Enchiridion

The Enchiridion (literally Handbook) is a short manual of Stoic ethics written around 100 AD. The book was compiled by Arrian based on the lectures of his teacher, Epictetus. Epictetus was born a slave, and spent a large part of his life watching free people suffer and enslave themselves to emotions and material things. Once free, he founded his own school and became one of the greatest and most significant philosophers of late Stoicism.

Before you is my translation of this work, created based on the 1916 book Epictetus' Discourses and this website. As an aid in translation, I used the 1958 translation by Kultura Belgrade by Dr. Miloš N. Đurić and ChatGPT.

After 30 years of searching for a mentor, I realized I had grown into an adult without finding one. I gave up on looking and decided I didn't even need one. Then I accidentally came across Epictetus' book Discourses and read in it everything I needed to hear and know. I found my mentor who has been dead for 2000 years, but through a few written words that survived to the 21st century, he conveyed the essence of Stoic thought to me in a way I could understand and accept. This book is placed on the site so that it is always at hand for me, but it might be interesting and useful to you too.

1.

Some things are up to us and some things are not up to us. Up to us are opinion, impulse, desire, aversion, and in a word, whatever are our own actions. Not up to us are our body, property, reputation, office, and in a word, whatever are not our own actions.
The things that are up to us are by nature free, unrestrained, unhindered, while those that are not up to us are weak, enslaved, hindered, and belonging to others. Remember then, that if you suppose things which are naturally enslaved to be free, and what belongs to others to be your own, you will be hindered. You will lament, you will be disturbed, and you will find fault both with gods and men. But if you suppose only what is your own to be your own, and what belongs to others to be theirs, no one will ever compel you, no one will hinder you, you will blame no one, you will accuse no one, you will do nothing against your will, no one will hurt you, you will have no enemies, for you will suffer nothing harmful.

Aiming therefore at such great things, remember that you must not undertake them with only a moderate motivation, but you must completely abandon some of them, and postpone others for the time being. For if you wish for these greater things as well as office and wealth, you may perhaps fail to get even the lower ones because you aim at the higher, which you will certainly not attain, and it is only the higher that lead to freedom and happiness.

Therefore practice saying to every harsh impression: You are only an impression, and not at all what you claim to be. Then examine it and judge it by the criteria that you possess. First and foremost, by whether it concerns the things that are up to us or those that are not up to us; and if it concerns something not up to us, let the thought be ready at hand: This is nothing to me.

2.

Remember that desire is always accompanied by the hope of attaining its object, and aversion aims to avoid failure. He who fails in his desire is unfortunate, while he who encounters the object of his aversion is more unfortunate. If, then, you confine your aversion only to those objects that are contrary to your nature and within your power, you will never encounter anything you wish to avoid. But if you have an aversion to sickness, death, or poverty, you will be wretched. Remove aversion, then, from all things that are not within our power, and direct it to those things that are contrary to nature and within our power. As for desire, suppress it completely for the present; for if you desire something not within your power, you are bound to fail, and of the things that are within your power, you have nothing yet to show. Rely only on impulse and aversion, but lightly, without tension, and with ease.

3.

With regard to everything that pleases you, is useful to you, or that you love, remember to tell yourself what it really is, starting from the smallest things. If you love a clay pot, say: "I love a clay pot," for when it breaks, you will not be disturbed. If you love your wife or child, say: "I love a human being," for when they die, you will not be disturbed.

4.

When you plan to undertake any action, ask yourself how it relates to your highest values. If, for example, you are going to a public bath, remind yourself of what usually happens there: people splashing, pushing, shouting, and stealing. You will feel more secure while doing your business if you say to yourself: "I want to take a bath, but also to preserve my inner peace and stay in harmony with nature." Apply the same procedure to every task, so that if an obstacle arises, you will be ready to say: "I did not want only to bathe, but also to maintain my peace and stay in harmony with nature, and I will not achieve that if I am disturbed by what is happening."

5.a

Men are disturbed not by events themselves, but by the views which they take of things. For example, death is nothing terrible, but the opinion about death is terrible, because we believe it is terrible. When we are therefore hindered, disturbed, or grieved, let us never blame others, but only ourselves, that is, our own wrong opinions.

5.b

An uneducated person is one who blames others for their own failures.

One who blames himself has begun to be educated.

An educated person is one who blames neither himself nor others.

6.

Never pride yourself on anyone else's virtue. If a horse were to say proudly: "I am beautiful," that would make sense; but when you say proudly: "I have a beautiful horse," know that you are prideful of the horse's virtue. What then is your own? The use of impressions. Therefore, when you use impressions in accordance with nature, you may rightly be proud of something that is truly your own.

7.

When a ship berths during a voyage and you want to disembark to fetch water, you may pick up a shell or a flower along the way, but your thoughts must always be directed back to the ship, and you must constantly look back in case the captain calls you. For if he calls, you must leave all those things behind so that they do not have to bind you and throw you into the ship like a sheep. It is the same in life; if instead of shells and flowers, you are given a wife or a child, nothing prevents you from accepting them. But if the captain calls, hurry to the ship and leave everything behind without looking back. And if you are old, do not stray too far from the ship, lest they leave you behind when they call.

8.

Do not wish for things to happen as you want them to, but wish for them to happen as they do happen, and everything will go smoothly for you.

9.

Sickness is a hindrance to the body, but not to the will, unless the will itself allows it. Lameness is a hindrance to the leg, but not to the will. Apply this to everything that happens to you, and you will see that various things are hindrances to something else, but not to the will.

10.

For every event that happens to you, remember to turn inward and explore what capacity you have to respond to it. If you see a beautiful woman, you will find the capacity in self-restraint. If you face an insult, you will find the capacity in forgiveness. If you feel pain, you will find the capacity in endurance. And in this way, when you practice and become accustomed, impressions will not carry you away.

11.

Never say about anything, "I have lost it," but say, "I have returned it." Has your child died? It has been returned. Has your wife died? She has been returned. Has your property been taken away? It, too, has only been returned.

You will say: "But the person who took it from me is a bad man." What is it to you by whose agency the one who gave it to you has now asked for it back? As long as he allows you to have it, take care of it, but as something belonging to another, just as travelers take care of their lodging.

12.

If you wish to make progress, dismiss thoughts like these: "If I neglect my affairs, I shall have nothing to live on"; "If I do not punish my son, he will turn out badly." For it is better to die of hunger, free from grief and fear, than to live in abundance but disturbed. It is also better for your son to turn out badly than for you to be unhappy.

Begin, therefore, with little things. Is your oil spilled? Is your wine stolen? Say to yourself immediately: "This is the price of tranquility, this is the price of peace, and nothing is bought for free." So when you call your son, bear in mind that he may not obey you, or if he does, he may not do anything as you wish. Remember that he is not so important that your tranquility should depend on him.

13.

If you wish to make progress, be content to appear foolish or stupid regarding external things. Do not try to present yourself as wise, and if you happen to be highly regarded by people as someone who knows a lot, question yourself. Know that it is not easy to preserve your will in harmony with nature and at the same time take care of external things. Inevitably, while you care for one, you will neglect the other.

14.a

If you wish your children, your wife, and your friends to live forever, you are foolish, because you want things that are not up to you to be up to you, and things that belong to others to be yours. Similarly, if you wish your son never to do wrong, you are naive, for you wish a vice not to be a vice, but something else. If, however, you wish always to achieve what you aim for, that can be accomplished.

14.b

The master of every man is the one who has power over the things that the man wants or wants to avoid.

Therefore, a man must not place his desires and aversions in things that depend on others, or he will become a slave.

15.

Remember that you ought to behave in life as you would at a banquet. If something comes around to you, reach out your hand and take it with dignity. If it passes by, let it go. If it has not reached you yet, do not stretch your desire toward it too far, but wait until it approaches you. Approach your children, your wife, your office, and your wealth in the same way, and you will be worthy of the company of the gods.

And if something comes to you and you do not take it but refrain, then you will not only be a guest at the divine banquet, but their companion as well. This is what Diogenes, Heraclitus, and others like them did, which is why they are rightly considered divine.

16.

When you see someone weeping because they have lost a child or their property, take care that the impression does not mislead you into thinking that they are experiencing something bad. Remind yourself immediately that it is not what happened that distresses them (since it does not distress others), but their conviction about it. However, do not hesitate to offer them words of comfort, or even to groan with them. Just take care that you do not groan inwardly.

17.

Remember that you are an actor in a play, the nature of which is determined by the author. If he wants you to play a minor role, play a minor role. If he wants you to play a leading role, play a leading role. If it is given to you to play a poor man, play it with skill. If it is given to you to play a lame man, play a lame man, or a ruler, or an ordinary citizen.

Your task is to act well the character assigned to you; but the choice of the role belongs to someone else.

18.

When a raven croaks ominously, let the impression not mislead you. Instead, distinguish and say to yourself: "This is no bad omen for me, but for my body, for my meager property, or for my wife or children." To me, however, only good is foretold, if I so decide. For whatever happens in reality, it is up to me to derive benefit from it.

19.a

You can be invincible only if you do not enter into any contest where victory does not depend on you.

19.b

When you see someone who is highly honored, who holds great power, or who is successful in any way, take care that, misled by the impression, you do not think they are happy. For if the essence of the good lies in things that are up to us, then there is no place for either envy or jealousy. If that is so, then you will not wish to be a consul, a general, or a magistrate, but a free man. And there is only one way to that: contempt for all things that are not within our control.

20.

Remember that it is not the person who insults or strikes you that hurts you, but your opinion about it. Therefore, when someone provokes you, know that it is only your own opinion that has provoked you. Try, then, above all, not to let the impression carry you away; for it will be easier to master yourself if you pause and reflect.

21.

Let death, exile, and everything else from which you avert your eyes be before your eyes every day, and then you will never have base thoughts or desire anything excessively.

22.

If you desire to make progress in philosophy, prepare yourself from the very start to be laughed at and mocked by people. Many will say: "Look at him! He has suddenly become a philosopher. Where did he get that arrogant expression on his face?" But do not behave arrogantly; hold fast to those things that seem best to you and as God has assigned you.
Remember also that if you persist in this, those who previously ridiculed you will later respect you; but if you give in to them, you will bring upon yourself a double mockery.

23.

If you begin to turn outward in order to please someone, know that you have lost your inner firmness. Therefore, be content in everything to be a philosopher; and if you wish to appear so to others as well, just be content with appearing so to yourself, and that will be quite enough.

24.

Do not disturb yourself with thoughts like: "I shall live my life without honor and be a nobody everywhere," for if being without honor is an evil, you cannot be without honor because of someone else, just as you cannot be without morals because of someone else.

Is it your job to attain a high position or to be invited to feasts? Not at all! How then can this be a shame, and how are you a nobody everywhere, when you only need to distinguish yourself in what is up to you, and where you can show yourself to be of the highest worth?

"But I will be useless to my friends." What do you mean by useless? Because they will not receive coins from you, or because you will not make them citizens of Rome? Who told you that these things are up to you and not belonging to others? Who can give to another what he does not have himself?

"Try to acquire wealth so that we may benefit." If it can be acquired while keeping myself pure, honest, and noble, show me the way and I will acquire it. But if you ask me to lose what is valuable so that you can gain what has no value at all, consider how unjust and foolish you are. What would you rather have, some money or an honest and faithful friend? Help me to remain such a person, and do not ask me to do things that would cause me to lose these values.

"But you will be useless to your country." Again I ask, what kind of usefulness are we talking about? "Your country will not get a facade or a bath from you." Well, what of it? Neither does a smith provide shoes, nor a shoemaker weapons. It is enough if everyone fulfills their own task. And if your task was to produce an honest and upright citizen, do you not thereby help your country? You do. Therefore, you are not useless to it either.

"But what position will I hold?" The one you can fulfill while remaining pure and honest. For if, in your desire to be useful, you cast off these qualities, what usefulness could you have if you become dishonest and shameless?

25.

Has someone been shown greater honor at the table, in a greeting, or in council membership? If these things are good, rejoice that that person has received them; and if they are bad, do not be sad that you did not get them.

Remember that when you do not act in a certain way, you cannot expect to get the same results as those who do. How could you be treated like someone who regularly pays visits, when you do not go? Or like one who sends gifts, when you do not send them? Or like one who praises others, when you do not praise them?

You are unjust and greedy if you do not want to pay for things that are for sale, yet wish to have them. For example, how much does a lettuce cost? An obol, let's say. Someone pays the obol and takes the lettuce, while you do not get it because you did not give the obol. Thus you do not have less than him, because just as he now has the lettuce, you still have your obol. The same applies to other things. You were not invited to a feast? Of course, because you did not give what the host asks for the feast. The dinner is paid for with praise, flattery, or services. So give what is asked if the price suits you, but if you long to get it and do not want to pay, then you are greedy and foolish.

"So you have neither dinner nor anything in return?" You do! You have the fact that you did not praise the one you didn't want to praise. You didn't have to tolerate insults at his doorstep.

26.

To understand the will of nature, you must observe the things in which we do not differ from one another. For example, when someone else's child breaks a cup, you say immediately: "These things happen." Remember that when your child breaks a cup, you should apply the same principle.

Now apply this to greater things as well. When someone's wife or child dies, you say immediately that it is common to humanity. But when your own child dies, immediately it is: "Alas, wretched me!" We should always remember in our own misfortune how we feel when we hear of the misfortunes of others.

27.

Just as a target is not set up to be missed, so the nature of evil does not arise in the world.

28.

If someone were to hand over your body to the first passerby, you would be angry. Why then do you hand over your opinion and mind to anyone and allow them to shake and disturb you, just because they insult you? Are you not ashamed of this?

29.

In every action, consider what precedes it and what follows it, and only then approach it. Otherwise, you will start enthusiastically, unaware of the consequences, and when troubles appear, you will give up in shame.

Do you want to win at the Olympic Games? So do I, by the gods, for it is a fine thing. But consider first what precedes and what follows, and only then approach that goal. To win you must live an orderly and disciplined life, you must abstain from rich food, exercise continuously, at appointed times, both in heat and in cold. You must not drink wine whenever you please, and in short, you must surrender yourself to the trainer as to a doctor, and then enter the contest. There it may happen that you dislocate your arm, sprain your ankle, suffer much pain and injury, and in the end, still lose.

Consider all this, and if you still want to, approach the contest. If you do not do this, you are only behaving like children who play at wrestling for a bit, then pretend to be gladiators, then blow trumpets, then act out tragedies. So you too, now an athlete, now a gladiator, then an orator, then a philosopher, but in your soul you are only a monkey mimicking every show you see and moving from one thing to another because you have approached nothing with reflection, nor have you chosen anything with purpose, but out of mere and superficial desire.

Thus some people see a philosopher and hear how beautifully he speaks, and they themselves wish to become philosophers. But a man must consider all that this entails, and then thoroughly study his own nature to see if he is ready to bear it. Do you want to be a pentathlete or a wrestler? Look at your arms, your thighs, and your back. Examine yourself. For everyone is born for different things. Do you think that you can eat in the same way while doing this? Drink in the same way? Be angry or dissatisfied in a similar way? You must be prepared to stay awake, to toil, to separate from your loved ones, to be despised by a child, to be laughed at by everyone, to be valued less in honor, in office, in court, in every business. Think about this: if you are ready to exchange all this for unperturbedness, freedom, and tranquility, then go ahead. If not, do not even begin. Do not be like children—a philosopher today, a tax collector tomorrow, then an orator, and then Caesar's governor. This is not consistent. You must be one of two things: either a good or a bad man. You must work either on developing the ruling part of your soul or on external things; cultivate the internal or occupy yourself with the external. In other words, you can either be a philosopher or an ordinary man.

30.

Appropriate actions are mostly determined by relations. Is someone your father? It is implied that you will obey him and bear criticism, and even blows. "But he is a bad father!" you will say. You are not bound by nature to a good father, but to a father.
If your brother treats you unjustly, maintain your position toward him and do not look at what he does, but at what becomes you and what is in harmony with your nature. No one can hurt you unless you allow it. You suffer harm only when you decide you have suffered it. In this way, you can discover the appropriate actions toward a neighbor, a fellow citizen, or a general, all from your relationship with them.

31.

Remember that when it comes to honoring the gods, the most important thing is to have correct convictions about them as those who exist and who govern everything correctly and justly, and that you are there to obey them, to accept everything that happens, and to follow them willingly, as everything is guided by their wisdom and will. In this way, you will never complain about the gods, nor ever accuse them of neglecting you.

However, this is not possible unless you remove the idea of good and evil from what is not within your control. For if you wrongly judge any of those things that are not under your control as good or bad, you will be forced to complain and hate the causes of it, whenever you do not get what you want or when what you avoid happens. For all creatures naturally flee from what they consider harmful and its causes, and follow what they see as useful and admire its causes. Therefore, it is impossible for someone who believes he is harmed to enjoy the one who caused the harm, just as it is impossible to rejoice in the harm itself.

Hence, a son scolds his father when he does not give him things he considers good. Likewise, the belief that power is the highest good caused the conflict between Polyneices and Eteocles. Because of this, the farmer, the merchant, the sailor, and those who lose their wife and children complain against the gods. For where their interest lies, there also lies their piety.

Therefore, he who takes care to correctly direct his desires and aversions, at the same time takes care of piety; and it is fitting for everyone to offer sacrifices according to custom. With a pure heart, moderately, without negligence, neither meanly nor beyond one's means.

32.

When you go to an oracle, remember that you come not knowing what the outcome will be, and you go to find out. But if you are a philosopher, you know that whatever the prophecy is, it is not under your control, and therefore it is neither good nor bad. So do not go with either desire or aversion, lest you stand trembling before the oracle. Go aware that everything that happens is indifferent and has nothing to do with you. Whatever the outcome, use it correctly and no one can hinder you.

Therefore, go boldly to the gods as counselors, and afterward, when they tell you something, remember what kind of allies you have gained and whom you will disregard if you do not listen. Go to the oracle as Socrates did, in those cases where the purpose of the inquiry is to find a way out of situations where there is no way out either in logic or in other skills that would help you make a correct judgment.
And when the need arises to risk yourself for a friend or your country, do not even ask the oracle whether you should do it. For even if the oracle tells you that the omen is bad, which could mean death, loss of a body part, or exile, reason still dictates that you stand by your friend or your country and take the risk along with them. Listen to the greatest prophet, the Pythian one, who once expelled a man from the temple because he did not help his dying friend.

33.

Establish at once a pattern of behavior and character that you will maintain both when you are alone and when you are among people

• Mainly keep silent, or speak only what is necessary and that briefly. Talk rarely, and only when it is time to speak. Speak thoughtfully, but do not talk at all about trivial topics such as: fights, races, athletes, food, or drink. Do not blame or praise people. If you can, direct the conversation to higher topics, and if you are in the company of strangers, keep silent

• Let your smile be moderate, neither too loud nor too unrestrained

• Avoid oaths, if you can, entirely

• Do not accept frequent invitations to dinners. If you go, take care not to immerse yourself in private conversation, because close contact with others easily soils thoughts, even if they were pure in themselves

• Satisfy bodily needs only as much as necessary. Food, drink, clothing, shelter, and basic services; and everything that has to do with reputation or luxury, reject

• As for sex, avoid it as much as you can before marriage, and if you have it, let it be lawful. Do not reproach those who indulge in it, nor set yourself apart regarding behavior, but ignore them

• If you hear that someone speaks ill of you, do not make excuses but say: "He surely does not know about my other faults, otherwise he would not have mentioned only these"

• Avoid frequent visits to the theater, and if you do go, behave in accordance with yourself. Watch what happens without passion for the outcome and take care not to be hindered. Upon leaving, do not talk about what you saw, unless it contributes to your improvement, for from such reactions it might seem that you were fascinated by the show

• Do not go to lectures at random, nor join in them lightly. If you do go, be dignified and stable, without exaggeration

• When meeting someone who holds a high position, imagine how Socrates or Zeno would behave in that situation. That will help you behave appropriately

• When going to a powerful person, imagine that you will not find him inside, that you will be turned away, or that he will not receive you. Remember that all this is not worth your anxiety, and then go and accept what happens and never say to yourself: "It wasn't worth the effort," for that is a descent into vulgarity.

• In conversation, avoid talking about your own deeds or dangers you have passed through. Although it is pleasant for you to remember your exploits, it is not pleasant for others to listen to them

• In conversation, avoid making others laugh too much, because that easily leads to vulgarity and reduces the respect of those around you toward you

• It is risky to engage in indecent conversations, so if something like that happens and if the moment is appropriate, rebuke the person speaking, and if it is not, it is enough to make it known that you are uncomfortable, to blush, and keep silent

34.

When an impulse arises, as with all other impressions, take care not to be carried away by it. Give yourself time and let the matter wait a little. Then think of both periods, both the one in which you will enjoy the pleasure and the later one when you might regret it. Compare it with the satisfaction you will feel if you refrain and praise yourself for doing so. And if it seems to you that the moment for pleasure is appropriate, take care that you are not misled by its pleasantness and seductiveness. Instead, remember how much greater a pleasure it is to know that you have conquered that impulse.

35.

When you do something you consider right, do not hide, even if the majority thinks otherwise. For if you are not doing right, do not do it at all, and if you are doing right, why do you fear those who will criticize you unjustly.

36.

Just as the expressions "It is day" and "It is night" have meaning separately, but together mean nothing. In the same way, taking a larger portion of food has value for the body, but is useless for a shared dinner where it is important to preserve harmony. When dining with others, remember not to look only at the body, but also how to preserve appropriate behavior toward the person hosting the dinner.

37.

If you assume a role that exceeds your capabilities, you will both make a fool of yourself and fail to fulfill the role you already had.

38.

Just as in walking you take care not to step on a thorn or sprain your ankle, take care not to damage your ruling part. If we take care of it in every action, we will walk more securely in every situation.

39.

The measure of property for every man should be appropriate to the needs of his body, just as the foot is the measure of the shoe. Therefore, if you stop there, you will keep the measure, and if you do not keep it, you will inevitably slide into an abyss. As with shoes, if they are larger than the foot, they quickly become adorned with gold, purple, and lace. For once the boundary is crossed, there is no end to excess.

40.

Women are called "mistresses (ladies)" by men from the age of fourteen. Therefore, when they see that no other role is assigned to them except to share the bed with their husbands, they begin to beautify themselves and place all their hopes there. For this reason, they should be shown that respect is gained only through dignity and honor.

41.

A sign of ignorance is an obsessive preoccupation with physical things, such as excessive exercise, overeating and drinking, or excessive sexual intercourse. These things should be done in passing, while all your attention should be directed toward the mind.

42.

When someone insults you or speaks ill of you, remember that he does so in accordance with what he considers appropriate. According to his own view of things, not yours. Therefore, if something seems bad to him, he is the one who suffers, as if he were deceived. For when someone interprets the truth as a lie, the truth is not the one harmed, but the one who misinterprets it. From this it follows that you will react with gentleness to the one who reviles you, because on every such occasion you will say: "That was his impression, and he only thinks so."

43.

Every matter has two handles. One handle that serves for carrying and another that cannot be held. If your brother has done you an injustice, do not grab onto the fact that he is unjust, for that is the handle that cannot be held; instead, focus on the fact that he is your brother and that you grew up together, and take hold of the carrying handle.

44.

These sentences are illogical: "I am richer than you, therefore I am better than you" or "I am more learned than you, therefore I am better than you."

These sentences are logical: "I am richer than you, therefore my property is greater than yours" or "I am more learned than you, therefore my knowledge is greater than yours."

For you are neither your knowledge nor your property.

45.

Someone bathes quickly; do not say that he bathes badly, but only that he bathes quickly. Someone drinks a lot of wine; do not say that he does badly, but only that he drinks a lot. Before you judge that something is bad, think about how you know it is bad. In this way, you will not acquire impressions about one thing while giving assent to another.

46.

Never call yourself a philosopher, and do not discuss philosophy too much in the company of the uninitiated. Instead, live in accordance with philosophy. For example, instead of talking at a feast about how one ought to eat, eat as one ought.

Remember that Socrates avoided showing off his knowledge to such an extent that when people came to him with requests to be taught philosophy, he would direct them to others. He was content to be unnoticed.

If a conversation about philosophy arises in some company, keep silent. For there is a great chance that you will only show all the things you do not fully understand.

When someone tells you that you know nothing, do not feel insulted, but take the first step. For even sheep do not carry grass to the shepherds to show how much they have eaten, but through their wool and milk show the product of their nutrition. So you too, do not show your principles to the uninitiated, but through the deeds that flow from them, show your progress.

47.

When you are modestly dressed, do not emphasize it to make it look like a virtue.

If you drink only water, do not point out on every occasion that you drink only water.

If you decide to exercise or endure labor to grow stronger, do it for yourself and not for the world.

Do not worship idols of virtues.

When you grow thirsty, take a sip of cold water, spit it out, and tell no one.

48.a

The attitude and character of an uninitiated man: Benefit and harm never come from the man himself, but always from external things.

The attitude and character of a philosopher: He expects all benefit and harm from himself.

48.b

Signs of a man who is making progress:

• He criticizes no one

• He condemns no one

• He blames no one for anything

• He does not speak of himself as if he were someone important or knows something

• When he is hindered or prevented in something, he considers only himself responsible

• If someone praises him, he smiles at the praise within himself

• He walks cautiously, like a sick person, taking care not to disturb his inner peace until he achieves stability

• He has banished all desire from himself, and directs aversion only to those unnatural things that are up to us

• In everything, he uses a gentle impulse

• If he appears foolish or ignorant, he is not disturbed

In a word, he watches himself as an enemy lying in wait and presenting a potential obstacle.

49.

When someone boasts that they can understand Chrysippus' writings, say to yourself: If Chrysippus had not written so obscurely, the one who boasts would have no reason for pride. And what do I want? To understand nature and to follow it. So I look for someone who will interpret it for me, and I heard that it is Chrysippus, so I go to him, but I do not understand what is written. Therefore, I look for someone who interprets them. Up to this point, there is nothing worthy of praise.

When I find an interpreter, it only remains for me to apply all of that now. That alone is worthy of praise.

If I consider that I have achieved something just because I understood, then I have become a grammarian and not a philosopher. Only instead of Homer, I am interpreting Chrysippus.

Therefore, when someone says to you, interpret a passage from Chrysippus for me, I blush if I cannot boast of deeds that are in harmony with Chrysippus' words.

50.

Whatever goals you set for yourself, remain faithful to them as to a law. Consider it a sacrilege if you break any of them. Do not pay attention to what anyone else says about you, for that is no longer in your power.

51.

How much longer will you waste time before you begin to consider yourself worthy of the best things and stop straying from the reason that decides the difference.

You have received the principles. You have met those whom you were supposed to meet. What other teacher are you waiting for then, to entrust yourself to him to correct you. You are no longer a boy, but a mature man.

If you neglect it now, you will waste time, continuously postponing, constantly setting a new date when you will attend to yourself. It will escape you that you are not making progress, but turning into an ordinary man, both in life and in death.

Immediately, therefore, consider yourself worthy of living as a man who is mature. As a man who is making progress. And let everything that seems best to you be an inviolable law.

If you encounter something that is laborious, beautiful, honorable, or dishonorable, remember that now is the time for the contest. That the Olympic Games have already begun. That there is no longer room for delay and that on a single defeat or victory depends whether your progress will endure or perish.

This is how Socrates built himself up, because in everything he did, he took account only of his reason. And you, although you are not yet a Socrates, live as if you wish to become one.

52.

The first and most important area in philosophy is the one that concerns the application of principles. For example: The principle that one must not lie.

The second area is the one that concerns proofs. For example: Why must one not lie?

The third area is the one that confirms and articulates the previous ones. For example: From where does it follow that this is a proof? For what is a demonstration? What is a consequence, a conflict, truth, falsehood?

Therefore, the third area is necessary because of the second, the second because of the first, so the first area is the most important and the one where one should pause.

But we do the opposite. We occupy ourselves with the third and devote all our attention to it, while neglecting the first. Therefore, on the one hand, we lie, and on the other hand, we have at hand the proof of why one must not lie.

One should always have the following sentences ready at hand:

Lead me, O Zeus, and thou O Destiny, whithersoever I am by you appointed to go. For I will follow without hesitation. And even if I turn out badly and refuse, I shall follow nonetheless.

He who yields properly to necessity is wise among us, and knows the things of the gods.

Crito, if it is pleasing to the gods, so let it be.

Anytus and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me.