Stoicism - College of Stoic Philosophers

EPICTETUS, OR STOICISM IN THE COTTAGE. 187them. How long? So long as He Avho has lentthem chooses."^Such sentiments, he thinks, ought to be strongenough to overrule all the weariness of life which mayincline men's thoughts to suicide." You might cometo me and say, Epictetus, we can no longer endure'being bound to this poor body, and feedingit andgiving it drink and rest and cleaning it,and for thesake of the body complying with the wishes of theseand of those. Are not these things indifferent andnothing to us ;and is not death no evil ? And arewe not in a manner kinsmen of God, and did we notcome from Him ? Allow us to depart from the placefrom whence we came ;allow us to be released atlast from these bonds by which we are bound andweighed down. Here there are robbers and thievesand courts of justice, and those who are namedtyrants, and think they have some power over us bymeans of the body and its possessions. Permit us toshow them that they have no power over any man ' ;'and I on my part would say, Friends, wait for God :when He shall give the signal and release you fromthis service, then go to Him ;but for the present endureto dwell in this place where He has put you :short indeed is this time of your dwelling here, andeasy to bear for those who are so disposed, for whattyrant, or what thief, or what courts of justice, areformidable to those who have thus considered asthings of no value the body and the possessions'Diss. iv. I.