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same spot will produce no longer mere blisters； but sores。 If you
do not wish to be prone to anger； do not feed the habit； give it
nothing which may tend its increase。 At first； keep quiet and
count the days when you were not angry： 〃I used to be angry every
day； then every other day： next every two； next every three
days！〃 and if you succeed in passing thirty days； sacrifice to
the Gods in thanksgiving。
LXXVI
How then may this be attained？Resolve； now if never
before； to approve thyself to thyself； resolve to show thyself
fair in God's sight； long to be pure with thine own pure self and
God！
LXXVII
That is the true athlete； that trains himself to resist such
outward impressions as these。
〃Stay； wretched man！ suffer not thyself to be carried away！〃
Great is the combat； divine the task！ you are fighting for
Kingship； for Liberty； for Happiness； for Tranquillity。 Remember
God： call upon Him to aid thee； like a comrade that stands beside
thee in the fight。
LXXVIII
Who then is a Stoicin the sense that we call a statue of
Phidias which is modelled after that master's art？ Show me a man
in this sense modelled after the doctrines that are ever upon his
lips。 Show me a man that is sickand happy； an exileand happy；
in evil reportand happy！ Show me him； I ask again。 So help me
Heaven； I long to see one Stoic！ Nay； if you cannot show me one
fully modelled； let me at least see one in whom the process is at
workone whose bent is in that direction。 Do me that favour！
Grudge it not to an old man； to behold a sight he has never yet
beheld。 Think you I wish to see the Zeus or Athena of Phidias；
bedecked with gold and ivory？Nay； show me； one of you； a human
soul； desiring to be of one mind with God； no more to lay blame
on God or man； to suffer nothing to disappoint； nothing to cross
him； to yield neither to anger； envy； nor jealousyin a word；
why disguise the matter？ one that from a man would fan become a
God； one that while still imprisioned in this dead body makes
fellowship with God his aim。 Show me him！Ah； you cannot！ Then
why mock yourselves and delude others？ why stalk about tricked
out in other men's attrire； thieves and robbers that you are of
names and things to which you can show no title！
LXXIX
If you have assumed a character beyond your strength； you
have both played a poor figure in that； and neglected one that is
within your powers。
LXXX
Fellow； you have come to blows at home with a slave： you
have turned the household upside down； and thrown the
neighbourhood into confusion； and do you come to me then with
airs of assumed modestydo you sit down like a sage and
criticise my explanantion of the readings； and whatever idle
babble you say has come into my head？ Have you come full of envy；
and dejected because nothing is sent you from home； and while the
discussion is going on； do you sit brooding on nothing but how
your father or your brother are disposed towards you：〃What are
they saying about me there？ at this moment they imagine I am
making progress and saying； He will return perfectly omniscient！
I wish I could become omniscient before I return； but that would
be very troublesome。 No one sends me anythingthe baths at
Nicopolis are dirty； things are wretched at home and wretched
here。〃 And then they say； 〃Nobody is any the better for the
School。〃Who comes to the School with a sincere wish to learn：
to submit his principles to correction and himself to treatment？
Who； to gain a sense of his wants？ Why then be surprised if you
carry home from the School exactly what you bring into it？
LXXXI
〃Epictetus； I have often come desiring to hear you speak；
and you have never given me any answer； now if possible； I
entreat you； say something to me。〃
〃Is there； do you think；〃 replied Epictetus； 〃an art of
speaking as of other things； if it is to be done skilfully and
with profit to the hearer？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃And are all profited by what they hear； or only some among
them？ So that it seems there is an art of hearing as well as of
speaking。 。 。 。 To make a statue needs skill： to view a statue
aright needs skill also。〃
〃Admitted。〃
〃And I think all will allow that one who proposes to hear
philosophers speak needs a considerable training in hearing。 Is
that not so？ The tell me on what subject your are able to hear
me。〃
〃Why； on good and evil。〃
〃The good and evil of what？ a horse； an ox？〃
〃No； of a man。〃
〃Do we know then what Man is？ what his nature is？ what is th
idea we have of him？ And are our ears practised in any degree on
the subject？ Nay； do you understand what Nature is？ can you
follow me in any degree when I say that I shall have to use
demonstration？ Do you understand what Demonstration is？ what True
or False is？ 。 。 。must I drive you to Philosophy？ 。 。 。Show me
what good I am to do by discoursing with you。 Rouse my desire to
do so。 The sight of a pasture it loves stirs in a sheep the
desire to feed： show it a stone or a bit of bread and it remains
unmoved。 Thus we also have certain natural desires； aye； and one
that moves us to speak when we find a listener that is worth his
salt： one that hhimself stirs the spirit。 But if he sits by like
a stone or a tuft of grass； how can he rouse a man's desire？〃
〃Then you will say nothing to me？〃
〃I can only tell you this： that one who knows not who he is
and to what end he was born； what kind of world this is and with
whom he is associated therein； one who cannot distinguish Good
and Evil； Beauty and Foulness； 。 。 。 Truth and Falsehood； will
never follow Reason in shaping his desires and impulses and
repulsions； nor yet in assent； denial； or suspension of
judgement； but will in one word go about deaf and blind； thinking
himself to be somewhat； when he is in truth of no account。 Is
there anything new in all this？ Is not this ignorance the cause
of all the mistakes and mischances of men since the human race
began？ 。 。 。〃
〃This is all I have to say to you； and even this against the
grain。 Why？ Because you have not stirred my spirit。 For what can
I see in you to stir me； as a spirited horse will stir a judge of
horses？ Your body？ That you maltreat。 Your dress？ That is
luxurious。 You behavior； your look？Nothing whatever。 When you
want to hear a philosopher； do not say； You say nothing to me'；
only show yourself worthy or fit to hear； and then you will see
how you will move the speaker。〃
LXXXII
And now； when you see brothers apparently good friends and
living in accord； do not immediately pronounce anything upon
their friendship； though they should affirm it with an oath；
though they should declare； 〃For us to live apart in a thing
impossible！〃 For the heart of a bad man is faithless；
unprincipled； inconstant： now overpowered by one impression； now
by another。 Ask not the usual questions； Were they born of the
same parents； reared together； and under the same tutor； but ask
this only； in what they place their real interestwhether in
outward things or in the Will。 If in outward things； call them
not friends； any more than faithful； constant； brave or free：
call them not even human beings； if you have any sense。 。 。 。 But
should you hear that these men hold the Good to lie only in the
Will； only in rightly dealing with the things of sense； take no
more trouble to inquire whether they are father and son or
brothers； or comrades of long standing； but； sure of this one
thing； pronounce as boldly that they are friends as that they are
faithful and just： for where else can Friendship be found than
where Modesty is； where there is an interchange of things fair
and honest； and of such only？
LXXXIII
No man can rob us of our Willno man can lord it over that！
LXXXIV
When disease and death overtake me； I would fain be found
engaged in the task of liberating mine oew Will from the assaults
of passion； from hindrance； from resentment； from slavery。
Thus would I fain to be found employed； so that I may say to
God； 〃Have I in aught transgressed Thy commands？ Have I in aught
perverted the faculties； the senses； the natural principles that
Thou didst give me？ Have I ever blamed Thee or found fault with
Thine administration？ When it was Thy good pleasure； I fell sick
and so did other men： by my will consented。 Because it was Thy
pleasure； I became poor： but my heart rejoiced。 No power in the
State was mine； because Thou wouldst not： such power I never
desired！ Hast Thou ever seen me of more doleful countenance on
that account？ Have I not ever drawn nigh unto Thee with cheerful
look； waiting upon Thy commands； attentive to Thy signals？ Wilt
Thou that I now depart from the great Assembly of men？ I go： I
give Thee all thanks； that Thou hast deemed me worthy to tak