Epictetus The Enchiridion READING Flashcards
what to say everytime something bad happens
“you are but a semblance and by no means the real thing”
- Then see if its within your power or out of your power
○ If it’s out of your power, be prepared to say that it is nothing to you
attitude to take relating to desire and aversion
- Desire demands obtaining what you desire
○ If you fail, you will be disappointed - Aversion demands avoiding what you are averse to
○ If you fail, you will be wretched - If you shun only things which you can control, you will never incur anything which you shun
- But if you shun stuff that you can’t, you will run the risk of wretchedness
what to do in regards to anything that delights the mind
Remind yourself the nature of anything that delight the mind
○ Favourite cup = cup you are fond of –> if it breaks, you ok
Child or your wife = mortal –> if they die, you ok
what to do in regards to anything that delights the mind
Remind yourself the nature of anything that delight the mind
Favourite cup = cup you are fond of –> if it breaks, you ok
Child or your wife = mortal –> if they die, you ok
Going to bath? Represent to yourself the incidents usual in the bath
○ “I will now go to bathe and keep my own will in harmony with nature”
* If any impediment arises in bathing, you will be able to say”
“it was not only to bathe that I desire, but to keep my will in harmony with nature; and I shall not keep it thus if I am out of humour at things that happen”
View of death
- People aren’t disturbed by things, but by the view which they take of things
- Death itself isn’t terrible
○ It’s the TERROR of death that’s terrible
When we are hindered or disturbed or grieved, never tell others our views but only ourselves
sickness is an impediment to the ___, but not to the ___
body, will
perspective towards pain and suffering
“what hurts this man is not this occurrence itself, but the VIEW HE CHOOSES TO TAKE OF IT
When someone else provokes you, it is your OWN OPINION that actually does it
