"Discourses" - читать интересную книгу автора (Epictetus)

"But a certain person will not leave to me the succession to his
estate." What then? had I forgotten that not one of these things was
mine. How then do we call them mine? just as we call the bed in the
inn. If, then, the innkeeper at his death leaves you the beds, all
well; but if he leaves them to another, he will have them, and you
will seek another bed. If then you shall not find one, you will
sleep on the ground: only sleep with a good will and snore, and
remember that tragedies have their place among the rich and kings
and tyrants, but no poor man fills a part in the tragedy, except as
one of the chorus. Kings indeed commence with prosperity: "ornament
the palaces with garlands," then about the third or fourth act they
call out, "O Cithaeron, why didst thou receive me?" Slave, where are
the crowns, where the diadem? The guards help thee not at all. When
then you approach any of these persons, remember this that you are
approaching a tragedian, not the actor but OEdipus himself. But you
say, "Such a man is happy; for he walks about with many," and I also
place myself with the many and walk about with many. In sum remember
this: the door is open; be not more timid than little children, but as
they say, when the thing does not please them, "I will play no loner,"
so do you, when things seem to you of such a kind, say I will no
longer play, and begone: but if you stay, do not complain.

CHAPTER 25

On the same

If these things are true, and if we are not silly, and are not
acting hypocritically when we say that the good of man is in the will,
and the evil too, and that everything else does not concern us, why
are we still disturbed, why are we still afraid? The things about
which we have been busied are in no man's power: and the things
which are in the power of others, we care not for. What kind of
trouble have we still?

"But give me directions." Why should I give you directions? has
not Zeus given you directions? Has he not given to you what is your
own free from hindrance and free from impediment, and what is not your
own subject to hindrance and impediment? What directions then, what
kind of orders did you bring when you came from him? Keep by every
means what is your own; do not desire what belongs to others. Fidelity
is your own, virtuous shame is your own; who then can take these
things from you? who else than yourself will hinder you from using
them? But how do you act? when you seek what is not your own, you lose
that which is your own. Having such promptings and commands from Zeus,
what kind do you still ask from me? Am I more powerful than he, am I
more worthy of confidence? But if you observe these, do you want any
others besides? "Well, but he has not given these orders" you will
say. Produce your precognitions, produce the proofs of philosophers,
produce what you have often heard, and produce what you have said
yourself, produce what you have read, produce what you have