Volume 1 - Discourses - Books I - II - College of Stoic Philosophers

BOOK I. xix. 19-28fellow was bought by a member of Caesar's householdand became cobbler to Caesar. You should haveseen how Epaphroditus honoured him !" How ismy good Felicio, I pray you?" he used to say. Andthen if someone asked us, "What isyour master 1"doing ? he was told,, "He is consulting Felicio aboutsomething or other." Why, had he not sold him asbeing useless ? Who, then,, had suddenly made awise man out of him? This is what it means tohonour something else than what lies within theprovince of the moral " purpose.He has been honoured with a tribuneship,"someone says. All \vho meet him offer their congratulationsone man kisses him on the ;eyes,, another011 the neck., his slaves kiss his hands. He goeshome ;he finds lamps being lighted. He climbs upthe Capitol and offers sacrifice. Now who ever sacrificedas a thank-offering for having had right desire,,or for having exercised choice in accordance withnature ? For we give thanks to the gods for thatwherein we set the good.To-day a man was talking to me about a priesthoodof IAugustus. say to him,, " Man, drop thematter ; you will be spending a great deal to nopurpose." "But/' says he,, "those who draw updeeds of sale will inscribe my name." "Do youreally expect., then, to be present when the deedseare read and say, That ismy name they havewritten ' ? And even supposing you are now ableto be present whenever anyone reads them, whatwill you do if you die?" "My name will remainafter me." " Inscribe it on a stone find it will remainCome now, who will remember you outsideafter you.1KpaphrodituH once owned Kpictetus.135