On Constancy 2

. . . "'Do you philosophers then teach us to despise kings?' I hope not. Who among us teaches to claim against them the power over things which they possess? Take my poor body, take my property, take my reputation, take those who are about me. If I advise any persons to claim these things, they may truly accuse me.

"'Yes, but I intend to command your opinions also.' And who has given you this power? How can you conquer the opinion of another man?

"'By applying terror to it,' he replies, 'I will conquer it.'

"Do you not know that opinion conquers itself, and is not conquered by another? But nothing else can conquer Will except the Will itself. For this reason, too, the law of God is most powerful and most just, which is this: 'Let the stronger always be superior to the weaker.'

"'Ten are stronger than one.' For what? For putting in chains, for killing, for dragging whither they choose, for taking away what a man has. The ten therefore conquer the one in this in which they are stronger. 

'In what then are the ten weaker?' If the one possess right opinions and the others do not.

"'Well then, can the ten conquer in this matter?' How is it possible? If we were placed in the scales, must not the heavier draw down the scale in which it is?" . . .

--Epictetus, Discourses 1.29 (tr Long)

 I am struck by the similarity between the words of Epictetus and the words from the Gospel of Matthew: "given unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, but give unto God the things that are God's."

The point isn't about hating worldly power or those in authority. It's rather a matter of understanding how the Stoic Turn requires us to reconsider what we think is good or bad, right or wrong, powerful or weak.

I need not resent the giving and taking away of wealth, power, or privilege, because these things aren't mine. Let a leader do with them as he pleases. If he is a good leader, he will make us of these materials to help improve the souls of his subjects. If he is a bad leader, he has lost his own soul.

But surely he is stronger? Distinguish. In the world of externals, might may seem to make right, though even then we are under a heavy illusion if we think we have any true grasp over such things. No one has power over my judgments, however many legions or divisions he may command.

But surely he can rule me through fear? No, I will be the one who rules or succumbs to fear, no one else. Consider that worldly power must come and go, because it is never fully ours, but the power of our judgements can be unwavering, because they are always fully our own. Now which of these is truly stronger and superior?

There is not necessarily strength in numbers. If ten men are strong in wealth and influence, but empty of wisdom and virtue, they are simply ten ignorant men. The one wise man, however little else he may have, is far more powerful than they are. They already defeat themselves, but the wise man cannot be defeated, if only he so chooses.

No, he who dies with the most toys most certainly does not win. 

Written in 4/1999

Image: Cesare Dandini,  Personification of Constancy, c. 1634