Epictetus · The Handbook
Chapter 12
If you want to make progress, drop this kind of reasoning: “If I neglect my affairs, I’ll have nothing to live on.” “If I don’t punish my slave, he’ll turn out badly.” Better to die of hunger, free of grief and free of fear, than to live in plenty and be disturbed. Better for your slave to be bad than for you to be miserable.
εἰ προκόψαι θέλεις, ἄφες τοὺς τοιούτους ἐπιλογισμούς. «ἐὰν ἀμελήσω τᾶν ἐμῶν, οὐχ ἕξω διατροφάς·» «ἐὰν μὴ κολάσω τὸν παῖδα, πονηρὸς ἔσται.» κρεῖσσον γὰρ λιμῷ ἀποθανεῖν ἄλυπον καὶ ἄφοβον γενόμενον ἢ ζῆν ἐν ἀφθόνοις ταρασσόμενον. κρεῖττον δὲ τὸν παῖδα κακὸν εἶναι ἢ σὲ κακοδαίμονα.
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Start, then, with small things. A little oil gets spilled, a little wine gets stolen. Say to yourself: “This is the price of equanimity; this is the price of tranquility.” Nothing comes free. When you call your slave, keep in mind that he may not answer – and if he does answer, he may do nothing you want. But he is not so well placed that your peace of mind should depend on him.
ἄρξαι τοιγαροῦν ἀπὸ τῶν σμικρῶν. ἐκχεῖται τὸ ἐλάδιον, κλέπτεται τὸ οἰνάριον· ἐπίλεγε ὅτι «τοσούτου πωλεῖται ἀπάθεια, τοσούτου ἀταραξία·» προῖκα δὲ οὐδὲν περιγίνεται. ὅταν δὲ καλῇς τὸν παῖδα, ἐνθυμοῦ, ὅτι δύναται μὴ ὑπακοῦσαι καὶ ὑπακούσας μηδὲν ποιῆσαι ὧν θέλεις· ἀλλ’ οὐχ οὕτως ἐστὶν αὐτῷ καλῶς, ἵνα ἐπ’ ἐκείνῳ ᾖ τὸ σὲ μὴ ταραχθῆναι.