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Chapter 32 of 192

Short Works, Chapter 32: The Enchiridion — XXXII

by Epictetus · 1m · read by Earbook narrator

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When you have recourse to divination, remember that you do not know how it will turn out, but that you are come to inquire from the diviner. But of what kind it is, you know when you come, if indeed you are a philosopher. For if it is any of the things which are not in our power, it is absolutely necessary that it must be neither good nor bad. Do not then bring to the diviner desire or aversion (ἔκκλισιν): if you do, you will approach him with fear. But having determined in your mind that everything which shall turn out (result) is indifferent, and does not concern you, and whatever it may be, for it will be in your power to use it well, and no man will hinder this, come then with confidence to the Gods as your advisers. And then when any advice shall have been given, remember whom you have taken as advisers, and whom you will have neglected, if you do not obey them. And go to divination, as Socrates said that you ought, about those matters in which all the inquiry has reference to the result, and in which means are not given either by reason nor by any other art for knowing the thing which is the subject of the inquiry. Wherefore when we ought to share a friend’s danger or that of our country, you must not consult the diviner whether you ought to share it. For even if the diviner shall tell you that the signs of the victims are unlucky, it is plain that this is a token of death or mutilation of part of the body or of exile. But reason prevails that even with these risks we should share the dangers of our friend and of our country. Therefore attend to the greater diviner, the Pythian God, who ejected from the temple him who did not assist his friend when he was being murdered.

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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