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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
be obedient unto Him。〃…Nay； indeed； but if a raven by its
croaking bears thee any sign； it is not the raven but God that
sends the sign through the raven； and if He signifies anything to
thee through human voice； will He not cause the man to say these
words to thee； that thou mayest know the power of the Divine
how He sends a sign to some in one way and to others in another；
and on the greatest and highest matters of all signifies His will
through the noblest messenger？
What else does the poet mean：
I spake unto him erst Myself； and sent
Hermes the shining One； to check and warn him；
The husband not to slay； nor woo the wife！
LIV
In the same way my friend Heraclitus； who had a trifling
suit about a petty farm at Rhodes； first showed the judges that
his cause was just； and then at the finish cried； 〃I will not
entreat you： nor do I care what sentence you pass。 It is you who
are on your trial； not I！〃And so he ended the case。
LV
As for us； we behave like a herd of deer。 When they flee
from the huntsman's feathers in affright； which way do they
turn？ What haven of safety do they make for？ Why； they rush upon
the nets！ And thus they perish by confounding what they should
fear with that wherein no danger lies。 。 。 。 Not death or pain is
to be feared； but the fear of death or pain。 Well said the poet
therefore：
Death has no terror； only a Death of shame！
LVI
How is it then that certain external things are said to be
natural； and other contrary to Nature？
Why； just as it might be said if we stood alone and apart
from others。 A foot； for instance； I will allow it is natural
should be clean。 But if you take it as a foot； and as a thing
which does not stand by itself； it will beseem it （if need be） to
walk in the mud； to tread on thorns； and sometimes even to be cut
off； for the benefit of the whole body； else it is no longer a
foot。 In some such way we should conceive of ourselves also。 What
art thou？A man。Looked at as standing by thyself and
separate； it is natural for thee in health and wealth long to
live。 But looked at as a Man； and only as a part of a Whole； it
is for that Whole's sake that thou shouldest at one time fall
sick； at another brave the perils of the sea； again； know the
meaning of want and perhaps die an early death。 Why then repine？
Knowest thou not that as the foot is no more a foot if detached
from the body； so thou in like case art no longer a Man？ For what
is a Man？ A part of a City：first of the City of Gods and Men；
next； of that which ranks nearest it； a minature of the universal
City。 。 。 。 In such a body； in such a world enveloping us； among
lives like these； such things must happen to one or another。 Thy
part； then； being here； is to speak of these things as is meet；
and to order them as befits the matter。
LVII
That was a good reply which Diogenes m