Epictetus · c. 50 – c. 135 CE
Fragments 17 — Epictetus
Translation by George Long (1877)
Epictetus, Fragments 17
The sick are vexed with the physician who gives them no advice, and think that he has despaired of them. But why should they not have the same feeling towards the philosopher, and think that he has despaired of their coming to a sound state of mind, if he says nothing at all that is useful to a man?
Cite this passage
Epictetus, Fragments 17, tr. George Long (1877)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/epictetus-fragments/17
Epictetus, Enchiridion and Fragments, tr. George Long (1877). Text: Standard Ebooks (CC0). Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesJust as sick people feel written off by a doctor who gives no advice, people should expect a philosopher to say something useful, since silence suggests he has given up on their improvement.
Older wording
- “despaired”
- — given up hope
Themes and situations
- Learning and progress
- Speech and silence
- Community and our duty to others
- Duty and roles
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