Enchiridion 3, and part of Keith Seddon's commentary on it

 

Enchiridion 3, and part of Keith Seddon's commentary on it

"3. With everything which entertains you, is useful, or of which you are fond, remember to say to yourself, beginning with the very least things, "What is its nature?" If you are fond of a jug, say, "I am fond of a jug"; for when it is broken you will not be disturbed. If you kiss your own child or wife, say to yourself that you are kissing a human being; for when it dies you will not be disturbed" (Epictetus, Enchiridion 3; Oldfather).


"The Stoic prokoptôn, in ‘living with reservation’, can accept anything
that happens, for the things that happen always do so in accordance with
the will of Zeus: these things lie in the province of things that are not in
our power, and our concern should never be to inappropriately desire
that they should happen otherwise or that we should be able to make
them happen otherwise (see for instance Discourses 4.7.20). Our task is
to judge matters properly, to ‘make proper use of impressions’, and to
respond appropriately to whatever does happen" (Seddon, pg.46).

Keith Seddon (2005). Epictetus' Handbook and the Tablet of Cebes 

Enchiridion 4, and part of Keith Seddon's commentary on it