Epictetus · Complete work
Chapter 52
Chapter 52 of 53. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
Open the complete readerOriginal Ancient Greek
[52.1] ὁ πρῶτος καὶ ἀναγκαιότατος τόπος ἐστὶν ἐν φιλοσοφίᾳ ὁ τῆς χρήσεως τῶν θεωρημάτων, οἷον τὸ μὴ ψεύδεσθαι· ὁ δεύτερος ὁ τῶν ἀποδείξεων, οἷον πόθεν ὅτι οὐ δεῖ ψεύδεσθαι· τρίτος ὁ αὐτῶν τούτων βεβαιωτικὸς καὶ διαρθρωτικός, οἷον πόθεν ὅτι τοῦτο ἀπόδειξις; τί γάρ ἐστιν ἀπόδειξις, τί ἀκολουθία, τί μάχη, τί ἀληθές, τί ψεῦδος;
[52.2] οὐκοῦν ὁ μὲν τρίτος τόπος ἀναγκαῖος διὰ τὸν δεύτερον, ὁ δὲ δεύτερος διὰ τὸν πρῶτον· ὁ δὲ ἀναγκαιότατος καὶ ὅπου ἀναπαύεσθαι δεῖ, ὁ πρῶτος. ἡμεῖς δὲ ἔμπαλιν ποιοῦμεν· ἐν γὰρ τῷ τρίτῳ τόπῳ διατρίβομεν καὶ περὶ ἐκεῖνόν ἐστιν ἡμῖν ἡ πᾶσα σπουδή· τοῦ δὲ πρώτου παντελῶς ἀμελοῦμεν. τοιγαροῦν ψευδόμεθα μέν, πῶς δὲ ἀποδείκνυται ὅτι οὐ δεῖ ψεύδεσθαι, πρόχειρον ἔχομεν.
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.
[52.1] The first and most necessary field in philosophy is the application of principles, such as not to lie. The second is that of demonstrations, such as how it is demonstrated that one ought not to lie. The third establishes and articulates these very demonstrations, such as: How is this a demonstration? What is a demonstration? What is a consequence? What is a contradiction? What is truth? What is falsehood?
[52.2] Thus the third field is necessary because of the second, and the second because of the first; but the most necessary, and the one in which we ought to rest, is the first. Yet we do the opposite: we spend our time in the third field, and all our zeal is devoted to it, while we utterly neglect the first. And so we lie, yet have ready at hand the demonstration that one ought not to lie.
Mouseia
Mouseia’s complete Plain English edition, made independently and directly from all 53 Ancient Greek chapters and 105 sections.
[52.1] The first and most necessary area of philosophy is the application of its principles, such as not lying. The second concerns proofs, such as why one must not lie. The third establishes and clarifies these very proofs, asking, for example: How do we know that this is a proof? What is a proof? What is a logical consequence? What is a contradiction? What is true? What is false?
[52.2] Therefore, the third area is necessary because of the second, and the second because of the first; but the first is the most necessary and is where we should come to rest. We do the opposite: we spend our time on the third area and devote all our effort to it, while completely neglecting the first. As a result, we lie, but we have ready at hand the proof that one must not lie.