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   Copyright 1996, James Fieser (jfieser@utm.edu). See end note for
   details on copyright and editing conventions. This text file is based
   on and adapted from Elizabeth Carter's 1758 English translation of the
   Enchiridion. This is a working draft; please report errors.1

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   The Enchiridion

           1. Some things are in our control and others not. Things in
           our control are opinion, pursuit, desire, aversion, and, in a
           word, whatever are our own actions. Things not in our control
           are body, property, reputation, command, and, in one word,
           whatever are not our own actions.

           The things in our control are by nature free, unrestrained,
           unhindered; but those not in our control are weak, slavish,
           restrained, belonging to others. Remember, then, that if you
           suppose that things which are slavish by nature are also free,
           and that what belongs to others is your own, then you will be
           hindered. You will lament, you will be disturbed, and you will
           find fault both with gods and men. But if you suppose that
           only to be your own which is your own, and what belongs to
           others such as it really is, then no one will ever compel you
           or restrain you. Further, you will find fault with no one or
           accuse no one. You will do nothing against your will. No one
           will hurt you, you will have no enemies, and you not be
           harmed.

           Aiming therefore at such great things, remember that you must
           not allow yourself to be carried, even with a slight tendency,
           towards the attainment of lesser things. Instead, you must
           entirely quit some things and for the present postpone the
           rest. But if you would both have these great things, along
           with power and riches, then you will not gain even the latter,
           because you aim at the former too: but you will absolutely
           fail of the former, by which alone happiness and freedom are
           achieved.

           Work, therefore to be able to say to every harsh appearance,
           "You are but an appearance, and not absolutely the thing you
           appear to be." And then examine it by those rules which you
           have, and first, and chiefly, by this: whether it concerns the
           things which are in our own control, or those which are not;
           and, if it concerns anything not in our control, be prepared
           to say that it is nothing to you.

           2. Remember that following desire promises the attainment of
           that of which you are desirous; and aversion promises the
           avoiding that to which you are averse. However, he who fails
           to obtain the object of his desire is disappointed, and he who
           incurs the object of his aversion wretched. If, then, you
           confine your aversion to those objects only which are contrary
           to the natural use of your faculties, which you have in your
           own control, you will never incur anything to which you are
           averse. But if you are averse to sickness, or death, or
           poverty, you will be wretched. Remove aversion, then, from all
           things that are not in our control, and transfer it to things
           contrary to the nature of what is in our control. But, for the
           present, totally suppress desire: for, if you desire any of
           the things which are not in your own control, you must
           necessarily be disappointed; and of those which are, and which
           it would be laudable to desire, nothing is yet in your
           possession. Use only the appropriate actions of pursuit and
           avoidance; and even these lightly, and with gentleness and
           reservation.

           3. With regard to whatever objects give you delight, are
           useful, or are deeply loved, remember to tell yourself of what
           general nature they are, beginning from the most insignificant
           things. If, for example, you are fond of a specific ceramic
           cup, remind yourself that it is only ceramic cups in general
           of which you are fond. Then, if it breaks, you will not be
           disturbed. If you kiss your child, or your wife, say that you
           only kiss things which are human, and thus you will not be
           disturbed if either of them dies.

           4. When you are going about any action, remind yourself what
           nature the action is. If you are going to bathe, picture to
           yourself the things which usually happen in the bath: some
           people splash the water, some push, some use abusive language,
           and others steal. Thus you will more safely go about this
           action if you say to yourself, "I will now go bathe, and keep
           my own mind in a state conformable to nature." And in the same
           manner with regard to every other action. For thus, if any
           hindrance arises in bathing, you will have it ready to say,
           "It was not only to bathe that I desired, but to keep my mind
           in a state conformable to nature; and I will not keep it if I
           am bothered at things that happen.

           5. Men are disturbed, not by things, but by the principles and
           notions which they form concerning things. Death, for
           instance, is not terrible, else it would have appeared so to
           Socrates. But the terror consists in our notion of death that