The Handbook of Epictetus
Handbook 24.2
Translated by Clint Miller
English
‘But your friends will go without help.’ What do you mean, “without help”? They won’t get spending money from you; you won’t make them Roman citizens. Well, who told you these things are among what is up to us, rather than other people’s business? And who can give another what he does not have himself?
Greek
ἀλλά σοι οἱ φίλοι ἀβοήθητοι ἔσονται. τί λέγεις τὸ ἀβοήθητοι; οὐχ ἕξουσι παρὰ σοῦ κερμάτιον· οὐδὲ πολίτας Ῥωμαίων αὐτοὺς ποιήσεις. τίς οὖν σοι εἶπεν, ὅτι ταῦτα τῶν ἐφ’ ἡμῖν ἐστιν, οὐχὶ δὲ ἀλλότρια ἔργα; τίς δὲ δοῦναι δύναται ἑτέρῳ, ἃ μὴ ἔχει αὐτός; «κτῆσαι οὖν,» φησίν, «ἵνα ἡμεῖς ἔχωμεν.»
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