the golden sayings-第15节

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thiswhat　none　may　hinder；　what　is　surely　in　my　powerthat　I

may　be　found　raising　up　in　myself　that　which　had　fallen；　learning

to　deal　more　wisely　with　the　things　of　sense；　working　out　my　own

tranquillity；　and　thus　rendering　that　which　is　its　due　to　every

relation　of　life。　。　。　。



If　death　surprise　me　thus　employed；　it　is　enough　if　I　can

stretch　forth　my　hands　to　God　and　say；　〃The　faculties　which　I

received　at　Thy　hands　for　apprehending　this　thine　Administration；

I　have　not　neglected。　As　far　as　in　me　lay；　I　have　done　Thee　no

dishonour。　Behold　how　I　have　used　the　senses；　the　primary

conceptions　which　Thous　gavest　me。　Have　I　ever　laid　anything　to

Thy　charge？　Have　I　ever　murmured　at　aught　that　came　to　pass；　or

wished　it　otherwise？　Have　I　in　anything　transgressed　the

relations　of　life？　For　that　Thou　didst　beget　me；　I　thank　Thee　for

that　Thou　hast　given：　for　the　time　during　which　I　have　used　the

things　that　were　Thine；　it　suffices　me。　Take　them　back　and　place

them　wherever　Thou　wilt！　They　were　all　Thine；　and　Thou　gavest

them　me。〃If　a　man　depart　thus　minded；　is　it　not　enough？　What

life　is　fairer　and　more　noble；　what　end　happier　than　his？













（APPENDIX　A）







FRAGMENTS



Attributed　to　Epictetus







I





A　life　entangled　with　Fortune　is　like　a　torrent。　It　is

turbulent　and　muddy；　hard　to　pass　and　masterful　of　mood：　noisy

and　of　brief　continuance。





II





The　soul　that　companies　with　Virtue　is　like　an　ever…flowing

source。　It　is　a　pure；　clear；　and　wholesome　draught；　sweet；　rich；

and　generous　of　its　store；　that　injures　not；　neither　destroys。





III





It　is　a　shame　that　one　who　sweetens　his　drink　with　the　gifts

of　the　bee；　should　embitter　God's　gift　Reason　with　vice。





IV





Crows　pick　out　the　eyes　of　the　dead；　when　the　dead　have　no

longer　need　of　them；　but　flatterers　mar　the　soul　of　the　living；

and　her　eyes　they　blind。





V





Keep　neither　a　blunt　knife　nor　an　ill…disciplined　looseness

of　tongue。





VI





Nature　hath　given　men　one　tongue　but　two　ears；　that　we　may

hear　from　others　twice　as　much　as　we　speak。





VII





Do　not　give　sentence　in　another　tribunal　till　you　have　been

yourself　judged　in　the　tribunal　of　Justice。





VIII





If　is　shameful　for　a　Judge　to　be　judged　by　others。





IX







Give　me　by　all　means　the　shorter　and　nobler　life；　instead　of

one　that　is　longer　but　of　less　account！





X







Freedom　is　the　name　of　virtue：　Slavery；　of　vice。　。　。　。　None

is　a　slave　whose　acts　are　free。





XI





Of　pleasures；　those　which　occur　most　rarely　give　the　most

delight。





XII





Exceed　due　measure；　and　the　most　delightful　things　become

the　least　delightful。





XIII





The　anger　of　an　apethe　threat　of　a　flatterer：these

deserve　equal　regard。





XIV





Chastise　thy　passions　that　they　avenge　not　themselves　upon

thee。





XV





No　man　is　free　who　is　not　master　of　himself。





XVI





A　ship　should　not　ride　on　a　single　anchor；　nor　life　on　a

single　hope。





XVII





Fortify　thyself　with　contentment：　that　is　an　impregnable

stronghold。





XVIII





No　man　who　is　a　lover　of　money；　of　pleasure；　of　glory；　is

likewise　a　lover　of　Men；　but　only　he　that　is　a　lover　of

whatsoever　things　are　fair　and　good。



XIX





Think　of　God　more　often　than　thou　breathest。





XX





Choose　the　life　that　is　noblest；　for　custom　can　make　it

sweet　to　thee。





XXI





Let　thy　speech　of　God　be　renewed　day　by　day；　aye；　rather

than　thy　meat　and　drink。





XXII







Even　as　the　Sun　doth　not　wait　for　prayers　and　incantations

to　rise；　but　shines　forth　and　is　welcomed　by　all：　so　thou　also

wait　not　for　clapping　of　hands　and　shouts　and　praise　to　do　thy

duty；　nay；　do　good　of　thine　own　accord；　and　thou　wilt　be　loved

like　the　Sun。





XXIII





Let　no　man　think　that　he　is　loved　by　any　who　loveth　none。









XXIV







If　thou　rememberest　that　God　standeth　by　to　behold　and　visit

all　that　thou　doest；　whether　in　the　body　or　in　the　soul；　thou

surely　wilt　not　err　in　any　prayer　or　deed；　and　thou　shalt　have

God　to　dwell　with　thee。





Note。Schweigh剈ser's　great　edition　collects　181　fragments

attributed　to　Epictetus；　of　which　but　a　few　are　certainly

genuine。　Some　（as　xxi。；　xxiv。；　above）　bear　the　stamp　of

Pythagorean　origin；　others；　though　changed　in　form；　may　well　be

based　upon　Epictetean　sayings。　Most　have　been　preserved　in　the

Anthology　of　John　of　Stobi　（Stobaeus）；　a　Byzantine　collector；　of

whom　scarcely　anything　is　known　but　that　he　probably　wrote

towards　the　end　of　the　fifth　century；　and　made　his　vast　body　of

extracts　from　more　than　five　hundred　authors　for　his　son's　use。

The　best　examination　of　the　authenticity　of　the　Fragments　is

Quaestiones　Epicteteae；　by　R。　Asmus；　1888。　The　above　selection

includes　some　of　doubtful　origin　but　intrinsic　interest。Crossley。

















（APPENDIX　B）







The　Hymn　of　Cleanthes





Chiefest　glory　of　deathless　Gods；　Almighty　for　ever；

Sovereign　of　Nature　that　rulest　by　law；　what　Name　shall　we　give　Thee？

Blessed　be　Thou！　for　on　Thee　should　call　all　things　that　are　mortal。

For　that　we　are　Thine　offspring；　nay；　all　that　in　myriad　motion

Lives　for　its　day　on　the　earth　bears　one　impressThy　likenessupon　it。

Wherefore　my　song　is　of　Thee；　and　I　hymn　thy　power　for　ever。



Lo；　the　vast　orb　of　the　Worlds；　round　the　Earth　evermore　as　it　rolleth；

Feels　Thee　its　Ruler　and　Guide；　and　owns　Thy　lordship　rejoicing。

Aye；　for　Thy　conquering　hands　have　a　servant　of　living　fire

Sharp　is　the　bolt！where　it　falls；　Nature　shrinks　at　the　shock

and　doth　shudder。

Thus　Thou　directest　the　Word　universal　that　pulses　through　all　things；

Mingling　its　life　with　Lights　that　are　great　and　Lights　that　are　lesser；

E'en　as　beseemeth　its　birth；　High　King　through　ages　unending。



Nought　is　done　that　is　done　without　Thee　in　the　earth　or　the　waters

Or　in　the　heights　of　heaven；　save　the　deed　of　the　fool　and　the　sinner。

Thou　canst　make　rough　things　smooth；　at　Thy　voice；　lo；　jarring　disorder

Moveth　to　music；　and　Love　is　born　where　hatred　abounded。

Thus　hast　Thou　fitted　alike　things　good　and　things　evil　together；

That　over　all　might　reign　one　Reason；　supreme　and　eternal；

Though　thereunto　the　hearts　of　the　wicked　be　hardened　and　heedless

Woe　unto　them！for　while　ever　their　hands　are　grasping　at　good　things；

Blind　are　their　eyes；　yea；　stopped　are　their　ears　to　God's　Law　universal；

Calling　through　wise　disobedience　to　live　the　life　that　is　noble。

This　they　mark　not；　but　heedless　of　right；　turn　each　to　his　own　way；

Here；　a　heart　fired　with　ambition；　in　strife　and　straining　unhallowed；

There；　thrusting　honour　aside；　fast　set　upon　getting　and　gaining；

Others　again　given　over　to　lusts　and　dissolute　softness；

Working　never　God's　Law；　but　that　which　warreth　upon　it。



Nay；　but；　O　Giver　of　all　things　good；　whose　home　is　the　dark　cloud；

Thou　that　wieldesy　Heaven's　bolt；　save　men　from　their　ignorance　grievous；

Scatter　its　night　from　their　souls；　and　grant　them　to　come　to　that　Wisdom

Wherewithal；　sistered　with　Justice；　Thou　rulest　and　governest　all　things；

That　we；　honoured　by　Thee；　may　requite　Thee　with　worship　and　honour；

Evermore　praising　thy　works；　as　is　meet　for　men　that　shall　perish；

Seeing　that　none；　be　he　mortal　or　God；　hath　privilege　nobler

Than　without　stint；　without　stay；　to　extol　Thy　Law　universal。









End