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commentary on epictetus 74-79

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Commentary on Epictetus' Enchiridion (Chapters 74-79) by Sim pliciu s ( c. e arly sixth centu ry) Chapter. LXXIV. Whatever directio ns ar e g iven you, lo ok upon them as so many law s, which have a bindin g power, and such as y ou cannot w ithout i mpiety d epart fr om. Perse vere therefore in the obse rvance o f them all; and be no t d iverted f rom your du ty by any idl e re flectio ns the silly w orld may make upon you; for their censures are not in your power, and co nsequently should n ot be any part of your conc ern. Comment. One swall ow, we comm only say, makes no sum mer; n o more do a fe w sin gle acts of virt ue make a habit, or observing the directions of Chrysippus, in one or two in stance s, consti tu te a g ood man. Bu t our obedience must be firm and constant; we mu st conside r our duty, as that which is our happiness and truest advantage; and must suffer no consideration, h ow tempti ng so e ve r, to dr aw u s off from it . We mu st l oo k upon ourse lve s as under i ndi spe nsable obligations, such as cannot be broken loose from, without th e hi ghest im piety. And reason go od there is t o do so; for if we esteem it dish onorable and im pious, to fail of o ur p romi se , or fly off from an agreement i n every t ri flin g matter, because, though the thing is of no value, yet t he violation of o ur word is of hor rible consequence ( as tendin g to take way th at mutual faith and good assurance , by wh ich all society and commerce is maintained among men;) how much more solemn and sacred ought th ose engagements t o be estee med, by wh ich we have ti ed our se lves up t o wisdom , and virtue, and innocency of life? Now these are violated, when a man assents to the tr uth of what he is tau ght, and the reasonableness of what he is commanded, and express es th is assent by li ving accordi ngly for a ti me, but afterward s relapses and t urns deserter. Upon this account, he advises us by all means to persevere in goodness, and particularly not to be discompose d with any refle ctions the idle world shall cast u pon u s: for, as he in ti mated before (Chap. XXIX) it is h ighly pr obable, they will t ake upon t hem to ce nsure our condu ct pretty freely; th ey will tax us with singularit y and preciseness, and call our change, pr ide or affectation. Now such di scou rage ment s as these , we mu st be pr ovided ag ainst, and not let them cool our zeal, or shake our virtue; and that, becau se other
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7/30/2019 commentary on epictetus 74-79

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