Epictetus · c. 50 – c. 135 CE
Fragments 112 — Epictetus
Translation by George Long (1877)
Epictetus, Fragments 112
Pleasure, like a kind of bait, is thrown before (in front of) everything which is really bad, and easily allures greedy souls to the hook of perdition.
Cite this passage
Epictetus, Fragments 112, tr. George Long (1877)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/epictetus-fragments/112
Epictetus, Enchiridion and Fragments, tr. George Long (1877). Text: Standard Ebooks (CC0). Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesPleasure acts like bait dangled in front of everything truly harmful, easily luring greedy people onto the hook of ruin. Be wary when something harmful looks irresistibly enjoyable.
Older wording
- “perdition”
- — ruin, destruction
Themes and situations
- Pleasure and pain
- Desire and craving
- Self-discipline and habit
- Judgements and impressions
- Breaking a bad habit
- Money, status and wanting more
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