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Chapter 31 of 192

Short Works, Chapter 31: The Enchiridion — XXXI

by Epictetus · 2m · read by Earbook narrator

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As to piety towards the Gods you must know that this is the chief thing, to have right opinions about them, to think that they exist, and that they administer the All well and justly; and you must fix yourself in this principle (duty), to obey them, and to yield to them in everything which happens, and voluntarily to follow it as being accomplished by the wisest intelligence. For if you do so, you will never either blame the Gods, nor will you accuse them of neglecting you. And it is not possible for this to be done in any other way than by withdrawing from the things which are not in our power, and by placing the good and the evil only in those things which are in our power. For if you think that any of the things which are not in our power is good or bad, it is absolutely necessary that, when you do not obtain what you wish, and when you fall into those things which you do not wish, you will find fault and hate those who are the cause of them; for every animal is formed by nature to this, to fly from, and to turn from the things which appear harmful and the things which are the cause of the harm, but to follow and admire the things which are useful and the causes of the useful. It is impossible then for a person who thinks that he is harmed to be delighted with that which he thinks to be the cause of the harm, as it is also impossible to be pleased with the harm itself. For this reason also a father is reviled by his son, when he gives no part to his son of the things which are considered to be good: and it was this which made Polynices and Eteocles enemies, the opinion that royal power was a good. It is for this reason that the cultivator of the earth reviles the Gods, for this reason the sailor does, and the merchant, and for this reason those who lose their wives and their children. For where the useful (your interest) is, there also piety is. Consequently he who takes care to desire as he ought and to avoid (ἐκκλίνειν) as he ought, at the same time also cares after piety. But to make libations and to sacrifice and to offer first fruits according to the custom of our fathers, purely and not meanly nor carelessly nor scantily nor above our ability, is a thing which belongs to all to do.

All chapters of Short Works

  1. 1The Enchiridion — I
  2. 2The Enchiridion — II
  3. 3The Enchiridion — III
  4. 4The Enchiridion — IV
  5. 5The Enchiridion — V
  6. 6The Enchiridion — VI
  7. 7The Enchiridion — VII
  8. 8The Enchiridion — VIII
  9. 9The Enchiridion — IX
  10. 10The Enchiridion — X
  11. 11The Enchiridion — XI
  12. 12The Enchiridion — XII
  13. 13The Enchiridion — XIII
  14. 14The Enchiridion — XIV
  15. 15The Enchiridion — XV
  16. 16The Enchiridion — XVI
  17. 17The Enchiridion — XVII
  18. 18The Enchiridion — XVIII
  19. 19The Enchiridion — XIX
  20. 20The Enchiridion — XX
  21. 21The Enchiridion — XXI
  22. 22The Enchiridion — XXII
  23. 23The Enchiridion — XXIII
  24. 24The Enchiridion — XXIV
  25. 25The Enchiridion — XXV
  26. 26The Enchiridion — XXVI
  27. 27The Enchiridion — XXVII
  28. 28The Enchiridion — XXVIII
  29. 29The Enchiridion — XXIX
  30. 30The Enchiridion — XXX
  31. 31The Enchiridion — XXXI
  32. 32The Enchiridion — XXXII
  33. 33The Enchiridion — XXXIII
  34. 34The Enchiridion — XXXIV
  35. 35The Enchiridion — XXXV
  36. 36The Enchiridion — XXXVI
  37. 37The Enchiridion — XXXVII
  38. 38The Enchiridion — XXXVIII
  39. 39The Enchiridion — XXXIX
  40. 40The Enchiridion — XL
  41. 41The Enchiridion — XLI
  42. 42The Enchiridion — XLII
  43. 43The Enchiridion — XLIII
  44. 44The Enchiridion — XLIV
  45. 45The Enchiridion — XLV
  46. 46The Enchiridion — XLVI
  47. 47The Enchiridion — XLVII
  48. 48The Enchiridion — XLVIII
  49. 49The Enchiridion — XLIX
  50. 50The Enchiridion — L
  51. 51The Enchiridion — LI
  52. 52The Enchiridion — LII
  53. 53The Enchiridion — LIII
  54. 54Fragments — I
  55. 55Fragments — II
  56. 56Fragments — III
  57. 57Fragments — IV
  58. 58Fragments — V
  59. 59Fragments — VI
  60. 60Fragments — VII
  61. 61Fragments — VIII
  62. 62Fragments — IX
  63. 63Fragments — X
  64. 64Fragments — XI
  65. 65Fragments — XII
  66. 66Fragments — XIII
  67. 67Fragments — XIV
  68. 68Fragments — XV
  69. 69Fragments — XVI
  70. 70Fragments — XVII
  71. 71Fragments — XVIII
  72. 72Fragments — XIX
  73. 73Fragments — XX
  74. 74Fragments — XXI
  75. 75Fragments — XXII
  76. 76Fragments — XXIII
  77. 77Fragments — XXIV
  78. 78Fragments — XXV
  79. 79Fragments — XXVI
  80. 80Fragments — XXVII
  81. 81Fragments — XXVIII
  82. 82Fragments — XXIX
  83. 83Fragments — XXX
  84. 84Fragments — XXXI
  85. 85Fragments — XXXII
  86. 86Fragments — XXXIII
  87. 87Fragments — XXXIV
  88. 88Fragments — XXXV
  89. 89Fragments — XXXVI
  90. 90Fragments — XXXVII
  91. 91Fragments — XXXVIII
  92. 92Fragments — XXXIX
  93. 93Fragments — XL
  94. 94Fragments — XLI
  95. 95Fragments — XLII
  96. 96Fragments — XLIII
  97. 97Fragments — XLIV
  98. 98Fragments — XLV
  99. 99Fragments — XLVI
  100. 100Fragments — XLVII
  101. 101Fragments — XLVIII
  102. 102Fragments — XLIX
  103. 103Fragments — L
  104. 104Fragments — LI
  105. 105Fragments — LII
  106. 106Fragments — LIII
  107. 107Fragments — LIV
  108. 108Fragments — LV
  109. 109Fragments — LVI
  110. 110Fragments — LVII
  111. 111Fragments — LVIII
  112. 112Fragments — LIX
  113. 113Fragments — LX
  114. 114Fragments — LXI
  115. 115Fragments — LXII
  116. 116Fragments — LXIII
  117. 117Fragments — LXIV
  118. 118Fragments — LXV
  119. 119Fragments — LXVI
  120. 120Fragments — LXVII
  121. 121Fragments — LXVIII
  122. 122Fragments — LXIX
  123. 123Fragments — LXX
  124. 124Fragments — LXXI
  125. 125Fragments — LXXII
  126. 126Fragments — LXXIII
  127. 127Fragments — LXXIV
  128. 128Fragments — LXXV
  129. 129Fragments — LXXVI
  130. 130Fragments — LXXVII
  131. 131Fragments — LXXVIII
  132. 132Fragments — LXXIX
  133. 133Fragments — LXXX
  134. 134Fragments — LXXXI
  135. 135Fragments — LXXXII
  136. 136Fragments — LXXXIII
  137. 137Fragments — LXXXIV
  138. 138Fragments — LXXXV
  139. 139Fragments — LXXXVI
  140. 140Fragments — LXXXVII
  141. 141Fragments — LXXXVIII
  142. 142Fragments — LXXXIX
  143. 143Fragments — XC
  144. 144Fragments — XCI
  145. 145Fragments — XCII
  146. 146Fragments — XCIII
  147. 147Fragments — XCIV
  148. 148Fragments — XCV
  149. 149Fragments — XCVI
  150. 150Fragments — XCVII
  151. 151Fragments — XCVIII
  152. 152Fragments — XCIX
  153. 153Fragments — C
  154. 154Fragments — CI
  155. 155Fragments — CII
  156. 156Fragments — CIII
  157. 157Fragments — CIV
  158. 158Fragments — CV
  159. 159Fragments — CVI
  160. 160Fragments — CVII
  161. 161Fragments — CVIII
  162. 162Fragments — CIX
  163. 163Fragments — CX
  164. 164Fragments — CXI
  165. 165Fragments — CXII
  166. 166Fragments — CXIII
  167. 167Fragments — CXIV
  168. 168Fragments — CXV
  169. 169Fragments — CXVI
  170. 170Fragments — CXVII
  171. 171Fragments — CXVIII
  172. 172Fragments — CXIX
  173. 173Fragments — CXX
  174. 174Fragments — CXXI
  175. 175Fragments — CXXII
  176. 176Fragments — CXXIII
  177. 177Fragments — CXXIV
  178. 178Fragments — CXXV
  179. 179Fragments — CXXVI
  180. 180Fragments — CXXVII
  181. 181Fragments — CXXVIII
  182. 182Fragments — CXXIX
  183. 183Fragments — CXXX
  184. 184Fragments — CXXXI
  185. 185Fragments — CXXXII
  186. 186Fragments — CXXXIII
  187. 187Fragments — CXXXIV
  188. 188Fragments — CXXXV
  189. 189Fragments — CXXXVI
  190. 190Fragments — CLXXIX
  191. 191Fragments — CLXXX
  192. 192Fragments — CLXXXI

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