Friday, June 24, 2005

And it caught my eye...

I was reading my daily share of words and I came across this:

"Bear in mind that you should conduct yourself in life as at a feast.
Is some dish brought to you? Then put forth your hand and help yourself in seemly fashion. Does it pass you by? Then do not hold it back. Has it not yet come to you? Then do not stretch out for it at a distance, but wait till it is at your hand. And thus doing with regard to children, and wife, and authority, and wealth, you will be a worthy guest at the table of the gods. And if you even pass over things that are offered to you, and refuse to take of them, then you will not only share the banquet of the gods, but also their dominion."

Epictetus (c. 55-c. 135). Greek Stoic philosopher. Encheiridion (1881).

5 comments:

  1. wow I like it. reminds me of Gibran's 'Prophet.'

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  2. Hi guys,
    I am sorry. I missed replying to comments here. Thanks a tonne. Most comments seem to be single words or expressions!! As expected!!! :-))

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  3. Anonymous3:10 PM

    Nicely written. But I still fail to see what is so terrible about being desperately passionate about things, wanting them so, reaching out for them so, or desiring them so. Why is this sort of a detachment which seems to make a person as good as dead such a wonderful thing?

    Give me a person completely involved in life and everything about it, any day as compared to this inhabitant of the Dominion of the Gods..

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