Epictetus · c. 50 – c. 135 CE
Fragments 36 — Epictetus
Translation by George Long (1877)
Epictetus, Fragments 36
Grasshoppers (cicadae) are musical: snails have no voice. Snails have pleasure in being moist, but grasshoppers in being dry. Next the dew invites forth the snails and for this they crawl out: but on the contrary the sun when he is hot, rouses the grasshoppers and they sing in the sun. Therefore if you wish to be a musical man and to harmonize well with others, when over the cups the soul is bedewed with wine, at that time do not permit the soul to go forth and to be polluted; but when in company (parties) it is fired by reason, then bid her to utter oracular words and to sing the oracles of justice.
Cite this passage
Epictetus, Fragments 36, tr. George Long (1877)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/epictetus-fragments/36
Epictetus, Enchiridion and Fragments, tr. George Long (1877). Text: Standard Ebooks (CC0). Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesJust as snails are drawn out by dew and cicadas by the sun, a person's soul comes out under different conditions. To be good company, do not let your soul wander off into foolishness when wine softens it; when the group is warmed by reason, let it speak wisely and on the side of justice.
Older wording
- “cicadae”
- — cicadas, noisy summer insects
- “oracles of justice”
- — wise statements about what is right
Themes and situations
- Speech and silence
- Self-discipline and habit
- Justice and fairness
- Community and our duty to others
Quote cards
The opening line of this passage as an image, with its citation — for sharing or keeping.