TO NASO.--When a certain Roman entered with his son and listened to one
reading, Epictetus said, This is the method of instruction; and he
stopped. When the Roman asked him to go on, Epictetus said, Every art
when it is taught causes labor to him who is unacquainted with it and is
unskilled in it, and indeed the things which proceed from the arts
immediately show their use in the purpose for which they were made; and
most of them contain something attractive and pleasing. For indeed to be
present and to observe how a shoemaker learns is not a pleasant thing;
but the shoe is useful and also not disagreeable to look at. And the
discipline of a smith when he is learning is very disagreeable to one
who chances to be present and is a stranger to the art: but the work
shows the use of the art. But you will see this much more in music; for
if you are present while a person is learning, the discipline will
appear most disagreeable; and yet the results of music are pleasing and
delightful to those who know nothing of music. And here we conceive the
work of a philosopher to be something of this kind: he must adapt his
wish ([Greek: boulaesin]) to what is going on, so that neither any of
the things which are taking place shall take place contrary to our wish,
nor any of the things which do not take place shall not take place when
we wish that they should. From this the result is to those who have so
arranged the work of philosophy, not to fail in the desire, nor to fall
in with that which they would avoid; without uneasiness, without fear,
without perturbation to pass through life themselves, together with
their associates maintaining the relations both natural and acquired, as
the relation of son, of father, of brother, of citizen, of man, of wife,
of neighbor, of fellow-traveller, of ruler, of ruled. The work of a
philosopher we conceive to be something like this. It remains next to
inquire how this must be accomplished.