　nothing　to　me。〃



〃Say　also　what　things　you　hold　to　be　good。〃



〃A　will　such　as　it　ought　to　be；　and　a　right　use　of　the

things　of　sense。〃



〃And　what　is　the　end？〃



〃To　follow　Thee！〃





LII





〃That　Socrates　should　ever　have　been　so　treated　by　the

Athenians！〃



Slave！　why　say　〃Socrates〃？　Speak　of　the　thing　as　it　is：　That

ever　then　the　poor　body　of　Socrates　should　have　been　dragged　away

and　haled　by　main　force　to　prision！　That　ever　hemlock　should　have

been　given　to　the　body　of　Socrates；　that　that　should　have

breathed　its　life　away！　Do　you　marvel　at　this？　Do　you　hold　this

unjust？　Is　it　for　this　that　you　accuse　God？　Had　Socrates　no

compensation　for　this？　Where　then　for　him　was　the　ideal　Good？

Whom　shall　we　hearken　to；　you　or　him？　And　what　says　he？



〃Anytus　and　Melitus　may　put　me　to　death：　to　injure　me　is

beyond　their　power。〃



And　again：



〃If　such　be　the　will　of　God；　so　let　it　be。〃





LIII







Nay；　young　man；　for　heaven's　sake；　but　once　thou　hast　heard

these　words；　go　home　and　say　to　thyself：〃It　is　not　Epictetus

that　has　told　me　these　things：　how　indeed　should　he？　No；　it　is

some　gracious　God　through　him。　Else　it　would　never　have　entered

his　head　to　tell　me　themhe　that　is　not　used　to　speak　to　any

one　thus。　Well；　then；　let　us　not　lie　under　the　wrath　of　God；　but