1. Every skill and faculty is maintained and increased by the corresponding acts; as, the faculty of walking by walking, of running by running. If you will read aloud well, then do it constantly; if you will write, then write. But when you have not read aloud for thirty days together, but done something else, you shall see the result. Thus, if you have lain down for ten days, then rise up and endeavor to walk a good distance, and you shall see how your legs are enfeebled. In general, then, if you would make yourself skilled in anything, then do it; and if you would refrain from anything, then do it not, but use yourself to do rather some other thing instead of it.
1. Every skill and ability is maintained and strengthened by practicing it. You maintain and strengthen your ability to walk by walking, and to run by running. If you want to read aloud well, practice constantly. If you want to write, then write. But stop reading aloud for thirty days and do something else, and you will see the result. Likewise, lie down for ten days, then get up and try to walk a good distance. You will see how weak your legs have become. In general, if you want to become skilled at something, do it. If you want to stop doing something, do not do it. Instead, get into the habit of doing something else.
2. And thus it is in spiritual things also. When thou art wrathful, know that not this single evil hath happened to thee, but that thou hast increased the aptness to it, and, as it were, poured oil upon the fire. When thou art overcome in passion, think not that this defeat is all; but thou hast nourished thine incontinence, and increased it. For it is impossible but that aptitudes and faculties should spring up where they were not before, or spread and grow mightier, by the corresponding acts. And thus, surely, do also, as the philosopher says, the infirmities of the soul grow up. For when thou hast once been covetous of money, if Reason, which leadeth to a sense of the vice, be called to aid, then both the desire is set at rest, and our ruling faculty is re-established, as it was in the beginning. But if thou bring no remedy to aid, then shall the soul return no more to the first estate; but when next excited by the corresponding appearance, shall be kindled to desire even more quickly than before. And when this is continually happening, the soul becomes callous in the end, and through its infirmity the love of money is strengthened. For he that hath had a fever, when the illness hath left him, is not what he was before his fever, unless he have been entirely healed. And somewhat on this wise also it happens in the affection of the soul: certain traces and scars are left in it, the which if a man do not wholly eradicate, when he hath been again scoured on the same place, it shall make no longer scars, but sores.
2. The same is true in spiritual matters. When you become angry, know that this single wrong is not all that has happened to you. You have also strengthened your tendency toward anger, pouring oil on the fire, so to speak. When passion overcomes you, do not think that this defeat is all. You have also fed your lack of self-control and made it stronger. Repeated actions inevitably create tendencies and abilities that did not exist before, or strengthen and expand those already present. This, too, is surely how the soul’s weaknesses develop, as the philosopher says. Once you have felt greedy for money, call on reason to help you recognize the fault. Then your desire is calmed, and your ruling faculty is restored to its original state. But if you apply no remedy, your soul will not return to its former condition. The next time a similar impression stirs it, desire will flare up even more quickly than before. When this keeps happening, the soul eventually becomes calloused, and its weakness strengthens the love of money. Someone who has had a fever is not the same afterward, unless they have fully recovered. Something similar happens with the soul’s disorders. They leave traces and scars. Unless you remove these completely, another wound in the same place will leave not just scars, but open sores.
3. Wouldst thou, then, be no longer of a wrathful temper? Then do not nourish the aptness to it, give it nothing that will increase it, be tranquil from the outset, and number the days when thou hast not been wrathful. I have not been wrathful now for one, nor for two, nor for three days; but if thou have saved thirty days, then sacrifice to God. For the aptness is at first enfeebled, and then destroyed. To-day I was not vexed, nor to-morrow, nor for two or three months together; but I was heedful when anything happened to move me thus. Know that thou art in good case. To-day, when I saw a fair woman, I did not say to myself, Would that one could possess her; nor, Happy is her husband, for he who saith this saith also, Happy is her paramour; nor do I picture to my mind what should follow. But I stroke my head, and say, Well done, Epictetus! you have solved a fine sophism, finer by far than the master sophism. But if she were also willing and consenting, and sent to me, and if she also laid hold of me, and drew near to me, and I should yet restrain myself and conquer, this were indeed then a sophism above the Liar, above the Quiescent. Verily, for this a man’s spirit may rightly swell, and not for propounding the master sophism.
3. Do you want to stop being quick to anger? Then do not feed that tendency or give it anything that will strengthen it. Stay calm from the start, and count the days when you have not been angry. I have now gone one day without anger, then two, then three. If you reach thirty days, offer a sacrifice to God. For the tendency first grows weaker, then disappears. Today I was not upset, nor the next day, nor for two or three months in a row. But I stayed alert whenever something happened that might provoke me. Know that you are doing well. Today, when I saw a beautiful woman, I did not say to myself, If only I could have her. Nor did I say, Her husband is lucky. For anyone who says this also says, Her lover is lucky. Nor do I imagine what might follow. Instead, I pat my head and say, Well done, Epictetus! You have solved a fine logical puzzle, far finer than the Master Argument. But suppose she were also willing and consenting, and sent for me. Suppose she took hold of me and drew close, yet I still restrained myself and overcame the temptation. That would truly be a puzzle greater than the Liar or the Quiescent. This is something a person can rightly take pride in, not in presenting the Master Argument.
The logical puzzle called the Liar runs as follows: A liar says he lies. If this is true, he is no liar. If he lies, he is speaking the truth. Cicero attributed the invention of the Quiescent (ὁ ἡσυχάζων) to Chrysippus (Acad. ii. 29). As a number of things gradually increased, Chrysippus was asked when they stopped being few and became many. He would stop answering, or become “quiescent,” shortly before that point. We find it difficult to regard this device as a fair example of Chrysippus’s contributions to logic. For the master sophism, see Bk. II. chap. i., note 1.
4. How, then, may this come to pass? Resolve at last to seek thine own commendation, to appear fair in the eyes of God; desire to become pure with thine own pure self, and with God. Then when thou shalt fall in with any appearance such as we have spoken of, what saith Plato? Go to the puri__fying sacrifices, go and pray in the temples of the protecting Gods. It shall even suffice if thou seek the company of good and wise men, and try thyself by one of them, whether he be one of the living or of the dead.
4. How, then, can this happen? Resolve at last to seek your own approval and to look good in God’s eyes. Desire to become pure before your own pure self and before God. Then, when you encounter an impression like those we have discussed, what does Plato say? Go to the purifying sacrifices, go and pray in the temples of the protecting gods. It will even be enough to seek the company of good and wise people. Measure yourself against one of them, whether living or dead.
Plato, Laws, ix.: “When any such opinions come to you, go to the purifying sacrifices. Go and pray in the temples of the protecting gods. Seek the company of people you have heard are good. Listen to others, and say yourself, that everyone should value what is honorable and right. But flee the company of evil people without looking back. If doing these things makes your sickness lessen, that is good. If not, consider death the better choice, and leave this life.”
5. By opposing these remedies thou shalt conquer the appearance, nor be led captive by it. But at the outset, be not swept away by the vehemence of it; but say, Await me a little, thou appearance; let me see what thou art, and with what thou hast to do; let me approve thee. And then permit it not to lead thee forward, and to picture to thee what should follow, else it shall take possession of thee, and carry thee whithersoever it will. But rather bring in against it some other fair and noble appearance, and therewithal cast out this vile one. And if thou use to exercise thyself in this way, thou shalt see what shoulders and nerves and sinews thou wilt have! But now we have only wordiness, and nothing more.
5. By using these remedies against the impression, you will overcome it and not be taken captive by it. But at first, do not let its force sweep you away. Instead, say, Wait a moment, impression. Let me see what you are and what you concern. Let me test you. Then do not let it lead you on or show you what might follow. Otherwise, it will take hold of you and carry you wherever it wants. Instead, bring another, noble and beautiful impression against it, and use that to drive out this vile one. If you make a habit of practicing this way, you will see what shoulders, nerves, and sinews you develop! But as things stand, we have nothing but talk.
6. This is the true athlete, he who exerciseth himself against such appearances. Hold, unhappy man! be not swept away. Great is the contest, divine the task, for kingship, for freedom, for prosperity, for tranquillity. Be mindful of God, call Him to be thy helper and defender, as men at sea call upon the Dioscuri in a storm. For what greater tempest is there than that which proceedeth from appearances, that mightily overcome and expel the Reason? Yea, a storm itself, what is it but an appearance? For, take away only the dread of death, and bring as many thunderings and lightnings as thou wilt, and thou shalt see what fair weather and calm there will be in the ruling faculty. But if having been once defeated, thou shalt say, The next time I will conquer; and then the same thing over again, be sure that in the end thou wilt be brought to such a sorry and feeble state that henceforth thou wilt not so much as know that thou art sinning; but thou wilt begin to make excuses for the thing, and then confirm that saying of Hesiod to be true:—
6. This is the true athlete, someone who trains to resist such impressions. Stop, unhappy man! Do not let yourself be swept away. The struggle is great, the task divine. It is a struggle for kingship, freedom, prosperity, and peace of mind. Remember God. Call on him as your helper and defender, as sailors call on the Dioscuri during a storm. What greater storm is there than impressions that overpower reason and drive it out? Indeed, what is a storm itself but an impression? Just remove the fear of death, and bring as much thunder and lightning as you like. You will see how clear and calm it is within your governing mind. But suppose, after one defeat, you say, Next time I will win. Then suppose the same thing happens again and again. Be certain that you will eventually become so wretched and weak that you will no longer recognize your wrongdoing. Instead, you will begin making excuses for it. Then you will prove this saying of Hesiod true:
The true athlete. Literally, an ascetic, ἀσκητής, meaning someone who practices or trains.
The Dioscuri, or Twins, Castor and Pollux, were the gods who protected sailors.
“With ills unending strives the putter off.” —Works and Days, 411.
“The person who puts things off struggles with endless troubles.” Works and Days, 411.
7. What then? can a man make this resolve, and so stand up faultless? He cannot; but this much he can—to be ever straining towards faultlessness. For happy it were if, by never relaxing this industrious heed, we shall rid ourselves of at least a few of our faults. But now, when thou sayest, From to-morrow I shall be heedful, know that this is what thou art saying:—To-day I shall be shameless, importunate, abject; it shall be in others’ power to afflict me; to-day I shall be wrathful, envious. Lo, to how many vices dost thou give place! But if aught be well to-morrow, how much better to-day? if to-morrow suit, how much better to-day? Yea, and for this, too, that thou mayest have the power to-morrow, and not again put it off till the third day.
7. What then? Can a person make this decision and immediately become faultless? No, but they can keep striving to be faultless. We would be fortunate to overcome even a few faults by never letting our careful attention slip. But when you say, Starting tomorrow, I will pay attention, know that you are saying this: Today I will be shameless, pushy, and servile. Others will have the power to make me suffer. Today I will be angry and envious. See how many vices you are making room for! But if something is good to do tomorrow, how much better to do it today? If tomorrow is a suitable time, how much better is today? And acting today will also give you the ability to act tomorrow, instead of putting it off yet another day.