Reading 7 :

Life is like a banquet

Don't let others' greif overcome you

Play the role well

Reading 7 May 04

Chapters 15.1-17.1 (Chapters 15-17)
Translations Due Sunday, May 11 (midnight CST)
Grammar Questions Due Tuesday, May 13 (midnight CST)

Progression of the Enchiridion

Chapters 15 -17 are somewhat unrelated to each other. Chapters 15 and 17 talk about desires and expectations in life. Chapter 16 deals with false impressions.

Chapter 15 Summary

Chapter 15 introduces the famous 'Life is like a banquet' metaphor. We are presented opportunities in life, and as things come around the table, we should participate κοσμιῶς. The food refers to wealth, office and family. Epictetus posits that if one 'has no regard' for those things, one could become θεῖος, like Diogenes and Heraclitus. The banquet metaphor speaks to the point of what one should desire - it almost seems to suggest Asceticism and detachment from life.

This is Diogenes of Sinope, c. 413-323 B.C., the Cynic philosopher who Diogenes Laertius holds to be the founder of the Cynic movement. Diogenes was the grand-student of Socrates (to use a family comparison). Diogenes taught the Cynic Crates of Thebes, c. 368-285 B.C., who taut Zeno of Citium, 335-263 B.C., the founder of the Stoic school. (Seddon p. 77). Epictetus talks about Diogenes freqently; only his references to Socrates are more frequent.

The banquet metaphor is used in Discourses 2.16.37 in a passage about committing suicide - not recommended, but tolerated by Epictetus.

Chapter 16 Summary

Chapter 16 is a warning about becoming too involved in the distresses and calamities of others: Don't do it! But if you must, watch out for yourself first. "Epictetus explains emotional disturbance as arising from (or possibly being the affective component of) false evaluative judgements about what is happening, which occur when someone fails to make proper use of their impressions (Seddon p. 81). Epictetus does not suggest withdrawal or discompassion, but says that all should maintain their natural and required relations as a religious man, brother, father, citizen (Discourses 3.2.4). A proper Stoic view is that the emotional distress of others is not really a harming factor, but is the result of a person using impressions improperly (as most ἰδίωται do).

Chapter 17 Summary

Chapter 17 introduces the 'Life is like a play' metaphor. Stoics do believe in God and Determinism, and never abandoned those two principles. The point of this chapter is that life has no promises, and each should be content and happy with their lot in life. We do not choose the point of our entrance or departure from the play of life.

Aids to Reading the Greek

Techniques of Epictetus' (Arrian's) Style

Special Words

The meanings of the LSJ lexicon do not always point out or fit the 'Stoic' use of terms. The following list of words which are the behavioral, ethical and philosophical terms that occur in the reading. Some of them are 'Stoic specific'; most are not. As the special vocabulary page is being built, a more complete 'special lexicon' will become available to help understand the Greek word. The Stoic Groups also has a posting of terms (the Greek is transliterated). Here are some of the brief glosses. The freqencies are for the entire Enchiridion.

Corrections to the Text

The Perseus text is the same as Schenkl. There are no errors or changes.

Reading 7: Chapters 15.1-17.1

   Κεφάλαιον ιζʹ

[17.1a] Μέμνησο, ὅτι ὑποκριτὴς εἶ δράματος, οἵου ἂν θέλῃ ὁ διδάσκαλος· [17.1b] ἂν βραχύ, βραχέος: ἂν μακρόν, μακροῦ: ἂν πτωχὸν ὑποκρίνασθαί σε θέλῃ, [17.1c] ἵνα καὶ τοῦτον εὐφυῶς ὑποκρίνῃ·  ἂν χωλόν, ἂν ἄρχοντα, ἂν ἰδιώτην. [17.1d] σὸν γὰρ τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι, τὸ δοθὲν ὑποκρίνασθαι πρόσωπον καλῶς: ἐκλέξασθαι δ᾽ αὐτὸ ἄλλου.

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 17.1a οἵου ἀν θέλῃ. To what does the word οἵου refer?

Q2 17.1b βραχέος, μακροῦ. Can you explain why these words are in the Genitive? Any reference in Smyth?

Q3 17.1c ἵνα. What meaning should be ascribed to ἵνα?

Q4 17.1c εὐφυῶς ὑποκρίνῃ. Can you find the word εὐφυῶς in LSJ anywhere? What two roots does the word εὐφυῶς come from? Does the etymology help in understanding the meaning of this word? What is the best translation of εὐφυῶς in this context?

Q5 17.1c ἰδιώτην. Some translators select 'private citizen' for this word. In other sections of the Enchiridion, the word is used of those untrained in the knowledge of Stoicism. How do you think the word ἰδιώτην should be translated here?

Q6 17.1d τὸ δοθὲν πρόσωπον. Parse δοθὲν. How do you translate this phrase?

Q7 17.1d ἐκλέξασθαι δὲ αὐτὸ ἄλλου· Translate this phrase. To what or whom do ἀυτὸ and ἄλλου refer?

Discourses 3.45-50
Καὶ πῶς ἐνδέχεται μηδὲν ἔχοντα, [45] γυμνόν, ἄοικον, ἀνέστιον, αὐχμῶντα, ἄδουλον, ἄπολιν διεξάγειν εὐρόως; [46] ἰδοὺ ἀπέσταλκεν ὑμῖν ὁ θεὸς τὸν δείξοντα ἔργῳ, ὅτι ἐνδέχεται. [47] "ἴδετέ με, ἄοικός εἰμι, ἄπολις, ἀκτήμων, ἄδουλος: χαμαὶ κοιμῶμαι: οὐ γυνή, οὐ παιδία, οὐ πραιτωρίδιον, ἀλλὰ γῆ μόνον καὶ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἓν τριβωνάριον. [48] καὶ τί μοι λείπει[ν]; οὐκ εἰμὶ ἄλυπος, οὐκ εἰμὶ ἄφοβος, οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐλεύθερος; πότε ὑμῶν εἶδέν μέ τις ἐν ὀρέξει [με] ἀποτυγχάνοντα, πότ' ἐν ἐκκλίσει περιπίπτοντα; πότ' ἐμεμψάμην ἢ θεὸν ἢ ἄνθρωπον, πότ' ἐνεκάλεσά τινι; μή τις ὑμῶν ἐσκυθρωπακότα με εἶδεν; πῶς δ' ἐντυγχάνω τούτοις, [49] οὓς ὑμεῖς φοβεῖσθε καὶ θαυμάζετε; οὐχ ὡς ἀνδραπόδοις; τίς με ἰδὼν οὐχὶ τὸν βασιλέα τὸν ἑαυτοῦ ὁρᾶν οἴεται καὶ δεσπότην;"

George Long's Translation (1890)

And how is it possible that a man who has nothing, who is naked, houseless, without a hearth, squalid, without a slave, without a city, can pass a life that flows easily? See, God has sent you a man to show you that it is possible. Look at me, who am without a city, without a house, without possessions, without a slave; I sleep on the ground; I have no wife, no children, no praetorium, but only the earth and heavens, and one poor cloak. And what do I want? Am I not without sorrow? am I not without fear? Am I not free? When did any of you see me failing in the object of my desire? or ever falling into that which I would avoid? Did I ever blame God or man? Did I ever accuse any man? did any of you ever see me with sorrowful countenance? And how do I meet with those whom you are afraid of and admire? Do not I treat them like slaves? Who, when he sees me, does not think that he sees his king and master?

The Scholia for chapter 17 is taken from Heyne's 1756 Epicteti Enchiridium Graece et Latine. (View as pdf file)

Scholia 17
Ὑποκριτὴς λέγεται ὁ ἄλλο μὲν ὤν, ἤγουν εὐτελὴς, ἄλλο δὲ φαινόμενος, ἤγουν ἔνδοξος. Ἰστέον δὲ, ὅτι ὑποκριταὶ παρὰ τοῖς παλαιοῦς ἐλέγοντο οἱ σχηματιζόμενοι εἰς τὰ ἐν τοῖς δράμασιν εἰσαγόμενα πρόσωπα. οἷον ὁ σχηματιζόμενος εἰς τὸ τοῦ Αἴαντος, εἰς τὸ τοῦ Ἀγαμέμενονος, εἰς τὸ τοῦ Τεύκρου, καὶ ὁ εἰς ἄλλο ἄλλου. Δράματα δὲ ἐλέγοντο αἱ μυθώδεις τῶν ποιητῶν ὑποθέσεις.
Εὐφυὴς ὁ εἰς τὸ πρᾶγμα ἐπιτήδειος· καὶ εὐφυῶς, ἀντὶ ἐπιτηδείως.
Χώλος ὁ χεόμενος θυμὸς ποιητικῶς λέγεται· κοινῶς γὰρ χολὴ λέγεται· ἐκ τούτου γίνεται ῥῆμα, χολω̈, καὶ χολοῦμαι, παθητικῶς· χωλὸς δὲ, βαρυτόνως, λέγεται ὁ σκάζων τῷ ἑτέρῳ ποδὶ, ἤγουν ὁ ἀνίσους ἔχων τοὺς πόδας· ἐκ τούτου γίνεται ῥῆμα καὶ, τὸ χωλαίνω.
Πρόσωπον λέγεται τὸ ἔμπροσθεν; τῆς κεφαλῆς· ὅτι δὲ διαιρεῖται τῇ ῥινὶ, λέγεται καὶ πρόσωπα· ὡς τόξον διαιρούμενον τῇ λαβῇ, τόξα. Λέγεται καὶ τὸ ιδιουπόστατον, πρόσωπον· ὡς καὶ τρεῖς ὑποστάσεις: τὸ αυτὸ γὰρ λέγεται προσωπον καὶ ὑπόστασις.

Collected Notes on the text.

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

Sentences numbered for sending in the translations

Reading 7: 15.1-17.1 (Chapters 15-17)
Optional Reading 1
[1501a] Μέμνησο, ὅτι ὡς ἐν συμποσίῳ σε δεῖ ἀναστρέφεσθαι. περιφερόμενον γέγονέ τι κατὰ σέ: ἐκτείνας τὴν χεῖρα κοσμίως μετάλαβε.
[1501b] παρέρχεται: μὴ κάτεχε. οὔπω ἥκει:
[1501c] μὴ ἐπίβαλλε πόρρω τὴν ὄρεξιν, ἀλλὰ περίμενε, μέχρις ἂν γένηται κατὰ σέ.
[1501d] οὕτω πρὸς τέκνα, οὕτω πρὸς γυναῖκα, οὕτω πρὸς ἀρχάς, οὕτω πρὸς πλοῦτον:
[1501e] καὶ ἔσῃ ποτὲ ἄξιος τῶν θεῶν συμπότης.
[1501f] ἂν δὲ καὶ παρατεθέντων σοι μὴ λάβῃς, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπερίδῃς, τότε οὐ μόνον συμπότης τῶν θεῶν ἔσῃ, ἀλλὰ καὶ συνάρχων.
[1501g] οὕτω γὰρ ποιῶν Διογένης καὶ Ἡράκλειτος καὶ οἱ ὅμοιοι ἀξίως θεῖοί τε ἦσαν καὶ ἐλέγοντο.

Optional Reading 2
[1601a] Ὅταν κλαίοντα ἴδῃς τινὰ ἐν πένθει ἢ ἀποδημοῦντος τέκνου ἢ ἀπολωλεκότα τὰ ἑαυτοῦ, πρόσεχε μή σε ἡ φαντασία συναρπάσῃ ὡς ἐν κακοῖς ὄντος αὐτοῦ τοῖς ἐκτός,
[1601b] ἀλλ᾽ εὐθὺς ἔστω πρόχειρον ὅτι "τοῦτον θλίβει οὐ τὸ συμβεβηκός （ἄλλον γὰρ οὐ θλίβει）, ἀλλὰ τὸ δόγμα τὸ περὶ τούτου".
[1601c] μέχρι μέντοι λόγου μὴ ὄκνει συμπεριφέρεσθαι αὐτῷ, κἂν οὕτω τύχῃ, καὶ συνεπιστενάξαι: πρόσεχε μέντοι μὴ καὶ ἔσωθεν στενάξῃς.

Basic Reading
[1701a] Μέμνησο, ὅτι ὑποκριτὴς εἶ δράματος, οἵου ἂν θέλῃ ὁ διδάσκαλος:
[1701b] ἂν βραχύ, βραχέος: ἂν μακρόν, μακροῦ: ἂν πτωχὸν ὑποκρίνασθαί σε θέλῃ,
[1701c] ἵνα καὶ τοῦτον εὐφυῶς ὑποκρίνῃ ἂν χωλόν, ἂν ἄρχοντα, ἂν ἰδιώτην.
[1701d] σὸν γὰρ τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι, τὸ δοθὲν ὑποκρίνασθαι πρόσωπον καλῶς: ἐκλέξασθαι δ᾽ αὐτὸ ἄλλου.

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.