+++ On Freedom +++

1 He is free who lives as he wills; whom it is possible neither to compel, nor to hinder, nor to force; whose impulses original: "ὁρμαὶ" (hormai) — the internal movements of the mind toward an action. are unimpeded, whose desires original: "ὀρέξεις" (orexeis) — the reaching out for something one believes to be good. attain their goal, and whose aversions original: "ἐκκλίσεις" (ekkliseis) — the effort to avoid something one believes to be bad. do not fall into what they would avoid. Who, then, wishes to live in error? No one. Who wishes to live being deceived, reckless, unjust, undisciplined, complaining of his lot, or base? No one. Therefore, none of the vicious original: "φαύλων" (phaulon) — referring to those who are morally weak or lacking in wisdom, the opposite of the Stoic "wise man." live as they will; and thus, none of them are free. And who wishes to live in sorrow, in fear, in envy, Ref. enn? in pity, desiring and failing to get what they want, or avoiding and yet falling into it? Not a single person. Do we find any of the vicious to be free from sorrow, free from fear, never falling into what they avoid, and never failing in what they desire? No one. Therefore, they are not free. If a man hears these things twice, if you say it twice. even a Consul, if you add, "But you are wise, this does not apply to you," he will forgive you. But if you tell him the truth—that in terms of not being a slave, you differ not at all from those who have been thrice sold A legal reference to the Roman process of "mancipatio," where a son or slave could be sold to change legal status; here it suggests the Consul is just as much a slave to his passions as a common laborer.—what else should you expect but blows? "How," he says, "am I a slave? My father is free and my mother is free." Furthermore, he has not been marked with a brand. "Moreover, I am a Senator, and a friend of Caesar, and I have served as Consul, and I possess many slaves." First of all, my good man, perhaps your father was a slave to the same slavery as you, as were your mother, your grandfathers, and all your ancestors in succession. Even if they were In [book] five let us not shout what this means, he says: of the highest and most noble birth, what is that to you? For they may have been of such a character, but you—see that you are not something else! For they were free from fear.

Maxims Impulses unhindered: the wise man directs his impulse toward the things that are up to us original: "ἐφ’ ἡμῖν" (eph' hēmin) — the central Stoic doctrine of focusing only on what is within our own control, such as our opinions and intentions.. The goal of impulse is attainment. The wise man, desiring things that are possible and noble for us, turns his aversion toward things that do not fall into failure. By turning his aversion toward things that are evil and useless, the wise man no longer falls into them. He flees from shameful things so that he might not become wicked; otherwise, he is no longer wise.

The vocabulary below appears as a reference list at the bottom of the manuscript page.
Freedom, Wise Man, Slave, Desire, Aversion, Epictetus, Stoicism