The Golden Sayings of Epictetus

Presented by
Authorama
Public Domain Books

CXXX

Remind thyself that he whom thou lovest is mortal—that what thou lovest is not thine own; it is given thee for the present, not irrevocably nor for ever, but even as a fig or a bunch of grapes at the appointed season of the year. . . .

“But these are words of evil omen.”. . .

What, callest thou aught of evil omen save that which signifies some evil thing? Cowardice is a word of evil omen, if thou wilt, and meanness of spirit, and lamentation and mourning and shamelessness. . . .

But do not, I pray thee, call of evil omen a word that is significant of any natural thing:—as well call of evil omen the reaping of the corn; for it means the destruction of the ears, though not of the World!—as well say that the fall of the leaf is of evil omen; that the dried fig should take the place of the green; that raisins should be made from grapes. All these are changes from a former state into another; not destruction, but an ordered economy, a fixed administration. Such is leaving home, a change of small account; such is Death, a greater change, from what now is, not to what is not, but to what is not now.

“Shall I then no longer be?”

Not so; thou wilt be; but something different, of which the World now hath need. For thou too wert born not when thou chosest, but when the World had need of thee.

Continue...

I • II • III • IV • V • VI • VII • VIII • IX • X • XI • XII • XIII • XIV • XV • XVI • XVII • XVIII • XIX • XX • XXI • XXII • XXIII • XXIV • XXV • XXVI • XXVII • XXVIII • XXIX • XXX • XXXI • XXXII • XXXIII • XXXIV • XXXV • XXXVI • XXXVII • XXXVIII • XXXIX • XL • XLI • XLII • XLIII • XLIV • XLV • XLVI • XLVII • XLVIII • XLIX • L • LI • LII • LIII • LIV • LV • LVI • LVII • LVIII • LIX • LX • LXI • LXII • LXIII • LXIV • LXV • LXVI • LXVII • LXVIII • LXIX • LXX • LXXI • LXXII • LXXIII • LXXIV • LXXV • LXXVI • LXXVII • LXXVIII • LXXIX • LXXX • LXXXI • LXXXII • LXXXIII • LXXXIV • LXXXV • LXXXVI • LXXXVII • LXXXVIII • LXXXIX • XC • XCI • XCII • XCIII • XCIV • XCV • XCVI • XCVII • XCVIII • XCIX • C • CI • CII • CIII • CIV • CV • CVI • CVII • CVIII • CIX • CX • CXI • CXII • CXIII • CXIV • CXV • CXVI • CXVII • CXVIII • CXIX • CXX • CXXI • CXXII • CXXIII • CXXIV • CXXV • CXXVI • CXXVII • CXXVIII • CXXIX • CXXX • CXXXI • CXXXII • CXXXIII • CXXXIV • CXXXV • CXXXVI • CXXXVII • CXXXVIII • CXXXIX • CXL • CXLI • CXLII • CXLIII • CXLIV • CXLV • CXLVI • CXLVII • CXLVIII • CXLIX • CL • CLI • CLII • CLIII • CLIV • CLV • CLVI • CLVII • CLVIII • CLIX • CLX • CLXI • CLXII • CLXIII • CLXIV • CLXV • CLXVI • CLXVII • CLXVIII • CLXIX • CLXX • CLXXI • CLXXII • CLXXIII • CLXXIV • CLXXV • CLXXVI • CLXXVII • CLXXVIII • CLXXIX • CLXXX • CLXXXI • CLXXXII • CLXXXIII • CLXXXIV • CLXXXV • CLXXXVI • CLXXXVII • CLXXXVIII • CLXXXIX • Fragments Attributed to Epictetus