Epictetus · c. 50 – c. 135 CE
Discourses 3.20 ¶3 — Epictetus
From “That We Can Derive Advantage from All External Things”
Translation by George Long (1877)
Epictetus, Discourses 3.20 ¶3
You say “No: but take care that you do not fall sick: it is a bad thing.” This is the same as if you should say, “Take care that you never receive the impression (appearance) that three are four: that is bad.” Man, how is it bad? If I think about it as I ought, how shall it then do me any damage? and shall it not even do me good? If then I think about poverty as I ought to do, about disease, about not having office, is not that enough for me? will it not be an advantage? How then ought I any longer to look to seek evil and good in externals? What happens? these doctrines are maintained here, but no man carries them away home; but immediately everyone is at war with his slave, with his neighbours, with those who have sneered at him, with those who have ridiculed him. Good luck to Lesbius, who daily proves that I know nothing.
Cite this passage
Epictetus, Discourses 3.20 ¶3, tr. George Long (1877)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/discourses/3.20.3
Epictetus, Discourses (as recorded by Arrian), tr. George Long (1877). Text: Standard Ebooks (CC0). Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesIf you hold the right view of illness, poverty or losing a position, they cannot damage you and may even help you, so there is no need to treat them as evils to avoid at all costs. Ideas agreed with in the classroom are useless if people go home and immediately fight with their servants, neighbours and critics.
Older wording
- “office”
- — a public position or post
- “appearance”
- — an impression that presents itself to your mind
Themes and situations
- Judgements and impressions
- What is in our control
- Illness and the body
- Wealth and poverty
- Learning and progress
- Illness or diagnosis
- Losing money
- A career setback
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