Crows pick out the eyes of the dead, when the dead have no longer need of them; but flatterers mar the soul of the living, and her eyes they blind.
EpictetusRead
When a man is proud because he can understand and explain the writings of Chrysippus, say to yourself, 'if Chrysippus had not written obscurely, this man would have had nothing to be proud of.'
Interpretation
What this quote means
True understanding should not lead to pride if the subject matter is overly complex and obscure.
In this quote, Epictetus reflects on the nature of pride concerning knowledge and understanding. He suggests that if someone's pride is founded on understanding complex writings, such as those of Chrysippus, it may be misplaced. This implies that clarity and accessibility of knowledge should be valued, as pride derived from deciphering obscurity does not necessarily reflect true wisdom or understanding.
Themes
PrideKnowledgeUnderstandingWisdomObscurity
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about philosophy at a university lecture.
More from Epictetus
All quotes →Learn to distinguish what you can and can't control. Within our control are our own opinions, aspirations, desires and the things that repel us. They are directly subject to our influence.
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Men are disturbed not by the things that happen, but by their opinion of the things that happen.
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Nothing truly stops you. Nothing truly holds you back. For your own will is always within your control. Sickness may challenge your body. But are you merely your body? Lameness may impede your legs. But you are not merely your legs. Your will is bigger than your legs. Your will needn't be affected by an incident unless you let it.
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The people have a right to the truth as they have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
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Practice yourself, for heaven's sake, in little things, and thence proceed to greater.
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