Epictetus, The Handbook 56: A Man, Not a Mouse

It is a sign of a dull mind to dwell upon the cares of the body, to prolong exercise, eating, drinking, and other bodily functions.

These things are to be done along the way; all your attention must be given to the mind.

—Epictetus, The Handbook, Chapter 41 (tr Matheson)

It is my Governing Principle that makes me a man instead of a mouse, an elephant, or a houseplant. I need not be a Platonist, who might merely consider the body as a disposable vessel, or a Manichean, who might think of matter as inherently evil. I need only remember that the lower must be ruled by the higher.

From the perspective of Stoic ethics, I don’t even think it matters whether or not there will be a specific consciousness of self after the death of the body. I find that if I start thinking in those terms, I worry more about the later rewards for living, than the actual value of living well now. The Stoic knows that he came from Nature, lived in a world ordered through Providence, and that he will return back into Nature at the end. How that will specifically play itself out, I leave to our esteemed theologians.

I should certainly not hate the body, or dismiss it. I should rather consider how my power of judgment and choice, what I can call my human soul, must order and direct everything about myself. This does not make the body meaningless, but only makes it meaningful when it is guided by the mind. Only understanding can give meaning and purpose. It is therefore no exaggeration that I should dedicate all of my attention to my mind, because the goods of my body will only be of benefit through the complete and total activity of that mind.

Exercise, food, drink, and sleep are not bad things, but they should never be sought for their own sake. As with each and every circumstance of life, I must ask myself how my thinking should put them to good use.

Am I exercising so that my health can help me live with character, or am I exercising to appear attractive to others? Am I eating and drinking to live well, or am I eating and drinking for gratification? Am I sleeping to have a sharp mind, or am I sleeping to be lazy?

I have often noted the degrees to which we will go to glorify the body, and we assume that human beauty is determined merely by physical characteristics. We may speak out against such shallow standards, but we seem to fall right back on them in our actions. What I think to be beautiful about a person will depend entirely upon what I identify as being most dignified and valuable about human nature, and so it tells me quite a bit when people notice a bronzed and sculpted physique over a kind and thoughtful disposition.

I often ask myself how much of my time and effort are dedicated to improving all the aspects of my body, and how much of my time and effort are dedicated to improving all the aspects of my soul. An honest answer is a very helpful one, because it tells me where my priorities really lie. I rise and fall with my estimation of the superior and the inferior. 

Written in 7/1999

Image: Vitruvian Mouse