Chapter 9

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/epictetus-encheiridion/chapter-9