Epictetus · Complete work
Chapter 34
Chapter 34 of 53. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
Open the complete readerOriginal Ancient Greek
[34.1] ὅταν ἡδονῆς τινος φαντασίαν λάβῃς, καθάπερ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων, φύλασσε σαυτόν, μὴ συναρπασθῇς ὑπʼ αὐτῆς· ἀλλʼ ἐκδεξάσθω σε τὸ πρᾶγμα, καὶ ἀναβολήν τινα παρὰ σεαυτοῦ λάβε. ἔπειτα μνήσθητι ἀμφοτέρων τῶν χρόνων, καθʼ ὅν τε ἀπολαύσεις τῆς ἡδονῆς, καὶ καθʼ ὃν ἀπολαύσας ὕστερον μετανοήσεις καὶ αὐτὸς σεαυτῷ λοιδορήσῃ· καὶ τούτοις ἀντίθες ὅπως ἀποσχόμενος χαιρήσεις καὶ ἐπαινέσεις αὐτὸς σεαυτόν. ἐὰν δέ σοι καιρὸς φανῇ ἅψασθαι τοῦ ἔργου, πρόσεχε, μὴ ἡττήσῃ σε τὸ προσηνὲς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἡδὺ καὶ ἐπαγωγόν· ἀλλʼ ἀντιτίθει, πόσῳ ἄμεινον τὸ συνειδέναι σεαυτῷ ταύτην τὴν νίκην νενικηκότι.
Mouseia
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from all 53 Ancient Greek chapters and 105 sections for fidelity, Stoic precision, clarity, structure, and cadence.
[34.1] Whenever you receive an impression of some pleasure, guard yourself, as with other impressions, against being swept away by it. Let the matter wait for you, and obtain from yourself some delay. Then recall both moments: the moment when you will enjoy the pleasure, and the later moment when, after enjoying it, you will repent and reproach yourself. Set against these the joy and self-approval you will feel if you abstain. But if a fitting occasion for undertaking the action appears to you, take care not to be overcome by its charm, its sweetness, and its allure; set against them how much better it is to be conscious of having won this victory over yourself.
Mouseia
Mouseia’s complete Plain English edition, made independently and directly from all 53 Ancient Greek chapters and 105 sections.
[34.1] Whenever you receive an impression of some pleasure, guard yourself, as with other impressions, against being swept away by it. Let the matter wait for you, and take some time before acting. Then remember both periods of time: the time when you will enjoy the pleasure and the time afterward when, having enjoyed it, you will regret it and reproach yourself. Set against these the joy and self-approval you will feel if you abstain. But if it seems to you that the right time has come to undertake the action, take care that its pleasantness, sweetness, and allure do not overcome you. Set against them how much better it is to be conscious of having won this victory over them.