9.1 νόσος σώματός ἐστιν ἐμπόδιον, προαιρέσεως δὲ οὔ, ἐὰν μὴ αὐτὴ θέλῃ. χώλωσις σκέλους ἐστὶν ἐμπόδιον, προαιρέσεως δὲ οὔ. καὶ τοῦτο ἐφ' ἑκάστου τῶν ἐμπιπτόντων ἐπίλεγε· εὑρήσεις γὰρ αὐτὸ ἄλλου τινὸς ἐμπόδιον, σὸν δὲ οὔ.

    Impediments Do Not Affect Our Volition

    Things outside our control, such as our body, may be impeded, but these impediments do not affect our volition (προαίρεσις).

    ἐμπόδιον: “an impediment,” “hindance” (to your body)

    ἐὰν μή: “unless” (+ subj.)

    αὐτὴ: refers back to προαιρέσεως.

    θέλῃ: > ἐθέλω, 3 sg. pres. act. subj. in a present general condition (G. 650; S. 2295.1)

    ἐμπιπτόντων: “of what has happened to you”

    εὑρήσεις γὰρ αὐτὸ ἄλλου τινὸς ἐμπόδιον: sc. εἶναι

    ἐμπόδιος, -ον, in the way, impeding, as substantive = an impediment

    προαίρεσις, -εως, ἡ, the volition, will

    χώλωσις, -εως, ἡ, lameness

    σκέλος, -εος (ους when contractred), τό, leg

    ἐμπίπτω, ἐμπεσοῦμαι, ἐνέπεσον, to fall upon or into, happen

    ἐπιλέγω, -λέξω, -έλεξα, to say in addition

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    Suggested Citation

    Albert Watanabe, Epictetus: Encheiridion. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Dickinson College Commentaries, 2020. ISBN: 978-1-947822-13-9.
    https://dcc.dickinson.edu/el/epictetus-encheiridion/chapter-9