Reading 4 :

Impressions and How to use them: Good and Bad

Keeping your focus in life

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Reading 04: April 14

Chapters 6.1-9.1
Translations Due Sunday, April 20 (midnight CST)
Grammar Questions Due Tuesday, April 22 (midnight CST)

Reading Selections by Group
Level	Book	Sections	Title	Questions	Perseus	Notes
Basic 1	Enchiridion	8.1	Don't Seek to Change Things	8.1	8.1	8.1
Basic 2	Enchiridion	9.1	What is an impediment?	9.1	9.1	9.1
Optional 1	Enchiridion	6.1	The Proper Use of Impressions	6.1	6.1	6.1
Optional 2	Enchiridion	7.1	Stay Near the Ship - Be Ready!	7.1	7.1	7.1
Advanced 1	Simplicius	13	Keep your Eye on the Captain	NA	NA	NA

 

Other Aids
Greek Sentences	Sentences with numbering for sending in the translations.	Instructions for sending in translations
Audio File	An mp3 audio recording(s) using Erasmian pronunciation. 6.1  7.1  8.1   9.1	An mp3 audio recording(s) of the weekly Enchiridion reading using 'Living Koine' pronunciation:	<----Instructions: Right click file name and select "save file as" for Microsoft Windows OS.
Greek Text (Pdf file of the reading)	Schenkl's 1916 Text of the weekly reading (Text used by this group and Perseus). A several page pdf file.	Diglott weekly reading with Greek text and Mattheson English translation (4x6 index card size pdf file)	Diglott weekly reading Greek text, English translation and vocabulary (A 8.5 x 11 2 page pdf file.)
Notes on the Greek Text	Schweighauser's 1799 Reading 04 (Schenkl's Source ) with Wolf's Latin Translation and notes. A several page pdf file.	Heyne's 1756 Epicteti Enchiridium Graece et Latine Reading 04 with notes and Upton's Latin translation. A several page pdf file.	Thurot's 1903 Reading 04 (French with Greek notes and commentary).  A several page pdf file.
Vocabulary	A table of the Enchiridion passage 6.1-9.1 word by word with links to the Perseus word form AND the correct lemma. (Each word has its own number)	Vocabulary of the entire Enchiridion with frequency statistics and glosses	Special vocabulary: a table of the 100+ words that Epictetus uses frequently or in a special sense.

A Summary of Chapters 6-9

The Proper Use of Impressions (Chapter 6)

Chapter 6 talks about 'the proper use of impressions.' Things happen to people that they do not rightly evaluate. Epictetus puts words into a horse's mouth (which is quite humorous in itself). The point that is made is that one should not boast in possessions (over which has no control). There may well be some things that are valid to boast about. We need to look at more than the appearance of things -- some appearances may lead us to false beliefs.

Stay Near the Ship - Be Ready! (Chapter 7)

This story is the only instance of a parable or allegory that Epictetus uses in any of his extant writings. I think it is one of my favorite passages in the Enchiridion. The traveller is the student (or you or me). The Captain of the ship is Zeus (or God). This passage is similar to the passage of Simplicius 33.40 which talks about God being the pilot of the universe; Simplicius 13 (parts of his commentary on Enchiridion Chapter 7; also see 33:40) is the advanced reading for this week's reading. The point of the parable is to tell the person what they need to do in life, what to do with their posessions and how to act toward the pilot of the ship (i.e. God). While we are still here on earth, we should enjoy 'the great festival that is the world that God has made. (Discourses 1.9.16; 3.13.14; 3.26.28-31; 4.1.103-108). (Seddon p. 57).

Reading 11 of the LetsReadGreek Aesop Summer Reading group has fables about a shipwrecks.

Don't Seek to Change Things (Chapter 8)

This one sentence chapter seems to sum up Epictetus 'theory of action.' Seddon (p. 58) says that this is the single time that Epictetus refers to a saying by Zeno (one of the fathers of Stoicism). Epictetus "refers specifically to Zeno's definition of happiness as the end or goal of human life being εὐρυοία βίου 'good flow of life' (Stobeus 2.67e). One's good flow of life is realized by living in accordance with nature....Epictetus refers to <cosmic nature vs. human nature> in chapter 8."

What is an impediment? (Chapter 9)

Perhaps one of the greatest things that stops people from accomplishing things in their lives, is how they think about things that happen to them. There is a famous story about Epictetus (who was a cripple). Common rumor had it that he became lame when an abusive master was twisting his leg as punishment for some deed. The story goes that Epictetus calmy said 'If you twist it further, it will break." When it broke, Epictetus calmy replied, "See, I told you so." Most introductory books on Epictetus include a blurb or more on this story - it goes way back to the 2nd century A.D. Take a look at one of the online introductions you can find on the bibliography page, the Loeb volume 1 by Oldfather (with many notes) and Rolleston include the account.

 

Techniques of Epictetus' Style

Use of the suffix -ιον and ιδιον

Epictetus uses many words ending in either -ιον, ιδιον or -αριον. One is first tempted to translate them all as 'little' or 'small' e.g. little child, small shellfish, etc. Sometimes these endings have the added note of endearment e.g. γυναικάριον γυνή. Sometimes diminuative endings are used for contempt. Epictetus uses these endings so often that they often lose the diminuative, endearing or derisive connotations (see Smyth §852ff). Keep your eye open for these words in the readings; listing them will be one of the questions.

Blass DeBrunner p. 60 §111(3) says Diminutives are not frequent in the NT because they are not suited to a language even slightly elevated .... Diminutives end in -ισκο-, -ίς, -ιον, -αριον. The suffixes are mainly -ιον and -αριον. There is a statistical increase of diminutives in Koine; the NT has more diminutives than comparable temporary texts. Koine also has a preference for -ιον with non-diminutives from compounds.

Robertson (pp. 155-156) says 'Diminuatives are...common...in the Byzantine and Modern Greek...losing often their force'. He lists many examples.

 

Substantival (Noun) use of ajectives without an article

Another feature that Epictetus likes to use is to use adjectives or participles (without the article) as nouns. My personal feeling is that he uses it more this way than other authors I have read. The substantival use of adjectives is nothing new in Greek. If you are looking for a noun in a lexicon and cannot find it, try looking under an adjective heading for that word. Deciding whether an substantival adjective should have its own separate noun entry in a lexicon (especially LSJ) is about as hard as predicting why an article is used in front of some Greek words and not in front of others.

There were several examples of this 'non-articular substantival' usage in the last reading and more to be seen. Greek textbooks often include a corresponding noun - but it's not needed so why add it?

[5.1] ἀπαιδεύτου (an uneducated person) ἔργον τὸ ἄλλοις ἐγκαλεῖν, ἐφ᾽ οἷς αὐτὸς πράσσει κακῶς: ἠργμένου (a person who is beginning) παιδεύεσθαι τὸ ἑαυτῷ: πεπαιδευμένου (a person who has been instructed) τὸ μήτε ἄλλῳ μήτε ἑαυτῷ.

[10.1] ἐὰν καλὸν ἴδῃς ἢ καλήν 'If you see a handsome youth or pretty girl.

 

 

Aids to Reading the Greek

Special Words

The meanings of the LSJ lexicon do not always point out or fit the 'Stoic' use of terms. I have departed from the Seddon's list of 'key' terms for this chapter, because they included words like 'wife' and 'child'. I have included any words which relate to ethics, choices, thinking and actions of people. Some of the terms are 'Stoic specific'; most are not. As the special vocabulary page is being built, a fuller 'special lexicon' will become available to help understand the Greek word. Here are some of the brief glosses. A table of words (with links to Perseus and the correct lemma for each form) is listed at the bottom of this page if you have further questions about vocabulary.

ἀγαθός - good ἀπαλλάσσω - to wander off, go away ἀφίημι - to leave behind, let go of διάνοια, ἡ - attention, mind ἐμπίπτω- to fall into ἐμπόδιον, τό - an impediment ἔπαιρω - to lift up, excite; pass. to swell up, be elated ἐπιστρέφω - to turn about εὐροέω - to prosper (lit. have good flow) ζητέω - to seek θέλω - to wish, want	καλός - good, noble, excellent κυβερνήτης ὁ - the captain (one who guides the rudder) νόσος - disease, illness οἰστός - bearable, endurable προαίρεσις - choice, moral character προτέρημα - excellence, superiority τὰ γινόμενα - things that happen, events τάσσω - to post as a guard, do one's duty χρῆσις φαντασιῶν - use of impressions

Corrections to the Text

The Perseus text and the Schenkl text have an error on word 615 where a δ is incorrectly printed as a θ. The both show the word ὕθρευσθαι instead of the correct ὕδρευσθαι (per Oldfather and Boter). The correct lemma is ὑδρεύω 'to get (fresh) water'.

 

Reading 4: Chapters 6.1-9.1

Note: The readings are out of order. The Basic reading is chapters 8 & 9. The Optional reading is chapters 6 & 7.

Reading 4 - Basic Group (Readings 1 & 2)				Enchiridion Chapter 8.1-9.1
Text	Questions	Notes	Apparatus	Translation	Answers	Vocabulary

    Κεφάλαιον ηʹ (Basic Reading 1)


[8.1a] Μὴ ζήτει τὰ γινόμενα γίνεσθαι ὡς θέλεις, ἀλλὰ θέλε τὰ γινόμενα ὡς γίνεται καὶ εὐροήσεις.

Κεφάλαιον θʹ (Basic Reading 2)

[9.1a] Νόσος σώματός ἐστιν ἐμπόδιον, προαιρέσεως δὲ οὔ, ἐὰν μὴ αὐτὴ θέλῃ. [9.1b] χώλανσις* σκέλους ἐστὶν ἐμπόδιον, προαιρέσεως δὲ οὔ. [9.1c] καὶ τοῦτο ἐφ᾽ ἑκάστου τῶν ἐμπιπτόντων ἐπίλεγε: [9.1d] εὑρήσεις γὰρ αὐτὸ ἄλλου τινὸς ἐμπόδιον, σὸν δὲ οὔ.

*Boter reads χώλωσις

Basic Questions

Note: If you desire to get THE answer to the question and the answers to the questions suggested by the Greekstudy members, you may either view the appropriate Greekstudy email which includes the answers, or alternately (if you missed the email) send in your answers to the question(s). I'll be glad to email you the suggested answer and the answers sent in by the Greekstudy members.

Q1 Line 8.1a Μὴ ζήτει τὰ γινόμενα. The negative particle μὴ is used in front of ζήτει instead of οὐ. What does that imply about the mood of the verb ζήτει? Would μὴ ζησαι or μὴ ζησάτω be a valid use of the aorist imperative? If not, why not? Is it valid to translate the phrase as 'Stop seeking to...' versus 'Don't ever seek to...'? Give sections of Smyth for all of the above questions.

Q2 Line 8.1a. εὐροήσεις. The word εὐροήσεις comes from what two lemmas (roots)? The word was a favorite Stoic term. What is your favorite translation?

Q3 Line 9.1a. ἐὰν μὴ αὐτὴ θέλῃ. Translate this phrase. What word does αὐτὴ stand for? What is Epictetus saying about disease?

Q4 Line 9.1b. Boter reads χώλωσις rather than χώλανσις. Is there any difference between these two words? To what part(s) of the body could the word σκέλους refer to in English?

Q5. Line 9.1a. προαιρέσεως. The accent on Greek nouns is different that the accent on Greek verbs. It does not move as far to the front of the word as possible, but tries to remain on the same position as rules will allow (sometimes the accent will change from accute to circumflex, or move a syllable towards the end because of the long/short value of the final vowel or diphthong.) How would you classify the final syllable(s) -εως of προαίρεσις in the form προαιρέσεως - as two separate vowels or a single diphthong? Does the final -εως count as one syllable or two? How do you know? How should one pronounce it?

Q6. Line 9.1d. εὑρήσεις γὰρ αὐτὸ ἄλλου τινὸς ἐμπόδιον, σὸν δὲ οὔ. Translate this phrase. Who is talking? To whom or what is the comment addressed? Does ἄλλου τινὸς refer to another person or another thing? Any reason why the word σὸν rather than σοῦ?

Q7. Lines 9.1 προαιρέσεως δὲ οὔ. σὸν δὲ οὔ. The word order in these two sentences is parallel. Is the position of οὔ emphatic or just a result of a missing verb? Can you find any section in Smyth that would apply?

 

Reading 4 - Advanced Reading 1				Simplicius 13 Selections
Text	Questions	Notes	Apparatus	Translation	Answers	Vocabulary

Simplicius Commentary on Chapter 8 (Lemma xiii) ad passim.

This passage talks about the metaphor of God being the pilot. You should be able to follow the passage if you have done the above readings. Α number of Epictetus' Stoic terms appear in the reading below. See if you can find them. The English translation of Brennan and Brittain is included for your aid.

πάντα χρὴ τῆς πρὸς θεὸν ἐπιστροφῆς ἐξαρτᾶν, τὸν τοῦ παντὸς [40] κυβερνήτην, καὶ ἐκείνου ἐχομενον, τούτων κατὰ τάξιν μετέχειν, πρῶτον μὲν τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἐν βίῳ καὶ ὧν χωρὶς ἀδύνατον ζῆν, ἅπερ διὰ τοῦ ὑδρεύσασθαι ἐδήλωσε, τὰ περὶ τροφὴν λέγων καὶ ἀμπεχόνην καὶ οἴκησιν, οἷα καὶ ὅσα τοῖς ἀπερίττως ζῶσιν ἀρκεῖ.

Δοκεῖ δέ μοι καὶ τὸ παράδειγμα πάνυ οἰκείως πεπλασμένον παραγαγεῖν. Τὴν μὲν γὰρ θάλασσαν διὰ τὸ εμβριθὲς καὶ κλυδαινόμενον και παντοίως μεταβαλλόμενον καὶ πνίγον τοὺς καταδύνοντασ εἰς αὐτήν.... Τὸ δὲ πλοῖον εἴη ἂν τὸ διακομίζον εἰς τὴν γένεσιν τὰς ψυχὰς καὶ εἴτε μοιρᾶν, εἴτε εἱμαρμένην, εἴτε ἄλλο τι τοιοῦτον αὐτὸ καλεῖν χρή.   Ὁ δὲ κυβερνήτης τοῦ πλοίου εἴη ἂν ὁ θεός, ὁ καὶ τὸ πᾶν καὶ τὴν...τῶν ψυχῶν...κυβερνῶν. ...Τὸ γὰρ προηγούμενον ἡ πρὸς τὸν κυβερνήτην ἐστὶν τάσις ἀεὶ καὶ ἐπιστροφή.

Ἐαν δὲ ὁ κυβερνήτης καλέσῃ ἐπὶ τὸ πλοῖον, ἀνακαλούμενος ἐντεῦθεν πρὸς ἑαυτόν τε ἡμᾶς καὶ τὴν πατρίδα τὴν ἀληθινὴν ὅθεν ἤλθομεν, τρέχε, φησίν, ἐπὶ τὸ πλοῖον, [40] πάντα ἀφεὶς ἐνταῦθα μηδὲ ἐπιστρεφόμενος, τουτέστι σπεῦδε τῇ ἐντεῦθεν ἀνακλήσει κατακολουθεῖν ἑκών, καὶ λύσας τοὺς πρὸς τὰ τῇδε συνέχοντάσ σε δεσμοὺς καὶ τὰς σχέσεις πάσας ἀφεὶς ἐνταῦθα τὰς πρὸς τὴν γένεσιν, ἀκολούθει καλοῦντι μηδὲ ἐπιστρφόμενος ὅλως , ἵνα μή, καὶ ἐὰν φυσικῶς λυθῇς, κατὰ προαίρεσιν ἐνταῦθα μένῃς·

 

Brennan and Brittain Translation (pp. 79-80)

We must make everything dependent on our turning back to God, the Pilot of the universe; and we must engage with other things according to their rank, holding fast to God. First, we should engage with things that are necessary to life, without which it is impossible to live - i.e. things pertaining to food, clothing, and shelter (indicated by 'finding water') - of the kind and to the extent sufficient for people who are living without extravagance.

In my view, he has produced a very aptly-designed illustration. The sea is heavy, drenching, and changing in every respect, and suffocates people who sink into it; The ship would be whatever conveys souls into the realm of generation, whether this is destiny or fate or whatever else one should call it. The pilot of the ship would be God, because through his providence he steers the universe as well as the descent of souls....Our primary good is permanent attention to and turning back towards the Pilot.

'But if the Pilot calls us' on board the ship, recalling us from here to him, to the true homeland from which we came, then 'run on board the ship', he says, 'dropping all of those things here without even turning back'. That is, make haste to follow your recall from here willingly, by releasing the bonds that hold you to things here, and by dropping everything that attaches you to the realm of generation here, and follow the one who calls, without even turning back to these thins at all. Otherwise, even if you are released physically, you will remain here in your prohairesis.

 

Collected Notes on the text.

The order of the notes may be out of order in relation to the text. Notes will be added as the weeks progress.

 

 

 

Sentences numbered for sending in the translations

Reading 4: Chapters 6.1-9.1

Optional Reading 1
[0601a] Ἐπὶ μηδενὶ ἐπαρθῇς ἀλλοτρίῳ προτερήματι.
[0601b] εἰ ὁ ἵππος ἐπαιρόμενος ἔλεγεν ὅτι "καλός εἰμι", οἰστὸν ἂν ἦν:
[0601c] σὺ δέ, ὅταν λέγῃς ἐπαιρόμενος ὅτι "ἵππον καλὸν ἔχω", ἴσθι, ὅτι ἐπὶ ἵππου ἀγαθῷ ἐπαίρῃ.
[0601d] τί οὖν ἐστι σόν; χρῆσις φαντασιῶν.
[0601e] ὥσθ᾽, ὅταν ἐν χρήσει φαντασιῶν κατὰ φύσιν σχῇς, τηνικαῦτα ἐπάρθητι:
[0601f] τότε γὰρ ἐπὶ σῷ τινι ἀγαθῷ ἐπαρθήσῃ.

Optional Reading 2
[0701a] Καθάπερ ἐν πλῷ τοῦ πλοίου καθορμισθέντος εἰ ἐξέλθοις ὑδρεύσασθαι, ὁδοῦ μὲν πάρεργον καὶ κοχλίδιον ἀναλέξῃ καὶ βολβάριον, τετάσθαι δὲ δεῖ τὴν διάνοιαν ἐπὶ τὸ πλοῖον καὶ συνεχῶς ἐπιστρέφεσθαι, μή ποτε ὁ κυβερνήτης καλέσῃ,
[0701b] κἂν καλέσῃ, πάντα ἐκεῖνα ἀφιέναι, ἵνα μὴ δεδεμένος ἐμβληθῇς ὡς τὰ πρόβατα:
[0701c] οὕτω καὶ ἐν τῷ βίῳ, ἐὰν διδῶται ἀντὶ βολβαρίου καὶ κοχλιδίου γυναικάριον καὶ παιδίον, οὐδὲν κωλύσει:
[0701d] ἐὰν δὲ ὁ κυβερνήτης καλέσῃ, τρέχε ἐπὶ τὸ πλοῖον ἀφεὶς ἐκεῖνα ἅπαντα μηδὲ ἐπιστρεφόμενος.
[0701e] ἐὰν δὲ γέρων ᾖς, μηδὲ ἀπαλλαγῇς ποτε τοῦ πλοίου μακράν, μή ποτε καλοῦντος ἐλλίπῃς.

Basic Reading 1
[0801a] Μὴ ζήτει τὰ γινόμενα γίνεσθαι ὡς θέλεις, ἀλλὰ θέλε τὰ γινόμενα ὡς γίνεται καὶ εὐροήσεις.

Basic Reading 2
[0901a] Νόσος σώματός ἐστιν ἐμπόδιον, προαιρέσεως δὲ οὔ, ἐὰν μὴ αὐτὴ θέλῃ.
[0901b] χώλανσις σκέλους ἐστὶν ἐμπόδιον, προαιρέσεως δὲ οὔ.
[0901c] καὶ τοῦτο ἐφ᾽ ἑκάστου τῶν ἐμπιπτόντων ἐπίλεγε:
[0901d] εὑρήσεις γὰρ αὐτὸ ἄλλου τινὸς ἐμπόδιον, σὸν δὲ οὔ.

 

Table of Words

The local gloss is context-specific. The word-link and lemma-link are linked to the Perseus Hopper vocabulary tool. I have gone through the Greek lemma and verified them for accuracy - but there may still be some errors. Many of the definitions have been taken from the following translations: Mattheson, Boter, White, Oldfather and Long. If you have a better suggestion for a word, send in the word number, Greek word and suggested gloss, and I will add it into the vocabulary list.

A note of caution: Perseus does not always work as expected. The links are betacode which works better than sending in Greek Unicode lookups. But sometimes it still will not work. In addition, Perseus is often slow - if you see it cranking and cranking, try later, the server is too busy. An example of unexpected results is as follows: the neuter plural form ἀπαραπόδιστα returns 'not found'; the root lemma ἀπαραπόδιστος brings up its own correct entry. Some words are only listed in the Middle LSJ, not the main LSJ (e.g. οὐδέπω). So if you look up οὐδέπω in the Archimedes Harvard LSJ or your own personal copy, you won't find it.

The columns for vocabulary frequency are compiled from Perseus' Max frequency for the Enchiridion (EnchX) and all of Epictetus' works (EpicX including the Enchiridion). The New Testament frequencies are from Tischendorf's NT as provided by MorphGnt.org. Words are linked on betacode, but some lemmas do not link correctly (a problem that will be fixed over time), thus there are occasionally NTX freqencies that are missing or partial. When comparing the frequency of the various works, you should remember the Enchiridion (4983 words) is about the same length as the book of Hebrews (4953 words) and all Epictetus' writings (The Discourses - 75,177 words, Fragments - 4023 words,and Enchiridion - 4983 words; grand total - 84183) are 60% of the length of the New Testament (138,019 words). Although both the Epictus' works and the New Testament books are different in content and author, if you multiply the Epictetus frequency by 1.6 (EpicX x 1.6) you can come up with a comparable usage between the two works.

 

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