Golden Sayings   

conceptions. And when He supplies my necessities no more, it is
that He is sounding the retreat, that He hath opened the door,
and is saying to thee, Come!--Wither? To nought that thou needest
fear, but to the friendly kindred elements whence thou didst
spring. Whatsoever of fire is in thee, unto fire shall return;
whatsoever of earth, unto earth; of spirit, unto spirit; of
water, unto water. There is no Hades, no fabled rivers of Sighs,
of Lamentation, or of Fire: but all things are full of Beings
spiritual and divine. With thoughts like these, beholding the
Sun, Moon, and Stars, enjoying earth and sea, a man is neither
helpless nor alone!

CLXXXIX

What wouldst thou be found doing when overtaken by Death? If
I might choose, I would be found doing some deed of true
humanity, of wide import, beneficent and noble. But if I may not
be found engaged in aught so lofty, let me hope at least for
this--what none may hinder, what is surely in my power--that I
may be found raising up in myself that which had fallen; learning
to deal more wisely with the things of sense; working out my own
tranquillity, and thus rendering that which is its due to every
relation of life. . . .
If death surprise me thus employed, it is enough if I can
stretch forth my hands to God and say, "The faculties which I
received at Thy hands for apprehending this thine Administration,
I have not neglected. As far as in me lay, I have done Thee no
dishonour. Behold how I have used the senses, the primary
conceptions which Thous gavest me. Have I ever laid anything to
Thy charge? Have I ever murmured at aught that came to pass, or
wished it otherwise? Have I in anything transgressed the
relations of life? For that Thou didst beget me, I thank Thee for
that Thou hast given: for the time during which I have used the
things that were Thine, it suffices me. Take them back and place
them wherever Thou wilt! They were all Thine, and Thou gavest
them me."--If a man depart thus minded, is it not enough? What
life is fairer and more noble, what end happier than his?



(APPENDIX A)

FRAGMENTS
Attributed to Epictetus

I

A life entangled with Fortune is like a torrent. It is
turbulent and muddy; hard to pass and masterful of mood: noisy
and of brief continuance.