The Enchiridion by Epictetus translated by William Abbot Oldfather (1928) 1-7

The Enchiridion by Epictetus translated by William Abbot Oldfather (1928)

Bonus: 

Not the same translation

Summary: Worry only about what you can control.

Commentary: I'm slightly concerned that I've now put myself in two "sand" style works at the same time. I'm going to try to get through The Enchiridion simply because it's a lot shorter than Some Fruits of Solitude (about 15 pages vs 46, and ~50 topics instead of ~100). If need be, I'll relegate it to the next sand and move on to The New Atlantis, since Meditations and Bacon's essays are both also mostly short bits.

In the end, I went with Oldfather's translation. I bounced around reading different sections and decided I liked it best. I make no claim to its scholarly qualities, but it seems not excessively paraphrased and is pleasant enough to read. Since the whole thing is short, I can always go read another "better" translation better if need be.

I'll do the same summary style here as I did for Some Fruits...

1. You only have true control over your own mind. Knowing what you do and don't control is important. Focus on what you can control, and you'll have no problems. Focus too much on things out of your control and you may not get them and be disappointed. Everything outside yourself is just an impression, and not something you should worry about controlling.

2. Don't get mad at things that are out of your control. (Kind of a repeat of the second half of one)

3. Remember the impermanence of the things you care about.

4. When you go to do something, keep in mind both what you want and the other things that might go along with it. Remember that you may be jostled or disturbed, and this is okay.

5. This is probably the most famous stoic-ism, so let's pull the whole thing:

It is not the things themselves that disturb men, but their judgements about these things. For example, death is nothing dreadful, or else Socrates too would have thought so, but the judgement that death is dreadful, this is the dreadful thing. When, therefore, we are hindered, or disturbed, or grieved, let us never blame anyone but ourselves, that means, our own judgements. It is the part of an uneducated person to blame others where he himself fares ill; to blame himself is the part of one whose education has begun; to blame neither another nor his own self is the part of one whose education is already complete.

You're upset by your reaction to things, not the things themselves.

6. Be proud only of your own work, not of good fortune that comes to you.

7. Focus on the important things, and be ready to give everything else up.

Right now, I think it walks the line between, "don't sweat the small stuff" and organized depression, "if nothing matters, I can't get upset". I'll see which way it falls.