Ch. 18
How we should struggle against appearances.
EVERY habit and faculty357 is maintained and increased by
the corresponding actions: the habit of walking by walking, the habit of running by running. If you would be a
good reader, read; if a writer, write. But when you shall
not have read for thirty days in succession, but have done
something else, you will know the consequence. In the
same way, if you shall have lain down ten days, get up
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and attempt to make a long walk, and you will see how
your legs are weakened. Generally then if you would
make any thing a habit, do it; if you would not make it
a habit, do not do it, but accustom yourself to do something
else in place of it.
So it is with respect to the affections of the soul: when
you have been angry, you must know that not only has
this evil befallen you, but that you have also increased the
habit, and in a manner thrown fuel upon fire. When you
have been overcome in sexual intercourse with a person,
do not reckon this single defeat only, but reckon that you
have also nurtured, increased your incontinence. For it
is impossible for habits and faculties, some of them not to
be produced, when they did not exist before, and others
not be increased and strengthened by corresponding acts.
In this manner certainly, as philosophers say, also diseases of the mind grow up.358 For when you have once
desired money, if reason be applied to lead to a perception of the evil, the desire is stopped, and the ruling
faculty of our mind is restored to the original authority.
But if you apply no means of cure, it no longer returns to
the same state, but being again excited by the corresponding appearance, it is inflamed to desire quicker than before: and when this takes place continually, it is henceforth hardened (made callous), and the disease of the mind
confirms the love of money. For he who has had a fever,
and has been relieved from it, is not in the same state
that he was before, unless he has been completely cured.
Something of the kind happens also in diseases of the soul.
Certain traces and blisters are left in it, and unless a man
shall completely efface them, when he is again lashed on
the same places, the lash will produce not blisters (weals)
but sores. If then you wish not to be of an angry temper,
do not feed the habit: throw nothing on it which will
increase it: at first keep quiet, and count the days on
which you have not been angry. I used to be in passion
every day; now every second day; then every third, then
every fourth. But if you have intermitted thirty days,
make a sacrifice to God. For the habit at first begins to
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be weakened, and then is completely destroyed. I have
not been vexed today, nor the day after, nor yet on any
succeeding day during two or three months; but I took
care when some exciting things happened. Be assured
that you are in a good way.359 Today when I saw a
handsome person, I did not say to myself, I wish I could
lie with her, and Happy is her husband; for he who says
this says, Happy is her adulterer also. Nor do I picture
the rest to my mind; the woman present, and stripping
herself and lying down by my side. I stroke my head
and say, Well done, Epictetus, you have solved a fine little
sophism, much finer than that which is called the master
sophism. And if even the woman is willing, and gives
signs, and sends messages, and if she also fondle me and
come close to me, and I should abstain and be victorious,
that would be a sophism beyond that which is named the
Liar, and the Quiescent.360 Over such a victory as this a
man may justly be proud; not for proposing the master
sophism.
How then shall this be done? Be willing at length to
be approved by yourself, be willing to appear beautiful
to God, desire to be in purity with your own pure self
and with God. Then when any such appearance visits
you, Plato says,361 Have recourse to expiations, go a suppliant to the temples of the averting deities. It is even
sufficient if you resort to the society of noble and just
men, and compare yourself with them, whether you find
one who is living or dead. Go to Socrates and see him
lying down with Alcibiades, and mocking his beauty:
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consider what a victory he at last found that he had
gained over himself; what an Olympian victory; in what
number he stood from Hercules;362 so that, by the Gods,
one may justly salute him, Hail, wondrous man, you who
have conquered not these sorry boxers363 and pancratiasts,
nor yet those who are like them, the gladiators. By
placing these objects on the other side you will conquer the
appearance: you will not be drawn away by it. But in
the first place be not hurried away by the rapidity of the
appearance, but say, Appearances, wait for me a little: let
me see who you are, and what you are about:364 let me put
you to the test. And then do not allow the appearance to
lead you on and draw lively pictures of the things which
will follow; for if you do, it will carry you off wherever
it pleases. But rather bring in to oppose it some other
beautiful and noble appearance and cast out this base
appearance. And if you are accustomed to be exercised
in this way, you will see what shoulders, what sinews,
what strength you have. But now it is only trifling
words, and nothing more.
This is the true athlete, the man who exercises himself
against such appearances. Stay, wretch, do not be carried
way. Great is the combat, divine is the work; it is for
kingship, for freedom, for happiness, for freedom from
perturbation. Remember God: call on him as a helper
and protector, as men at sea call on the Dioscur365 in a
storm. For what is a greater storm than that which
comes from appearances which are violent and drive away
the reason?366 For the storm itself, what else is it but an
appearance? For take away the fear of death, and suppose
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as many thunders and lightnings as you please, and you
will know what calm367 and serenity there is in the ruling
faculty. But if you have once been defeated and say that
you will conquer hereafter, and then say the same again,
be assured that you will at last be in so wretched a
condition and so weak that you will not even know
afterwards that you are doing wrong, but you will even
begin to make apologies (defences) for your wrong doing,
and then you will confirm the saying of Hesiod368 to be
true,
With constant ills the dilatory strives.