Ch. 4
Against a person who showed his partizanship in an
unseemly way in a theatre.
THE governor of Epirus having shown his favour to an
actor in an unseemly way and being publicly blamed on
this account, and afterwards having reported to Epictetus
that he was blamed and that he was vexed at those who
blamed him, Epictetus said, What harm have they been
doing? These men also were acting as partizans, as you
were doing. The governor replied, Does then any person
show his partizanship in this way? When they see you,
said Epictetus, who are their governor, a friend of Caesar
and his deputy, showing partizanship in this way, was it
not to be expected that they also should show their partizanship in the same way? for if it is not right to show
partizanship in this way, do not do so yourself; and if it is
right, why are you angry if they followed your example?
For whom have the many to imitate except you, who are
their superiors? to whose example should they look when
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they go to the theatre except yours? See bow the deputy
of Caesar looks on: he has cried out, and I too then will
cry out. He springs up from his seat, and I will spring
up. His slaves sit in various parts of the theatre and call
out. I have no slaves, but I will myself cry out as much as
I can and as loud as all of them together. You ought then
to know when you enter the theatre that you enter as a
rule and example to the rest how they ought to look at
the acting. Why then did they blame you? Because
every man hates that which is a hindrance to him. They
wished one person to be crowned; you wished another.
They were a hindrance to you, and you were a hindrance
to them. You were found to be the stronger; and they
did what they could; they blamed that which hindered
them. What then would you have? That you should do
what you please, and they should not even say what they
please? And what is the wonder? Do not the husband-
men abuse Zeus when they are hindered by him? do not
the sailors abuse him? do they ever cease abusing Caesar?
What then? does not Zeus know? is not what is said
reported to Caesar? What then does he do? he knows
that, if he punished all who abuse him, he would have
nobody to rule over. What then? when you enter the
theatre, you ought to say not, Let Sophron (some actor) be
crowned, but you ought to say this, Come let me maintain
my will in this matter so that it shall be conformable to
nature: no man is dearer to me than myself. It would be
ridiculous then for me to be hurt (injured) in order that
another who is an actor may be crowned. Whom then do
I wish to gain the prize? Why the actor who does gain
the prize; and so he will always gain the prize whom I
wish to gain it.But I wish Sophron to be crowned.
Celebrate as many games as you choose in your own house,
Nemean, Pythian, Isthmian, Olympian, and proclaim him
victor. But in public do not claim more than your due,
nor attempt to appropriate to yourself what belongs to all.
If you do not consent to this, bear being abused: for when
you do the same as the many, you put yourself on the
same level with them.
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