| -Epiolets | HE i / Rmnctten fl RCs de i Ra ACU i Meter 3INTRODUCTION ‘TheWitle. book by Epictetus called. Enchividion. or “man- ual” hat played a disproportionately Jarge rele, in the rise of modern’ attitudes and-modérn: philosophy. Ag soon, as it had 2 ‘been translated itito: the vernacular languages, it became a “NOTE ON THE TEXT bestsellér.“ among independent intellectwab, ‘among ant we Christie sinker, and among philowphert‘ot a subjective signe had a copy of the Enchirdion among. his ‘The text of “the Second ‘edition isa reprint of the fiibe EES 00 gies ta iejecied the’ eas pride of * edition except for'a Few minor corrections in style, punctisa’ = ae ‘Stoic philosopher, Frederick. the Great carried the book tion, and spelling, which have been ‘revised. to conform to: 7 with hith on all campaigns. It was a source of inspivation and current Americin usage. fencouragenient to Anthony, Earl of Shafteshiry, in the The editorial aff of the publishers has added a Tew 2x ‘which ended only in his death: many pages of Planatory notes Which ate set in-brackets and barked, "Ed." ities eontain passages copied from the Enthividion: It has A Be been studieil and widely quoted by Scottish philosophers like PBF Francis Hutcheson, “Adami Sinith, and- Adara; Ferguson. who ‘valued Stoic moral’ philosophy for its recondlliation of social v1 “dependengy atid pétsonal independence, * ; ee Than hes wa eb f Solem thé nti at . £ Sees corel which marked the emergence ‘of the'modern age- was rot, meip chance. Philosophical, moral,-and btial conditions bf the Hime immited to cause it. Romain Stoitinn had-been de- : elope ‘times of despotism as a philosdphy of lonely. and J" 4 couraged souls who had. recognized the redeatriing power of philosophiéalireason in all the moral and seejal’ purposes of ‘fe. Philosophy as a way of life makes men’ fjee. Tt'is the last. = ’ itch stand ee liberty in'a world of servitude, Many elerients ts oe . in the Hew’ age led to thought which had: dierural. affinity. 5 . with Raman. Stojcism. Modern tinies had cxtated ‘the indé. s ‘ ‘pendent ‘thinker, the free intellectual in x seqylar civilization. : * Modern} tim¢s had destroyed medieval lbertigg and liad: estab lished ‘the new despotisi of the absolute state supported by i \ecclesiabtical authotity.. Modern, philosophiet: eoritinuted the’Copyright © 1948, 1955 by The Bobbs-Merrill Company, Ine. Printed inthe United States of America All rights reseved. No par ofthis book shall be feprofued ort in any form ory ay means tonic or mechanical, inchading photocopying, recording, ‘or by any information o retriceal system, without wren perminion from the Publisher: “The Bobs Meeil Company, In. 4300 West tnd Street, Indianapolis Indiana 46268 First Edition ‘Twenty-first printing —1982 ISBN 0-672-60170-2 (pbk.) CONTENTS Note ow rue Taxt IntRoDucTION Seuuctep Brsuiocearny THE ENCHIRIDION 1a 178 RRICrETUs basic trend in Stoicism in making the subjective consciousness the foundation of philosophy. The Stoic emphasis on moral problems was also appealing in an era of rapid transition when all the values which had previously been taken for granted were questioned and reconsidered. While it is interesting to observe how varied were the effects produced by this small volume, this epitome of the ‘Stoic system of moral philosophy, these effects seem still more remarkable when we consider that it was not intended to be a philowypiical ueatise on Stoicism for students, Tt was rather, to be a guide for the advanced student of Stoicism to show him the best roads toward the goal of becoming a true philosopher. Thus Epictetus and his Enchividion have a tunique position in Roman Stoicism. Seneca and Marcus Aurelius had selected Stoic philosophy as the most adequate system for expressing their existential problems of independ- ence, solitude, and history. In this enterprise, Seneca made tremendous strides toward the insights of social psychology as a by-product of his consciousness of decadence (in this he wwas close to Niewsche), but he was not primarily concerned with the unity of the Stoie system, Marcus Aurelius changed the philosophical doctrine into the regimen of the lonesome ruler. In contrast to both, Epictetus was teaching Stoic phi losophy as a doctrine and as a way of life, The Enchiridion is a summary of theoretical and applied Stoicism. Epictetus was the son of a woman slave, born between 50 and 60 A.D. at Hieropolis in Phrygia. We clo not know how hhe came to Rome. He was there as slave to one of Nero's dis tinguished freedmen who served as the Emperor's secretary. ‘While still in service, Epictetus took courses with Musonius Rufus, the fashionable Stoic philosopher, who was impressed by the sincere and dynamic personality of the young slave and trained him co be a Stoic philosopher. Epictetus became a free ‘man and began teaching philosophy on street corners, in the market, but he was not successful, During the rule of Domi- tian, Epictetus with many other philosophers was exiled from Rome, probably between 89 and 92 A.D. He went to Nicop- aTRoDUCTION 9 olis, across Actium in Epirus, where he conducted his own school. He was so well regarded and highly esteemed that he established the reputation of the place as the town of Epic- tetus’ school. Students came from Athens and Rome to attend his classes. Private citizens came to ask his advice and guid- ance. Some of his students returned to their homes to enter the traditional careers to which they were socially obligated. Others assumed the philosophic way of life in order to escape into the sphere of Stoic freedom. ‘Among the students was a young Roman, Flavius Arrian, who took courses at Nicopotis when Epictetus was alteady old. Flavius, who was born in 108 A.D. was one of the inti- mates of Hadrian, who made him consul in 130 A.D, He probably studied with Epictetus between the years 123 and 126 A.D. The informal philosophical talks which Epictetus hhad with his students fascinated him. Needless to say there were also systematic courses in the fields of philosophy. But it was the informal discourses which convinced Arrian that he had finally discovered a Stoic Socrates of a Stoic who was not merely teaching a doctrine, but also living the truth, Arrian recorded many of the discourses and informal ‘conversations of Epictetus with his intimate students, He took them down in shorthand in order not to lose the ineffable liveliness, grace, and wit of the beloved teacher, Arrian re: tired into private life after the death of Hadrian in 188 A.D. and dedicated himself to his literary work. He published his notes on Epictetus’ teaching under the title: Discourses in Four Books. The Enchiridion, which was also arranged by Arrian, is a brief summary of the basic ideas of Stoic philos ophy and an introduction to the techniques required to trans form Stoic philosophy into a way of Life. Thus we do not have any original writings of Epictetus. Like G. H. Mead in recent times, he was completely dedicated to the human and intellectual problems of his students, He left it for them to preserve what they considered to be the lasting message of the teacher. In contrast to Seneca and Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus had no subjective approach to the10 BpICTETUs Stoic doctrines. Moral philosophy was the center of his teach. jing, and epistemology was only instrumental, It is even per missible to say that he took physics or cosmology too lightly. Uf this is granted, we must admit that he is completely ab- sorbed by the fundamentals of Stoic thought as presented in the Enchiridion. Epictetus’ personality is totally integrated in the act of reasoning which establishes conformity with nature. A remarkable difference between the Discourses and the Encl ing image of the teacher in action; they present the process of philosophizing, not the finished product. They show the en- thusiastic and sober, the realistic and pathetic moralist in ‘constantly changing perspectives determined by the changing students with their various concerns, problems, and ques. tions; his teachings, his formulations, have direct reference to the various life situations in which the students should apply and practice the master’s Stoic teaching. No human situation is omitted; a5 a guide to conduct, philosophy has relevance for all. Whether the students have to attend a din- ner party, whether they are among competitors in a stadium or in a swimming pool, whether they have to present them- selves at court or in an office, whether they are in the company of their mothers and sisters or of gitl friends, in all human situations the philosopher knows the correct advice for the philosophical apprentice. Thus, in the Discourses, Arrian pre- sents the unique individuality of the philosopher and of his applied moral method in living contact with va in concrete situations. Epictetus as teacher anticipates very modern educational methods in his regard for the structure of situations and the changing perspectives in human rela- tionships. ‘Nothing like this is revealed in the Enckiridion. Gone is the Stoic philosopher as living spirit. What remains is the living spirit of Stoicism. The Enchividion is a manual for the ‘combat oficer. This analogy should be taken seriously. The Roman Stoies coined the formula: Vivere militare! (Life is being a soldier) The student of philosophy is a private, the mvrRopucTION Nn advancing Stoic is a non-commissioned officer, and the philos- copher is the combat officer. 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