18.1 κόραξ ὅταν μὴ αἴσιον κεκράγῃ, μὴ συναρπαζέτω σε ἡ φαντασία, ἀλλ᾽ εὐθὺς διαίρει παρὰ σεαυτῷ καὶ λέγε «τούτων οὐδὲν ἐμοὶ σημαίνεται, ἀλλ᾽ ἢ τῷ σωματίῳ μου ἢ τῷ κτησειδίῳ μου ἢ τῷ δοξαρίῳ μου ἢ τοῖς τέκνοις ἢ τῇ γυναικί. ἐμοὶ δὲ πάντα αἴσια σημαίνεται, ἐὰν ἐγὼ θέλω· ὅτι γὰρ ἂν τούτων ἀποβαίνῃ, ἐπ᾽ ἐμοί ἐστιν ὠφεληθῆναι ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ.»
notes
All Portents Are Favorable
Some believed that evil portents, such as a crow croaking, were signs of future misfortune to themselves (an example of the widespread ancient religious practive of augury). Epictetus maintains that these portents are relevant only to things which are outside our control.
κεκράγῃ: > κράζω, 3 sg. perf. act. subj.
συναρπαζέτω: > συναρπάζω, 3 sg. pres. act. imper.
διαίρει: > διαιρέω, 2 sg pres. act. imper. (contracted)
ἐμοὶ δὲ πάντα αἴσια σημαίνεται: “for me all signs are auspicious (favorable).”
θέλω: > ἐθέλω, 1 sg pres. act. subj. in present general condition (G. 650; S. 2295.1)
ἀποβαίνῃ: > ἀποβαίνω, 3 sg. aor. act. subj. in an indefinite relative clause referring to the future (G. 616; S. 2545c): “whichever of these things happens”
ἐπ᾽ ἐμοί: “in my control”
ὠφεληθῆναι: > ὠφελέω, aor. pass. infin. serving as subject of ἐστι.