Epictetus · c. 50 – c. 135 CE
Discourses 1.26 ¶3 — Epictetus
From “What Is the Law of Life”
Translation by George Long (1877)
Epictetus, Discourses 1.26 ¶3
This then is the beginning of philosophy, a man’s perception of the state of his ruling faculty; for when a man knows that it is weak, then he will not employ it on things of the greatest difficulty. But at present, if men cannot swallow even a morsel, they buy whole volumes and attempt to devour them; and this is the reason why they vomit them up or suffer indigestion: and then come gripings, defluxes, and fevers. Such men ought to consider what their ability is. In theory it is easy to convince an ignorant person; but in the affairs of real life no one offers himself to be convinced, and we hate the man who has convinced us. But Socrates advised us not to live a life which is not subjected to examination.
Cite this passage
Epictetus, Discourses 1.26 ¶3, tr. George Long (1877)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/discourses/1.26.3
Epictetus, Discourses (as recorded by Arrian), tr. George Long (1877). Text: Standard Ebooks (CC0). Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesLearning starts with an honest look at how strong or weak your own mind is, so that you do not take on tasks far beyond your present ability. People who cannot swallow a mouthful buy whole libraries and make themselves ill, and it is easy to persuade someone in theory but hard in real life, where we resent whoever corrects us.
Older wording
- “ruling faculty”
- — your reasoning mind
- “gripings”
- — stomach pains
- “defluxes”
- — feverish bodily discharges such as heavy colds
Themes and situations
- Learning and progress
- Self-discipline and habit
- Judgements and impressions
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