where Nature itself hath fixt our End; and that is in Contemplation, and Understanding, and in a Scheme of Life conformable to Nature.

§. 5. Take care, then, not to die without being spectators of these things. You take a journey to Olympia to behold the work * of Phidias, and each of you thinks it a misfortune to die without a knowledge of such things and will you have no inclination to understand, and be spectators of those works, for which there is no need to take a journey; but which are ready and at hand, even to those who bestow no pains t! Will you never perceive, then, either what you are, or for what you were born; nor for what purpose you are admitted spectators of this sight?

But there are some things unpleasant and difficult, in life.

And are there none at Olympia? Are not you heated? Are not you crouded? Are not you without good conveniences for bath

• The famous statue of Jupiter Olympius.

†The translation follows a conjectural emendation of Mr. Upton's on this passage.

ing? Are not you wet through, when it happens to rain? Do not you bear uproar, and noise, and other disagreeable circumstances? But I suppose, by comparing all these with the advantage of seeing so valuable a sight, you support and go through them. Well: And [in the present case] thave have not you received faculties by which you may support every event? Have not you received Greatness of Soul? Have not you received a manly spirit? Have not you received Patience? What signifies to me any thing that happens, while I have a greatness of soul? What shall disconcert or trouble or appear grievous to me? Shall I not make use of my faculties, to that purpose for which they were granted me; but lament and groan at what happens?

§. 6. Oh, but my nose † runs.

And what have you hands for, Beast, but to wipe it?

But was there any good reason, that

It was one part of the elegance of those times, to bathe every day.

Epictetus probably introduces this ridiculous complaint, in order to intimate, that others commonly made are little less so. See M. Antoninus, 1. viii. §. 50. of Gataker's edition, and the Glasgow Translation.

there

there should be such a dirty thing in the world?

And how much better is it that you should wipe your nose, than complain? Pray, what figure do you think Hercules would have made, if there had not been such a Lion, and a Hydra, and a Stag, and unjust and brutal men; whom he expelled and cleared away? And what would he have done, if none of these had existed? Is it not plain, that he must have wrapt himself up and slept? In the first place, then, he would never have become a Hercules, by slumbering away his whole life in such delicacy and ease: or if he had, what good would it have done? What would have been the Use of his Arm, and the rest of his Strength; of his Patience, and Greatness of Mind; if such Circumstances and Subjects of Action had not roused and exercised him?

What then must we provide these things for ourselves; and introduce a Boar, and a Lion, and a Hydra, into our country?

This would be madness and folly. But as they were in being, and to be met with, they were proper subjects to set off and exercise Hercules. Do you therefore likewise, being sensible of this, inspect the Faculties

VOL. I.

D

Faculties you have: and after taking a view of them, say, "Bring on me now, O Jupiter, what Difficulty thou wilt, for I have Faculties granted me by thee, and Abilities by which I may acquire Honour and Ornament to myself."-No: but you sit trembling, for fear this or that should happen : and lamenting, and mourning, and groaning at what doth happen; and then you accuse the gods. For what is the Consequence of such a Meanspiritedness, but Impiety? And yet God hath not only granted these faculties, by which we may bear every event, with out being depressed or broken by it; but, like a good Prince, and a true Father, hath rendered them incapable of Restraint, Compulsion, or Hindrance, and intirely dependent on our own pleasure: nor hath he reserved a power, even to himself, of hindering or restraining them. Having these things free, and your own, will you make no use of them, nor consider what you have received, nor from whom? But sit groaning and lamenting, some of you, blind to him who gave them, and not acknowledging your benefactor; and others, basely turning yourselves to complaints and accusations of God? Yet I undertake to

show

show you, that you have Qualifications and Occasions for Greatness of Soul, and a manly spirit: but what Occasions you have to find fault, and complain, do you show me.

CHAP. VII.

Of the Use of convertible and hypothetical Propositions, and the like.

§. 1. IT* * is a secret to the vulgar, that the practice of convertible, and hypothetical, and interrogatory conclusions, and, in general, of all other logical forms, hath any relation to the Duties of Life. For, in every Subject of Action, the question is, how a wise and good man may find a way of extricating himself, and a Method of Behaviour conformable to his Duty upon the Occasion. Let them say, therefore, either that the man of virtue will not engage in Questions and Answers; or that, if he doth, he will not think it worth his care whether he behaves rashly and at hazard in questioning and answering: or if they allow neither of these; it is necessary to confess, that some examination ought to be made of those to

It is but fair to warn the Reader, that little Entertainment is to be expected from this Chapter, which is wholly logical.

D 2

pics,