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Epictetus - The Enchiridion - 12
Identifier
013344
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
A description of the experience
The Enchiridion
12. If you want to improve, reject such reasonings as these:
"If I neglect my affairs, I'll have no income; if I don't
correct my servant, he will be bad." For it is better to die
with hunger, exempt from grief and fear, than to live in
affluence with perturbation; and it is better your servant
should be bad, than you unhappy.
Begin therefore from little things. Is a little oil spilt? A
little wine stolen? Say to yourself, "This is the price paid
for peace, for tranquillity, and nothing is to be had for
nothing." When you call your servant, it is possible that he
may not come; or, if he does, he may not do what you want. But
he is by no means of such importance that it should be in his
power to give you any disturbance.