Remember that desire contains in it the profession (hope)
of obtaining that which you desire; and the profession
(hope) in aversion (turning from a thing) is that you will
not fall into that which you attempt to avoid: and he
who fails in his desire is unfortunate; and he who falls
into that which he would avoid, is unhappy. If then you
attempt to avoid only the things contrary to nature which
are within your power, you will not be involved in any of
the things which you would avoid. But if you attempt
to avoid disease or death or poverty, you will be unhappy.
Take away then aversion from all things which are not in
our power, and transfer it to the things contrary to nature
which are in our power. But destroy desire completely
for the present. For if you desire anything which is not
in our power, you must be unfortunate: but of the things
in our power, and which it would be good to desire,
nothing yet is before you. But employ only the power of
moving towards an object and retiring from it; and these
powers indeed only slightly and with exceptions and with
remission.1
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1 See the notes in Schweig.'s edition.
The Discourses of Epictetus, with the Encheridion and Fragments. Epictetus. George Long. translator. London. George Bell and Sons. 1890.
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