Chapter 30

Appropriate Action

Here Epictetus offers the most detailed discussion of καθήκοντα (appropriate actions or duties) in the Encheiridion. As we saw in ch. 1, impulse (ὁρμή) is directed toward τὰ καθήκοντα. Epictetus most frequently uses the term in discussing roles and duties in social relationships (σχήσεις). You have roles and duties to your parents, teachers, friends, etc. For more on καθήκοντα and roles, see the Introduction.

τὰ καθήκοντα: “fitting things,” i.e., appropriate actions or duties (LSJ καθήκω II.2)

παραχωρεῖν ἁπάντων: “to renounce all things (to him),” i.e., defer to him in all matters. παραχωρέω (“withdraw from, move back from”) typically takes a genitive of separation.

λοιδοροῦντος ... παίοντος: supply πατρός.

ᾠκειώθης: > οἰκειόω, 2 sg. aor. pass. ind. The μή at the beginning of the question indicates that a negative answer is expected: “you weren’t put into a relationship with (πρός) . . . were you?” οἰκειόω is the verbal form of οἰκείωσις, a technical term from Stoic ethics.

τήρει ... σκόπει: 2 sg. pres. act. imper. See note on ζήτει in ch. 8.

ἀλλὰ τί ... προαίρεσις: “but what you will have to do (so that) your volition will be in accord with nature”

ἔσῃ βεβλαμμένος: > βλάπτω, 2 sg. periphrastic fut. perf. pass. ind. (S. 601)

ὑπολάβῃς: > ὑπολαμβάνω, 2 sg. pres. act. subj. in a temporal clause referring indefinitely to the future (G. 627; S. 2399)

ἐθίζῃ: > ἐθίζω, 2 sg. pres. mid./pass. subj.