Page:All the works of Epictetus - which are now extant; consisting of his Discourses, preserved by Arrian, in four books, the Enchiridion, and fragments (IA allworksofepicte00epic).pdf/450

398 how can he, who doth not frequent the Door of any [great] Man, doth not attend him, doth not praise him, have an equal Share with him who doth? You are unjust then, and unsatiable, if you are unwilling to pay the Price for which these Things are sold, and would have them for nothing. For how much are Lettuces sold? A Half-penny, for Instance. If another then, paying a Half-penny, takes the Lettuces, and you, not paying it, go without them, do not imagine, that he hath gained any Advantage over you. For as he hath the Lettuces, so you have the Half-penny, which you did not give. So, in the present Case, you have not been invited to such a Person's Entertainment; because you have not paid him the Price for which a Supper is sold. It is sold for Praise: it is sold for Attendance. Give him then the Value, if it be for your Advantage. But, if you would, at the same time, not pay the one, and yet receive the other, you are insatiable, and a Blockhead. Have you nothing then, instead of the Supper? Yes indeed you have; the not praising him, whom you do not like to praise; the not bearing with his Behaviour at coming in.

Will of Nature may be learned from those Things, in which we do not differ from each other. As, when our Neighbour's Boy hath broken a Cup, or the like, we are presently ready to say, "These are Things that will happen." Be assured then, that, when your own Cup likewise is broken, you ought to be affected just as when another's Cup was broken. Transfer this, in like manner, to greater Things. Is the Child or Wife of another dead? There is no one who would not say, "This Rh