Epictetus · c. 50 – c. 135 CE
Discourses 1.29 ¶12 — Epictetus
From “On Constancy (Or Firmness)”
Translation by George Long (1877)
Epictetus, Discourses 1.29 ¶12
To whom then does the contemplation of these matters (philosophical inquiries) belong? To him who has leisure, for man is an animal that loves contemplation. But it is shameful to contemplate these things as runaway slaves do: we should sit, as in a theatre, free from distraction, and listen at one time to the tragic actor, at another time to the lute-player; and not do as slaves do. As soon as the slave has taken his station he praises the actor and at the same time looks round: then if anyone calls out his master’s name, the slave is immediately frightened and disturbed. It is shameful for philosophers thus to contemplate the works of nature. For what is a master? Man is not the master of man; but death is, and life and pleasure and pain; for if he comes without these things, bring Caesar to me and you will see how firm I am. But when he shall come with these things, thundering and lightning, and when I am afraid of them, what do I do then except to recognize my master like the runaway slave? But so long as I have any respite from these terrors, as a runaway slave stands in the theatre, so do I: I bathe, I drink, I sing; but all this I do with terror and uneasiness. But if I shall release myself from my masters, that is from those things by means of which masters are formidable, what further trouble have I, what master have I still?
Cite this passage
Epictetus, Discourses 1.29 ¶12, tr. George Long (1877)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/discourses/1.29.12
Epictetus, Discourses (as recorded by Arrian), tr. George Long (1877). Text: Standard Ebooks (CC0). Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesStudying philosophy while secretly afraid is like a runaway slave enjoying a play with one eye on the door: the real masters are not other people but death, pain, loss and the fear of them. Free yourself from the things that make others frightening and no one is left to master you.
Older wording
- “Caesar”
- — the Roman emperor
- “formidable”
- — inspiring fear
Themes and situations
- Freedom
- Fear and anxiety
- Death and mortality
- Pleasure and pain
- What is in our control
- A difficult boss
- Anxiety about the future
- Fear of death
Quote cards
The opening line of this passage as an image, with its citation — for sharing or keeping.