Chapter 2 of 192
Short Works, Chapter 2: The Enchiridion — II
by Epictetus · 1m · read by Earbook narrator
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Remember that desire contains in it the profession (hope) of obtaining that which you desire; and the profession (hope) in aversion (turning from a thing) is that you will not fall into that which you attempt to avoid: and he who fails in his desire is unfortunate; and he who falls into that which he would avoid, is unhappy. If then you attempt to avoid only the things contrary to nature which are within your power, you will not be involved in any of the things which you would avoid. But if you attempt to avoid disease or death or poverty, you will be unhappy. Take away then aversion from all things which are not in our power, and transfer it to the things contrary to nature which are in our power. But destroy desire completely for the present. For if you desire anything which is not in our power, you must be unfortunate: but of the things in our power, and which it would be good to desire, nothing yet is before you. But employ only the power of moving towards an object and retiring from it; and these powers indeed only slightly and with exceptions and with remission.
All chapters of Short Works
- 1The Enchiridion — I
- 2The Enchiridion — II
- 3The Enchiridion — III
- 4The Enchiridion — IV
- 5The Enchiridion — V
- 6The Enchiridion — VI
- 7The Enchiridion — VII
- 8The Enchiridion — VIII
- 9The Enchiridion — IX
- 10The Enchiridion — X
- 11The Enchiridion — XI
- 12The Enchiridion — XII
- 13The Enchiridion — XIII
- 14The Enchiridion — XIV
- 15The Enchiridion — XV
- 16The Enchiridion — XVI
- 17The Enchiridion — XVII
- 18The Enchiridion — XVIII
- 19The Enchiridion — XIX
- 20The Enchiridion — XX
- 21The Enchiridion — XXI
- 22The Enchiridion — XXII
- 23The Enchiridion — XXIII
- 24The Enchiridion — XXIV
- 25The Enchiridion — XXV
- 26The Enchiridion — XXVI
- 27The Enchiridion — XXVII
- 28The Enchiridion — XXVIII
- 29The Enchiridion — XXIX
- 30The Enchiridion — XXX
- 31The Enchiridion — XXXI
- 32The Enchiridion — XXXII
- 33The Enchiridion — XXXIII
- 34The Enchiridion — XXXIV
- 35The Enchiridion — XXXV
- 36The Enchiridion — XXXVI
- 37The Enchiridion — XXXVII
- 38The Enchiridion — XXXVIII
- 39The Enchiridion — XXXIX
- 40The Enchiridion — XL
- 41The Enchiridion — XLI
- 42The Enchiridion — XLII
- 43The Enchiridion — XLIII
- 44The Enchiridion — XLIV
- 45The Enchiridion — XLV
- 46The Enchiridion — XLVI
- 47The Enchiridion — XLVII
- 48The Enchiridion — XLVIII
- 49The Enchiridion — XLIX
- 50The Enchiridion — L
- 51The Enchiridion — LI
- 52The Enchiridion — LII
- 53The Enchiridion — LIII
- 54Fragments — I
- 55Fragments — II
- 56Fragments — III
- 57Fragments — IV
- 58Fragments — V
- 59Fragments — VI
- 60Fragments — VII
- 61Fragments — VIII
- 62Fragments — IX
- 63Fragments — X
- 64Fragments — XI
- 65Fragments — XII
- 66Fragments — XIII
- 67Fragments — XIV
- 68Fragments — XV
- 69Fragments — XVI
- 70Fragments — XVII
- 71Fragments — XVIII
- 72Fragments — XIX
- 73Fragments — XX
- 74Fragments — XXI
- 75Fragments — XXII
- 76Fragments — XXIII
- 77Fragments — XXIV
- 78Fragments — XXV
- 79Fragments — XXVI
- 80Fragments — XXVII
- 81Fragments — XXVIII
- 82Fragments — XXIX
- 83Fragments — XXX
- 84Fragments — XXXI
- 85Fragments — XXXII
- 86Fragments — XXXIII
- 87Fragments — XXXIV
- 88Fragments — XXXV
- 89Fragments — XXXVI
- 90Fragments — XXXVII
- 91Fragments — XXXVIII
- 92Fragments — XXXIX
- 93Fragments — XL
- 94Fragments — XLI
- 95Fragments — XLII
- 96Fragments — XLIII
- 97Fragments — XLIV
- 98Fragments — XLV
- 99Fragments — XLVI
- 100Fragments — XLVII
- 101Fragments — XLVIII
- 102Fragments — XLIX
- 103Fragments — L
- 104Fragments — LI
- 105Fragments — LII
- 106Fragments — LIII
- 107Fragments — LIV
- 108Fragments — LV
- 109Fragments — LVI
- 110Fragments — LVII
- 111Fragments — LVIII
- 112Fragments — LIX
- 113Fragments — LX
- 114Fragments — LXI
- 115Fragments — LXII
- 116Fragments — LXIII
- 117Fragments — LXIV
- 118Fragments — LXV
- 119Fragments — LXVI
- 120Fragments — LXVII
- 121Fragments — LXVIII
- 122Fragments — LXIX
- 123Fragments — LXX
- 124Fragments — LXXI
- 125Fragments — LXXII
- 126Fragments — LXXIII
- 127Fragments — LXXIV
- 128Fragments — LXXV
- 129Fragments — LXXVI
- 130Fragments — LXXVII
- 131Fragments — LXXVIII
- 132Fragments — LXXIX
- 133Fragments — LXXX
- 134Fragments — LXXXI
- 135Fragments — LXXXII
- 136Fragments — LXXXIII
- 137Fragments — LXXXIV
- 138Fragments — LXXXV
- 139Fragments — LXXXVI
- 140Fragments — LXXXVII
- 141Fragments — LXXXVIII
- 142Fragments — LXXXIX
- 143Fragments — XC
- 144Fragments — XCI
- 145Fragments — XCII
- 146Fragments — XCIII
- 147Fragments — XCIV
- 148Fragments — XCV
- 149Fragments — XCVI
- 150Fragments — XCVII
- 151Fragments — XCVIII
- 152Fragments — XCIX
- 153Fragments — C
- 154Fragments — CI
- 155Fragments — CII
- 156Fragments — CIII
- 157Fragments — CIV
- 158Fragments — CV
- 159Fragments — CVI
- 160Fragments — CVII
- 161Fragments — CVIII
- 162Fragments — CIX
- 163Fragments — CX
- 164Fragments — CXI
- 165Fragments — CXII
- 166Fragments — CXIII
- 167Fragments — CXIV
- 168Fragments — CXV
- 169Fragments — CXVI
- 170Fragments — CXVII
- 171Fragments — CXVIII
- 172Fragments — CXIX
- 173Fragments — CXX
- 174Fragments — CXXI
- 175Fragments — CXXII
- 176Fragments — CXXIII
- 177Fragments — CXXIV
- 178Fragments — CXXV
- 179Fragments — CXXVI
- 180Fragments — CXXVII
- 181Fragments — CXXVIII
- 182Fragments — CXXIX
- 183Fragments — CXXX
- 184Fragments — CXXXI
- 185Fragments — CXXXII
- 186Fragments — CXXXIII
- 187Fragments — CXXXIV
- 188Fragments — CXXXV
- 189Fragments — CXXXVI
- 190Fragments — CLXXIX
- 191Fragments — CLXXX
- 192Fragments — CLXXXI