The Enchiridion Ch. 19: Choose Your Battles Wisely

Epictetus

Choose Your Battles Wisely

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Summary

You can be unconquerable, Epictetus says, if you enter no combat in which it is not in your own power to conquer. Invincibility is selection, not domination.

When you see someone eminent in honors, power, or high esteem, take heed not to be bewildered by appearances and pronounce him happy. If the essence of good consists in things within our own power, there will be no room for envy or emulation.

Do not desire to be a general, senator, or consul. Desire to be free. The only way is disregard of things which lie not within our own power. Freedom here is refusing battles you cannot win.

In this chapter: Terms Characters Key Quotes Modern Story

Why This Matters

Combat Selection

Envy enters when you fight for honors you cannot conquer and call the loss a verdict on your life. Epictetus says enter only winnable combats, refuse to pronounce eminent people happy by appearance, and desire freedom through disregard of externals.

Before you compare yourself tonight, ask whether that fight is even yours to win.

Coming Up in Chapter 20

It is not he who gives abuse who affronts, but the view we take of these things as insulting. When anyone provokes you, your own opinion, not his mouth, has already disturbed you before you answer.

Lesson

What this chapter proves — the pattern beneath the scene

In this chapter, the lesson is A Lame Leg, a Free Will.

The card below names the pattern this chapter proves — carry it with you into Epictetus's handbook: the cup, the banquet, the added judgment, the two handles.

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A Lame Leg, a Free Will

You can be unconquerable if you enter no combat in which it is not in your own power to conquer. When you see someone eminent in honors or power, take heed not to be bewildered by appearances and pronounce him happy. If the essence of good consists in things within our own power, there will be no room for envy or emulation. Do not desire to be a general, senator, or consul. Desire to be free.

Key Insight

Envy requires treating another person's externals as your missing good. Refuse combats you cannot win on your own terms, and freedom stops being borrowed from titles that can be revoked.

“Do not desire to be a general, or a senator, or a consul, but to be free; and the only way to this is a disregard of things which lie not within our own power.”

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Original text

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Chapter 19

Choose Your Battles Wisely

You can be unconquerable if you enter into no combat in which it is not in your own power to conquer. When, therefore, you see anyone eminent in honors or power, or in high esteem on any other account, take heed not to be bewildered by appearances and to pronounce him happy; for if the essence of good consists in things within our own power, there will be no room for envy or emulation. But, for your part, do not desire to be a general, or a senator, or a consul, but to be free; and the only way to…

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Critical Thinking Exercise

10 minutes

Map Your Control Territory

Draw two columns: 'I Control This' and 'I Don't Control This.' List everything you're currently worried about or working toward. Be brutally honest about which column each item belongs in. Then circle the items in your 'control' column that you're actually investing your energy in versus the 'don't control' items that are stealing your peace.

Consider:

•Notice how much mental energy goes to the 'don't control' column
•Ask yourself what you could accomplish if you redirected that energy
•Consider how your definition of success might change if you focused only on your control column

Journaling Prompt

Write about a time when you felt most confident and at peace. What were you focusing on during that period - things you could control, or things outside your influence? What does this tell you about where to invest your energy now?

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Epictetus

Choose Your Battles Wisely

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0:00 / 0:00

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Study guide

Summary

You can be unconquerable, Epictetus says, if you enter no combat in which it is not in your own power to conquer. Invincibility is selection, not domination.

Do not desire to be a general, senator, or consul. Desire to be free. The only way is disregard of things which lie not within our own power. Freedom here is refusing battles you cannot win.

In this chapter: Terms Characters Key Quotes Modern Story