Epictetus · c. 50 – c. 135 CE
Discourses 3.13 ¶4 — Epictetus
From “What Solitude Is, and What Kind of Person a Solitary Man Is”
Translation by George Long (1877)
Epictetus, Discourses 3.13 ¶4
Every great power (faculty) is dangerous to beginners. You must then bear such things as you are able, but conformably to nature: but not… Practice sometimes a way of living like a person out of health that you may at some time live like a man in health. Abstain from food, drink water, abstain sometimes altogether from desire, in order that you may some time desire consistently with reason; and if consistently with reason, when you have anything good in you, you will desire well.—Not so; but we wish to live like wise men immediately and to be useful to men—Useful how? what are you doing? have you been useful to yourself? But, I suppose, you wish to exhort them? You exhort them! You wish to be useful to them. Show to them in your own example what kind of men philosophy makes, and don’t trifle. When you are eating, do good to those who eat with you; when you are drinking, to those who are drinking with you; by yielding to all, giving way, bearing with them, thus do them good, and do not spit on them your phlegm (bad humors).
Cite this passage
Epictetus, Discourses 3.13 ¶4, tr. George Long (1877)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/discourses/3.13.4
Epictetus, Discourses (as recorded by Arrian), tr. George Long (1877). Text: Standard Ebooks (CC0). Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesBeginners should train gradually and within their means, practising small abstinences so that eventually their desires follow reason. Before trying to improve others, be useful to yourself, then help others by example, with patience and by giving way, rather than by lecturing them.
Older wording
- “conformably to nature”
- — in line with how human beings are meant to live
- “phlegm”
- — spit; here a picture of dumping your bad humours on others
Themes and situations
- Learning and progress
- Self-discipline and habit
- Kindness and forgiveness
- Pride and humility
- Speech and silence
Quote cards
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