Chapter 20

20.1 μέμνησο ὅτι οὐχ ὁ λοιδορῶν ἢ ὁ τύπτων ὑβρίζει, ἀλλὰ τὸ δόγμα τὸ περὶ τούτων ὡς ὑβριζόντων. ὅταν οὖν ἐρεθίσῃ σέ τις, ἴσθι ὅτι ἡ σή σε ὑπόληψις ἠρέθισε. τοιγαροῦν ἐν πρώτοις πειρῶ ὑπὸ τῆς φαντασίας μὴ συναρπασθῆναι· ἂν γὰρ ἅπαξ χρόνου καὶ διατριβῆς τύχῃς, ῥᾷον κρατήσεις σεαυτοῦ.

It is the Opinion of Being Insulted That Irritates You

As in Ch. 5, Epictetus argues that it is not the people who insult you, but the opinion that you have been insulted, which irritates you.

ἴσθι: > οἶδα, 2 sg. perf. act. imper.

ἐν πρώτοις: “first” (adverbial)

πειρῶ: > πειράω, 2 sg. pres. mid. imper.

συναρπασθῆναι: > συναρπάζω, aor. pass. infin.

ἂν ἅπαξ χρόνου καὶ διατριβῆς τύχῃς: “once you find time and delay.” τύχῃς: > τύγχανω (+ gen.), 2sg. aor. act. subj. ἅπαξ normally means “one time,” but in combination with εἰ (ἐάν, ἄν, ἤν, ἐπεί) it means “once” in the sense of “after.”

ῥᾷον: neuter accusative adjective (comparative degree of ῥᾴδιος, -α, -ον) used adverbially (G. 540; S. 1606 ff.)

λοιδορέω, λοιδορήσω, ἐλοιδόρησα, to insult, verbally abuse; reproach, rebuke

τύπτω, τύψω, ἔτυψα, to beat, strike

δόγμα, -ατος, τό, opinion, belief, judgment, decision; philosophical principle

ὑβρίζω, ὑβρίσω, ὕβρισα, to commit an outrage, insult

ἐρεθίζω, ἐρεθίσω, ἠρέθισα, to anger

ὑπόληψις, -εως, ἡ, opinion, assumption

τοιγαροῦν, therefore

φαντασία,-ας, ἡ, impression, appearance, perception

συναρπάζω, -άσω, -συνήρπασα, to seize, carry away

ἅπαξ, (adv.) once

διατριβή, -ῆς, ἡ, pastime, delay

ῥᾷον, (adv.) easily

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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/epictetus-encheiridion/chapter-20