1. In every work you will take in hand mark well what must go before and what must follow, and so proceed. For else you shall at first set out eagerly, as not regarding what is to follow; but in the end, if any difficulties have arisen, you will leave it off with shame.
1. In every task you undertake, carefully consider what must come before it and what must follow. Then proceed. Otherwise, you will start eagerly, without considering what lies ahead. But in the end, if difficulties arise, you will give up in shame.
2. So you wish to conquer in the Olympic games? And I, too, by the Gods; and a fine thing it would be. But mark the prefaces and the consequences, and then set to work. You must go under discipline, eat by rule, abstain from dainties, exercise yourself at the appointed hour, in heat or cold, whether you will or no, drink nothing cold, nor wine at will; in a word, you must give yourself over to the trainer as to a physician. Then in the contest itself there is the digging race, and you are like enough to dislocate your wrist, or turn your ankle, to swallow a great deal of dust, to be soundly drubbed, and after all these things to be defeated.
2. So you want to win at the Olympic Games? So do I, by the gods. And what a fine thing that would be. But consider what comes before and after, then get to work. You must follow a strict routine, eat according to a plan, and avoid rich foods. You must train at the appointed time, in heat or cold, whether you want to or not. You must drink nothing cold, and you cannot drink wine whenever you please. In short, you must put yourself in your trainer’s hands as you would a doctor’s. Then, in the contest itself, there is the digging race, and you may well dislocate your wrist or twist your ankle. You may swallow a great deal of dust, take a severe beating, and, after all that, lose.
The Fourth Idyll of Theocritus alludes to this unusual feature of the Olympic contests. Casaubon (Lect. Theocr. ad Idyll. 4) cites Festus Pompeius as evidence for a statue in the Capitol. It depicted a youth carrying a spade in the manner of the Olympic competitors. Schweighäuser quotes Casaubon in his note on this passage (Diss. III. xv. 4).
3. If, having considered these things, you are still in the mind to enter for the contest, then do so. But without consideration you will turn from one thing to another like a child, who now plays the wrestler, now the gladiator, now sounds the trumpet, then declaims like an actor; and so you, too, will be first an athlete, then a gladiator, then an orator, then a philosopher, and nothing with your whole soul; but as an ape you will mimic everything you see, and be charmed with one thing after another. For you approached nothing with consideration nor regularity, but rashly, and with a cold desire.
3. If you have considered these things and still want to enter the contest, then do so. But without careful thought, you will jump from one thing to another like a child. One moment the child plays a wrestler, then a gladiator, then blows a trumpet, then recites speeches like an actor. So you, too, will be an athlete, then a gladiator, then a public speaker, then a philosopher. But you will put your whole heart into none of them. Like an ape, you will imitate everything you see, and one thing after another will charm you. For you have approached nothing with careful thought or steady effort, but rashly and with little real desire.
4. And thus some men, having seen a philosopher, and heard discourse like that of Euphrates (yet who indeed can say that any discourse is like his?), desire that they also may become philosophers.
4. So some people see a philosopher and hear him speak as Euphrates did. Yet who can really say that anyone speaks like him? They then want to become philosophers themselves.
Euphrates was a Stoic philosopher who lived at the same time as Epictetus. He tutored Pliny the Younger.
5. But, O man! consider first what it is you are about to do, and then inquire of your own nature whether you can carry it out. Will you be a pentathlos, or a wrestler? Then, scan your arms and thighs; try your loins. For different men are made for different ends.
5. But, my friend, first consider what you are about to do. Then ask whether your own nature allows you to carry it out. Do you want to compete in the pentathlon, or be a wrestler? Then examine your arms and thighs. Test the strength of your lower back. Different people are made for different purposes.
The pentathlos competed in five athletic events: running, jumping, discus throwing, javelin throwing, and wrestling.
6. Think you, you can be a sage, and continue to eat and drink and be wrathful and take offense just as you were wont? Nay, but you must watch and labor, and withdraw yourself from your household, and be despised by any serving boy, and be ridiculed by your neighbors, and take the lower place everywhere, in honors, in authority, in courts of justice, in dealings of every kind.
6. Do you think you can be wise and keep eating and drinking as you always have? Can you keep getting angry and taking offense as before? No, you must stay alert and work hard. You must distance yourself from your household and be despised by any servant boy. You must be ridiculed by your neighbors and take the lower place everywhere. This includes honors, authority, courts of justice, and dealings of every kind.
Much of this must refer to the period of training or discipleship. Epictetus makes it clear that ordinary Stoics had not taken on the special mission of Cynicism. They were not required to abandon their families, personal affairs, or civic duties. Nor were they justified in doing so.
7. Consider these things—whether you are willing at such a price to gain peace, freedom, and an untroubled spirit. And if not, then attempt it not, nor, like a child, play now the philosopher, then the tax-gatherer, then the orator, then the Procurator of Cæsar. For these things agree not among themselves; and, good or bad, it behooves you to be one man. You should be perfecting either your own ruling faculty, or your outward well-being; spending your art either on the life within or the life without; that is to say, you must hold your place either among the sages or the vulgar.
7. Consider whether you are willing to pay this price for peace, freedom, and an untroubled spirit. If not, do not attempt it. Do not act like a child, playing first the philosopher, then the tax collector, then the orator, then Caesar’s governor. These roles do not fit together. Whether good or bad, you must be one consistent person. You must develop either your capacity for reason and judgment or your outward well-being. You must devote your efforts either to your inner life or to your outer life. In other words, you must take your place either among the wise or among ordinary people.