He hath entrusted me with myself: He hath made my will subject to
myself alone and given me rules for the right use thereof.

V

Rufus used to say, If you have leisure to praise me, what I
say is naught. In truth he spoke in such wise, that each of us
who sat there, though that some one had accused him to Rufus:-- so
surely did he lay his finger on the very deeds we did: so surely
display the faults of each before his very eyes.

VI

But what saith God?-- "Had it been possible, Epictetus, I
would have made both that body of thine and thy possessions free
and unimpeded, but as it is, be not deceived:-- it is not thine
own; it is but finely tempered clay. Since then this I could not
do, I have given thee a portion of Myself, in the power of
desiring and declining and of pursuing and avoiding, and is a
word the power of dealing with the things of sense. And if thou
neglect not this, but place all that thou hast therein, thou
shalt never be let or hindered; thou shalt never lament; thou
shalt not blame or flatter any. What then? Seemth this to thee a
little thing?"--God forbid!--"Be content then therewith!"
And so I pray the Gods.

VII

What saith Antisthenes? Hast thou never heard?--
It is a kingly thing, O Cyrus, to do well and to be evil
spoken of.

VIII

"Aye, but to debase myself thus were unworthy of me."
"That," said Epictetus, "is for you to consider, not for me.
You know yourself what you are worth in your own eyes; and at
what price you will sell yourself. For men sell themselves at
various prices. This was why, when Florus was deliberating
whether he should appear at Nero's shows, taking part in the
performance himself, Agrippinus replied, 'But why do not you
appear?' he answered, 'Because I do not even consider the
question.' For the man who has once stooped to consider such
questions, and to reckon up the value of external things, is not
far from forgetting what manner of man he is. Why, what is it
that you ask me? Is death preferable, or life? I reply, Life.
Pain or pleasure? I reply, Pleasure."
"Well, but if I do not act, I shall lose my head."
"Then go and act! But for my part I will not act."
"Why?"