1. Of all our faculties ye shall find but one that can contemplate itself, or, therefore, approve or disapprove itself. How far hath grammar the power of contemplation? Only so far as to judge concerning letters. And music? Only so far as to judge concerning melodies. Doth any of them, then, contemplate itself? Not one. But when you have need to write to your friend, grammar will tell you how to write; but whether to write or not, grammar will not tell. And so with the musical art in the case of melodies; but whether it is now meet or not to sing or to play, music will not tell. What, then, will tell it? That faculty which both contemplates itself and all other things. And what is this? It is the faculty of Reason; for we have received none other which can consider itself—what it is, and what it can, and what it is worth—and all the other faculties as well. For what else is it that tells us that a golden thing is beautiful, since itself doth not? Clearly it is the faculty which makes use of appearances. What else is it that judges of music and grammar, and the other faculties, and proves their uses, and shows the fit occasions? None else than this.
1. Of all our faculties, you will find only one that can examine itself and therefore approve or disapprove of itself. How much can grammar examine? Only enough to judge letters. And music? Only enough to judge melodies. Does either of them examine itself? Neither does. When you need to write to a friend, grammar will tell you how to write. But grammar will not tell you whether to write at all. The same is true of music when it comes to melodies. But music will not tell you whether this is the right time to sing or play. What, then, will tell you? The faculty that examines both itself and everything else. And what is this? It is the faculty of reason. We have received no other faculty that can examine what it is, what it can do, and what it is worth. Reason can also examine all our other faculties. What else tells us that something made of gold is beautiful? The gold itself does not tell us. Clearly, it is the faculty that makes use of appearances. What else judges music, grammar, and the other faculties, tests their uses, and shows when to use them? Nothing but this faculty.
2. Thus the Gods, as it was fit they should, place that only in our power which is the mightiest and master thing, the right use of appearances; but other things are not in our power. Was it that they did not wish it? I indeed think that had they been able they had made over to us those things also; but this they could in no way do. For being on the earth, and bound up with this flesh and with these associates, how was it possible that as regards these we should not be hindered by external things? But what saith Zeus? “Epictetus, if it were possible, I would have made both this thy little body and thy little property free and unhampered. But forget not now that this is but finely tempered clay, and nothing of thine own. And since I could not do this, I have given thee a part of ourselves, this power of desiring and disliking, and pursuing, avoiding, and rejecting, and, in brief, the use of appearances. Have a care, then, of this, hold this only for thine own, and thou shalt never be hindered or hampered, thou shalt not lament, thou shalt not blame, thou shalt never flatter any man.” What then? Do these seem trifling matters? God forbid. Are you, then, not content with them? At least I pray the Gods I may be.
2. So the Gods, as was fitting, put only the greatest and most powerful thing under our control. That is the right use of our impressions. Other things are not under our control. Was this because they did not want it? I believe that, had they been able, they would have given us control over those things too. But they could not possibly do this. We live on earth, bound to this flesh and to the people around us. How could we avoid being hindered by outside things in these matters? But what does Zeus say? “Epictetus, if it were possible, I would have made your little body and your little property free from restrictions. But remember that your body is only finely worked clay, not something truly your own. Since I could not do this, I have given you a part of ourselves. This is your power to desire and dislike, to pursue, avoid, and reject. In short, it is your ability to use your impressions. Take care of this, then, and regard this alone as your own. You will never be hindered or held back. You will not lament, you will not blame, and you will never flatter anyone.” What then? Do these seem like trivial gifts? God forbid. Are you not content with them, then? At least I pray to the Gods that I may be.
Strong manuscript evidence supports this reading of the passage, but Schweighäuser uses a different reading. He reads: “Be content with them, and pray to the Gods.”
3. But now having one thing in our power to care for, and to cleave to, we rather choose to be careful of many things, and to bind ourselves to many things, even to the flesh, and to possessions, and to brother and friend, and child and slave. And being thus bound to many things, they lie heavy on us and drag us down. So, if the weather be not fair for sailing, we sit down distraught and are ever peering forth to see how stands the wind. It is north. And what is that to us? When will the west wind blow? When it shall seem good to it, friend; or to Æolus. For it was not thee, but Æolus whom God made “steward of the winds.” What then? It is right to devise how we may perfect the things that are our own, and to use the others as their nature is. And what, then, is their nature? As it may please God.
3. We have only one thing within our power to care for and hold on to. Yet we choose to worry about many things and tie ourselves to them. We bind ourselves to our bodies, possessions, brothers, friends, children, and slaves. Bound to so many things, we are weighed down and dragged along by them. So, if the weather is bad for sailing, we sit there distraught, constantly looking out to check the wind. It is blowing from the north. What does that have to do with us? When will the west wind blow? When it chooses to, friend, or when Aeolus chooses. For God made Aeolus, not you, “steward of the winds.” What should we do, then? We should work out how to perfect what is within our power. We should deal with everything else according to its nature. And what is its nature? To be as God pleases.
“Steward of the winds.” A quote from Homer, Od. x. 21.