10.1 ἐφ' ἑκάστου τῶν προσπιπτόντων μέμνησο ἐπιστρέφων ἐπὶ σεαυτὸν ζητεῖν, τίνα δύναμιν ἔχεις πρὸς τὴν χρῆσιν αὐτοῦ. ἐὰν καλὸν ἴδῃς ἢ καλήν, εὑρήσεις δύναμιν πρὸς ταῦτα ἐγκράτειαν· ἐὰν πόνος προσφέρηται, εὑρήσεις καρτερίαν· ἂν λοιδορία, εὑρήσεις ἀνεξικακίαν. καὶ οὕτως ἐθιζόμενόν σε οὐ συναρπάσουσιν αἱ φαντασίαι.
notes
You Have the Capacity to Deal with Whatever Happens to You
ἐφ' ἑκάστου: “in each case”; See ch. 3 for the same phrase.
προσπιπτόντων: “of what has happened to you”; see ἐμπιπτόντων in the previous chapter.
μέμνησο: > μιμνήσκω, 2 sg. perf. mid. imper.
πρὸς τὴν χρῆσιν αὐτοῦ: “toward the use of it,” i.e.,“to deal with it”
καλὸν ... ἢ καλήν: “a good-looking man or woman.” ταῦτα in the next clause refers back to them.
ἴδῃς: > ὁράω, 2 sg. aor. act. subj. in a future more vivid condition (G. 650; S. 2291.3a)
προσφέρηται: > προσφέρω, “is presented,” “approaches,” “attacks” (LSJ προσφέρω B.), 3rd sg. pres. pass. subj. in a future more vivid condition (G. 650; S. 2291.3a)
ἄν: ἐάν
οὕτως ἐθιζόμενόν σε: “you so accustomed,” i.e. “if/when you have accustomed yourself [middle voice] to think in this way.” The participle (ἐθιζόμενόν) is equivalent to a conditional or temporal clause.
σε οὐ συναρπάσουσιν αἱ φαντασίαι: if the φαντασίαι are not κατὰ φύσιν, then they will carry you away into passion and enslavement. Variations of this phraseology recur in ch. 16.1, 18.1, 19.2 and 20.1.
vocabulary
προσπίπτω, προσπεσοῦμαι, -έπεσον, to fall upon, happen
ἐπιστρέφω, - στρέψω, -έστρεψα, to turn around, turn to; (mid.) turn oneself around; pay attention
χρῆσις, -εως, ἡ, use
ἐγκράτεια, -ας, ἡ, self-control, prudence
προσφέρω, προσοίσω, προσένεικα, to bring to, apply to; (pass.) approach, attack
καρτερία, -ας, ἡ, endurance, perseverance
λοιδορία, -ας, ἡ, verbal abuse, insult
ἀνεξικακία, -ας, ἡ, forbearance
ἐθίζω, ἐθιῶ, εἴθισα, to accustom
συναρπάζω, -άσω, συνήρπασα, to seize, carry away
φαντασία,-ας, ἡ, impression, appearance, perception