1. If a man have any advantage over others, or thinks himself to have it when he hath it not, it cannot but be that if he is an untaught man he shall be puffed up by it. Thus the tyrant says, I am he that is master of all. And what can you give me? Can you set my pursuit free of all hindrance? How is it in you to do that? For have you the gift of never falling into what you shun? or never missing the mark of your desire? And whence have you it? Come, now, in a ship do you trust to yourself or to the captain? or in a chariot, to any one else than the driver? And how will you do with regard to other acts? Even thus. Where, then, is your power? All men minister to me. And do I not minister to my plate, and I wash it and wipe it, and drive in a peg for my oil-flask? What then, are these things greater than I? Nay, but they supply certain of my needs, and for this reason I take care of them. Yea, and do I not minister to my ass? Do I not wash his feet and groom him? Know you not that every man ministers to himself? And he ministers to you also, even as he doth to the ass. For who treats you as a man? Show me one that doth. Who wisheth to be like unto you? who becomes your imitator, as men did of Socrates? But I can cut off thy head. You say well. I had forgotten that I must pay regard to you as to a fever or the cholera; and set up an altar to you, as there is in Rome an altar to Fever.
1. If a man has an advantage over others, or merely thinks he does, he will become arrogant if he lacks understanding. Thus the tyrant says, I am the master of everyone. And what can you give me? Can you free my pursuits from every obstacle? How could you do that? Can you always avoid what you fear? Can you always get what you want? And where did you get that ability? Come now, on a ship, do you trust yourself or the captain? In a chariot, do you trust anyone but the driver? And what will you do in other activities? The same thing. Where, then, is your power? All men serve me. And don't I serve my plate? I wash it and wipe it. I drive in a peg to hang my oil flask on. Does that make these things greater than me? No, but they meet certain needs of mine, and that is why I care for them. And don't I serve my donkey? Don't I wash his feet and groom him? Don't you know that every man serves himself? He serves you too, just as he serves his donkey. For who treats you as a human being? Show me one person who does. Who wants to be like you? Who follows your example, as people followed the example of Socrates? But I can cut off your head. You're right. I had forgotten that I must treat you as I would a fever or cholera. I must set up an altar to you, just as Rome has an altar to Fever.
The captain ... the driver literally means “to him who has knowledge” of the skill in question.
2. What is it, then, whereby the multitude is troubled and terrified? The tyrant and his guards? Never—God forbid it! It is not possible that that which is by nature free should be troubled by any other thing, or hindered, save by itself. But it is troubled by opinions of things. For when the tyrant saith to any one, I will bind thy leg, then he who setteth store by his leg saith, Nay, have pity! but he that setteth store by his own Will, If it seem more profitable to you, then bind it.
2. What, then, troubles and terrifies most people? The tyrant and his guards? Never, God forbid! What is naturally free cannot be troubled or held back by anything but itself. But it is troubled by its judgments about things. For when the tyrant says to someone, I will bind your leg, whoever values his leg says, No, have pity! But whoever values his own will says, If you think it is better for you, then bind it.
——“Dost thou not regard me?”
“Don’t you respect me?”
I do not regard you. I will show you that I am master. How can you be that? Me hath God set free; or think you that He would let His own Son be enslaved? You are lord of my dead body—take that.
I pay no attention to you. I will show you that I am the master. How can you be? God has set me free. Do you think he would let his own Son be enslaved? You are master of my dead body. Take that.
——“So when thou comest near to me, thou wilt not do me service?”
“So when you come near me, won't you help me?”
Nay, but I will do it to myself; and if you will have me say that I do it to you also, I tell you that I do it as to my kitchen pot.
No, I will do it to myself. And if you insist that I say I do it to you too, then I tell you this. I do it to you as I would to my cooking pot.
3. This is no selfishness; for every living creature is so made that it doth all things for its own sake. For the sun doth all things for his own sake, and so, moreover, even Zeus himself. But when He will be Raingiver and Fruitgiver and Father of Gods and men, thou seest that He may not do these works and have these titles, but He be serviceable to the common good. And, on the whole, He hath so formed the nature of the reasoning creature that he may never win aught of his own good without he furnish something of service to the common good. Thus it is not to the excluding of the common good that a man do all things for himself. For is it to be expected that a man shall stand aloof from himself and his own interest? And where then would be that same and single principle which we observe in all things, their affection to themselves?
3. This is not selfishness. Every living creature is made to do all things for its own sake. The sun does all things for its own sake, and even Zeus himself does the same. But when he wishes to be Raingiver, Fruitgiver, and Father of gods and humans, he must serve the common good. You see that he cannot do these works or hold these titles otherwise. In general, he has so shaped the nature of rational creatures that their own good depends on serving others. They can never gain any good for themselves without contributing something to the common good. So doing all things for oneself does not mean excluding the common good. Can we expect anyone to stand apart from themselves and their own interests? What would then become of that single, consistent principle we observe in all things, their concern for themselves?
4. So, then, when we act on strange and foolish opinions of things beyond the Will, as though they were good or evil, it is altogether impossible but we shall do service to tyrants. And would it were to the tyrants alone, and not to their lackeys also!
4. So when we act on strange, foolish beliefs about things beyond our will, treating them as good or evil, we inevitably serve tyrants. If only it were just the tyrants, and not their lackeys too!
5. But what hinders the man that hath distinguished these things to live easily and docile, looking calmly on all that is to be, and bearing calmly all that is past? Will you have me bear poverty? Come, and see what poverty is when it strikes one that knoweth how to play the part well. Will you have me rule? Give me power, then, and the pains of it. Banishment? Whithersoever I go, it shall be well with me for in this place it was well with me, not because of the place, but because of the opinions which I shall carry away with me. For these no man can deprive me of. Yea, these only are mine own, whereof I cannot be deprived, and they suffice for me as long as I have them, wherever I be, or whatever I do.
5. But what stops someone who understands these distinctions from living at ease and being willing to learn? What stops them from calmly facing all that is to come and calmly bearing all that has passed? Do you want me to endure poverty? Come and see what poverty is when it strikes someone who knows how to play the part well. Do you want me to rule? Then give me power, along with its troubles. Exile? Wherever I go, I will be well. I was well here, not because of the place, but because of the beliefs I will take with me. No one can take these from me. Yes, these alone are truly mine, and I cannot be deprived of them. They are enough for me as long as I have them, wherever I am or whatever I do.
6. ——“But now is the time come to die.”
6. “But now the time has come to die.”
What say you? to die? Nay, make no tragedy of the business, but tell it as it is. Now is it time for my substance to be resolved again into the things wherefrom it came together. And what is dreadful in this? What of the things in the universe is about to perish? What new, or what unaccountable thing is about to come to pass? Is it for these things that a tyrant is feared? through these that the guards seem to bear swords so large and sharp? Tell that to others; but by me all these things have been examined; no man hath power on me. I have been set free by God, I know His commandments, henceforth no man can lead me captive. I have a liberator such as I need, and judges such as I need. Are you not the master of my body? What is that to me? Of my property? What is that to me? Of exile or captivity? Again, I say, from all these things, and the poor body itself, I will depart when you will. Try your power, and you shall know how far it reaches.
What are you saying? That I must die? No, don’t make a tragedy of it. Say it as it is. Now it is time for my substance to break down into the things it came from. What is dreadful about that? What in the universe is about to perish? What new or unexplained thing is about to happen? Is this why people fear a tyrant? Is this why the guards’ swords seem so large and sharp? Tell that to others. I have examined all these things. No one has power over me. God has set me free. I know his commandments. From now on, no one can take me captive. I have the liberator I need and the judges I need. Don’t you control my body? What does that matter to me? My property? What does that matter to me? Whether I am exiled or imprisoned? Again, I say, I will leave all these things, even this poor body, whenever you wish. Test your power, and you will find out how far it reaches.
Liberator (καρπιστής). A person appointed by law to perform the ceremony that freed enslaved people.
7. But the tyrant will bind—what? The leg. He will take away—what? The head. What, then, can he not bind and not take away? The Will. And hence that precept of the ancients—Know Thyself.
7. But what will the tyrant bind? Your leg. What will he take away? Your head. What, then, can he neither bind nor take away? Your will. This is why the ancients taught: Know yourself.
8. Whom, then, can I still fear? The lackeys of the bed-chamber? For what that they can do? Shut me out? Let them shut me out, if they find me wishing to go in.
8. Who, then, can I still fear? The servants guarding the bedchamber? What can they do to me? Shut me out? Let them shut me out, if they find me wanting to go in.
——“Why, then, didst thou go to the doors?”
“Why, then, did you go to the doors?”
Because I hold it proper to join the play while the play lasts.
Because I think it’s right to take part in the play while it lasts.
——“How, then, shalt thou not be shut out?”
“How, then, can you avoid being shut out?”
Because if I am not received, I do not wish to enter; but always that which happens is what I wish. For I hold what God wills above what I will. I cleave to Him as His servant and follower; my impulses are one with His, my pursuit is one with His; in a word, my will is one with His. There is no shutting out for me—nay, but for those who would force their way in. And wherefore do I not force my way? Because I know that no good thing is dealt out within to those that enter. But when I hear some one congratulated on being honored by Cæsar, I say, What hath fortune brought him? A government? Has it also, then, brought him such an opinion as he ought to have? A magistracy? Hath he also gained the power to be a good magistrate? Why will I still push myself forward? A man scatters figs and almonds abroad; children seize them, and fight among themselves; but not so men, for they hold it too trifling a matter. And if a man should scatter about oyster-shells, not even the children would seize them. Offices of government are dealt out—children will look for them; money is given—children will look for it; military commands, consulships—let children scramble for them. Let them be shut out and smitten, let them kiss the hands of the giver, of his slaves—it is figs and almonds to me. What then? If thou miss them when he is flinging them about, let it not vex thee. If a fig fall into thy bosom, take and eat it, for so far even a fig is to be valued. But if I must stoop down for it, and throw down another man, or another throw me down, and I flatter those who enter in, then neither is a fig worth so much, nor is any other of the things that are not good, even those which the philosophers have persuaded me not to think good.
If I am not welcomed, I do not wish to enter. Whatever happens is always what I wish. For I put what God wills above what I will. I stay close to him as his servant and follower. My impulses and aims are the same as his. In short, my will is one with his. I cannot be shut out. Only those who try to force their way in can be shut out. Why do I not force my way in? Because I know that nothing truly good is handed out inside to those who enter. But when I hear someone congratulated on being honored by Caesar, I ask, What has fortune brought him? A governorship? Has it also given him the judgment he ought to have? A magistrate’s office? Has he also gained the ability to be a good magistrate? Why should I keep pushing myself forward? A man scatters figs and almonds. Children grab them and fight over them. Adults do not, because they consider them too trivial. If someone scattered oyster shells, even children would not grab them. Government offices are handed out, and children will seek them. Money is given away, and children will seek it. Military commands and consulships, let children scramble for them. Let them be shut out and struck. Let them kiss the hands of the giver and his slaves. To me, these things are just figs and almonds. What then? If you miss them as he throws them around, do not let it upset you. If a fig falls into your lap, take it and eat it. Even a fig has that much value. But suppose I must bend down for it and knock someone over, or be knocked over myself. Suppose I must flatter those who get inside. Then a fig is not worth that much. Nor is anything else that is not truly good, including those things philosophers have persuaded me not to consider good.