Epictetus · Complete work
Chapter 6
Chapter 6 of 53. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
Open the complete readerOriginal Ancient Greek
[6.1] ἐπὶ μηδενὶ ἐπαρθῇς ἀλλοτρίῳ προτερήματι. εἰ ὁ ἵππος ἐπαιρόμενος ἔλεγεν ὅτι καλός εἰμι, οἰστὸν ἂν ἦν· σὺ δέ, ὅταν λέγῃς ἐπαιρόμενος ὅτι ἵππον καλὸν ἔχω, ἴσθι, ὅτι ἐπὶ ἵππου ἀγαθῷ ἐπαίρῃ. τί οὖν ἐστι σόν; χρῆσις φαντασιῶν. ὥσθʼ, ὅταν ἐν χρήσει φαντασιῶν κατὰ φύσιν σχῇς, τηνικαῦτα ἐπάρθητι· τότε γὰρ ἐπὶ σῷ τινι ἀγαθῷ ἐπαρθήσῃ.
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.
[6.1] Do not take pride in any excellence that is not your own. If a horse were to say proudly, “I am beautiful,” that would be bearable. But when you say proudly, “I have a beautiful horse,” know that you are taking pride in a good quality belonging to the horse. What, then, is your own? The use you make of impressions. Thus, when you conduct yourself in accordance with nature in your use of impressions, then you may take pride; for then you will be taking pride in a good quality that is truly your own.
Mouseia
Mouseia’s complete Plain English edition, made independently and directly from all 53 Ancient Greek chapters and 105 sections.
[6.1] Do not take pride in any excellence that is not your own. If a horse proudly said, “I am beautiful,” that would be bearable. But when you proudly say, “I have a beautiful horse,” understand that you are taking pride in something good that belongs to the horse. What, then, is your own? Your use of impressions. Therefore, whenever your use of impressions is in accordance with nature, then you may take pride, because then you will be taking pride in something good that is your own.