Epictetus · c. 50 – c. 135 CE
Fragments 105 — Epictetus
Translation by George Long (1877)
Epictetus, Fragments 105
Listen to those who wish to advise what is useful, but not to those who are eager to flatter on all occasions; for the first really see what is useful, but the second look to that which agrees with the opinion of those who possess power, and imitating the shadows of bodies they assent to what is said by the powerful.
Cite this passage
Epictetus, Fragments 105, tr. George Long (1877)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/epictetus-fragments/105
Epictetus, Enchiridion and Fragments, tr. George Long (1877). Text: Standard Ebooks (CC0). Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesPay attention to people who tell you what is actually useful, not to those who flatter you at every turn. Flatterers just echo whatever the powerful want to hear, like shadows copying a body's movements.
Older wording
- “assent”
- — agree
Themes and situations
- Friendship
- Speech and silence
- Leadership and power
- Judgements and impressions
- Leading others
- A hard decision
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