Theproprietyofaction，therulewhichJupiterhadgivenusforthedirectionofourconduct，evidentlyrequiredthisofus。Butifitwasaltogetheroutofourpowertodoeither，weoughtthentoconsiderthiseventasthemostfortunatewhichcouldpossiblyhavehappened；becausewemightbeassuredthatittendedmosttotheprosperityandorderofthewhole，whichwaswhatweourselves，ifwewerewiseandequitable，oughtmostofalltodesire。Itwasourownfinalinterestconsideredasapartofthatwhole，ofwhichtheprosperityoughttobe，notonlytheprincipal，butthesoleobjectofourdesire。
　　’Inwhatsense，’saysEpictetus，’aresomethingssaidtobeaccordingtoournature，andotherscontrarytoit？Itisinthatsenseinwhichweconsiderourselvesasseparatedanddetachedfromallotherthings。Forthusitmaybesaidtobeaccordingtothenatureofthefoottobealwaysclean。Butifyouconsideritasafoot，andnotassomethingdetachedfromtherestofthebody，itmustbehoveitsometimestotrampleinthedirt，andsometimestotreaduponthorns，andsometimes，too，tobecutoffforthesakeofthewholebody；andifitrefusesthis，itisnolongerafoot。Thus，too，oughtwetoconceivewithregardtoourselves。Whatareyou？Aman。Ifyouconsideryourselfassomethingseparatedanddetached，itisagreeabletoyournaturetolivetooldage，toberich，tobeinhealth。Butifyouconsideryourselfasaman，andasapartofawhole，uponaccountofthatwhole，itwillbehoveyousometimestobeinsickness，sometimestobeexposedtotheinconveniencyofaseavoyage，sometimestobeinwant；andatlast，perhaps，todiebeforeyourtime。Whythendoyoucomplain？Donotyouknowthatbydoingso，asthefootceasestobeafoot，soyouceasetobeaman？’7*
　　AwisemannevercomplainsofthedestinyofProvidence，northinkstheuniverseinconfusionwhenheisoutoforder。Hedoesnotlookuponhimselfasawhole，separatedanddetachedfromeveryotherpartofnature，tobetakencareofbyitselfandforitself。Heregardshimselfinthelightinwhichheimaginesthegreatgeniusofhumannature，andoftheworld，regardshim。Heenters，ifImaysayso，intothesentimentsofthatdivineBeing，andconsidershimselfasanatom，aparticle，ofanimmenseandinfinitesystem，whichmustandoughttobedisposedof，accordingtotheconveniencyofthewhole。Assuredofthewisdomwhichdirectsalltheeventsofhumanlife，whateverlotbefallshim，heacceptsitwithjoy，satisfiedthat，ifhehadknownalltheconnectionsanddependenciesofthedifferentpartsoftheuniverse，itistheverylotwhichhehimselfwouldhavewishedfor。Ifitislife，heiscontentedtolive；andifitisdeath，asnaturemusthavenofurtheroccasionforhispresencehere，hewillinglygoeswhereheisappointed。Iaccept，saidacynicalphilosopher，whosedoctrineswereinthisrespectthesameasthoseoftheStoics，Iaccept，withequaljoyandsatisfaction，whateverfortunecanbefallme。Richesorpoverty，pleasureorpain，healthorsickness，allisalike:norwouldI
　　desirethattheGodsshouldinanyrespectchangemydestination。
　　IfIwastoaskofthemanythingbeyondwhattheirbountyhasalreadybestowed，itshouldbethattheywouldinformmebefore-handwhatitwastheirpleasureshouldbedonewithme，thatImightofmyownaccordplacemyselfinthissituation，anddemonstratethecheerfulnesswithwhichIembracedtheirallotment。IfIamgoingtosail，saysEpictetus，Ichusethebestshipandthebestpilot，andIwaitforthefairestweatherthatmycircumstancesanddutywillallow。Prudenceandpropriety，theprincipleswhichtheGodshavegivenmeforthedirectionofmyconduct，requirethisofme；buttheyrequirenomore:andif，notwithstanding，astormarises，whichneitherthestrengthofthevesselnortheskillofthepilotarelikelytowithstand，Igivemyselfnotroubleabouttheconsequence。AllthatIhadtodoisdonealready。Thedirectorsofmyconductnevercommandmetobemiserable，tobeanxious，desponding，orafraid。Whetherwearetobedrowned，ortocometoaharbour，isthebusinessofJupiter，notmine。Ileaveitentirelytohisdetermination，noreverbreakmyrestwithconsideringwhichwayheislikelytodecideit，butreceivewhatevercomeswithequalindifferenceandsecurity。
　　Fromthisperfectconfidenceinthatbenevolentwisdomwhichgovernstheuniverse，andfromthisentireresignationtowhateverorderthatwisdommightthinkpropertoestablish，itnecessarilyfollowed，that，totheStoicalwiseman，alltheeventsofhumanlifemustbeinagreatmeasureindifferent。Hishappinessconsistedaltogether，first，inthecontemplationofthehappinessandperfectionofthegreatsystemoftheuniverse，ofthegoodgovernmentofthegreatrepublicofGodsandmen，ofallrationalandsensiblebeings；and，secondly，indischarginghisduty，inactingproperlyintheaffairsofthisgreatrepublicwhateverlittlepartthatwisdomhadassignedtohim。
　　Theproprietyorimproprietyofhisendeavoursmightbeofgreatconsequencetohim。Theirsuccessordisappointmentcouldbeofnoneatall；couldexcitenopassionatejoyorsorrow，nopassionatedesireoraversion。Ifhepreferredsomeeventstoothers，ifsomesituationsweretheobjectsofhischoiceandothersofhisrejection，itwasnotbecauseheregardedtheoneasinthemselvesinanyrespectbetterthantheother，orthoughtthathisownhappinesswouldbemorecompleteinwhatiscalledthefortunatethaninwhatisregardedasthedistressfulsituation；butbecausetheproprietyofaction，therulewhichtheGodshadgivenhimforthedirectionofhisconduct，requiredhimtochuseandrejectinthismanner。Allhisaffectionswereabsorbedandswallowedupintwogreataffections；inthatforthedischargeofhisownduty，andinthatforthegreatestpossiblehappinessofallrationalandsensiblebeings。Forthegratificationofthislatteraffection，herestedwiththemostperfectsecurityuponthewisdomandpowerofthegreatSuperintendantoftheuniverse。Hissoleanxietywasaboutthegratificationoftheformer；notabouttheevent，butabouttheproprietyofhisownendeavours。Whatevertheeventmightbe，hetrustedtoasuperiorpowerandwisdomforturningittopromotethatgreatendwhichhehimselfwasmostdesirousofpromoting。
　　Thisproprietyofchusingandrejecting，thoughoriginallypointedouttous，andasitwererecommendedandintroducedtoouracquaintancebythethings，andforthesakeofthethings，chosenandrejected；yetwhenwehadoncebecomethoroughlyacquaintedwithit，theorder，thegrace，thebeautywhichwediscernedinthisconduct，thehappinesswhichwefeltresultedfromit，necessarilyappearedtousofmuchgreatervaluethantheactualobtainingofallthedifferentobjectsofchoice，ortheactualavoidingofallthoseofrejection。Fromtheobservationofthisproprietyarosethehappinessandtheglory；
　　fromtheneglectofit，themiseryandthedisgraceofhumannature。
　　Buttoawiseman，toonewhosepassionswerebroughtunderperfectsubjectiontotherulingprinciplesofhisnature，theexactobservationofthisproprietywasequallyeasyuponalloccasions。Washeinprosperity，hereturnedthankstoJupiterforhavingjoinedhimwithcircumstanceswhichwereeasilymastered，andinwhichtherewaslittletemptationtodowrong。
　　Washeinadversity，heequallyreturnedthankstothedirectorofthisspectacleofhumanlife，forhavingopposedtohimavigorousathlete，overwhom，thoughthecontestwaslikelytobemoreviolent，thevictorywasmoreglorious，andequallycertain。
　　Cantherebeanyshameinthatdistresswhichisbroughtuponuswithoutanyfaultofourown，andinwhichwebehavewithperfectpropriety？Therecan，therefore，benoevil，but，onthecontrary，thegreatestgoodandadvantage。Abravemanexultsinthosedangersinwhich，fromnorashnessofhisown，hisfortunehasinvolvedhim。Theyaffordanopportunityofexercisingthatheroicintrepidity，whoseexertiongivestheexalteddelightwhichflowsfromtheconsciousnessofsuperiorproprietyanddeservedadmiration。Onewhoismasterofallhisexerciseshasnoaversiontomeasurehisstrengthandactivitywiththestrongest。And，inthesamemanner，onewhoismasterofallhispassions，doesnotdreadanycircumstanceinwhichtheSuperintendantoftheuniversemaythinkpropertoplacehim。ThebountyofthatdivineBeinghasprovidedhimwithvirtueswhichrenderhimsuperiortoeverysituation。Ifitispleasure，hehastemperancetorefrainfromit；ifitispain，hehasconstancytobearit；ifitisdangerordeath，hehasmagnanimityandfortitudetodespiseit。Theeventsofhumanlifecanneverfindhimunprepared，oratalosshowtomaintainthatproprietyofsentimentandconductwhich，inhisownapprehension，constitutesatoncehisgloryandhishappiness。
　　HumanlifetheStoicsappeartohaveconsideredasagameofgreatskill；inwhich，however，therewasamixtureofchance，orofwhatisvulgarlyunderstoodtobechance。Insuchgamesthestakeiscommonlyatrifle，andthewholepleasureofthegamearisesfromplayingwell，fromplayingfairly，andplayingskilfully。Ifnotwithstandingallhisskill，however，thegoodplayershould，bytheinfluenceofchance，happentolose，thelossoughttobeamatter，ratherofmerriment，thanofserioussorrow。Hehasmadenofalsestroke；hehasdonenothingwhichheoughttobeashamedof；hehasenjoyedcompletelythewholepleasureofthegame。If，onthecontrary，thebadplayer，notwithstandingallhisblunders，should，inthesamemanner，happentowin，hissuccesscangivehimbutlittlesatisfaction。
　　Heismortifiedbytheremembranceofallthefaultswhichhecommitted。Evenduringtheplayhecanenjoynopartofthepleasurewhichitiscapableofaffording。Fromignoranceoftherulesofthegame，fearanddoubtandhesitationarethedisagreeablesentimentsthatprecedealmosteverystrokewhichheplays；andwhenhehasplayedit，themortificationoffindingitagrossblunder，commonlycompletestheunpleasingcircleofhissensations。Humanlife，withalltheadvantageswhichcanpossiblyattendit，ought，accordingtotheStoics，toberegardedbutasameretwo-pennystake；amatterbyfartooinsignificanttomeritanyanxiousconcern。Ouronlyanxiousconcernoughttobe，notaboutthestake，butaboutthepropermethodofplaying。Ifweplacedourhappinessinwinningthestake，weplaceditinwhatdependeduponcausesbeyondourpower，andoutofourdirection。Wenecessarilyexposedourselvestoperpetualfearanduneasiness，andfrequentlytogrievousandmortifyingdisappointments。Ifweplaceditinplayingwell，inplayingfairly，inplayingwiselyandskilfully；intheproprietyofourownconductinshort；weplaceditinwhat，byproperdiscipline，education，andattention，mightbealtogetherinourownpower，andunderourowndirection。Ourhappinesswasperfectlysecure，andbeyondthereachoffortune。Theeventofouractions，ifitwasoutofourpower，wasequallyoutofourconcern，andwecouldneverfeeleitherfearoranxietyaboutit；
　　noreversufferanygrievous，orevenanyseriousdisappointment。
　　Humanlifeitself，aswellaseverydifferentadvantageordisadvantagewhichcanattendit，might，theysaid，accordingtoDifferentcircumstances，betheproperobjecteitherofourchoiceorofourrejection。If，inouractualsituation，thereweremorecircumstancesagreeabletonaturethancontrarytoit；
　　morecircumstanceswhichweretheobjectsofchoicethanofrejection；life，inthiscase，was，uponthewhole，theproperobjectofchoice，andtheproprietyofconductrequiredthatweshouldremaininit。If，ontheotherhand，therewere，inouractualsituation，withoutanyprobablehopeofamendment，morecircumstancescontrarytonaturethanagreeabletoit；morecircumstanceswhichweretheobjectsofrejectionthanofchoice；
　　lifeitself，inthiscase，became，toawiseman，theobjectofrejection，andhewasnotonlyatlibertytoremoveoutofit，buttheproprietyofconduct，therulewhichtheGodshadgivenhimforthedirectionofhisconduct，requiredhimtodoso。Iamordered，saysEpictetus，nottodwellatNicopolis。Idonotdwellthere。IamorderednottodwellatAthens。IdonotdwellatAthens。IamorderednottodwellinRome。IdonotdwellinRome。IamorderedtodwellinthelittleandrockyislandofGyarae。Igoanddwellthere。ButthehousesmokesinGyarae。Ifthesmokeismoderate，Iwillbearit，andstaythere。Ifitisexcessive，Iwillgotoahousefromwhencenotyrantcanremoveme。Ikeepinmindalwaysthatthedoorisopen，thatIcanwalkoutwhenIplease，andretiretothathospitablehousewhichisatalltimesopentoalltheworld；forbeyondmyundermostgarment，beyondmybody，nomanlivinghasanypoweroverme。Ifyoursituationisuponthewholedisagreeable；。