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THE LIBRARY
OF
THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA
,1
GIFT OF
Mrs, Edwin Grabhorn
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Enchiridion.
THE
M O R A L S
O F
BPICTETUS
Made ENGLISH,
I N A
Poetical Paraphrafe.
B Y
ELLIS WALKER, M. A.
LONDON,
Printed by W. Sawyer for S. Kevle at the
T ' n-ks Head, and R. Gojling at the Mitre
aad Crown in fleet flreet. 1716.
fe^;. *fjjM
To my Honoured Uncle
JMr. SAMUEL WALKER
Of Y O R K.
Hen I fled to you for fhelter, at
the breaking out of the prefent
Troubles in Ireland* I took
Epiffietus for my Companion ;
and found that both I, and my Friend
were, welcome. You were then pleas'd
to exprefs an high efteem for the Author,,
as he very well deferves it : you prais'd
his Notions as Great, Noble, and Sublime,
and much exceeding the pitch of other
Thinkers You may remember, I then
told you, that as they feem'd fuch to me,
fo I. thought they would very well take
a Poetical Drefs : You faid the Attempt
was bold, but withal wilh'd it well done.
I, hurry'd on with Zeal for an Author be-
A 3 lov'd
iov'd by you, and admired by all , have
made. the Eflay a grateful Diverfton tp me,
though perhaps I may have pleas'd you
better in Admiring the Author, than in
Tranflating him. However having at-
tempted it, to whom fliould I dedicate my
Endeavours but to you, whole Goodnefs
gave me fo kind a Reception* w r hofe Boun-
ty relieved me in an undone Condition,
and afforded me the Leifure and Oppor-
tunity to fhew my Defire of pleafing you,
if fuch a Trifle as this can any way pre-
tend to pleafe. Epiftles of this kind are
for the moft part Tokens of Gratitude ;
I know no one in the World, to whom
I am (b much oblig'd as I am to you, and
I make it my Requeft, that you will ac-
cept of This, as an hearty and thankful
Acknowledgment, from
Tour moft obedient humble Servant ;
and affectionate Nefhew y
ELLIS WALKER.
Inpratfe of EPICTETUS.
i.
GReat EpicftetuS, pardon, if we praife !
*Ti$ not thy Character to raife ;
The top of all Fames Pyramid is thine,
Where in her brightefl Glories thou doft (hine,
Where, though unfought by thee,
She gives thee her Eternity,
And bears you to the height you fcornd to climb.
In fpeaking all that's good of You, JJje Jhews,
That now and then, how to fpeak truth {he knows.
All admire -what's truly good,
And that they do fo, all would have it under flood-,
There's then a right, which to our felves we do
In Praifing, Reading, and Translating you:
II.
Thoufands have been efteem d for having writ,
And in Time's Chronicles do juftly live,
With all tti applaufe that Letter d fame can give.
But you with brave difdain
Defflfe the common road to Tame,
That old ft ale trick, 'as known an arttfice,
As Pimping for acquiring Greatnefs is.
By a great method of your own,
You by not writing are more Glorious grown ;
For every word that from you fell,
Tour hearers have receivd as from an Oracle,
And handed down to us ; for fo 'twas fit
That your immortal Wit,
Should ever live, without your feeking it.
A 4 III. Nont
in.
None (as mere Men) but you, co:dd eve* reach
The fitch of living up to what they teach,
JLnd could you. have receded from
Your nolle Principles refolv'd upon,
What vaft Preferments might fuch Parts have had *
What offers had not Fortune made ?
But blind and fool i fh though fie. be r
full well flje knew that foe,
With all her outward gifts could nothing add to thee :
Ton generoufly brave
Ennoble the opprobrious name of Slave ;
And fiew, a Wife-man may be truly great.
In each condition, ev'ry flate.
IV.
Thine was intrinfich Greatnefs, real Worth*
No painted Ixion Cloud, no glittering froth*
Not fuch as doth confft in flore
Of Houfes or of Land,
Tkeprty, the fport of fire, or of the ftronger hand f ;
Nor was it varnifi'd o'er
With riches,, which proud Churhs enflave,
Which Knaves hoard up, for fome more daring Knave,
Nor fuch, as glories in the bended knee
Of Sycophant Servility,
Which, when the humble wretch his ends doth gain>
He. may grow faivcy, and detain y
No ; 'twas fubftantial Greatnefs of the Soul,
Such as no outward Power can controul,
Such as can nothing fear, can nothing want :.
This we true. Greatnefs juflly grant.
V.
Experience fiew's, how well you have confind
All Happinefs, all Greatnefs, to the Mind.
Tor he, that fees the Captive led al
Pen five, amid ft the bellowing- throng.
With folddd arms, Ms Grandeur laid afide ;
And then another with mean flattery
Courting the rafeal Herd, the fenfelefs Mobile, \
Stroaking the Eeaft that he intends to ride>
And all to gratife his boundlefs Pride :
He, who in Hiftory runs o'er,
The Worthies that have li^d before,
And fees great Dioclefian quit his Seat, ,
His Princely Palace, for a cool Retreat,
And fees the fierce Pelican Youth beflride
The conquer d Globe and weep diffatis d -,
He mufi of force confefs,
Nothing without can give true Happinefs ;
And all his Hero's of Antiquity
LdV& s *^ lg * in an eminent degree ;
And only Epidletus truly Great and Fret,
A? UPON
UPON
EPICTETUS
His MORALS.
Kind Reader, if thou only art
Chriftian in Name, and not in Heart,
Or haft an Hope thy felf t* approve
Without true Faith, or heav'nly Love,
View in this Book (and be afljamd)
An Heathen far for Virtue famd.
That SAVING NAME He never knew*
Whereof We boafl, but nothing do :
Yet if the Knowledge, Chriflians have,
Without a working Faith cant fave ;
Who knoivs, fince his good Works were Free*
And Forc'd his Ignorance, but He,
May be accepted, being made
A Law t'himfelf, which he obey'd ?
In Slavery he was confind ;
Hut a free Monarch in his Mind ;
His Body maimd, his Fortune poor ;
Eut his rich Soul aloft did foar,
And nobly left the dro/y Ground,
Andfpurnd the jEarth, to which were
Malice, and Calumny, and Pride,
Could neer in him triumphant tide ;
Envy his Bofom neer did flain ;
He never falfly fwore for Gain ;
Revenge to him was never fweet,
Nor Fraud, which evry where we meet,
The darling Rays iff Beauty'* flame,
And Pailion, which the World doth tame.
ialfe Intereft, Aitoea'* f$e,
And Vice, which all too much do know,
And fond Opinion'* gaudy flew,
All thefe he bravely did defplfe :
On Virtue only fixd his Eyes ;
And laugh 'd at Fortune'* giddy Power ;
Contemn'd her Sweet, nor fear'd her Sour.
No Bribes nor Threats could make him ftart ;*
Nor Lofs nor Pain afflict his Heart.
He faw the World was mean and low,
Patrons a Lie, Friendfliip a Shew ;
Preferment Trouble, Grandeur 'vain ;
Law a Pretence, a Bubble Pain ;
Merit a Flafi, a Blaze Efteem ;
Prbmife a Ruflj, and Hope a Dream ;
Faith a Difguife, and Truth Deceit ;
Wealth but a Trap, and Health a Cheat ;
Thefe Dangerous Rocks this Pilot knew,
And wifely into Port withdrew,
Let all thefe outward things alone,
To hold what only was his own,
The rightful Empire of the Mind,
Whence all our A efts their rife do fnd ;
Whence all our Motions freely floiv,
Our Judgment and our Reafon too,
Whereon our whole Succefs depends ;
The Lad and Greatefl of all Ends !
This Dodrine, with fuck Wifdom fraught,
Great EPICTETUS Liv'd and Taught ;
ChriftiaD, make hafte and learn his Wit : -
I fear, Thou'rt fcarce an Heathen yet.
EM^iNVEL College
t\w. Joihua Barnes.
A 6
1Kf&^^^*p&sy&
dya^a^^
Lib. i. p.
Edit. H.
S.teph.
M?r/y 'ETriKlyToie.rtte /
"OQ xtv eto-ccpiKdto f^.'
'En 1*14 id o-eplw retirete
'Esr/xJ^ir. -P. 189. /
KeSXS65&3
esa&ss^ i
Upon ETICTETVS his Z//^ Book,
taken out of the Greek Epigrams.
rHE Senfe, which Ev'ift&us dotk Impart,
Confider ^vell and treafure m your Heart ;
That fo your Soul from Earth aloft may rife^ :
Afymngto her. Native Seat^ the Skies.
Qn the fame.
HE, that Great Epidletus truly knows,
Amid Life's Storms ferene and fmiling goes. ;
Till Nature's Voyage finifi'd, he. at laft
Safe Anchor,./'** the Port of Heav'n doth caft.
Ineonidas upon Epittetus,
A Slave / was, of Fortune'* favours lare > .
IK Body nwiindy and yet to Heaven dear*
o N.
O N
EPICTETUS
H I S
ENCHIRIDION,
Tranfiatefi into Englifh Verfe.
YOU bold difputing Atheift, come and fee
The beauteous Rays of the
Shine in a mortal Bread, which Scripture-Light
Did not inform, did not direct i'th' Night
Of Ignorance, which did becloud the mind
O'th' Ethnick World, that Truth they could not find,
Until the Morning-Star, that brighter Ray
Of Heav'nly Glory, form'd the Gofpel-Day.
Yet thofe great Le lions, which that a Mafter taught, ^
Of Patience, Meeknefs, Love, Revenge unfought, >
Of Temp'rance, Juftice, and of purer Thought, J
Of Moderation both in Word and Deed,
Of prudent Condud when we drink or feed,
Of curbing Paffions, quenching luftful Fires,
fublimating earthly bafe Delires ;
Jefus Chrift.
Thefe
Thefe Lefibns Epittetus learnt and taught,
By his Direction who infpir'd his Thought,
From whom all good and perfett Gifts do come,
Which Mortals have from th' Womb unto -the Tomb.
Behold what Virtues in his Soul combine, >
' Whofe radiant Luftre Chrtflians does out foine, >
Call him no longer Heathen, but Divine. J
His dufky Glimmers in the J>**-Night
Did only want the Rays of Gofpel-Light
To make them (hine as glorious, and as bright
As that b dark Soul, which, when reflected on
By th' Heav'nly Light, (hone brighter than the Sun.
Think, think, Atheiilick Man, how this can be
Without the Beamings of the Deity .- .
Which darts its glorious Light upon the Soul,
Which throughout all her Faculties does rowl.
And thou, immoral Chriftian, blufti to fee
Such Sparks of Grace, which Strangers are to thee,
Blufli to behold Heathens excel in Tame,
Whom thou, poor Man, only excell'il in Name.
The Heathen does in glorious Works out-ftiine-
Thy gracelefs Faith, which is an empty Vine :
Go, learn of Epicletus, then of Cbrift, ~*
Firfl learn to be a Man, and then thou may 'ft >
Afcend to Grace, and Glory in the High'ft. 3
Prepare thy Morals, as a Ring of Gold,
The Gem of Grace,' enfhrined there," to hold.
Learn, wavering Man, to fufFer and to do ^
What Jefus taught, and hath commanded you, C
From Efiftetus, who will teach you too 3
Saul, Aft. 9- i.
Thofe
ThoFe Gofpel-LefTons which we have forgot,
Which from our Hearts and Lives arc far remote
The Antients fay, two Words, Bear and Forbear,
Patience and Love, make up the Character.
Of that Great, Wife* Divine Philofop hex,
Whofe richer Treafure being lock'd up in Greek,
The Vulgar Reader wou'd. be ftill to feek,
Had not the Learn'd Expounder made it fpeak
Englifl>> and that in plsafant, noble Verfe,
Which Laurel gives to's Brow, Scutcheons to's Herfe;
M. Brian- L. L. Di
Seft* 17. 1.691.
Oxonienfis* .
Another
Another by the fame Hand.
IDLeft Eplfletus!' Where's thy Virtue gone?
I read of none like thee, but only One
Of all th v e Heathen, and that's the * P erf eft One,
Whom Earth, and Heaven, and Hell, in vain,, did try
To fhake from his renown'd Integrity.
Elijah to Elifl)ah left his Robe-,
Thou had'ft thy Mantle- from the Upright Job'?
Mirroiir of Virtue and Integrity,
Pattern of Patience, and of Confla-ncy.
But fcar'd on Earth, Aftr&a, Job, and You
Are fled to Heaven, and carry'd your Mantle too :
O drap it down to cover Naked Souls,
Call'd Chriflians, but indeed poor vitious fools,
Difrob'd of Virtue, Jhivering, cold, and bare,
Clad with thofe dirty Rags you fcorn'd to wear,
3' in a Cottage., coarfe as was your Fare.
If Heathens be fo good, O then let me
Not z falfe Chriflian, but a Heathen.bt,
The Devil dwells in /?/>;, but God in thee.
cap.
Qfl. 1.9.. 1691,
A. N,
Acroflick, ^ /^/^^ ingenious Tran-
Jlator Mr. E. W.
E ngland and Athens now are joyn'd in one ;
L earn'd Epittetus fings in th' Englijh Tone.
i ay by his rufty Book of crabbed Greek ;
/ n Englijh Poetry you hear him fpeak.
S o all the <Jark-tongu'd Oracles of Greece,
W hen Truth (hot forth full Beams, did hold their
-^ 11 you, that would Philofophers appear, (peace.
L earn Nature J s Laws, in charming Numbers here :
K eep home, you need no more to Athens run :
E *re long, they'll all from thence to EnglandCQrpe : J
jR ead here and you will find them all out-done.
run : ^
:on>e:C
ne. 3
Ezekiel Brijled, A.M.
T O
T O
Mr. ELLIS WALKER,
ON HIS
Paraphraflical Tranflation
EPICTETUS
Into Engli/b Verfe.
Tflrtue has fuch a Shape and Mien,
^ They fay, that could (Ke but be feen
The guilty World would ceafe t'adore
Her Rival Vice, and dote on Her.
Her Nat'ral Charms alone are fuch,
They ne'er could dote on her too much,
Whiiit vice-, with all her borrow'd Drefs,
Can fcarce conceal her Uglinefs,
Although the Crowd, whofe Reafon lies
Not in their Judgment, but their Eyes,
Led
Led by appearances away,
Her, as their Sov'raign Power, obey ;
Whilftthe more Wife, confld'rate few,.
Who judge not til] a fecond view,
Having unrob'd her, foon perceive
Her Drefs doth all her Beauty give.
So have I in a Crowd furvey'd
A Beauteous, but an Ill-drefs'd Maid,.
And an Old Woman ftanding* by
With Jewels and Deformity :
And from the diilance of the place,
Concluded that the Beauteous Face
Was there, where the bed Dreffing was :
But foon as e'er I nearer drew,
I found my Judgment was untrue,
And curs'd the partial Fates, who gave
To wither'd Age. what .Youth fliould have.
For though no Artificial Drefs
Charms like its nat'ral Nakednefs,
Yet fince that Ufe prevails fo far,
That every one fome Drefs muft wear,
The beft doth bell become the Fair*
And yet Philofophy, till now,
In home-fpun Prole, was us'd to go,
Whilft Phoebus, and the Nine, in. State,
Did on ill-govern'd Paffions wait,,
Till you, more Wife, did kindly teach
jlpollo, what he ought to preach.
You from the Dowdy took the Drefs,
Arid did it upon Beauty place. .
True, fyjtfetus did difclofe
Th' Angelick Maid at firft in Profe ;.
He firit the fair Idea faw
By halves,, a-nd but by halves did draw ;
He
\
He .dug the Ore firil from the Mine,
But you refin'd it, made it Com ;
He an unfmiuYd Picture drew,
Which now is made complete by you.
Bold Man ! Since there was never yet
One found, who Pencil durfl to fet
T'Appelles' Venus, how durit you
-.Conclude that Draught which Epicietus dr-ew ?
A Picture which exceeds as far
His, as the Sun the meaner! Star,
For there the Body's Beauties (liin'd,
But here the Bcauiks of the Mind.
By
By the fame Hand.
s the Divine Lucretius heretofore,
.'-Great Epicurus' Dodtrine did reftore ;
He taught the Antient Latins firft to know
The caufe of Hail, of Thunder, Ice, and Snow :
He fung of Nature's Works ; his daring Mufe
Did not her deepeft Myfteries refufe,
But ventur'd boldly out, and bravely firft
At untouch'd Virgin-ftreams did quench her thirft.
He clad Philofophy in a taking Drefs,
Taught her at once how to inftrudl and pleafe :
The Work was great, worth that immortal Fame
Which does, and ever (hall attend his Name.
Him you fucceed in time, though your Deiign
Is nobler far than his, and more divine :
He fang the Knowledge of Corporeal things ;
Your Mufe the Soul and her Improvement fings.
By how much Form than Matter better is,
So much your Subject is more worth than his;
Nor is your Authorjiad in lefs efteem
Than that great Man fo much admir'd by him.
Not that we'd add to Epittetus' Fame
By taking ought from Epicurus' Name,
Both juftly Immortality do claim ;
\
Both
Both wrote in Greek, both their Tranflators fung
Their Authors Meaning in their Native Tongue ;
Both rich in Numbers, both divinely fweet,
Both feem to write their own, and not tranflate ;
Both feem alike to merit equal Praife,
And both alike feem to deferve the Bays :
In this alone he is by you out-done,
The Priie is greater far for which you run,
Yet at the Goal as foon as he you come.
WILLIAM CLARK
Of Katherine Hall in Cambridge.
T O
To the Author on his ^Poetical Verfion of
Epi&etus his Manual.
HiFft others into Nature 's Secrets pry,
And as their Miftrefs court Philofrphy,
Whil'-ft there they ranfack thro' the hidden (lore,
To fearch for Wildom, as the glittering Ore ;
In vain do they the eager Suit renew,
In vain the treacherous flying Guide purfue,
Thro' various and perplexed Mazes led,
Truths full in darknefs undifcovered.
Here difengag'd the Soul is nobly fraught
With Maxims, which the Wife and Learn'd have taught.
From Fancy and Opinion wholly free,
She novv regains and keeps her Liberty :
Calm and fedate, as freed from Grief or Pain,
She Hill enjoys a peaceful Halcyon Reign ;
Shewing how few things Happinefs do make,
And what it is Men call fo by miftake.
Such were thefe Ru-es ; but 'tis to Ton we owe,
That they in Numbers and in Meafure flow ;
So Bards and Druidi under awful (hade
Of Reverend Aged Oak, of old convey'd
Their facred Verfe to the admiring throng,
And taught 'em Virtue as they heard their Song.
Thefe were our Native Prophets ; fuch are you,
Prophet, Plrilofopber and Pcct too.
Sept. 28.
l College,
WILL. PEIRSE.
THE
LIFE
O F
EPICTETUS.
l*Pityetus was born about the end
of Nero's Empire, at Hierafo-
//>, a City of Thrigia: During
the firft Years of his Life, he was a
Slave to Epaphroditus, a Libertine and
Captain of Nero's Life-Guard, of whom
there is nothing remarkable, but only his
being Matter of fo renowned a Slave.
How he obtained his Liberty and became
a Philofopher of the Stoick SecSt, is un-
certain ; only this we find, that he upon
B the
The Life of EPICTETUS.
the Edid: made in the eighth Year o
mitiatfs Empire, was forced as a Philofo-
pher to quit the City of Rome and Italy,
and amongft: others to retire to Nicopolis,
a City of Efirus, called by the Moderns
Trevefa. He had far renounced Often-
tation and Ambition, then reigning Vices
amongft all the Philosophers ; and tho'
he was much efteemed by the Emperor
Adrian and his SuccefTors, in whofe
Reigns he lived ; yet we have no Grounds
to believe, that any of them beftowed
upon him fo much, as might fee him a-
bove even extreme Poverty. The Rea-
fon of this probably was his obflinate
Contempt of Riches, which would not
fuffer any Favours of that kind to be
faften'd upon him. For as Vincentius
Obfepteus witnefleth, his Houfe at Rome
was without a Door, his Attendance
only an old Servant Maid , and all
his Houlhold-ftufF, an earthen Lamp ; to
the Light of which we owe thofe beauti-
ful, thofe divine Thoughts , of which
Jlrrinn hath prelerved thefe noble Re-
mains.
The Life 0/EpicTETU$.
mains. This after his Death vvasfo much va-
lued (Lucian reporting it) that it was fold
for three thoufand Drachmas, or Groats:
The Purchafer thinking that if by Night
he conftantly read thereby, he iliould not
only attain his Wildom, but grow into
equal Admiration. Efiftetus would have
all Philofophy to confift in Continence
and Patience, for which reafon he had
always thofe two words in his Mouth,
Bear and Forbear ; Words which in
Greek have a peculiar Elegance , there
being but the Difference of a fmgle Letter
between them, and which were general-
ly as well pra&is'd as taught by him ; for
during the time of his Slavery, his brutal
Mafter Ettfhrodttus would make it his
ordinary paftime to wrench Epifletus,
his Slave's Leg ; who fmilingly and with-
out the leaft paflipu told him, that if he
continued his Sport, he would break it,
which accordingly he did. *Did not I
tell you, (then faid he) you would break
my Leg ? How great a piece of Pati-
ence was this, icarce to be parallel'd,
B x except
The Life of EPICTETUS.
except in this other of his own, which
was, that when his Iron Lamp he much
valu'd, was ftollen out of his Hut, all he
faid, was, 1 Jhall deceive a Thief to mor-
row, for if he come for another, it Jhall
be an Earthen one. And he was not on-
ly a great Maintainer of this fingle Vir-
tue, Patience ; but like wile aPra&ifer as
well as Maintainer of all the reft in gene-
ral : For as there was not any one in his
time that did fb many good Actions as
he ; fb was there not any that made it fb
much his bufmefs to conceal them ; be-
ing of Opinion, that a true Philofbpher
ought to do, and not to Jpeak. But that
which feems to be the peculiar Glory and
Commendation of him , is , that of all
the antient Philofophers, he feems to
have made the neareft Approaches to the
true Chriftian Morality. His Doctrines
were in truth fo very agreeable to ours,
that St. Auguftin, notwithftanding his vi-
olent Prejudice againft the Generality of
the Heathen Philofophers, thought him-
felf in Juftice bound to make one Excep-
tion
The Life of EPICTETUS.
tion at leaft, and to Ipeak of this Author
with a great deal of Refped ; nay, he
proceeds Ib far as to honour him with the
Character of a very wife and exceeding
good Man. It is but reaibnable he fhould
be treated in fo different a manner, when
we refled:, how clearly he was convinced
of, and how nobly he argues for the Im-
mortality of the Soul ; the Unity and
Perfections of God ; the Wifdom and
Goodnefs of Providence ; and which can
be faid of none befides, when Humility
was fb truly his Character, that neither
his Morals nor his Practice have the lead
Tindure of Vanity. To fum up all, an
admirable Modefty, a profound Wilcfom,
and above all, an inflexible Integrity
were very remarkable in him, and they
recommended him not only to the Ad-
miration of all in general, but allb in par-
ticular to the Efteem and Friendfhip of
the greateft Perfons of his Age, who bore
him the greateft Veneration. For what-
ever he faid, carried fuch Force, and met
with fo general Acceptance and Refpefr
B 3 thai
The Life of EPICTETUS.
that no Body could (land out againft his
Arguments. He died in the 901 Year af-
ter the Foundation of Rome, and agree-
ing to the Year of our Lord 151, in or
about the 96 Year of his Age ; fmce which
time this following Book of his hath con-
tinued in iiich Eftimation, as many Learn-
ed Hands have been employed in the Ex-
planation of it in their own Language,
and fbme in the rendring it into others.
Of the firft Slmf Items ^ our Learned Ca-
faubon, and feveral others, who have
writ their Commentaries thereon. Of the
laft, Monfieur "Du Vair, and Monfieur
Boileau in French : Mr. *Davys, and
Mr. Healey in Englijb ; which now
Mr. Walker hath not only again tranfla-
ed, but allb exceeding them all, hath a-
dorned with moft Elegant Verfe.
(O.
*************** ** ******
EPICTE.TI
ENCHIRIDION
Made ENGLISH,
I N A
Poetical PARAPHRASE.
4444444444444444444444444.4444444444.
I.
g Man, things are divided thus :
Some do not, and fome do belong to us.
Some within compafs of our Pow'r do fall,
And thefeare they, which we. our own may
Such an Allegiance all our Deeds declare, (call-
Such our Endeavours, Thoughts, Averfions are,
Such our Defires ; but Honour, Greatnefs, Wealth,
Our Bodies, Life, and Life's chief comfort, Health,
With all things elfe, of ev'ry other kind,
(That own not a dependence on the Mind)
Which Mortals, with concern, defire or fear,
Are fuch as are not in our Pow'r or Sphere.
B 4 II. Thofe
a E <P I CT E T 1
ii.
Thofe a&ions which are purely ours, are free
By Nature fuch, as cannot hinder'd be,
( Above the flroke of Chance or Defliny.
But thofe, o'er which ourPow'r 'does bear no fway, )
Are poor, another's, fervile, and obey >
The hindrance of each rub, that flops the way 3
III.
If then thou flhould'fl fuppofe thofe things are free,
Whofe Nature is condemn'd to Slavery ;
Should'ft thou fuppofe, what is not thine, thy own, .
'Twill coil thee many a Sigh, and many a Groan;
Many a Difappointment wilt thou find,
Abortive Hopes, and a diflraded Mind,
And oft accufe, nay, curfe, both Gods and Men,
And lay thy own rafh foolifli fault on them.
But if, what's truly thine, thou truly know,
Not judging that thine own, that is not fo,
None (hall compel thee, none an hindrance be,
No Sorrow ihait tii6u know, no Enemy;
None (hall thy Body hurt, or Name abufe,
None (halt thou blame in anger, none accufe,
Nor (halt thou poorly be oblig'd to do,
What thy great Soul doth not confent unto.
IV.
If then thou do'ft defire fuch things as thefe,
If thou would'ft tread thefe flovv'ry ways of Peace,
Remember that with Fervency and Care,
Not chiil'd with cold Indiif' rence, thou prepare.
Some things muft be to thy dear felf deny'd
For a fliort fpace, fome wholly laid afide.
For if at once thou doft defire to reign, ^
Be rich, and yet true Happinefs attain ; C
That is, at once, be very wife and vain ; j
By
ENCHIRIDION.
By this impartial Chafe, 'tis likely you
Both Games may lofe, which you at once purfue;
Defiring this, you Wealth and PoVr may lofe,
True Happinefs deftroy purfuing thofe :
You by one care the other will defeat,
And neither happy be, nor rich, nor great.
V.
When Fancy then with her black Train appears,
Of Difficulties, Dangers, Hardftiips, Fears,
With a pale ghaftly Face, whofe awful Frown
Frights Sleep away, and hardens Beds of Down,
Be ready to fay thus : That which I fee,
Is not indeed that which it feems to be,
Then ftraight examine it, and try it by
Thofe Rules thou haft, but this efpecially,
Whether it points at things in us or no;
If not at things which in our pow'r we know,
'Tis but a Bug-bear Dream, an empty Show ;
Of no concern to thee, like Clouds that fly
In various forms, and vaniili in the Sky.
VI.
With our Averfions and Defires, doth rife
A fmiling Twin-born Hope, whofe Flatteries
Do equally themfelves to each divide,
And with the like kind Looks footh either fide,
This, with a promife of obtaining, fires
The eager Mind, and tickles the Defires;
This promifeth, that fomething we (hall ftiun
From which we are averfe, from which we run,
Now what Misfortunes, Vulture-like, attend
The poor defeated Wretch, that fails of s end I
And, ah ' what real Grief doth him fuprize,
Who fuffers that, from which with Care he flies ?
4 E <P I CT ET I
If then thou only do'fl fuch things decline,
As are within thy pow'r, by Nature thine,
Nothing (hall ever fruftrate thy defign.
But if from Sicknefs, Want, or Death, thou fly,
In Sorrows thou (halt live, in Terrors die..
VIL
Therefore be fure, that thy Averfions fall
Only on things which thou thy own may 'ft call,
But for the prefent all Defires fufpend ;
For if to things, not in thy pow'r, they tend,
Folly and Grief thou'lt find, but lofe thy End.
And as for things, ev'n in thy pow'r, what's fit,
It may be well prefu-m'd, thou know'ft not yet.
What's moft to be efteem'd, what moft admir'd,
What with moft 'fervency and steal defir'd.
Be wary then, as captious Gen'rals are,. y
When they for entrance at fome Breach prepare, >
Where Ambufcade, or burfting Mines they fear. >
Do not engflge-4h_foon,~ till Reafon fcout,
And firft furvey the objeft round about;
Think that dark Snares thick in thy Paths are laid,.
Think that each Step may on fome Danger tread,..
Approach with prudent Leifure, that with eafe
You may withdraw your Forces wheoi you pleafe,
VIII.
In things that charm the Soul, which Love incite,,
By Nature's Force, Ufe, Profit, or Delight,
Beginning from the meaneft things*, that {hare
Thy tender thoughts, confider what they are.
As thus : Suppofe fome moduli new Device,
Of Potter's ikill in Earthen Ware thou prize,,
Confider 'tis but varnilh'd Clay, that's broke
By ev'ry light and accidental Stroke ;
Thus when the pleafing Toy you broken find,
The puny Lpfs (hall not difturb your Mind.
Thus
ENCHIRIDION. $
Thus if a kind foft Wife, or prattling Boy,
With Beauty charm, and a Paternal Joy,
Confider thefe dear Objeds of thy Love,
Which round thy Heart with fo much pleafure move
Are but meer mortal Pots of finer Clay,
Wrought with more Art, more fubjedl to decay ;
Poor, feeble, fickly things, of humane kind,
To the long Cares of a (hort Life confin'd,
The riotous Sport of Death, whofe Beauties muft
Crumble to their firft Principles of Duft.
Arm'd with thefe thoughts, thou never flialt bewail
The Lofs of things fo ruinous and frail..
IX.
In ev'ry thing thou undertak'ft, 'tis fit
Thou in true Judgment's Scales examine it ;
Weigh ev'ry Circumftance, each Confequence,
And ufual Accident arifing thence.
As thus : Suppofe you for the Bath prepare,
Confider the Diforders frequent there,
One throwing Water in another's Face,
Some railing, others juftled from their place ;
This Bully giving, that receiving, Blows,
Some picking Pockets, others ftealing Cloaths.
With Safety thus you the wifli'dPort may make:,
If thus you preface what you undertake ; .
I'll inflantly go wafl), refolv'd to do
What Nature and my Will incline me to.
And thus, in all things elfe, prepare thy Mind,
And though, perhaps, thoufome Dift'urbance firm,
When thou prepar'ft to wafti, unffiock'd thou'lt fay
This Hindrance I expetted in my way :
This I conftderd, when refolvd to do>
What Nature and my Will inclind me to,
B 6
E T I CT E T I
Thh l refolvd on. For we needs mult mifs
Our purpos'd end, when vex'd at things like this,
X.
-Unjuftly Men of Nature's Laws complain,
As caufe of all their Mifery and Pain.
Nothing in Nature can airlift them, no;
'Tis their Opinion only breeds their Woe' ; >
If wretched, that alone hath made them fo.
They their own Bridewel in their Breafts do bear,
And their own Judge, and Executioner.
Not Death it felf (how grim fo e'er it feem,)
Is truly terrible, or it had been
As dreadful to great Socrates as thee,
Ev'n his fir ong Soul had flhrunk with Fear, but he
Out-ftar'd the Prejudice, and fhew'd t'was meair, y
A Notion void of Senfe, a waking Dream, C
Such as from ill-difgefted Thoughts doth fteam ; >
A Monfter, which thou paint'ft with hollow Eyes,
Attended with fad Looks, and mournful Cries;
A Scare-crow, which thine own Opinion made,
From this thou fly 'ft, of this thou art afTraid.
* When then we meet fome Check in fome Defign,
When at each little Hindrance we repine,
Let's lay the Fault at our own Doors, and blame }
The giddy Whimlies which our Fancies frame, >
Thofe ill-fhap'd Centaurs of a cloudy Brain. j
To blame another for thing's manag'd ill, -^
Things fubjecl: to thy Pow'r, and Sov'raign Will, C
Shews want of Thought, Philofophy, and Skill: J
To blame thy felf (hews thou hail but begun
The glorious Race, nor haft it throughly run ;
* Htrf I joyn two Chapters together, bccattfc in fome Book* I find
*nd the Senfe re^mrtf it,
He
ENCHIRIDION.
He that blames neither, only wins the Prize,
Is juftiy crown'd by all, is only wife.
XI.
Be not tranfported with too great a Senfe
Of any outward Object's Excellence;
For ftiould the pamper'd Courfer which you feed,
Of fwifteft Heels, and of the nobleft Breed,
Through fenfe of Vigour, ftrength of Oats and Hay,
From his full Manger turn his Head, and fay,
Am I not beautiful, and /leek, and gay ?
'Twere to be born in him, the fpeech might fuit
The Parts and Education of the Brute :
But when with too much pleafure you admire
Your Horfe's Worth, and vainly boaft his Sire,
And tire us out with endlefs idle prate
About his Creft, his Colour, or his Gate ;
J Tis plain, you think his Owner fortunate.
You're proud he's yours, and vainly claim as due
What to the Beaft belongs, and not to you.
Too plainly is your felfiiri Folly (hewn,
Adding your Horfe's Virtues to your own.
Well then ; perhaps you'll alk, what's yours of thefe
Dear outward things, that feem Jo much to pleafe ?
Why nothing but the Ufe : if then you chufe
What's truly good, what is not fo, refufe :
If the well chofen good you rightly ufe,
As Nature's Light informs you, then alone
You may rejoyce in foraething of your own.
XII.
As in a Voyage, when you at Anchor ride,
You go on Shore fre(h Water to provide ;
And perhaps gather what you chance to find,
Shell-fiih, or Roots of palatable kind;
Yet
8 E <P I CT ET I
Yet ftill you ought to fix your greateft care
Upon your Ship, upon your Bus'nefs there :
Still thoughtful, left perhaps the Matter call ;
Which if he do, then you muft part with all
Thofe darling Trifles, that retard your hafte,
Lett, bound like Sheep, you by conftraint are cafl
Into the Hold. Thus, in your courfe of Life,
Suppofe you a lovely Son, or beauteous Wife,
Inftead of thofe lefs pleafing Trinkets, find,
And blefs your Stars, and think your Fortune kind ;
Yet, ftill be ready, if the Mafter call,
To caft thy Burthen down and part with all":
Forfake the beauteous Wife, and lovely Son,
Run to thy Ship, without Relu.dtance run,.
Nor look behind : But, if grown old and gray,.
Keep always near thy Ship, and never ftay
To ftoop for worthlefs Lumber on the way.
Short is the time allow 'd to make thy Coaft,
Which mutt not for fuch 'taftlefs Joy be loft.
Thy rev'rend play-things will but ill appear;
Befides, thou'lt find they'll coft thee very dear :
'Tis well if Age can its own Weaknefs bear.
Unmann'd with Dotage ; when thou'rt call'd upon,
How wilt thou drag the tirefome Luggage on ?
With Tears and Sighs much Folly thou'lt betray,.
And crawl with Pain undeccntly away.
XIIL
Wifti not that things, not in your pow'r, may rmv
As you would have them ; wifti them as they're done 5.
Wifli them juft as they are, juft as you fee ;
Thus (hall you never difappointed be.
You feem fome (harp Difeafe to undergo,
Alas ! 'tis vain to wifh it were not fo ;
Tis
ENCHIRIDION. 9
Tis but the Body's Pain, a furly ill;
Which may impede the Body, not the Will :
For all the Adlions of th' obfequious Mind
Are in thy Pow'r, to thy own Choice confm'd;
Thus Strength and Vigour may thy Nerves forfake
And Lamenefs from thy Feet all Motion take,
But can in thee not the leaft Hindrance make.
*Tis in thy pow'r to refolve nojE: to go,
Judge if it be an Hindrance or no.
Thou on thy Feet may'ft an embargo lajr r
As well as chance or natural decay,
Confider thus, in all things elfe thou'lt find-
Nothing can hinder, or confine the Mind ;
In fpite of ev'ry accident thou'rt free,
Thofe hinder fomething elfe, but cannot thee*
XIV..
In ev'ry thing that happens fearch your Mind
And try what force, what faculties you find
For the encounter of the Object fit,
In the fame moment when you meet with it r
As if fome beauteous Female you efpy,
Whofe pow'rful Air detains your wond'ring Eye,
Straight ranfacking the Treafures of your Soul,
You'll fin.d ftrong Temp'rance will that pow'r controul^
Whofe cool directions prefently afTwage
The keeneft Fires, the Dog-ftar Beauty's rage.
Thefe (if you mean to conquer) foon difann
Each foft'ning Smile, and each obliging Charm;
Are any Hardfhips of laborious weight
Impos'd ? by Fortitude they're conquer'd ftraight,
Nor rowling Seas, nor an impetuous Wind
Can overfet this Ballad of the Mind ;
Secure of Storms you on the Billows ride,
And Hem the furious Current of the Tide.
Aro
ro ETICTETI
Are you abus'd ? Hath any done you wrong
By the bafe Venom of a railing Tongue ?
Soft Patience gives an eafie Remedy,
Deadens the force of the Artillery ;
The Poyfon fpreads into the yielding Air,
Unhurt you find it pafs, and vanifti there.
In your own Breaft you'll always find fupply
Of aid : If you but make this fcrutiny,
No entrance of the Foe you need to fear,
You'll find th' Avenues guarded ev'ry where.
XV.
With men 'tis ufual, when depriv'd of ought
Which with much Pleafure entertain'd the thought*
To fay, that fuch a thing they've loft : In you,
Who the great fearch of Wifdom do purfue,
To fay, you've loft, is mean ; fay you've reftor'd
What bounteous God did for a while afford.
Thy only Son, thy deareft Hope is dead ;
Why do'ft thou beat thy Breaft, and {hake thy Head ?
Why Man ? he's but reftor'd, return'd again,
To the kind Owner's Hand from whence he came.
Thou'ft loft thy Land by Fraud ? a vain Miftake !
How is that loft that is but given back ?
J$ut he that thus deceived me, was not he
Jl Villain, and a Knave ? What's that to thee ?
What is't to thee ? Is he a Knave or no
By whom he takes, who did the Gift beftow ?
Was't not his own ? Thou'lt grant me, I fuppofe,
To whom he would, he might of's own difpofe.
While he allows, ufe what belongs to him,
Not as thy own ; as Travellers their Inn,
Who, as at home, are treated while they pay,
But claim no Title longer than they ftay.
XVI.
JJ y
I
ENCHIRIDION. ii
XVI.
You would be wife, I'll teach you if you pleafe,
Withdraw your Mind from fuch wild thoughts as- thefe ;
If 1 my wonted Diligence forget.
My gainful Drudgery ; how fa all I eat ?
^ certainly jh all ft awe for -want of Meat.
Jf I indulge^ and not chaftife my Boy,
My Lenity his Morals may deftroy ;
Heftill will fleer the Courfe he hath begun,
And to the very height of Lewdnefs run.
I tell thee, Mortal, that 'tis better far,
To dye with Thirft and Hunger, free from Cars,
With a ferene and an undaunted Mind,
Than live in Wealth, to its dire Cares confin'd.
As for the Boy, 'tis better far that he
Beqpme a Proverb for Debauchery;
'Tis better he were hang'd *, than thou (hould'ft (hare
A moment's Grief by thy reforming Care :
"But this, is more than difficult, you'll fay,
Too hard a Rule for Flefo and Blood t'obty :
Yet by a former Rule 'tis eafie made ;
Begin by final! eft things, as I have faid ;
Suppofe thy Wine be ftoll'n, thy Oil be died ;
And thus take comfort : Where s the Lofs, if I
At fuch a rate Tranquillity can buy ?
If Conftancy at fuch a rate be bought ?
And there s not any thing that's got for nought.
Suppofe you call your Servant, he's at play ;
Or when he's prefent, minds not what you fay :
* *Tis de fired, that the Wife will not be offended at this Wordy for if
it be no matter, and of no concern, whether the Boy be levjd or no, it it
no matter, and of no concern, "whether the Boy be h&nd, for this hk-
wife, Ty b* ip' tfAtv.
And
I
ix ETICTETI
And is the quiet of thy Soul perplex'd
At this ? he gets the better if thou'rt vex'd;
He grows yourMafter, while he can torment ;
Give not fuch pow'r to the vile Negligent.
XVII.
Would you be wife ? ne'er take it ill you're thought
A Fool, becaufe you tamely fet at naught
Things not within your pow'r, but pafs 'em by
Without a Wifti, with a regardlefs Eye ;
A fenfelefs Stock, becaufe no Lofs or Pain
Makes you lament, or childishly complain.
Never pretend to ildll, nor wi(h to feem
Deep Learn'd, nor court a popular Efteem :
But if, admir'd by men, you pafs for wife,
And draw their lilYning Ears, and foll'wing Eyes,
Rather miilrufc, and doubt your felf from thence,
They're oftner fond of Folly than of Senfe :
While they admire, while you their Praifes hear,
You're nearer to the Fool than e'er you were ;
'Tis very likely fome grofs Vanity,
They fancy in themfelves, and love to fee
Ripen'd in you to full maturity:
As Luft of Glory, or a ftrong defire
Of Wealth, or Power, or Splendour in Attire.
* Pis altogether vain, to think t'adhere
To the ftridt principles agreed on here,
While you the courfe quite contrary do fteer,
To things not in your pow'r; which if you reach,
You needs mult quit the Difcipline we teach.
XVIII.
If thou defir'ft thy Children, Friends, or Wife
Should never die, but (hare Immortal Life
With the bleft Gods, 'tis perfect Lunacy ;
Bedlam hath many a wifer man than thee :
A Docftor
}
i
ENCHIRIDION. 13
A Doftor and dark Room may do thee good;
Take Phyfick, I advife thee, and let Blood.
Will nothing but Impoflibles go down ?
Thou wi&eft that what's not in thy Pow'r, may own
Subjection to thy Will ; and would'ft confine
What's in another's pow'r to be in thine.
Thus if thou wifti thy Son may blamelefs be,
Though he hath rak'd the fink of Infamy,
'Tis a return of thy Infirmity ;
A fpice of Madnefs ftill: As well you might
WiQi Vice were Virtue, wifh that black were white
Is iv'iflnng then deny'd ? And muft our Mind
To the dull prefent only be ccnfind?
No, doubtlefs you may wifn ; nor need you fear
Defeat, provide you wi(h within your Sphere.
XIX.
Him, and him only, we may juftly call
The pow'rful Lord, the Soveraign of all ;
Whofe power is fuch, that, as he lifts, he may
Keep what he will, or give, or take away.
If then thou would'ft be free, a Monarch ftill;
Nor wifti, nor fliun, what's in another's Will.
Thus what you would you ftiun, or wifli you have;
Thus are you free ; if otherwife, a Slave.
XX.
With the fame manners, which, when you're a Gueft
You life at fome rich Neighbour's fumptuous Feaft,
Manage the reft of your affairs of Life
W 7 ith eafie Coriverfation, void of Strife;
Void of rude Noife: As when fome Novelty
Is handed round the Table ; if 'tis nigh
Stretch forth your Hand, take (hare .with Modefty ;
If it pafs by, do not detain by force,
Nor match at it, 'twill (hew your Breeding coarfe :
Is
i 4 E T I CT E T I
Is it not near you yet, at diftance plac'd,
Shew not your greedinefs by too much hafte ;
Nor, like a hungry Waiter ftanding by,
Devour it at a diftance with your Eye.
Abftain a while, 'tis but a minute's Faft,
Take Patience, Man, 'twill furely come at laft.
Now if the fame Behaviour be your Guide,
In all the actions of your life befide,
As in refped of Children, Wife, Eftate,
Of being rich, or made a Magiftrate ;
If modeftly you take, and thank kind Heav'n
For any of thefe BlefTmgs to you giv'n ;
Or if depriv'd of ought, you ftraight refign
All to its Will ; nor peeviftily repine :
Or if, as yet unblefs'd, you meekly wait,
With humble Patience, the Decrees of Fate;
Not defperate, nor yet importunate :
Some time or other, when the Gods think fit,
Blefs'd with eternal Banquets thou (halt fit
Among th' immortal Pow'rs, and free from Care,
Perpetual Joys and Happinefs {Kalt (hare.
But if fo great thy Soul, as to abilain, '
And bravely with a noble Scorn difdain
Thefe outward proffers, which Mankind do blefs,
Thou'rt fure a God, thou can'ft not fure be lefs.
For what's a God, but a blefs'd Being, freed
From Cares, that never dies, or ftands in need ?
Thou (halt not only be the Guefl of Heav'n,
But with the foremoft rank of Gods be ev'n;
Equal in Pow'r. By methods fuch as thefe
Great Heraclitu$ y great Dtegenes,
And fome, like them, to deathlefs Honours rife;
Who, with th' Immortals, in due Glory friine;
Who, as they well deferv'd, were call'd Divine.
XXI. When
E NCHI RIVION. 15*
XXI.
When you fee any one with Tears bemoan
The Lofs of Goods, or Abfence of a Son,
Whom he perhaps thinks drown'd at Sea, beware
You be not biafs'd here, and fondly (hare
His foolifti Weaknefs, and commiferate
His ruin'd and deplorable eftate,
While vainly he in earneft doth bemoan
Things in another's pow'r, not in his own.
T' avoid this Errour therefore keep in mind
This reas'ning, 'tis of mighty ufe, you'll find.
What hath befall n this man doth not molefl
His Mind, nor plays the Tyrant in his Breaft ;
He by his own opinion is diftrefs'd',
Tor could the thing it felf afflift him, then
'Twould work the fame ejfeft in other men ;
But this -we fee difprovd, fince fome men bear
The like Difafters, without ftgh or tear.*
You may indeed condole as far as Words,
This pity mere Civility affords ;
To tell him he's miftaken will inrage
His Grief; to call him Fool will not aflwagc.
Befide 'tis Rudenefs, barbarous Cruelty,
T' infult even over fancy'd Mifery :
Nay, we'll allow that you may figh with him,
But then beware, left you perhaps begin
To be too fenlibly concern'd within.
XXII.
While on this bufie Stage, the World, you flay,
You're, as it were, the Adlor of a Play ;
Of fuch a Part therein, as he thinks fit
To whom belongs the pow'r of giving it.
Longer, or (hotter, is thy Part, as he,
The Mafter of the Revels, (hall decree.
If
16 ETICTETI
If he command to ad the Beggar's Part,
Do it with all thy Skill, with all thy Art,
Though mean the Chara&er, yet ne'r complain,
Perform it well; as juft Applaufe you'll gain,
As he, whofe Princely Grandeur fills the Stage,
And frights all near him in Heroick Rage.
Say,, thou a Cit or Cripple repreient,
Let each be done with the bdl management.
'Tis in thy Power to perform with Art,
Though not within thy Pow'r to choofe the Part.
XX11I.
The direful Raven's, or the Night- Owl's voice,
Frightens the Neighbourhood with boding Noife ;
While each believes the knowing Bird portends
Sure Death, or to himfelf, or to his Friends ;
Though all that the Nocturnal Prophet knows,
Is want of Food, which he by whooting (Lews.
But fay this Oracle, with Wings and Beak,
As certain Truths, as Delphkk Prieftefs, fpeak,
And that through prejudice you fhould fuppofe
This Boder could Futurity difclofe,
Yet be not mov'd ; diftinguifh thus, Tm free,
Thefe Omens threaten fomething elfe, not me :
Some danger to my Body, Goads, or Name,
My Children, or my Wife, they may proclaim',
"But thefe are but the Appendixes of me 9
To me thefe tokens all aufyicious be,
Since I from outivard accidents like thefe,
May rtaj> much real Profit, if I pleafe.
XXIV.
If you would be invincible, you may ;
I'll (hew you a certain and a ready way.
You can't be conquer'd, if you never try
In any kind to get the Mattery.
i Tis
ENCHIRIDION. 17
'Tis not within- your Pow'r to bear away
The Prize ; 'tis in your Choice not to efTay.
XXV.
When any man of greater Pow'r you fee
Inverted with the Robes of Dignity,
In Honour's gaudieft, gayeft Livery,
Dreaded by all; whofe arbitrary Will,
Whofe very Breath, whofe ev'ry Look can kill;
Whofe Power, and whofe Wealth know no reftraint,
Whofe Greatnefs hardly Flattery can paint :
Take care you be not here intangled by
The too great Luftre that beguiles your eye ;
Beware you do not envy his eft ate,
Nor think him happier becaufe he's great.
For if true Quiet and Tranquillity,
Confift in things which in our Po\v'r do lie,
What refidence can Emulation find ?
What room hath reftlefs Envy in the Mind ?
Envy and Happinefs can ne'er refide
In the fame place, nor in one Bread abide ;
Nor do you wifti your felf (if we may guefs
Your real thoughts by what you do profefs)
To be a Senator or General,
But to be free, (that's greater than them all.)
This Freedom you would gladly learn, you fay,
To which there is but one, one only way;
Which is to fcorn, with brave and decent Pride,
All things that in another's Pow'r refide.
XXVI.
Not he that beats thee, or with fland'rons Tongue
Gives thee ill Language, doth thee any Wrong,
Thine own falfe Notions give the injury :
Thefe (lander, give the affront, and cudgel thee.
When
i8 EPICTETI
When Words traduce, dr Blows the Limbs torment,
Which in thy power it lies not to prevent,
This prefently thou term'ft an Injury,
But giv'ft no tolerable reafon why.
Thou plead'ft thy Carcafe, and good Name are dear;
The Wound goes to thy Soul, that wounds thee there;
'Tis falfe, 'tis but a fcratch; nor can it find
An entrance thither, or diflurb thy Mind ;
Without thy own confent ; an injury
To fomething elfe without, 'tis none to thee.
Thus when provok'd, thy own opinion blame,
'Tis that provokes, and caufeth all the pain :
Wherefore beware, left objects, fuch as thefe,
Gain thy aflent too foon, with too much cafe,
Left fancied Harms thy Mind with Grief affect,
Left fancied Blifs (hould gain too much refpect.
Thus thou'lt get leifure, and a thinking time;
Thy Notions with due meafures to confine;
To add, to prune, to polifh and refine.
XXVII.
Let Death, let Baniftiment, and ev'ry 111,
Which Mortals thoughts with appreheniion fill,
Which moft they dread, and with averfion fly,
Be always prefent to thy thoughts and eye ;
But chiefly Death : Thus no mean thought (halt find
Harbour, or entertainment in thy Mind.
Thus no bafe fear (hall ever from thee wreft
The firm Refolves of thy undaunted Breaft :
Not Tyrants frowns, nor tortures (hall enflave
Thy fearlefs Soul, but, generoufly brave,
Thou all their little Malice may 'ft defie;
Arm'd only with this thought, Thvu once mufl die.
Ncr
ENCHIRIDION. 19
Nor can Death truly formidable fee in
To thee, who with it haft farfiiliar been,
Who ev'ry Day hai! the pale Bugbear feen.
Yet Death's the worft that thou canft undergo,
The utmoft limit, the laft Scene of Woe,
The greater! fpite thy Enemf can (Lew ;
And yet no more, than what the Gout, or Stone,
With more malicious Leifure, might have done.
Arm'd with the Thoughts of Death, no fond Defire
Of Wealth, nor the deluding foolifh Fire
Of Pow'r, fliall lead thee on with hopes to-gain,
What Death hath fworn thou (halt not long retain,
XXVIII.
Wifdom, you fay, is what you moft defire,
The only charming Bleffing you admire,
Therefore be bold, and fit your felf to bear
Many a Taunt, and patiently to hear
The grinning foolifh Rabble laugh aloud
At you, the Sport and Paftime of the Crowd,
While in like Jears they vent their filthy Spleen :
Whence all this Gravity, this carelefs Mien ?
And whence, of late, is this Pretender come,
This new Proficient, this Mufl)eroom y
This young Philcfopher ivith half a Beard?
Of him, till novj, we have no mention heard:
Whence all this fupercilious Pride of late ?
This ftijf Behaviour, this ajfetted Gate ?
This will perhaps be faid, but be not you
Sullen, nor bend a fupercilious Brow,
Left thus you prove their vile Reproaches true.
Which are but Words of courfe, the Excrement,
The ufual Malice which alike they vent
Upon the Guilty and the Innocent. '
But
lo ETICTETI
But firmly ffill to what feems bed adhere,
As if by fieav'n's Commands you ordered were
To keep that Port, not to be driv'n from thence
By force, much lefs a fcurrilous Offence.
Maintain this Maxim, and you foon will grow,
The Praife and Wonder of your fcoffing Foe :
Forc'd to confefs his Faults, he'll court you more
Than he reproach'd, or laugh'd at you before.
But if his Mock'ry makes you tamely yield,
And quit yoiir noble Station in the Field,
You merit Laughter on a double fcore,
Firft for attempting, then for giving o'er.
XXIX.
If to pleafe others, ftudying to be dear
In their kind Thoughts, you move beyond your Sphere
And look abroad, Refpect and Praife to gain,
And the poor outward Trifle call'd a Name ;
You lofe the Character you wifh to bear,
You lofe your Station of Philofopher.
Let it fuffice that fuch your felf you know,
No matter whether other Men think fo :
Let it be to your felf, if wife you'd feem ;
And 'tis enough, you gain your own Efteem.
XXX.
Let not thefe Thoughts torment you ; /, alas !
In low ignoble Poverty Jball pafs
My wretched Days, and unregarded lie
Juried alive, in dark Obfcurity ;
No Honour, no Preferment /hall I have,
But ' ' Scutheonlefs defcend into the Grave.
This as a wond'rous Hardfhip you bemoan,
A grievous 111, when really 'tis none;
The outward Want of Pow'r, Preferment, Place,
Is no more Mifery, than 'tis Difgrace :
And
I
ENCHIRIDION, ^l
And that 'tis no Difgrace I toll evince;
Where's the Difgrace you are not made a Prince ?
Or that you're not invited to a Feaft ?
'Tis none, by every Man of Senfe confeft :
For where's the Man in's Wits that can expect
That things not in your Pow'r you Qiould effect?
And why of want of Pow'r fliould you complain ?
Who can no Place or Honour juftly claim,
Excepting things in your own Pow'r ; in thefe
You may be great, and pow'rful as you pleafe.
But then you plead ; / thus flail ufelefs grow
To thofe 1 love, nor flail I Kindnefs flew,
Nor Wealth nor Pow'r on my beft Friends beftow,
Nor by my Int'reft caufe them to become,
Tree of each gainful Privilege In Roine,
Wor, when I pleafe, an Officer create,
Nor ralfe them to bs Utenfds of State.
And whoe'er told you yet, that thefe things lie
Within your Power or Capacity ?
Or where's the Man, that can to others grant
That Place or Honour he himfelf doth want?
But they're importunate, alas! and cry,
Get it, that we your Friends may gain thereby,
Anfwer tljem thus, /'// do it if I can,
So I may keep my felf a mo deft Man,
Juft to my felf, ftlll innocent and free,
A Man of Honour and Integrity,
fll ufe my beft Endeavours ; if I may
Gain it on thefe Conditions, flew the Way ;
But if you think fll this true Wealth forgo,
That you may fomething gain, that is not fo ;
See, how unjufl this Self-partiality !
And, to be plain, you are no Friends for me>
Jf
ii E'PICTETI
If you prefer a bafe penurious End,
Before an honefl and a modefl Friend :
Suppofe your Choice were fuch, then fliew we
What you fo earneflly deftre to do 9
^.nd keep my Principles of Freedom too ;
But think not I will part with Happinefs,
That you fome ivorthlefs Pleafure may pojfefs.
But thus your Countrey nothing by you gains :
What's this Advantage that your Countrey claims ?
Is it that Baths you make, with Coll and Charge ?
Or Porches build unimitably large,
Where late Pofterity may read your Name,
Which there you confecrate to lafting Fame ?
Thefe Gifts from you your Countrey can expedl
No more than Phyiick from an Architect,
Or that a Shoemaker (hould Armour make,
Or of your Foot a Smith the Meafure take ;
For 'tis enough, if each perform in's Trade
The Work for which he feems by Nature made :
If each Man mind the way in which he's plac'd,
The Smith his Anvil, Shoemaker his Laft.
And thus if you the Height of Wifdom reach,
And, what fo well you know, as well can teach,
If by thefe noble Methods you profefs,
You with another honeft Man can blefs
The City where you dwell, you give no lefs
Than he, who on his Countrey doth confer
Porches, or Baths, or Amphitheatre.
Well then, i'th* City, where I ufefitl am,
What Office Jhall I have ? Such as you can,
Keeping your Honour, and your Confcience free,
With fpotlefs Innocence and Modefty:
But if while fondly you defire to pleafe
Your Fellow-Citizens, you part with thefe,
You
ENC HIRI < P.ro& x-
You labour but in tain ; for where's the Ufe
Of one grown impudent and fcandalous ?
XXXI.
Is any one fainted, or erabrac'd
With more Refped: than you ? or higher plac'd.
At Table ? Is he thought more grave and wife,
Of better Parts, and abler to advife ?
Grudge not : But, if thefe things be good, rejoyce
They're plac'd fo well, and meet fo good a Choice :
And if tlrey're bad, why foould you take Offence,
That you in thefe have not the Preference ?
But how can you, that neither cringe nor bow,
Nor other antick Spaniel-tricks do (hew,
Nor flatter, fawn, forfwear, aflent or lie,
Nor ufe that fervite knavifh Induftry,
By which bafe fupple Slaves their Ends obtain,
The fame Refped, or the fame Favour gain?
And how fhould you, who fcorn to condefcend,
With early Morning Vifits to attend
Th' awaking of a rich, proud, pow'rful Friend,
Exped to fhare th' Advantages that fall
To him that helps to fill his crowded Hall ?
Or, like a Centinel, ftill walks before
His Patron's Houfe, and almoft courts his Door;
Who, after long Attendance, thinks he's blefs'd,
As much as Ferftans bowing to the Eaft,
When the Sun rifes from his watry Neft ;
And fwears the Eaftern God doth not difpenfe
A kinder, or a gentler Influence,
And that each Look, each SmiJ|pbf his, doth bring
Warmth to the Summer, Beauty to the Spring.
Who, when his Lordfhip frowns, admires the Grace
And manly Fiercenefs that adorns his Face ;
c 3 Applauds
M E<P I CT ET 1
Applauds the Thunder of his well-mouth'd Oaths,
And then the modifli Faftiion of his deaths,
And vows the Taylor, who the Garments made,
Happy, in making them, though never paid.
Thefe are the Means by which he Hands pofTefs'd }
Of Favours, by each FIy-K>wn Fool carefs'd,
At ev'ry Feaft an acceptable" Gueft. 3
Thefe if you'd purchafe, and not give the Price, .
Unjuft, unfatiable's your Avarice :
As for familiar Inftance, What's the Rate,
The Gard'ner holds, and fells his Lettuce at ?
Let us fuppofe a Farthing; he that buys
Bears off the Purchafe, but lays down the Price;
Your Sallad Wants thefe Lettuce, you withold
The fmall Equivalent for which they're fold;
Nor is your Cafe a jot the worfe for this, }
For as the Lettuce which he bought are his, C
So yours, who did not buy, the Farthing is. j
Thus if you're not invited out to dine,
You pay not for his Meat, nor for his Wine;
For be (be not-dece'iv'd) who entertains,
Doth it not Gratis, he too looks for Gains ;
Right bounteous tho* he feems, he fells his Meat,
And Praife expeds for every Bit you eat,
Each lufdous Draught, each plealing Delicate,
Is but a fpecious Snare, a tempting Bait;
You the rich Entertainment dearly buy,
By mean obfequious fervile Flattery.
If then thefe things, that inuft be purchas'd thus, <
Seem ufeful to you, and commodious,
Lay down the Value, do not think to get,
Unlefs you give the Rate at which they're fet.
Thefe
ENCHIRIDION, ^s
Thefe if on eafier Terms you would provide,
And without paying for them be fupply'd,
How can your foolifri Wifli be fatisfy'd?
Well then 9 but JJjall I nothing have inftead -
Of this dear Feaft y that flill runs in my Head ?
Yes, if you're not infatiable, you have
Enough in lieu thereof, you're not a Slave,
You have not prais'd him who's below your Hate,
You've not admir'd his Dinner, nor his Plate,
Nor pail a Complement againft your Will,
Nor in low Cringes (hewn your aukward Skill,
Nor fed his Dogs, to (hew the vaft Refpedl
The Mailer of the Fav'rites may expecl;
Nor did you admire his fumptuous Furniture,
Nor all that civil Infolence endure,
With which at meeting he informs you how,
When you depart his Prefence, you muft bow;
Nor have you born his Arrogance and Pride,
While he furveys his Board on ev'ry fide,
And fancies that he's bountiful and great,
And thinks he makes you happy by his Meat.
XXXII.
Nature's Defigns, Decrees, and Will we read,
In things concerning which we're all agreed,
Which no Difpute, or Controveriie need.
As fay, Your Neighbour's Boy hath broke a Glafs,
You're apt to cry, Thefe things muft come to pafs.
So if your own be broke you ought from thence
To learn to bear it with like Patience,
As if 'twere his; thence by degrees afcend :
As thus, Suppofe your Neighbour loie a Friend,
Bury his Wife, or Son; I know you'll cry,
"Its not fo ftrange a thing that Mortals dye.
C 4 But
x6 T I C T E T I
But fay the Cafe be yours, the Lofs your ovvjj,
Then what a Howling's there, what pitious Moan,
What Tears you (lied ? Ah me ! forlorn / undone /
'I've loft, you cry, I've loft my only Son !
The innocent, fivet, beauteous Youth is dead,
Hes gone, and all my Joys are with him fled :
When all this while you fliould remember how
Your Neighbour's Cafe, like yours, affeded you ;
Without a Sigh, without a Tear, or Groan,
You bore his Lofs, and fo (hould bear your own.
XXXIII.
As no Man fets up Marks that he may mifs,
So no fuch real thing as 111 there is;
For (hould we grant that ought in Nature's 111,
'Twould argue Cruelty, and want of Skill
In the great Artift, who all-wife and kind* j
Nothing that is not for thy Good defign'd, >
Nothing to grieve, or to torment thy Mind. j
This you think wifely anfwer'd, when you fay,
Suppofe a Ruffian beat me on the way,
Or force me publickly in open Street,
To take a Kick from evry Slave I meet,
Unjuft the Violence, nor can I bear
Such an Affront ; / muft be angry here,
Evn you'll acknowledge this to be an III :
Thus you remain in your old Error Hill.
1 thought that we had clear'd that point before,
With fuch plain Proof, that it requir'd no more;
I fliew'd you 'twas no 111, and bid you blame
Falfe Notions, the bafe IfTue of your Brain.
You're angry at the Man who did expofe
Your Body to the Injury of Blows,
And
RI*DION. ^ 7
And yet expofe your Mind to Grief and Pain, -^
As oft as any Railer's pleas'd to ftain,
With vile Reproach, :-, the Beauty of your Name. 3
Judge then your felf, but judge impartially, ^ ,
Who's guilty of the greater Injury, f V
Since you expofe your Mind, your Body he ? >
To grieve, be angry, envy or to hate,
Are Ills indeed, but fuch as you create :
For thefe let not kind Nature be arraign'd,
You, only you, are to be juftly blam'd.
Wherefore in ev'ry thing you undertake,
Let Judgment fit, and juft Enquiry make,
Of all Preliminaries leading to
The Action, which you have defign'd to do ;
Of ev'ry Confequence and Accident,
That probably may wait on the Event,
Be fure that you can bear it, though it be
Reproach, or Blows, or Death, with Bravery;
Which if you carelefsly neglect to weigh,
Though brifk and vig'rous, at the firft Efiay, ,
You'll meet fome (hameful Hindrance by the way.
XXXIV.
You fay you'd win the Olive Crown, and lufl
To reap the Harveft of th' tolympick Duft;
That Hittory may reckon by your Name,
From the great Year when fuch a one o'ercame:
'Tis brave, and by the Gods I wifh the fame,.
Fut then confider firft what muft be done,
Through what a Courfe of Hardfhips you muft run
E'er you proceed, and what may be th' Event,
And Confequence of fuch a great Attempt :
With a ftricl Courfe of Life you muft begin,
Confin'xl by Methods and (harp Difcipline;.
c 5 According
ghly have furvey'd, ^
be difmay'd, C
ikh you've weigh'd, ^
a8 E <P I CT E T I
According to direction, you muft eat
Nothing that's boil'd, and fuch a kind of Meat
As is allow'd; then you muft drink no Wine,
Nor. yet cold Water, and obferve your time
For Exercife, 'you muft your felf inure,
The Summers Heat and Winters Cold t'indure.
Thefe Preparations made, you then muft try,
If poffible, to gain the Victory,
And that not without Labour, Danger, Harm,
Or lofs of Ribs, perhaps a Leg or Arm ;
And when whole Pecks of Duft you've fwallow'd^
Been lafh'd, and all things requifite have done, (down, /
*Tis poffible that you may lofe the Crown. J
Thefe Hazards when you throughly have farvey'd,
You ftill may venture on ; nor be
You'll find the Burthen lighter which
Elfe you'll defift, and jade like wanton Boys,
Who, tir'd and pleas'd with Novelty of Toys,
Scarce warm in one, begin another Play,
And fcorn the tedious Sport of Yeilerday :
Who fometimes Pipers, Wreftlers, reprefent,
Or with tough Cudgel try their Hardiment;
Sometimes the Horn, or the flirill Trumpet found,
Act Tragedies, and kill without a Wound :
Thoughtlefs as they, one while your Hand you'll try
In Wreftling, Fencing next, then Poetry,
In Rhet'rick; nay, perhaps Philofophy,
But fail in each; and all thefe Pains beftow,
Ridiculous as poffible to grow,
And make a wond'rous buftle to exprefs
A rev'rend, and more ferious Childifhnefs,
Like a grave Ape, whom Nature did create
A Type of you, who can but imitate ;
Who
ENCHIRIDION. ^ 9
Who one thing now, another ftraight admire,
Who, hurried on with violent defire,
Plunge over Head and Ears, before you know ~j
How deep the filent fmooth-fac'd Waters flow, , >
Or weigh the Hardships you muil undergo. J
Thus fome, when any much-fam'd Man they fpy
Admir'd forWifdom, and for Modeily,
Much liften'd to, and courted ev'.ry where,
And then, perhaps, fome grave Quotation hear,
How true fyeaks Socrates ! nor can it be
That any fliould difcourfe as well as he !
Are taken with an Itch of being Wife ;
They too, forfooth, muft needs Philofophize.
XXXV.
Having confider'd thus what's to be done,
The Hazards, Hard&ips, and the Rifque you run, .
Confider with what Strength you are endow'd,
What Nature for th' Encounter hathallow'd;
As if you affect th' Olympick Exercife,
Examine well your Back, your Shoulders, Thighs,
What Brawn, what Sinews for the Enterprife.
Nor will each fort of Strength fuit each Exploit, .
This runs, that leaps, this wreftles, throws the Coit;
So if the Combat with your felf you try,
And, by ftrict Methods of Philofophy,
Your own rebellious Paffions ftrive to tame,
And thus a more illuftrious Conqueft gain,
You can't expect t'indulge and gratifie
Your Genius with accuftom'd Luxury.
Nay, 'tis a Contradiction, 'tis t'obey
Thofe very Lufts you mean to drive away.
You (hould confider whether you can bear
The want of far-fetch'd Dainties, travd'd Chear;
C 6 You
30 EVICT E T I
You fhould confider whether you can dine,
Without a Catalogue of coftly Wine,
Whether that S^eamiflinefs you can forget
That niakes you keep an Almanack for Meat,
That makes you fweat, and faint, when you behold
A Novelty that's more than one Day old;
And to be (hort and ferious, what you think
Of Roots for Food, and the cold Stream for Drink.
Philofophy's like fome brave Heroe bred,
With Labours hardened, and with Hardihips fed :
Awake, (he cries, and let the early Sun
JSlufh that he fees his Vigilance out-done;
Arife, purfue, prefs forward, drive away >
With chearful Toil, the tedious I'mgrmg Day, >
Suftnefs thy Sport, and Labour be thy Play. J
You ftiould confider how you can difpenfe
With kaving Home to gain Experience;
How you can part with Friends, and Native Air;
How the Fatigues of Travel you can bear;
How in a Thred-bare Garment, old and torn,
You can endure the Slights, and faucy Scorn
Of Pages, Grooms, who, in proud Liv'riefr drefs'd^
Fancy a tatter' d Coat a mighty Jeft ;
How it will relidi with you to be us'd
W T orfe than the bafeft Slaves, to be refus'd
All Honour, Pow'r, and Truft, Preferment, Plate;
Not to be call'd your Worftiip, ftyl'-d your Grace.
In thefe examine well your felf, and try
Whether you're willing, at fuch rates, to buy
Freedom, a quiet Mind, and Conftancy :
Left, like the Boys I told you of, you prove
Now a Philofopher, then fall in love ,
With frothy Trafh of Orators, and thence
Straight a Colleftor of th'Excife commence;
Then-
E NCHIRI T>TO N.
Then tir'd-with this, your fond Deiires dilate,
And wifh to be a Minifter of State.
Thefe are wide Contraries, as oppofite
As Virtue is to Vice, as Black to White.
You can but make one iingle Man, and he
A wife good Man, or fooliih Knave muft be; ,
He the full Sway over himfelf muft have,
Or be to things, not in his Pow'r, a Slave :
Skill'd in thefe inward Arts, or thofe -without,".
Be wife, or herd amongft the common rout;
Or a Philofopher, or Idiot.
XXXVI.
Let your Refpedh and Services agree.
And be proportion'd to the Quality
Of him, to whom thefe Services you pay;
Is he your Father ? Know you muft obey,
And cherifli him, confid'riug all his Care
For you, when weak and helplefs yet you wer
And bear with him in all things, knowing how
Nature oblig'd him to be kind to you ;
All this to Gratitude it felf is due :
He heard your peevifli Brawling, ftrove f allay
Your Childiih Wrath, and wip'd your Tears away;
And can't you bear an angry Word, or Blow,
From one fo 'indulgent, one that lov'd you fo,
Who gave you Being, who may well be faid
Twice to have given you Life, in that he fed,
Jn that with fo much Tendernefs he bred
Your younger Years ? Oh! but, perhaps yau.'ll fay,
He s wicked and fever e, I cant obey.
A lame Excufe, let him be what he will,
Morofe, or Wicked, he's your Father (till;
Whate'er his Morals are, he may expeft
From you at leaft a filial Refpedt;
} You
I
I
I
5^ ETICTETI
You can't believe that Nature's bound to find
A Parent for you fmted to your mind.
Well, but you think your Brother injures you;
You afk me here what Nature bids, you do?
Nature obligeth you to pafs it by,
Bids you negledl the fancy'd Injury,
Nor mind what's done by him, but bids you (Lew
The hearty Love you to your Brother owe,
Which can't be (hewn by more commodious Light,
Than when you oppofe your Goodnefs to his Spight;
And what long fince I told you, think on ftill,
No one can injure you againft your Will;
The Wrong you furTer doth from Fancy grow,
You then are hurt when you imagine fo.
If by this fteady Balance, then you try
The mutual Duties of Society,
Which Men to Men, Neigbours to Neighbours owe,
Which Souldiers to their General foould fliew,
Which Citizens fhould pay their Magiitrate ;
You'll grant they're to be paid, without Debate,
Offence, or Envy; Prejudice, or Hate.
xxxvir.
In this the main Point of Religion lies,
To have right Notions of the Deities;
As that fuch Beings really are, that they
Govern the World with juft and prudent Sway,
That chearfully you are oblig'd t' obey
All their Commands, well fatisfy'd to reft
On what they do, as order'd for the beft;
That whatfoever is by them decreed,
From an All-knowing Wifdom doth proceed.
Thus their wife Government you'll fear to blame t
Or, as negle&ed* peevifhly complain :
But
ENCHIRIDION. 33
But 'tis not likely you fhould have this Senfe,
Thefe reverent Notions of their Providence,
Nor can you without murmuring refent,
Their partial, and unequal Management,
If you diftinguifti into Good and 111,
Things not depending on your Pow'r and Will.
Now if thefe Attributes of Bad and Good,
Of things within your Pow'r, be underftood,
You lay the Fault at your own Door, and clear
The Gods of being partial and fevere :
But if you think that outward things can be
Some good, fome bad; with this Abfurdity
You wound the Goodnefs of the Deity;
Your God a vile malicious Fiend you make,
Cruel, or weakly, given to miftake.
Whom, when you fooliflily averfe would fly
Death, or like natural Neceflity,
Or any thing, which you have wifli'd for, mifs,
You needs muft hate, and fay the Fault is his,
To whom, though he hath kindly giv'n you Will
To wifti or not to wiQi, you impute the 111;
And, as 'tis nat'ral, with like Hate reflect
On him, the cruel Caufe, as on th' Effect.
Infe&s, and Brutes themfelves, "have thus much Senfe,
Alike t' abhor th' Offender and th' Offence;
Thus a fierce Cur follows and bites the Stone,
And then purfues the Man by whom 'twas thrown :
As on the contrary, they love, they admire,
What ferves their Wants, and anfwers their Defire,
And none, fure, but a Mad-man, can rejoyce
In that which plagues him, ruins, and deflroys.
Hence 'tis the Father's hated by the Son,
Hence 'tis the grave old Man grows troublefome;
The
34 E <P I CT ET I
The dry Bones keeps him from a large Eftate,
To which he fears he ftiall fucceed too late :
He therefore daily wiflies he were dead,
That his kind Heir might flourifh in his Head.
Hence that pernicious fatal War arofe,
Which Thebes to Blood and Ruin did expofe, ,
For proud Eteocles refolv'd to reign,
And Polynlces would his Right maintain;
For both would rule, and both would be obey'd, : .
Each thought his Brother did his Right invade ;
Each thought Dominion was a Sov'raign good.
Each would aflert his Int'reft with his Blood.
Hence 'tis the Plow-man, .when tempenrious Rain,
Or Drought,, ha ve.render'd alt his Labour vain,
Rails on the Gods : Hence 'tis the Sailer raves,
When toft with furious Winds, and threat'ning Waves:
Hence 'tis the Merchant curfes, if he fail
Of a quick Market* or a gainful Sale.
Hence they, who lofe. Children or Wife, complain, :
That, they, alas! have facrific'd in vain;
What e'er .they fuffer, vainly wifli, .or fear,
The Gods, for certain, all the Blame muft bear.
Nor are they pious longer than they find
The Gods are grateful, in remembrance kind:
Only devout while Favours they obtain,
They make Religion but a kind of Gain,
Now he that only wifheth things may be
Juft as they are, as the blefs'd Gods Decree,
\Vh.ofe wife Averflon only doth decline
Things he hath Pow'r to fhun, can ne'er repine,
Nor be provok'd to murmur or blafpheme,
Nor through falfe Notions lay the Fault on them ; .
He's the true, pious Man. But here you'll fay,
]f we may only wtfo for what we may
ENCHIRIDION. 35
eftoiv upon our felves, pray where* s the need
That we raife Temples, or that Viftims Heed?
Why fliould we Prefents on their Altars lay ?
And why with Incenfe court them evry Day ?
Where s the Reward for this? What's the Return
Of all this Smoak, and the Perfumes we burn ?
Will you not worQiip them, unlefs you have
All that your Luft and Avarice can crave ?
Methinks they've given enough, in that you live
Under their prudent Care* who know to give
Better than you to ailc; who that bellow,
Which moil for your Convenience they know.
Let's add to this, (if this will not fuffice,)
They've made you capable of being wife.
Are thefe mean Reafons why you Sacrifice ?
Wherefore your Off' rings and Oblations pay
With ufual Rites, after your Countrey's way ;
Let them be given, as what you really owe,
Without th f Alloy of Vanity or Shew,
Not niggardly, nor with too great Expence,^
With all Devotion, Care, and Diligence.
XXXVIII.
When you confult the Oracle, or thofe
Who the deep Secrets of the Gods difclofe,
Who fill'd with a Divine, Prophetick Rage,
The Will of Heav'n, and its Decrees prefage;
'Tis plain, the dark Event you cannot tell,
Elfe why do you confult the Oracle ?
But if you're a Philofopher, you know
Thus much at lead of it before you go ;
That if of things not in our Pow'r, th' Event
Muft be infallibly indifferent,
Nor good, nor bad ; when therefore you draw nigh
The hallow'd Cavern of the Deity,
The
3,6 E T I CT ET I
The Will, and th'e Decrees of Fate t' inquire,
Approach without Averfion, or Defire;
Elfe to the facred Vault you'll trembling come,
Like Men who are arraign'd, to hear their Doom:
And know, that whatfo'er the Fates ordain,
From thence, at leaft, this Benefit you gain,
That, rightly ufmg this or that Decree,
You make a Virtue of Neceffity;
And what this Benefit doth mod inhaunce,
'Tis fuch as will admit no hinderance :
Therefore with Courage to the Gods repair,
To wliom you freely may your Doubts declare,
As to your Friends in whom you mod confide,
Whole Prudence and Integrity you've try'd;
And what they bid you do, let it be done
With the moft prudent Care, remembring whom
You chofe for Counfellors, whom you neglect
If their Advice you flight or difrefpedt
Nor muft you ev'ry little Doubt propofe
To their Divinities, but fuch as thofe,
Which, as wife Socrates was wont to fay,
Are very dark, abftrufe, and out o'th'way;
Such as are clear'd by their Events alone,
Which by no humane Methods can be (hewn.
You muft not fuch light Queries here propound,
Which every Man of common Senfe may found:
As whether Med'cines can reftore the Dead,
Or Hellebore can purge a Mad-rnan's Head ;
No Riddles here, in which old Wives delight,
With which thofe aged Sphynxes pafs the Night,
Nor fuch a Knot as ettfily's unty'd,
Nor queftions which by Sieve and Sheers are.try'd ;
But fomething difficult, and much involy'd,
Fit only by a God to be rcfolv'd.
There-
ENCHIRIDION. .37
Therefore when Reafon fays you're bound t' oppofe,
Though hazarding your Life, your Countrey's Foes,
And with heroick Danger to defend
Him you think worthy to be call'd your" Friend,
What need of heav'nly Information here,
Of Prophet, Augur, or Aftrologer ?
Nothing but Falfhood, or bafe Cowardice,
Can make a Scruple of a Cafe like this,
Since Reafon hath detrmin'd long ago,
Whether you ought t'expofe your felf or no.
Nay, let's fuppofe that you're refolv'd to try
This dubious weighty Point by Augury,
And that by fome unlucky Omen's mean?,
Death, or the Lofs of Limbs, or Banifhment; '
Yet (hould thefe Mifchiefs really enfud,
Which by foreboding Signs do threaten you,
In fpight of Exile, Wounds, nay Death, you muft
Be to your Friend and to your Countrey juft;
And Reafon ftill commands you to redrefs,
The one in Danger, th' other in Diftrefs.
Remember how that Mifcreant was us'd,
Who this kind Office to his Friend refus'd,
By the juft Oracle, who drove away
Th' ingrateful Wretch, and thus was heard to fay :
Ee gone, thou bafe Deferter of thy Friend!
Thy Prefence duih our Deity offend,
Thou faw'ft the Murderer give the fatal Wound,
Thou faw'ft thy friend lie weliring on the Ground',
Without Concern thou did 1 ft behold him bleed,
And not relieving, did ft approve the Deed :
Depart, for thou, even thou, thy Friend haft (lain ;
Hence, thou abandon dWretch> thou doft our Shrine pro-
phane*
XXXIX. Frame
38 E <P I CT E T I
xxxix.
Frame to your felf fome Forms, fome Rules whereby
To guide your Life, on which to keep your Eye,
Which whether to your felf you live reclufe,
Or which in Convention you may ufe;
For there are Dangers, which the Wife would fly
Both in Retirement and Society.
For neither can a Ship with Safety ride
Within her Port, if not with Cables ty'd;
Nor can fhe be fecure, when under Sail,
Though in fair Weather with a profp'rous Gale,
Unlefs known Rules, by long Experience try'd,
Her well-fpread Canvas, and her Rudder guide.
Nor only in the Main do Tempefts roar,
They ftrike the Flats, and riot on the Shore ;
And ildlful Sailors, with juft Reafon doubt
Dangers within, as well as thofe without,
XL.
Let modeft Silence be your greateft Care
In humane Converfation, and beware
Of being over talkative, and flum
That lewd perpetual Motion of the Tongue,'.
That Itch of fpeaking much, and be content
That your Difcourfe (though ftiort) be pertinent;
And when Occafion ferves, then fpeak your Senfe,-,
Without an over-weening Confidence.
Nor catch -at ev'ry Bait, nor open at
The common Opportunities of Chat :
As, fuch a Fencer play'd his Part with Skill,
That, like a Wreftler, breaks what Rib he will : ;
That fuch a Horfe is of the fleeteft kind,
And that his Dam engendered with the Wind :
That a full Cry of deep-mouth'd, long ear'd Hounds
Is the moil fweet and ravifhing of Sounds :
That
ENCHIRIDION. 39
That fuch a Lord with the beft Wines doth treat,
Has the bed Cook, is the beft read in Meat : (Crowd,
Thefe are the thread-bare Themes that pleafe the
The Ignorant, the Thoughtlefs, and the Proud.
But chiefly fliun Difcourfe concerning Men,
Nor fondly this Man praife, and that condemn,
For all immod'rate, and too lavifti Praife,
Too great an Expe&ation's apt to raife ;
And by reviling others you exprefs
Your little Wii'dom, but much Bitternefs :
Nor with abfurd Comparifons defame
One Man, by adding to another's Name:
For thus, by way of Foyle, the one's Difgrace
Sets off the Character you mean to raife;
With Hemlock this you crown, and that with Bays.
XLI.
Among your Friends with whom you may be free"]
If vain, or frivolous their Converfe be,
Or feem to favour of Indency,
Alter the Subject; fure you may invent
Some profitable, pleafing Argument,
Which, like a gentle Tide, with eafie Force,
May flop the Current of the firft Difcourfe :
But among Strangers learn to hold your Tongue*
Your good Intentions may be conftru'd wrong,
You may be term'd impertinent or rude,
Wife out of Seafon, and be faid t'intrude.
XLII.
Laughter, if rightly us'd, may be confeft
In fome fort to diftinguifli Man from Bead,
While by due Management it is allay'd,
While the ftricl Rules of Reafon are obey'd ;
But (hews if over-loud, or over- long,
Your Head but weak, altho' your Lungs be ftrong.
For
I
I
40 E T I CT E T I
For v'n a Smile, not in its proper Place,
Too juft a Blemifh on your Judgment lays ;
But cauflefs Laughter at each Thing you fee,
That grinning of the .thoughtlefs Mobile;
That fenfelefs gaping Mirth, that is expreft
Without the Provocation of a Jeft;
That wild convulfive Writhing of the Face,
That quite disfigures it from what it was,
Doth with Humanity fo little fuit,
It. makes you but a different fort of Brute.
XLIII.
Avoid th' Engagement of an Oath, or fwear
As feldom as you can, at leaft ^forbear
To bind your felf to what you cannot do,
And only fwear to that which lies in you :
For 'tis a wicked, blafphemous Offence,
To call the Gods to each Impertinence ;
To make them Knights o'th'Poft, to teftifie
That to be Truth, you know to be a Lye.
XLIV.
If with Civility you can, decline
All publick Feafts, and learn at Home to dine
With&fter Food, at your own Charge content ;
But if oblig'd, in point of Complement,
To eat abroad, be it your Care to fhun
The vulgar Dregs of Converfation :
As common vile Difcourfe, and dirty Jefts,
The naufeous Merriment of grealie Feafts :
For if your Company be lewd, you may
Soon grow as diffolute and lewd as they ;
For there's Contagion in each Word they fpeak,
Each Simile they make, each Jeft they break;
Their very Breath invenoms all the Chear,
As if the Harpye- Sifters had been there.
Thus
ENCUI RITiIO N. 41
Thus hurtful Vapours, riling from the Ground,
Poifon whate'er they meet, leave nothing found.
Thus a blear'd weeping Eye is apt to make
Th' infedled Eyes of the Beholders ake.
Thus Sheep difeas'd, pall'd Wine, corrupted Fruit,
If mixt, the healthful, fprightly, found pollute.
XLV.
For Meat, Drink, Cloaths, Houfe, Servants, and the
reft,
Which chiefly are the Body's Intereft,
Take this Prefcription, you may fafely ufe
Such a Proportion as will moft conduce
To the internal Welfare of your Mind,
And that's as much as Nature hath defign'd ;
Take juft as much of each, as may fuffice
For Health, and ftrength'ning of your Faculties ;
What your Neceflities require, but fly
Whatever tends to Pride, or Luxury.
The frugal Belly's eafily fupply'd ;
With wholfome, homely Fare well fatisfy'd ;
Nor hungry, doth abftain from Meat, becaufe
Not drefs'd with Art, with fome peculiar Sauce :
Nor thirfty, do you ftay for Choice of Wine ;
Nor do rich Delicates your Parts refine :
Nay, the Mind furfeits as the Body doth,
Intemperance hath the fame EffecT: on both.
Our Anceftors on Roots and Acorns fed,
Drank the cool Brook, nor felt an aking Head:
Without Difeafe, or Pain, they liv'd to fee
A numerous, and a well-grown Progeny;
And were, no doubt, as witty and as wife,
Without the Helps of ftudied Rarities.
An home-fpun Suit, tho' coarfe, will keep you warm,
And the keen Winter's Rigour will difarm,
i Better
4^ E<P I CT ET I
Better than coftly Robes of Tartan Dye,
Befet with Pearl, or rich Embroidery.
Nor need you fuch a {lately Houfe, as may
Afford a different Room for every Day
Through the whole Year , with a large fpacious Hall,
Since one fmall Room may ferveinftead of all;
Since you in one may eat, drink, walk, and fleep.
And why fb many Servants will you keep ?
Where's the Neceffity of all this State ?
Is it below you on your felf to wait?
Have you not Limbs, and Health, and Strength to do
Thofe Offices which they perform for you ?
But you, perhaps, believe 'tis bafe, and mean,
On your own Strength, on your own Legs to lean,
And vainly think 'tis granted and allow'd,
That to be generous is to be proud ;
And therefore when you're pleas'd to take the Air,
By brawny Slaves you're carried in a Chair;
Therefore you hire a Cook to drefs your Meat,
'Tis much you do not think 'tis mean to eat.
XLVI.
Before you're married, ftrive to live as free
As poffibly you can from Venery;
Though 'tis a Luft of a rebellious kind,
That owns the leaft Subjection to the Mind,
Th' Effort of Flefh of Blood, the furious Horfe,
.That beats againfl the Bit with headftro-ng Force:
Yet you're oblig'd in Juflice to refrain,
And to preferve your Body without Stain :
For as you think 'twould leiTen your repute
To marry with a common Proftitute,
So you're oblig'd to give your felf entire
To the chafle Arms of her whom you admire ;
But
ENCHIRIDION. 43
But if you're born fo forcibly away,
As not for Hymen and his Rites to ftay,
Yet ftill your Countrey's Laws -claim juft Refpecl,
Though you the Rules of Chaftity negledt.
Though ne'er fo rampant, fure you may abftain
From what's forbidden, from unlawful Gainv
As from Adultery ; nor need you wrong
Another, though your Lufts be ne'er fo ftrong;
Since there are other Liberties allow'd,
T'aiTwage this fcorching Fever of the Blood.
But if you're throughly mortify 'd, and find
No Inclination left for Womankind,
Yet grow not proud upon't, nor thofe accufe, jj
Who court thofe fenfual Pleafures you refufe ;
Nor boaft your Virtue fuch, that you defie
The weak Attractions of a pleaiing Eye :
That you, forfooth, are-.-cold a Scythian Ice,
For Boafting is a moft intemp'rate Vice,
Not worfe the wanton Sport that you cfcfpife.
No, 'tis the Leach' ry of the Mind, for which
There's no Excufe of Flefii and Blood, an Itch
Of being prais'd, which rather than you'll want,
Ev'n you your felf are your own Sycophant.
XLVII.
When you're inform'd that any one through fpight.
Or an ill-natur'd, fcumlous Delight
Of railing, llanders you, or doth accufe > r
Of doing fomething bafe, or fcandalous,
Difquiet not your felf for an Excufe,
Nor, bluft'ring, fwear he wrongs you with a Lye,
But flight th' Abufe, and make this calm Reply :
Alas ! hts ignorant ! For had he known
My other Faults and Follies, he had fiewn .
Thofe teo, nor bad he fyoke of this alone.
D XLVIIL
F
}
44 ET I C? E T I
XLVIII,
There's no great need that you (liould oft appear
At Shews, or help to crowd the Theatre :
.But if it be expected you fliould be
Amongft the reft, at the Solemnity
Of facre<^ Sports, when 'tis required that all
Should join to celebrate the Fedival,
.See with Indifference, and lay afide
Partiality, and wifti on neither fide ;
And be not more concern'd for what you fee,
Than your own Quiet and Tranquillity :
Be thefe your main Concern, your greateil Care,
And wifti that things maybe juft as they are,
And that the Victory may fall to him,
Who gains the Day, who doth the Garland win;
For while to neither, to your felf your'e kind,
Nor can you any Difappointment find.
Be not tranfported, do not laugh aloud,
Nor roar in Confort with the bellowing Crowd.
When the Shew's over, when from thence you come.
Dlfpute not much concerning what was done,
As, who's the tailed Fellow of his Hands,
Who bed the Launce, who bed the Sword, commands
Or whether fuch an one was fairly flain,
This is to aft th'Encounter o'er again.
But fay you out-talk the other, win the Priie,
Are you a Jot the better, or more wife?
You only ftiew that you admire the Sport,
When there's no tolerable Reafon for't :
And why fo great a Wonder is it made,
That a Man's quick, or dext'rous at his Trade ?
That one of greater Strength, or greater Skill,
Should get the better ? that a -Sword will -kill ?
" XLIX.
E NCHI RIVION. 4?
XLIX.
Avoid, if poflible, th* Impertinence
Of thofe who proftitute their Eloquence;
Who with a long Harangue, from Defk or &tage>
Both the rich Mobile, and poor engage :
For what Advantage are you like to gain,
By hearing fome one a whole Hour declaim,
While Alexanders Juftice he commends
For inurd'ring all his belt and truilieft Friends ?
How are you better'd by a tun'd DifcouiTe
Of Phalariis Bull, or Sivoris Horfe ?
Or a Defcription that's defign'd to fiiew
The various Colours of the heavenly Bow,
In a Difcourfe almoft as long as it,
Which the vile trifling Scribler takes for Wit >
What Wifdoin can you learn from C/Vo?'sHogs?
From Hecuba, turn'd Bitch, or Scyllas Dogs ?
iFrom weeping Nlobe transformed to Stone,
Or bloody Tereus feeding on his Son ?
But if in Manners you're oblig'd t'attend,
Becaufe perhaps the Author is your Friend ;
Or if that Tyrant, Cuftom, bring you there,
Be grave, but not morofe, nor too fevere,
Nor play the Critick, nor be apt to jeer;
Nor by Detraction feek inglorious Praife;
Nor feem to weep, when he your Joy would raife;
Nor grin, nor fwear, when fome fad Paffion tries
To draw the brinifti Humour from your Eyes,
Nor to the Company Difturbance caufe,
By finding Fault, or clamorous Applaufe;
Be fober and fedate, nor give Offence,
Or to your felf, or to the Audience.
L. \Vhca
4 6 T I CT E T I
L.
When you have ought to do, or are to treat
With Perfons whofe Authority is great,
Let Socrates and Zeno (hew you how,
And what their Prudence would think fit to do,
Were they to manage this Affair for you.
With what a Temper, how ferene 3nd brave,
In fuch a Cafe, would they themfelves behave !
For neither would they crouch, nor yield thro' Fear;
Nor would they rude or infolent appear ;
Nor would they any thing unfeemly fay,
Nor yet through Flatt'ry give the Caufe away.
By thefe great Patterns aft, you cannot fail ;
Wifdom and Courage, joyn'd, muft needs prevail.
LI.
Thefe Things before-hand to your felf propofe,
When you're about to vifit one of thofe
Who are call'd Great ; perhaps he's not within,
Or likely he's retir'd, nor to be feen :
Perhaps his Porter, fome rough fturdy Boor,
Amongft the Beggars thrufts you frofrfthe Door,
Or when, at length, you have Admittance got>
His Honour's bulie, -or he minds you not.
But if in fpight of'each Impediment,
In fpight of Slights, Affronts, you frill are bent
To make this Vifit, know you murt difpenfe
With fuch fmall Accidents, m>r take Offence
When you're defpis'd, nor with the vulgar cry,
'Tis not fo great a matter, what care I ?
In whom you through the Vifard may difcern
(Howe'er they ftrive to hide it) a Concern,
Who, like the Fox in JEfop, feem to fet
Thofe Grapes at naught, as four, they cannot get.
LIT,
ENCHIRIDION. 47
LII.
Boaft not in Company of what you've done,
What Battels you have fought, what Hazards run,
How firft at fuch a Siege of fuch a Town,,
You fcal'd the. WaJls,. and won the mural Crown ;
And how your Skill and Conduct gain'd the Day,
While Holts of flaughter'd Foes about you lay :
For while your Actions you your felf relate*
You from your real Merits derogate ; x
With your own Breath you blow away yQUf.Praife^
And overthrow thofe Trophies you would raife/
You talk away thofe Honours you have got, .
While forae defpife you, fome believe you not;
Nor is't as pkafant or agreeable
To them, to hear, as 'tis to you to tell;
What is't to them what Laurels you have gain'd ?
What Dangers you've efcap'd, what Wounds fuftain'd?
Perhaps they fancy all that. you have faid
Doth but their Sloth, or Cowardice upbraid;
And, vex'd or n'r'd, they wifli you all the fame
Dangers, and Wounds, and Hardftups o'er agairu
LIII.
'Tis but a forry fort of Praife to be
A Droll, the Jefter of each Company,
A Raifer of loud Laughter, a Buffoon,
The Sport, and the Diverfion of the Town.
For he that ftrains to pleafe and humour all,
Into the Common-Shore of Talk muft fall.
He that would make each merry, muft of force r ,
With ev'ry Folly, temper his Difcourfe ;
Sometimes talk downright Bawdry, then defie
The Gods, and laugh at dull Morality.
From fuch Behaviour, what can you expecV
But to be laugh'd at, and to lofe Refpedt ?
D 3 Yotf
48 E T I C T E T 1
You think you're much admir'd, tho' much deceiv'd,
You're neither lov'd, refpecled, nor believ'd.
For who would truft, love, honour, or commend
The Wretch, who for a Jeft betrays his Friend ;
To whom there's naught fo dear in Heav'n or Earth,
He would not make the Subject of his Mirth ?
LIV.
You make your felf contemptible and mean,
A Member of the Rabble, if obfcene
In Converfation ; wherefore when, you find
Some one to lewd Difcourfe too much inclin'dj
Ledhire him foundly for it, if there be
A fit convenient Opportunity.
Tell him he vents much Filth, but little Wit,
And only gains th'Applaufe of Fools by it.
Tell him 'tis fuch as fome muft needs refent,
Befides 'tis needlefs and impertinent.
But if by Wine, or Company engag'd,
He by your good Advice may be enrag'd,
3B^ Silence, Frowns, or Blu&es, fliew that you
That aaufeous Gonverfation difallow.
LV.
When fome Idea, that excites Defire,
Courts you in all its beft and gay Attire,
As when your Fancy lays you on a Bed
Of Rofes, and twines Myrtle round your Head,
Near am'rous ftady Groves, and purling Springs,
While hov'ring Cupids fan you with their Wings,
While you in the dear Fetters are confin'd,
Of fome foft Beauty's Arms, that's fair as kind, .
Take heed left here fo far you do purfue
That fancy'd Pleafure, as to wifo it true :
You're juft upon the Precipice's Brink,
. Paufe then a little, and take time to think ;
ENCHIRIDION. 4
Examine well the Object, and compare
Th' unequal periods, which allotted are
To weeping Penitence, and (hort-hVd Blifs,.
How long the one, how fhort the other is-:
Joy in a nimble Moment ends its Race,
And rueful, pale Repentance -takes its places
And moves with a fad, fullen, heavy Pace,
Attended all the way with Groans and Cries*.
Self-Accufations, Sighs, and watry Eyes.
Think then what Joy, and Pleafure you will find;
That is, what Peace, and Quiet in your Mind,
How you 'will praife your felf,. and blefs your Care
When you efcape the dang'rous pleafing Snare.
But if you think the Pleafure may content;
So fafe, agreeable, convenient,.
As that you'll have no reafon to repent;
Take heed you be not by its Sweets fubdu'd,
Drag'd by its fmiling P'orce to Servitude:
And think how much 'tis better to be free,
The Conqu'rour of fucH pow'rful Charms to be,
And triumph in fo great a Vi#ory.
LVI.
When you refolve to do what's right and fit,
Why (hould you fhun being feen in doing it?
Why friould you fneak, or why avoid the light,
Like confcious Bats, that only fly by Night?
What though the Vulgar, who all Senfe difclaim,>
That many-headed Monfcer without Brain,
Your Aftions through grofs Ignorance condemn?
You're likely in the right, when blam'd by them,
But if the Action's bad, you ought to ftmn
Th' attempting it, for 'tis not to be done.
If good ; what Caufe have you to dread or fly
Their falfe Reproaches, and rude Calumny ?
D 4 LVII;.
jo E <P I CT ET I
LVII.
As we fpeak Senfe, and carnnot but be right,
When we affirm 'tis either Day or Night,
But rave, and talk rank Nonfenfe, when we fay,
At the fame Inftant, 'tis both Night and Day;
So 'tis a Contradiction at a Feaft, -y
iT.o take the largeft Share, to cut the beft, C
Ad be a fair and fociable Gueft. j
You may, 'tis true, your Appetite appeafe,
But nm your Company,, nor Treater pleafe :
Wherefore of this Abfurdity beware,
And take a modeft, and an .equal Share*
Nor think each fav'ry Bit, that's there, your Due,
Noriet your Entertainer Blufh for you/
You may as weft fay 'tis both Day, and Night, >
As ftrive, at once, t' indulge your Appetite, \
And pleafe the reft, and him that doth invite. 5
If you ^flumt too great a Character,
Such as your feeble Shoulders cannot bear,
You muft, at beft, ridiculous appear.
Clad in a Lion's Skin, you only bray,
The Ears ftick out, and the dull Afs betray.
Befides you fooliflily neglecl the Part,
In which ypu might have (hewn much Skill and Art.
LIX.
As walking you tread warily, for fear
You ftrain your Leg, or left fome Nail (hould tear
Your Feet, let the like Caution be your Guide,
In all the Actions of your Life belide.
Fear to offend your Judgment, fear to flight
Reafon, th' unbiafs'd Rule of Wrong and Right,
Under whofe Conduct we more fafely may
Follow, where her Difcretion leads the way.
E NCHI RIVIO N. si
LX.
As the Shoe's made to ferve and fit the Foot,
As the Leg gives the Meafure to the Boo^
So our PofTellions (hould be meafur* d by
The Body's Ufe, and its Neceflity.
If here you flop, content with what you neecjl^
With what will keep you warm, your Body feed;
Within the Bounds of Temperance you live.
But if the Reins you to your Wifties give ;
If Nature's Limits you but once tranfgrefs*
You tumble down a headlong, Precipice
Into a boundlefs Gulph: This we may fee
If we purfue our former Simile :
For let's fuppofe your. Shoe made tight and fit-, ,
Strong, warm, and eafie, as 'tis requifite,
What more can be defired from a Shoe?^
'Tis all that Hide, and Thread, and Wax can do.
But iPyou look for more, you're hurry'd on
Beyond your Bounds, and then 'tis ten to one,
That it muft be more moduli, pink'd and wrought^
Then let with Pearls, from fartheft Indies brought*
Then with Embroidery and Purple fhrne;^
No matter if 'tis ufelefs, fo 'tis fine.
So there's no farther ftay, no farther bound,
By thofe who exceed juft Meafures, to be foumL
LXI.
When Women once their dear Fourteen attaia a ^
They firft our Love and Admiration gain ;
They Miftrefies are call'd, and now they find,
That they for Man's Diverfion are defign'd,
To which they're not averfe, perceiving then ,
That their Preferment lies in pleafing Men, ^
In being made Companions of their Beds r
They ftraight* begin tacufl, t' adorn ;heif-Bead^
I
yi E T I C T E T 1
To comb, perfume, and to confult the Glafs,
To ftudy what Attire commends a Face,
To pradife Smiles, and a beguiling Air;
Each thinks (he is as happy as fhe's fair,
As (lie can pleafe, as (he can conquer Hearts:
In thefe, and thoufand other fuch like Arts,
They place their only Hopes, on thefe depend,.
And earneftly expeft the wifh'd-for End.
Wherefore 'tis fit that they be taught to know,
That thefe Refpects, and Honours, that we (hew
To them, on this account are only due,
That as they're fair,, fo they are modeft too;
That they are fpotlefs, grave, referv'd, and wife,
That thefe ingaging. Virtues are the Tyes,
That more oblige, than Arts,, or amorous Eyes.
LXII.
In outward Actions,, to fpend too much time,,
Is of Stupidity too fure a Sign,
As long to exercife, and long to eat,.
To fpend whole Days, at lead, to cram down Meat,
To try what Drink your Belly will contain,
To be difgor^'d, to be pifs'd out again *
Then half an Hour, like a dull grinning Fool,
To make wry Faces, over a Clofe-ftool ;
Or like a brutiflr Swine, in fenfual Strife,
To wallow out whole Hours with your dull Wife;
When all this precious Time fhould be adign'd,
For brav.e Endeavours to improve, your Mind,
LXIIL
If any ftrive to injure, or defame
Your Honour, filching from you your good Name,
Confider, he believes this Blame your due:
dtftk only what he ought ta do,
For
ENCHIRI'DION. 5-3
For 'tis a thing impoffible, that he
Should fo in .fentinents with you agree,.
As not to follow his own bent of Mind
And that to which his Judgment is inclin'd.
Now if through Carelefsnefs he judge amifs, ,
He furfers moft, and all the Harm is his. .
He truly fuffers moft, whofe Reafon's Light
Is clouded o'er, whom Error doth benight;
He the Affront to his own Reafon gives,
Who thinks wrong right, who Falihoods Truths be*-
lieves.
Then why fliould his Miftakes your Soul torment?.
His own Miftakes, are his own Punifliment, ]
He wrongs his Judgment, not the Truth, or you; ;
You ftill are guiltlefs,' ft ill what's Truth is true.
Still 'tis a certain Truth (what e'er he fay)
That whenfoe'er the Sun appears, 'tis Day.
And thus prepar'd, you patiently may bear
His Rudenefs, and unmov'd his Slanders hear, .
And calmly anfwer, that fuch things to him
Fit to be done, fit to be faid, may Teem...
LXIV.
If you a flricT: Enquiry make, you'll find
That to each thing, two Handles are affign'd. .
One not to be endur'd, that will admit .
No touch', 'there's none, alas! can manage it, '
The other tradable, which every Hand
With mocTrate Skill and Prudence may command. 1 '.
If then your BrQthei injures you, through Pride, ,
Or Fraud, lay hold upon the fafer fide;
And do not ftraight examine his Oifen.ee, .
Touch'd with too deep, and too grievous a Senfe
Of the wrong oifer'd, left you difcompofe
Y out Mind, and Wrath to Injury oppofe;
D 6 JUe&;
?4 E<P I CT ET I
Left in a Tempeft you your felf engage,
Which only ferves to blow, t'inflame his Rage.
But rather think how near you are ally'd, }
That fuel* Offences ought not to divide,
And break the knot, which Nature's Hand haih ty'd ; )
Remember all the happy Years you fpent
Under one Roof, and the fame Management ;
Remembriflg this, you'll foon forget the 111
.Your Brother, did you, he's your Brother ftill.
LXV.
If I diould boail I wealthier am than you,
It follows not that I am better too,
If J fhould fay, I'm the more florid Man,
It follows not, I therefore, better am.
It rather follows, I am richer far,
Therefore my well-fill'd Bags the better arc,:
My Tongue is better hung, my Phrafe more neat n
Therefore my Language is the more xromplete,
Your Bags and fluent Speech have fome Pretence
To being better, to more Excellence,
But you are neither Wealth, nor Eloquence.
LXVI.
Doth, any one bath earlier than the time
That's ufually obferv'd, or drink much Wine ?
Ceafure him not, nor fay 'tis not well done,
Say only, he drinks much, or waftieth foon.
For why (houjd you, till you have underftood
His Reafons, judge his Adions bad or good?
Perhaps he wafheth early, with intent
Thus to refrefti himfelf with watching fpenfc
Whate'er your grave Sobriety may think,
In him perhaps 'tis Temperance to 4" nk -
Perhaps his Conftitution may require
: Wine, his L^mp more Oil to feed its Fire;
Firft
ENCHIRIDION. <
Firft know the Reafons, then you may proceed
With Safety to difpraife, or praife the Deed :
Thus will you never any Aftion blame,
And then on fecond thought commend the fame.
LXV1I.
When you> in ev'ry place, your felf profefs
A deep Philofopher, you but exprefs
Much Vanity, much Self-conceit betray^
And Pnew you are not truly what you fay.
Amongft rude^lgnorants, unthinking Tools,
To talk of Precepts, Maxims, and of Rules,
Is to be laugh'd at, thought a Banterer,
For how can they approve beyond their Sphere ?
Your Knowledge by your way of living (hew,
What is't, alas! to them, how much you know?
Aft as your Precepts teach, as, at a Feaft
Eat as 'tis fit, 'tis vain to teach the reft
How they (hould eat, who come but to enjoy
The prefent Chear, to fwallow and deftroy ,
Who come to gormandize, and not to hear
The fobex Precepts of a Ledurer.
Let Socrates inftrud you. to defpife.
The fond Defire of being counted wife,
Who, being afk'd by fome, (who had defign'd
T' affront him with, a Jeft,) to be fo kind,
As to inftmft them how to find, and where
There dwelt fome grave profound Philofopher,
Although the impudent Requefl imply'd
That he was none, without Concern, or Pride,
Or the leaft (hew of Anger, led them thence.
To thofe who fold Philofophy for Pence,
Who publickly poflefs'd it as a Trade,
a good handfome Income by. it made,
LXVHI,
S6- E <P I CT E T I
LXVIII.
When Man of fhallow Heads themfelves advance
Above their ufual Pitch of Ignorance,
To talk of Maxims and of Rules ; forbear
To interpofe your Senfe, or meddle there;
Why ftiould you laugh at this, or that confute ?
For what are you concern'd in the Difpute ?
What Reafon, or what Obligation lies
On you, to hinder them from feeming wife ?.
Befldes to be too much mclin'd to fpeak
Shews your Mind's Conftitution to be weak,
Your very love of talking doth declare
How ill your Principles digefted are,
And that you do not pradtife what you know,
As vomiting doth a weak Stomach fhew.
O, but perhaps you fancy, that they may
Conftrue your filence, Ignorance, and fay
That you know nothing ; well, fuppofe they do>
If patiently you bear it, know that you
Have the great Work begun, you now begin ,
To feel your Precepts ftrengthen you within.
"Tis your Behaviour that can belt exprefs
The well digefted Maxims you profefs,
Thus well fed Sheep do not caft up their Meat,
Tofatisfie their Shepherd wjiat they eit, ;
But. what they eat, and inwardly, digeft
By Fatnefs, Fleece, and Milk they manifdt.
LXIX.
If you have.learn'd to live on homely Food,
To feed On Roots, 1 and Lupines, be not proud,
Since ev'ry Beggar may be prais'd for that,
He eats as Uttle, is as temperate:
So if you drink coki Water, and abftain
Prom 41 fuch Liquors as affect the Brain, .
Why
ENCHIRIDION. 57-
Why flaould you feek Occafions to declare
How moderate, how abftemious you are?
For what Advantage by it can you gain,
If in your fober Cups you ftill are vain?
Would you inure your felf to undergo
The Wrath of Winter, play with Froft and Snow ?
Let it not be in publick, nor embrace
Cold Marble-Statues in the Market-place :
But would you to the very height afpire
Of bearing much, firft bridle your Defire
Of being prais'ct ; take Water in your Mouth
When your parch'd Vitals almoft crack with Drought,
And in the very Pangs of Thirft reftrain,
And without boafting fpit it out again.
LXX.
The Hopes, and Fears of a Plebeian's Mind,
To outward Objects only are confin'd;
Riches and Pleafures are his chief Delight,
The Prizes which engage his Appetite,
Thefe he thinks make him fortunate, if wonj
And if he fail, he's ruin'd and undone,
Nor has the fordid, thoughtlefs thing, a Senfe
Of a more noble inward Excellence.
But the Philofopher's exalted Soul
No little outward Trifles can.controul,
No promis'd Joy, norFear his mind affects,
Mis Good and 111 he from himfelf expects,
Secure within himfelf, he can defpife
The Gayeties, that charm the Vulgars Eyes,
And Accidents, which weaker Minds furprize.
LXXI.
Such, and fo differing is the Character
Of the Plebeian and Philofopiier.
j8 E p / car E T I
Now the Proficient, he that labours on
Towards Perfection, by thefe Signs is known,
He no Man blames, he no Man cioth condemn,
He praifeth not himfelf, nor other Men,
Boafts not the Greatnefs of his Parts, nor (hews
On every light Occafvpn all he knows ;
Or if fome Rub or Hinderance he find
In any Enterprixe, he had defign'd,.
He blames himfelf; if prais'd, he can defpife-
The fulfome Dawber, and his Flatteries ;
If blam'd, he doth not ftudy a Defence,
Left he.be carried on with Vehemence ;
As Men, who.hiave been lately fick, take care
Left they relapfe* and venture not too far,
Til) they be perfectly reftor'd, fo he
Declines the making an. Apology,
Left he fliould be too eagerly concern'd,
Before his Strength of Mind be well confirm*^
AH his Delires, and his Averfions fall,
Only on things, which he his own can call ;
And as to things in his own Choice and Will ;
His Appetite he rules with Caution (till
What the World judgeth him,, he values not,
Whether Philofopher or Idiot ;
In (hort, he o'er himfelf is as a Spie.
He o'er his Actions keeps a watchful Eye,
As he would watch a Knave, or Enemy.
LXXII.
Doth any Man look big, and boaft tha.t he
Doth underftand Chryfppus thorowly,
That he hath dig'd the Mine, and found the Goldj
That he his darkeft Precepts can unfold?
Say thus within your felf ; Why what Prettnet
\ this MM have to merit, fyke */*,
I
ENCHIRIDION. 59
Of *ivhat Chryfippui writ were plain ? but I
Would ftudy Nature, and my Thought * apply
To follow her ; but who /ball lead me on,
Jind foew the way ? 'Tis time that 1 ivere gone.
Having matte this Inquiry, when. I hear
Chryfippus Is the b$ft Interpreter,
1 the dark Author flraightway take in hand,
But his hard Writings do not under ft and ;.
JT find him difficult, alflrufe, profound,
1 feme one feck, who his vaft Depth can found.
After much fearch I find him, but as yet,
1 have ac.complifl}' d nothing that is great,
Till I begin t&.prac~iife what I fought,,
What he explains, what great Chryfippus taught.
Jhen, and then on.ly, Is the Garland won,
for Practice is the Prize, fcr which we run.
If Knowledge be the Bound of my Dfjire,
Jf learning him be all that I admire,
If I applaud my felf, bccaufe I can
Explain Chryfippus, a Grammarian,
Inflead of a Philofopher, I grow ;
Ftr what I foould have done, I only know :
Here's all the difference between him, and me^
Chryfippus 1 expound, and Homer he:
All that I have atchievd is to explain }
What great Chryfippus writ, and blufi for Shame- V
That knowing what he taught, I flill am vain. J
LXXIII.
To thefe great Rules with Conftancy adhere,
With noble Refolutions, pious Kear,
Fear to recede from thefe, as you would dread
To tear the facred Garhxnd from the Head
Of awful Jove, or wickedly deny
To pay your Vows made to the Deity,
And
66 E <P I C T E T I
And mind not what the thoughtlefs Vulgar fay,
Whofe Words the Winds blow with rank Fogs away,
Whofe Calumnies you can no more prevent,.
Than chain thofe Roarers -of the Element,
When with tlreir airy Wings they beat the Plain,
And buffet the green Surges of the Main.
LXXIV.
Awake, awake, how long will you decline
The Happinefs propos'd, and wade your Time?
How long, through Sioth, will you perfift to flight,
What Reafon hath informed you to be right ?
You have receiv'd the Precepts, fuch as may
Guide you the fa fed, and the fur eft way,
To which you ought to have, and have agreed;
What other Teacher feem you now to need ?
Do you expecl: that fome defcending God
Should leave his bled, and heavenly abode
To finifh what your Reafon hath begun,
To teach you what e'er this you might have done ?
Your giddy Years of frolick Youth are fled,
Manhood,that fiiould be wife, reigns in its dead;
Your vigorous Reafon now hath reach* d its prime,
But from its full Meridian mud decline,
If lazily you fleeg away your Noon,
The Night fteals on you, and finds nothing done:
If dill irrefolute you love delay,
And fpend whole Years in fixing -oh a Day,
And when 'tis come, new Refolutions make,
Which your Neglecl refolves but to.forfake,
You drive to grow more fooliflh than you are,
And for gray Dotage by degrees prepare;,
A merd Plebeian to the Grave you go,
Laden with Age, with Follies, and with Woe.:
Where-
E NCHIRI'DIO N. 61
Wherefore begin, let no Delays defer
The peaceful Life of a Philofopher,
And let what Reafon tells you to be beft,
Be as a Law, that may not be tranfgrefs'd.
Begin to live, let your Behaviour &ew
What an Advantage 'tis to think and know :
For this alone, we Life may juftly term,
To live vtfth Eafe of Mind, without Concern.
An hundred Years in Grief and Anguifh fpent,
Are not long Life, but a long Punifliment ; (Breath
For Sighs, Complaints, and Groans , and murm'ring
Are but the Gafps of a more lingr'ing Death.
Therefore whene'er you any Object meet,
Whofe Force is pdw'rful, and whofe Charms are fweet,
When you encounter Hardfhips, Danger, Paia,
Immortal Ignominy, deathlefs Fame,
Reme'mber that th' Olym picks now are come,
That you no longer may the Combat (liun,
On this one Trial doth your Doom depend,
You in one Moment fail, or gain your End,
You either conquer, or. are conquer'd foon,
And lofe, or wear, the Honours of the Crown.
Thus Socrates advanc'd his lading Name,
Thus he the wond'rous Socrates became,^
Him nothing but right Reafon e'er could fway,
Which he believ'd 'twas glorious to obey;
He all Delay, in what feem'd beft, thought bafe,
Not only real Lofs, but vile Difgrace.
And you (though yet you have not the Succefs
To reach the Wifdom of great Socrates)
Should ftrive to live as if you meant to be
As wife, as happy, and as great as he.
LXXV. Phi,
6i E T I CT ET I
LXXV.
Philofophy's mod ufeful Part is this,.
Which fliews us what a wife Man's Duty is*
Which teadieth, vrhat we fliould purfue or fly,
As for Example, that we (herald not lie.
The next is Dem.onftra.tion, that which (hews.
By Argument, which from right Reafon flows ;
Why we, who ftudy Nature,, ought to fhiwi
The Bafenefs of a falfe, deceitful Tongue.
The third is what confirms, gives Forehand Light,.
And proves the Demonftratiien to be right,
Shews where the Contradiction lies, in Senfe,
What is, what is not, a true Confequence,.
Of Truth and Falftiood gives clear Evidence.
This laft is ufeful, for the fecond, that,
By Reafon, puts an End to all Debate
Touching the firft, but that's the Part that claims
(As being the moft ufeful) the .moil Pains;
On which we fafely may rely, and reft
Secure of Happinefs, intirely bleft ;
But we, O bafe Neglect ! the Means purfue
Of doing well, but ftill forget to -do.
We dwell on the Difpute, our Time is fpent
Only in framing of the Argument,
Hence 'tis we lie, and with much Art and Skill*
Aft what we can demonflhte to be ill.
LXXVi.
In every Adion which you undertake,
With great Cleanthe; this Petition make,
Lzad me, O Jove! an,d thott, O pow'rful Fatf^
In ev'ry Enterprise , in ev'ry Stnte y
As you determine, for I fnufl obey
The -wife Injunctions 9 which yet* on me lay .
ENCHIRIDION. 63
for fliould I at your dread decrees repine.
And ftrive your facred Orders to decline,
I Jhould but labour wickedly in vain, -y
And ftruggle with an everlafting Chain, v
And, after all, be draggd along with Pain. j
LXXVII.
Think on this Saying of Euripides,
He, that fubmits to Deftiny's Decrees,
Is juflly counted wife by Men, and knows
The due Refpetts, whkh to the Gods he owes.
LXXVIII.
And this, O Socrates, till aged time
Shall be no more, till Stars (hall ceafe to (bine,
Shall never be forgotten ; for 'tis thine.
O Crito, if the Gods decree that I,
Tappeafe the Rage of Enemies, mufl die,
Let it be fo, the falfe Anytus may -^
With falfe Melifus, take my Life away, C
$ut cannot hurt me, or my foul difmay. 3
F I N I S.
A T A B LE of the chief things contained
in the Book.
T Kings dependent or not dependent on us, Page i
Opinion the caufe of Misfortunes, p. 6, 26, 27, 40
Oflentation foolifo, p. 13,47, &c.
Things foon to be parted with, not to be doted, on, p. 8
Remedies againfl all Accidents, p. 8, 9
Temperance, p. 9, 51
Patience, p. u
Conftancy, p. 12
Our IVi/hes are to be reflrained, p. 8, 9, 12, 19
True freedom, p. 13
Life compared to a Banquet. ibid.
Modefly and Contentment, p. 15
Atew, tf0 cannot chufe his part in this Life, yet may
chufe to perform it well, p. . 1 5 , 1 6
How to be fecure againfl ill Omens, p. 16
How to be invincible, p. 16, 17
Injury, p. 17, 18
T&0 ufefulnefs of frequent thoughts of Death, p. 18
Wifdom laugh* d at by the -Multitude, p. 19
Bm*r f<? be zw//, ** feem ro ^^ ^, p. 20
Of Power and Preferment, p, 20, 21, 22
The Preferment and Refpett of others not to be envied',
where of flattery, p. 2 3, 24
The fame Reflections we make upon the Accidents that
befall our Neighbours, to be applied-to our [elves in the
like cafe, p. 25
'Tis the part of a wife Man to examine the means of at-
taining the end, that he be not foiled in his Enterprise,
or, Better is the end of a thing than the beginning
thereof, Ecclef. c. 7. v. 8. p. 27, 28
A true
A TABLE, : f,
A true Philofopher described, p. ip, 30
Duty of Chddren to their Parents, p. 31
Religion conffls in right fentiments of God, p. 32.? &*
Our Life to he govern d by certain R.ules, P* 39
Silence, ibid.
Oaths to be ufed feldom and very cautioujly, p. 40
Bad Company to be found, ibid.
Superfluities to be abandon d, Nature being content with
little, p. 41
Continency, p. 41
Impertinent Eloquence not ^vorth the hearing, p. 45-
The ufefulnefs of vjife Mens Resolutions in difficult mat-
ters, p. 46
The inconvenience of being a "Buffoon, p. 47
Of our Behaviour at a Feafl, p. 48
We muft not affett to be more than ^vhat we are, p. 50
Life compared to a Walk, ibid.
Women affeci vain and empty ways to pleafe Men, p. 5 1
Their true Ornament, p. 51
The Improvement of the Mind to be -preferrd to bodily
Exercifes and Pleafures, ibid.
A Motive to Patience, p. 55
Every thing hath tivo Handles, ibid.
Goodnefs confifls neither in being rich nor eloc^uent i p. $4
Refer'vednefs in judging others, ibid.
Philofophy fhould appear rather in the Actions than in
the Tongue, P- 55
The difference between a Philosopher and another Man 9
p: 56
The Character of a true Philosopher, P- 57
Knowledge vain without Practice, p. 58
Exhortation to live well, p. $9
The ufefttlnefs of Philofophy, p. 6i
God's Direction to be implored on every ftale, ibid.
His Will to be fubmitted to, p. 63
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