Discourses and Enchiridion

A man cannot mix in society without influencing it or being influenced by it. The man who mixes with other people a good deal either for talk or for a wine-party or generally for social purposes, must needs either grow like them himself or convert them to his likeness; for if you put a quenched coal by one that is burning, either it will put the burning 'one out, or will catch fire from it. As the risk then is so serious, you must be cautious in indulging lightly in the society of the untrained, for it is impossible to rub up against one who is covered with soot and not get sooty oneself. What are you going to do, if he talks about gladiators, about horses, about athletes, worse still if he talks about men: 'So-and-so is bad', 'So-and-so is good': 'That was well done', 'That was ill done': again, if he mocks or jeers, or shows a malicious humour? Has any of you the perfect skill of the lyre-player, who takes up his lyre and has only to touch the strings to know which are out of tune and so tune his instrument? Which of you has the faculty that Socrates had, of drawing to his side those who met him in any kind of society? How could you have? You must needs be converted by your untrained companions.

Unless you can acquire firm principles you will be overcome.Why then are they stronger than you? It is because these unsound sayings of theirs are based upon judgements, but your fine words come merely from your lips: that is why they are without life or vigour, that is why a man may well loathe the sound of your exhortations and your wretched 'virtue', which you prate of so glibly. That is how the untrained get the better of you: for judgement is powerful everywhere, judgement suffers no defeat. Therefore, until your fine ideas are firmly fastened in you, and until you acquire some power to secure them, I advise you to be cautious in associating with the untrained: otherwise anything you take note of in the lecture-room will melt away day by day like wax in the sun. While you are learning keep to yourself and get away from the world and from your old habits. Therefore go away somewhere far from the sun, as long as your ideas are in this waxen state. For this reason philosophers even advise us to leave our own countries, because old habits are a drag on us and prevent us from beginning to acquire a new set of habits, and we cannot bear men meeting us and saying, 'Look, So-and-so is turning philosopher, behaving like this and like that.' On the same principle physicians send away patients who are ill for long to a new country and a new climate, and rightly so. Do the same. Adopt new habits: fix your opinions, exercise yourselves in them. No, you leave the lecture-room to go to a show, a gladiatorial display, a colonnade, a circus: then you come back here from them and return there again, and nothing affects you. So you acquire no habit that gives you distinction; you pay no regard or attention to yourself: you do not watch yourself and ask, 'How do I deal with the impressions that meet me? Naturally, or unnaturally? How am I to answer their call? Rightly or wrongly? Do I warn things beyond my will that they have no concern with me?' I say, if you are not yet in this state, then fly from your former habits, fly from the uneducated, if you wish to begin at last to be more than ciphers.

CHAPTER XVII Concerning providence. Do not accuse Providence for giving riches to the wicked. When you accuse Providence, only consider the matter, and you will understand that its action is according to reason. 'But the unjust man', you say, 'is better off.' In what? In money: for in regard to this he has the advantage over you, because he flatters, is shameless, is vigilant. Is this surprising? But look whether he is better off than you in being trustworthy and self-respecting. You will find that he is not; where you are superior to him, you will find that you are better off. So when some one was indignant once at the prosperity of Philostorgos, I said, 'Would you be willing to share the bed of Suras?' 'May that day never come!' he said. 'Why then are you indignant at his getting a return for what he sells, or how do you come to count him blessed who gets what he has by means that you abhor? Providence gives the better man the better portion. Or what is the harm in Providence giving the better lot to those who are better? Is it not better to be self-respecting than to be rich?' He agreed.

Man, why are you indignant then at having the better lot? Therefore always remember the truth and be ready to apply it—that it is a law of nature for the better to have the advantage of the worse in that in which he is better, and then you will never be indignant. 'But my wife uses me ill.' Very well: if any one asks you, 'What is the matter?' say, 'My wife uses me ill.' 'Nothing else?' Nothing. 'My father gives me nothing' . . . but need you go further in your own mind and add this lie, that poverty is evil? For this reason it is not poverty that we must cast out, but our judgement about poverty, and so we shall be at peace.

CHAPTER XVIII That we must not allow news to disturb us. No news should disturb us, for news concerns only what is outside the region of the will. When any disturbing news is brought you, bear this in mind, that news cannot affect anything within the region of the will. Can any one bring news to you that you are wrong in your thought or wrong in your will? Surely not: but only that some one is dead; what does that concern you? That some one speaks ill of you; what does that concern you? That your father has some design or other. Against whom? Is it against your will? How can he have? No, it is against your wretched body, or your wretched property; you are safe, it is not against you. But the judge pronounces that you are guilty of impiety. Did not the judges pronounce the same on Socrates? Is it your concern that the judge pronounced on you? No. Why then do you trouble yourself? Your father has a duty of his own, which he must fulfil, or else lose his character as father, affectionate and gentle. Do not try to make him lose anything else for that reason; for a man never suffers harm except in that in which he is at fault.

Again, it is your duty to make your defence with firmness, self-respect, dispassionately: otherwise you lose your character as son, self-respecting and honourable. What then? Is the judge free from danger? No: he too incurs danger just as much. Why then do you still fear what judgement he will give? What have you to do with another's evil? Your evil is to defend yourself badly: that is the only thing you need be careful about. Whether you are condemned or not condemned is an-other's business, and the evil in the same way is another's. 'So-and-so threatens you.' Threatens me? No. 'He blames you.' It will be for him to see how he does his own business. 'He is going to condemn you unjustly.' All the worse for him!

CHAPTER XIX What is the difference between the philosopher and the uneducated man. The philosopher is distinguished from the ignorant man by putting blame on the right person. The first difference between the philosopher and the uneducated man is that the latter says, 'Woe is me for my child, for my brother, woe is me for my father', and the other, if he is compelled to speak, considers the matter and says, Woe is me for myself.' For nothing outside the will can hinder or harm the will; it can only harm itself. If then we accept this, and, when things go amiss, are inclined to blame ourselves, remembering that judgement alone can disturb our peace and constancy, I swear to you by all the gods that we have made progress.

Instead of this we have come the wrong way from the beginning. When we were still children, if we stumbled when we were star-gazing, the nurse, instead of rebuking us, struck the stone. What is wrong with the stone? Was it to move out of the way because of your child's folly? Again, if (when children) we do not find something to eat after our bath our attendant does not check our appetite, but flogs the cook. Man, did we appoint you to attend on the cook? No, on our child: correct him, do him good. So even when we are grown up we appear like children: for it is being a child to be unmusical in musical things, ungrammatical in grammar, uneducated in life.

CHAPTER XX That benefit may be derived from all outward things. In life, as in intellectual things, good and evil depend on ourselves. In regard to intellectual impressions it is generally agreed that good and evil depend upon us and not upon external things. No one calls the proposition, 'It is day', good, or 'It is night', bad, or 'Three is four', the greatest of evils. No, they say that knowledge is good and error evil, so that good may arise even in regard to what is false; that is, the knowledge that it is false. The same ought to be true in practical life. 'Is health good, and disease evil?' No, man. 'What then?' To use health well is good, to use it ill is evil. Thus good may be gained from disease and death. 'Do you mean that benefit can be gained even from disease?' By heaven, can it not be gained even from death, ay or from lameness? Do you think Menoeceus gained but little good by his death? 'Nay, if any one says that sort of thing, I wish him a benefit like that Menoeceus gained!'

Out upon you, man, did he not preserve the patriot, the man of great mind, trustworthy and noble? And if he had lived on, was he not bound to lose all these, and win their very opposite? Would he not in that case have assumed the character of the coward, the ignoble, the hater of his country and lover of his life? Go to, do you think he gained but little good by his death? Well, did Admetus' father gain great good by living on so ignobly and miserably? Did he not die afterwards? I adjure you by the gods, cease to admire material things, cease to make yourselves slaves, first of things, and next, for their sake, of men who can acquire them or take them away. The magic wand of Hermes turns everything to gold. 'Can we then get benefit from these things?' From all. 'Even from one who reviles us?'

Why, what good does the athlete get from the man who wrestles with him? The greatest. So my reviler helps to train me for the contest: he trains me to be patient, dispassionate, gentle. You deny it? You admit that the man who grips my neck and gets my loins and shoulders into order does me good, and the trainer does well to bid me 'lift the pestle with both hands', and the more severe he is, the more good do I get: and are you going to tell me that he who trains me to be free from anger does me no good? That means that you do not know how to get any good from humankind. 'He is a bad neighbour', you say? Yes, for himself: but he is good for me; he trains me to be considerate and fair-minded. 'A bad father.' Yes, for himself, but not for me. This is the magic wand of Hermes. 'Touch what you will', he says, 'and it will turn to gold.' Nay, bring what you will and I will turn it to good. Bring illness, bring death, bring poverty, bring reviling, bring the utmost peril of the law-court: the wand of Hermes will turn them all to good purpose! 'What will you make of death?'

What else but an adornment for you, what else but a means for you to show in deed what man is when he follows the will of nature? 'What will you make of sickness?' I will show its nature, I will shine in it. I will be firm and tranquil, I will not flatter my physician nor pray for death. What more do you look for? Whatever you give me I will make it a means of blessedness and happiness, make it dignified and admirable. That is not your way. You say, 'See you do not fall ill, it is an evil.' It is like saying, 'See you do not get an impression that three is four, it is an evil.' Man, how is it an evil? If 'I get a right notion of it, it cannot harm me any more. Will it not rather do me good? If then I have proper notions of poverty, of sickness, of life without office, is not that enough for me? Will they not serve my good? How then should I seek any more for good and evil in things external?

Plain English · paraphraseWhat else is it but a decoration for you, what else but a way for you to show, in action, what a person is when they follow nature's will? "What will you do with illness?" I will reveal its nature, I will face it brightly. I will be steady and calm. I will not flatter my doctor, nor pray to die. What more do you expect? Whatever you give me, I will turn it into a source of blessedness and happiness, into something dignified and admirable. That is not your approach. You say, "Make sure you don't get sick, it is bad." It's like saying, "Make sure you don't think three is four, it is bad." Man, how is it bad? If I understand it correctly, it can no longer harm me. Won't it even benefit me? If then I have the right understanding of poverty, of illness, of a life without position, isn't that enough for me? Won't these serve my good? Then why should I look for good and evil in things outside of me?

We accept this view, but we do not act on it. But we do not act on this. We carry these views to the lecture-room door, but no one takes them home: as soon as we leave here we are at war with our slave-boy, with our neighbours, with those who jeer and laugh at us. Good luck to the Lesbian, for he convicts me every day of knowing nothing.

Plain English · paraphraseWe agree with this idea, but we don’t act on it. We don’t follow through. We bring these ideas into the lecture hall, but no one takes them home. As soon as we leave here, we are at war with our servant, with our neighbors, with those who mock and laugh at us. Good luck to the Lesbian, for he shows me every day that I know nothing.

CHAPTER XXI To those who undertake the profession of teacher with a light heart.

Do not try to teach before you have digested what you have heard. Those who have learnt precepts and nothing more are anxious to give them out at once, just as men with weak stomachs vomit food. First digest your precepts, and then you will not vomit them; undigested, they become vomit indeed, impure and uneatable. Show us that you have digested them to some purpose, and that your Governing Principle is changed, as athletes can show their shoulders, as a result of their training and eating, and as those who have acquired the arts can show the result of their learning. The carpenter does not come and say, 'Hear me discourse on carpentry', but he undertakes a contract and builds a house and so shows that he has acquired the art. Do you likewise: eat as a man, drink as a man, adorn yourself, marry, get children, live a citizen's life; endure revilings, bear with an inconsiderate brother, bear with a father, a son, a travelling companion. Live your precepts instead of lecturing on them. Show us that you can do this, and then we shall see that you have in truth learnt something from the philosophers. Not you: you say, 'Come and hear me reading out comments!' Away with you, look for some one to disgorge your vomit on.

'I assure you I will expound Chrysippus' doctrines to you as no one else can. I will break up his language and make it quite clear. I will add, it may be, a touch of Antipater's or Archedemus' verve.' How can you teach what you have not learnt yourself? What! is it for this that young men are to leave their countries and their parents, that they may come and hear you expounding petty points of language? Ought they not to return ready to bear with others and work with them, tranquil and free from tumult, furnished with a provision for life's journey, which will enable them to bear what befalls them well and to adorn themselves thereby? And how are you to impart to them what you do not possess yourself? For your sole occupation from the first has been this—how you are to resolve syllogisms and variable arguments, and arguments concluding with a question. 'But So-and-so gives lectures, why should not I?' Slave, you cannot do this off-hand, and in a random fashion. It demands mature years, and a certain way of life, and the guidance of God.

You are setting up mysteries of your own without proper preparation. You say no: but no one sails from harbour without sacrificing to the gods and invoking their help, and men do not sow at random, but only when they have invoked Demeter; and when a man has laid his hand to a task so momentous as this without the gods' help, will he be secure and will those who come to him be fortunate in their coming? Man, what are you doing but making the Mysteries common? You say, 'There is a shrine at Eleusis, lo, here is one also: there is a hierophant there: I too will make a hierophant: there is a herald there, I too will appoint a herald: there is a torch-bearer there, I too will have a torch-bearer: there are torches there, so there are here: the cries are the same. What difference is there between our doings and the Mysteries?'

Most impious of men, is there no difference? The benefit of the Mysteries depends on proper place and time: one must approach with sacrifice and prayer, with body purified and mind ready and disposed to approach holy rites and ancient sanctities. Only so do the Mysteries bring benefit, only so do we arrive at the belief that all these things were established by those of old for our education and the amendment of our life. But you publish and divulge them out of place and out of season, without sacrifices or purifying: you have not the dress which the hierophant should have, nor the proper hair, nor the fillet: you have not the right voice nor age, you have not lived pure as he has, but you have merely learnt off the words and say, 'The words have a holy power in themselves.'

The teacher's task is momentous and demands high qualifications. You must approach the task in another fashion: it is momentous and full of mystery, not a chance gift which any one can command. The care of the young demands, it may be, more than wisdom: yes, by Zeus, one must have a certain readiness and special fitness, and a certain habit of body, and above all the counsel of God advising one to discharge this duty, as He counselled Socrates to examine men, and Diogenes to rebuke men in royal fashion, and Zeno to instruct and lay down precepts. You open a doctor's consulting-room with nothing but some drugs, without ever taking the trouble to acquire a knowledge of when or how they are applied. 'See, that's his remedy, eye-salve' (you say): 'I have that too.' Have you also the faculty of using it? Do you know when and how and to whom it will do good? Why then do you play at hazard with matters of highest moment, why are you reckless, why do you take in hand a task unsuited to your powers? Leave it to those who can do it If you attempt it off-hand you will dishonour philosophy. and do it with distinction.

Plain English · paraphraseThe teacher's task is serious and requires high qualifications. You must approach it differently: it is serious and full of mystery, not a casual gift that anyone can have. Taking care of the young may demand more than wisdom: yes, by Zeus, one must have a certain readiness and special suitability, and a certain physical condition, and above all, the advice of God guiding one to carry out this duty, just as He guided Socrates to examine people, and Diogenes to rebuke them in a royal way, and Zeno to teach and give instructions. You open a doctor's office with nothing but some medicines, without ever bothering to learn when or how to use them. "See, that's his remedy, eye-salve," you say, "I have that too." Do you also have the ability to use it? Do you know when and how and for whom it will be helpful? Why then do you risk things of the greatest importance? Why are you so careless? Why do you take on a task that is not suited to your abilities? Leave it to those who can do it. If you try it without preparation, you will disgrace philosophy. Do it with excellence.

Do not bring disgrace upon philosophy by your personal act, nor join those who disparage the profession; but if the study of precepts really attracts you, sit quietly and turn them over in your mind, but never call yourself a philosopher nor allow any one else to do so, but say: 'He is in error: I am unchanged; my will, my impulses, my assent, are what they were, and, in a word, I have not advanced from my position, but deal with impressions as before.' So think, so speak about yourself, if you would think aright. But if this is beyond you, then play at hazard and do as you are doing, for you will be acting in character.

Plain English · paraphraseDo not bring shame to philosophy through your own actions, nor join those who look down on the profession. If you truly enjoy studying its teachings, sit quietly and think about them, but never call yourself a philosopher, and do not let anyone else call you one. Instead, say: "He is mistaken. I remain the same. My will, my desires, my judgments are unchanged. In short, I have not moved forward from where I was. I still deal with impressions in the same way." Think and speak this way about yourself if you want to think correctly. But if this is too hard for you, then act as you are now, taking chances, for you will be acting in your true character.

CHAPTER XXII On the calling of the Cynic. The calling of the Cynic must not be lightly assumed. When one of his acquaintance, who seemed inclined to the Cynic School, asked him what should be the character of the Cynic, and what was the primary conception of the school, he said, We will consider it at leisure: but this much I can tell you, that he who undertakes so great an enterprise without God's help is under God's wrath, and has no other wish but to disgrace himself in the public eye, for in a well-managed house a man does not come forward and say to himself, 'I ought to be steward': for, if he does, the master of the house takes notice, and when he sees him swaggering and ordering people about, he drags him away and gives him the lash. So it happens also in this great City of the Universe. For each creature has his place allotted to him. Here, too, there is a Master of the House who assigns each thing its place.

'You are the sun: your faculty is to revolve and make the year and the seasons, to give growth and increase to the fruits, to rouse the winds and bring them to rest and to give temperate warmth to men's bodies; go, travel on your course and so move all things from the greatest to the least.' 'You are a calf: when a lion appears, do your part, or you will suffer for it.' 'You are a bull, come near and fight: for this is your proper portion and lies within your powers.' 'You can lead the army against Ilion: be Agamemnon.' 'You can fight Hector in single combat: be Achilles.' But if Thersites came forward and claimed the command he would not get it, or if he got it he would be shamed before a multitude of witnesses.

Plain English · paraphrase"You are the sun: your role is to move and create the year and the seasons, to help fruits grow and multiply, to stir the winds and calm them, and to provide warm comfort for people's bodies. Go, follow your path and thus set everything in motion, from the largest to the smallest." "You are a calf: when a lion appears, do your part, or you will suffer for it." "You are a bull, come close and fight: this is your rightful place and what you are capable of." "You can lead the army against Ilion: be Agamemnon." "You can fight Hector in single combat: be Achilles." But if Thersites came forward and claimed the command, he would not get it, or if he did get it, he would be disgraced in front of many witnesses.

The Cynic is not made by his clothes or his outward behaviour. You, like the rest, must give the matter careful thought: it is not what you think. 'I wear a coarse cloak now and shall do so then, I sleep hard now and shall still do so, I shall take to myself a wallet and a staff and begin to go about begging and reviling those I meet, and if I see any one using pitch-plasters, or with his hair finely dressed, or walking in scarlet, I shall rebuke him.' If that is your impression of the Cynic's calling, give it a wide berth: do not come near it, for you have no concern with it; but if you have a true impression of it and still deem yourself not unworthy, then consider what a great enterprise you are taking in hand.

Plain English · paraphraseThe Cynic is not defined by his clothes or his outward behavior. You, like everyone else, must think carefully about this: it is not what you imagine. "I will wear a rough cloak now and will continue to do so, I will sleep on hard ground now and will keep doing so, I will take a wallet and a staff and start traveling, begging and insulting people I meet. If I see someone using pitch plasters, or with nicely combed hair, or walking in red clothing, I will scold him." If this is your idea of the Cynic's role, stay far away from it: don't get involved, because it has nothing to do with you. But if you have a true understanding of it and still think you are not unfit for it, then realize what a great undertaking you are taking on.

The Cynic must have a pure heart, for his only defence is self-respect. First, you must show a complete change in your conduct, and must cease to accuse God or man: you must utterly put away the will to get, and must will to avoid only what lies within the sphere of your will: you must harbour no anger, wrath, envy, pity: a fair maid, a fair name, favourites, or sweet cakes, must mean nothing to you. For you must know that other men, when they indulge in such things, have the protection of their walls and houses and darkness. There are many things to hide them: one, may be, has closed the door, or has set some one to guard his chamber: 'If any one comes, say, "He is out" or "He is busy."' But the Cynic, instead of all these, should have self-respect for his shelter: if he has not that, he will be naked and exposed and put to shame. This is his house, his door, this his chamber-guards, this his darkness: for he must not wish to conceal anything that is his: if he does, he disappears; he loses the true Cynic, the free open-air spirit, he has begun to fear outward things, he has begun to have need of concealment, and when he would hide himself he cannot; for he has no place or means to hide himself. But if by chance the public teacher, the 'pedagogue' is caught erring what must be his feelings! Is it possible with these fears before one to be confident with one's whole mind, and command other men? It is impracticable, impossible.

Plain English · paraphraseThe Cynic must have a pure heart, because his only defense is self-respect. First, you must show a complete change in your behavior. You must stop accusing God or people. You must completely give up the desire to get things. You must only want to avoid what is within your power to avoid. You must not hold anger, wrath, envy, or pity. A beautiful girl, a good reputation, favorites, or sweet cakes must mean nothing to you. You must know that other people, when they indulge in such things, have the protection of their walls, their houses, and darkness. There are many things that can hide them. One person may have closed the door, or may have someone guarding his room: "If anyone comes, say, 'He is out' or 'He is busy.'" But the Cynic, instead of all these, should have self-respect as his shelter. If he does not have that, he will be naked and exposed and put to shame. This is his house, his door, his chamber guards, his darkness. For he must not wish to hide anything that is his. If he does, he disappears. He loses the true Cynic, the free, open-air spirit. He has begun to fear external things. He has begun to need concealment. And when he would hide himself, he cannot; for he has no place or means to hide himself. But if by chance the public teacher, the "pedagogue," is caught making a mistake, what must be his feelings! Is it possible, with these fears before one, to be confident with one's whole mind and command other men? It is impracticable, impossible.

First then you must make your Governing Principle pure, and hold fast this rule of life, The Cynic must rely upon his reason alone. 'Henceforth my mind is the material I have to work on, as the carpenter has his timber and the shoemaker his leather: my business is to deal with my impressions aright. My wretched body is nothing to me, its parts are nothing to me. Death? Let it come when it will, whether to my whole body or to a part of it. Exile? Can one be sent into exile beyond the Universe? One cannot. Wherever I go, there is the sun, there is the moon, there are the stars, dreams, auguries, conversation with the gods.'

He is a messenger from God, The true Cynic when he has ordered himself thus cannot be satisfied with this: he must know that he is sent as a messenger from God to men concerning things good and evil, to show them that they have gone astray and are seeking the true nature of good and evil where it is not to be found, and take no thought where it really is: he must realize, in the words of Diogenes when brought before Philip after the battle of Chaeronea, that he is sent 'to reconnoitre'. For indeed the Cynic has to discover what things are friendly to men and what are hostile: and when he has accurately made his observations he must return and report the truth, not driven by fear to point out enemies where there are none, nor in any other way disturbed or confounded by his impressions.

Plain English · paraphraseHe is a messenger from God. The true Cynic, once he has arranged his life in this way, cannot be content with that alone. He must know that he is sent as a messenger from God to people about good and evil, to show them that they have gone off course and are looking for the true nature of good and evil in the wrong place, and not looking where it actually is. He must understand, as Diogenes said when brought before Philip after the battle of Chaeronea, that he is sent "to reconnoitre." For indeed, the Cynic must discover what things are friendly to people and what are hostile. And when he has carefully made his observations, he must return and report the truth, not driven by fear to point out enemies where there are none, nor disturbed or confused in any other way by his impressions.