Allignment pt 1/2 Epicurus
Jimmy Harrington /
- Created on 2019-12-04 17:37:02
- Modified on 2019-12-11 23:06:17
- Aligned by Jimmy Harrington
Ἑλληνική Transliterate
English
[ 122 ]
Μήτε νέος τις ὢν μελλέτω φιλοσοφεῖν͵ μήτε γέρων ὑπάρχων κοπιάτω φιλοσοφῶν . οὔτε γὰρ ἄωρος οὐδείς ἐστιν οὔτε πάρωρος πρὸς τὸ κατὰ ψυχὴν ὑγιαῖνον . ὁ δὲ λέγων ἢ μήπω τοῦ φιλοσοφεῖν ὑπάρχειν ὥραν ἢ παρεληλυθέναι τὴν ὥραν ὅμοιός ἐστι τῷ λέγοντι πρὸς εὐδαιμονίαν ἢ μὴ παρεῖναι τὴν ὥραν ἢ μηκέτι εἶναι . ὥστε φιλοσοφητέον καὶ νέῳ καὶ γέροντι͵ τῷ μὲν ὅπως γηράσκων νεάζῃ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς διὰ τὴν χάριν τῶν γεγονότων͵ τῷ δὲ ὅπως νέος ἅμα καὶ παλαιὸς ᾖ διὰ τὴν ἀφοβίαν τῶν μελλόντων · μελετᾶν οὖν χρὴ τὰ ποιοῦντα τὴν εὐδαιμονίαν͵ εἴπερ παρούσης μὲν αὐτῆς πάντα ἔχομεν͵ ἀπούσης δὲ πάντα πράττομεν εἰς τὸ ταύτην ἔχειν .
[ 123 ]
Ἃ δέ σοι συνεχῶς παρήγγελλον͵ ταῦτα καὶ πρᾶττε καὶ μελέτα͵ στοιχεῖα τοῦ καλῶς ζῆν ταῦτ΄ εἶναι διαλαμβάνων . Πρῶτον μὲν τὸν θεὸν ζῷον ἄφθαρτον καὶ μακάριον νομίζων͵ ὡς ἡ κοινὴ τοῦ θεοῦ νόησις ὑπεγράφη͵ μηθὲν μήτε τῆς ἀφθαρσίας ἀλλότριον μήτε τῆς μακαριότητος ἀνοίκειον αὐτῷ πρόσαπτε · πᾶν δὲ τὸ φυλάττειν αὐτοῦ δυνάμενον τὴν μετὰ ἀφθαρσίας μακαριότητα περὶ αὐτὸν δόξαζε . θεοὶ μὲν γὰρ εἰσίν · ἐναργὴς γὰρ αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἡ γνῶσις · οἵους δ΄ αὐτοὺς οἱ πολλοὶ νομίζουσιν͵ οὐκ εἰσίν · οὐ γὰρ φυλάττουσιν αὐτοὺς οἵους νομίζουσιν . ἀσεβὴς δὲ οὐχ ὁ τοὺς τῶν πολλῶν θεοὺς ἀναιρῶν͵
[ 124 ]
ἀλλ΄ ὁ τὰς τῶν πολλῶν δόξας θεοῖς προσάπτων . οὐ γὰρ προλήψεις εἰσὶν ἀλλ΄ ὑπολήψεις ψευδεῖς αἱ τῶν πολλῶν ὑπὲρ θεῶν ἀποφάσεις . ἔνθεν αἱ μέγισται βλάβαι αἴτιαι τοῖς κακοῖς ἐκ θεῶν ἐπάγονται καὶ ὠφέλειαι . ταῖς γὰρ ἰδίαις οἰκειούμενοι διὰ παντὸς ἀρεταῖς τοὺς ὁμοίους ἀποδέχονται͵ πᾶν τὸ μὴ τοιοῦτον ὡς ἀλλότριον νομίζοντες . Συνέθιζε δὲ ἐν τῷ νομίζειν μηδὲν πρὸς ἡμᾶς εἶναι τὸν θάνατον ἐπεὶ πᾶν ἀγαθὸν καὶ κακὸν ἐν αἰσθήσει · στέρησις δέ ἐστιν αἰσθήσεως ὁ θάνατος . ὅθεν γνῶσις ὀρθὴ τοῦ μηθὲν εἶναι πρὸς ἡμᾶς τὸν θάνατον ἀπολαυστὸν ποιεῖ τὸ τῆς ζωῆς θνητόν͵ οὐκ ἄπειρον προστιθεῖσα χρόνον͵ ἀλλὰ τὸν τῆς ἀθανασίας ἀφελομένη πόθον .
[ 125 ] οὐθὲν γάρ ἐστιν ἐν τῷ ζῆν δεινὸν τῷ κατειληφότι γνησίως τὸ μηδὲν ὑπάρχειν ἐν τῷ μὴ ζῆν δεινόν . ὥστε μάταιος ὁ λέγων δεδιέναι τὸν θάνατον οὐχ ὅτι λυπήσει παρών͵ ἀλλ΄ ὅτι λυπεῖ μέλλων . ὃ γὰρ παρὸν οὐκ ἐνοχλεῖ͵ προσδοκώμενον κενῶς λυπεῖ . τὸ φρικωδέστατον οὖν τῶν κακῶν ὁ θάνατος οὐθὲν πρὸς ἡμᾶς͵ ἐπειδήπερ ὅταν μὲν ἡμεῖς ὦμεν͵ ὁ θάνατος οὐ πάρεστιν͵ ὅταν δὲ ὁ θάνατος παρῇ͵ τόθ΄ ἡμεῖς οὐκ ἐσμέν . οὔτε οὖν πρὸς τοὺς ζῶντάς ἐστιν οὔτε πρὸς τοὺς τετελευτηκότας͵ ἐπειδήπερ περὶ οὓς μὲν οὐκ ἔστιν͵ οἳ δ΄ οὐκέτι εἰσίν . Ἀλλ΄ οἱ πολλοὶ τὸν θάνατον ὁτὲ μὲν ὡς μέγιστον τῶν κακῶν φεύγουσιν͵ ὁτὲ δὲ ὡς ἀνάπαυσιν τῶν ἐν τῷ ζῆν ( κακῶν αἱροῦνται . ὁ δὲ σοφὸς οὔτε παραιτεῖται τὸ ζῆν ) [ 126 ] οὔτε φοβεῖται τὸ μὴ ζῆν · οὔτε γὰρ αὐτῷ προσίσταται τὸ ζῆν οὔτε δοξάζει κακὸν εἶναί τι τὸ μὴ ζῆν . ὥσπερ δὲ τὸ σιτίον οὐ τὸ πλεῖον πάντως ἀλλὰ τὸ ἥδιστον αἱρεῖται͵ οὕτω καὶ χρόνον οὐ τὸν μήκιστον ἀλλὰ τὸν ἥδιστον καρπίζεται . Ὁ δὲ παραγγέλλων τὸν μὲν νέον καλῶς ζῆν͵ τὸν δὲ γέροντα καλῶς καταστρέφειν͵ εὐήθης ἐστὶν οὐ μόνον διὰ τὸ τῆς ζωῆς ἀσπαστόν͵ ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ τὸ τὴν αὐτὴν εἶναι μελέτην τοῦ καλῶς ζῆν καὶ τοῦ καλῶς ἀποθνῄσκειν . πολὺ δὲ χείρων καὶ ὁ λέγων καλὸν μὲν μὴ φῦναι͵
φύντα δ΄ ὅπως ὤκιστα πύλας Ἀίδαο περῆσαι
Μήτε νέος τις ὢν μελλέτω φιλοσοφεῖν͵ μήτε γέρων ὑπάρχων κοπιάτω φιλοσοφῶν . οὔτε γὰρ ἄωρος οὐδείς ἐστιν οὔτε πάρωρος πρὸς τὸ κατὰ ψυχὴν ὑγιαῖνον . ὁ δὲ λέγων ἢ μήπω τοῦ φιλοσοφεῖν ὑπάρχειν ὥραν ἢ παρεληλυθέναι τὴν ὥραν ὅμοιός ἐστι τῷ λέγοντι πρὸς εὐδαιμονίαν ἢ μὴ παρεῖναι τὴν ὥραν ἢ μηκέτι εἶναι . ὥστε φιλοσοφητέον καὶ νέῳ καὶ γέροντι͵ τῷ μὲν ὅπως γηράσκων νεάζῃ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς διὰ τὴν χάριν τῶν γεγονότων͵ τῷ δὲ ὅπως νέος ἅμα καὶ παλαιὸς ᾖ διὰ τὴν ἀφοβίαν τῶν μελλόντων · μελετᾶν οὖν χρὴ τὰ ποιοῦντα τὴν εὐδαιμονίαν͵ εἴπερ παρούσης μὲν αὐτῆς πάντα ἔχομεν͵ ἀπούσης δὲ πάντα πράττομεν εἰς τὸ ταύτην ἔχειν .
[ 123 ]
Ἃ δέ σοι συνεχῶς παρήγγελλον͵ ταῦτα καὶ πρᾶττε καὶ μελέτα͵ στοιχεῖα τοῦ καλῶς ζῆν ταῦτ΄ εἶναι διαλαμβάνων . Πρῶτον μὲν τὸν θεὸν ζῷον ἄφθαρτον καὶ μακάριον νομίζων͵ ὡς ἡ κοινὴ τοῦ θεοῦ νόησις ὑπεγράφη͵ μηθὲν μήτε τῆς ἀφθαρσίας ἀλλότριον μήτε τῆς μακαριότητος ἀνοίκειον αὐτῷ πρόσαπτε · πᾶν δὲ τὸ φυλάττειν αὐτοῦ δυνάμενον τὴν μετὰ ἀφθαρσίας μακαριότητα περὶ αὐτὸν δόξαζε . θεοὶ μὲν γὰρ εἰσίν · ἐναργὴς γὰρ αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἡ γνῶσις · οἵους δ΄ αὐτοὺς οἱ πολλοὶ νομίζουσιν͵ οὐκ εἰσίν · οὐ γὰρ φυλάττουσιν αὐτοὺς οἵους νομίζουσιν . ἀσεβὴς δὲ οὐχ ὁ τοὺς τῶν πολλῶν θεοὺς ἀναιρῶν͵
[ 124 ]
ἀλλ΄ ὁ τὰς τῶν πολλῶν δόξας θεοῖς προσάπτων . οὐ γὰρ προλήψεις εἰσὶν ἀλλ΄ ὑπολήψεις ψευδεῖς αἱ τῶν πολλῶν ὑπὲρ θεῶν ἀποφάσεις . ἔνθεν αἱ μέγισται βλάβαι αἴτιαι τοῖς κακοῖς ἐκ θεῶν ἐπάγονται καὶ ὠφέλειαι . ταῖς γὰρ ἰδίαις οἰκειούμενοι διὰ παντὸς ἀρεταῖς τοὺς ὁμοίους ἀποδέχονται͵ πᾶν τὸ μὴ τοιοῦτον ὡς ἀλλότριον νομίζοντες . Συνέθιζε δὲ ἐν τῷ νομίζειν μηδὲν πρὸς ἡμᾶς εἶναι τὸν θάνατον ἐπεὶ πᾶν ἀγαθὸν καὶ κακὸν ἐν αἰσθήσει · στέρησις δέ ἐστιν αἰσθήσεως ὁ θάνατος . ὅθεν γνῶσις ὀρθὴ τοῦ μηθὲν εἶναι πρὸς ἡμᾶς τὸν θάνατον ἀπολαυστὸν ποιεῖ τὸ τῆς ζωῆς θνητόν͵ οὐκ ἄπειρον προστιθεῖσα χρόνον͵ ἀλλὰ τὸν τῆς ἀθανασίας ἀφελομένη πόθον .
[ 125 ] οὐθὲν γάρ ἐστιν ἐν τῷ ζῆν δεινὸν τῷ κατειληφότι γνησίως τὸ μηδὲν ὑπάρχειν ἐν τῷ μὴ ζῆν δεινόν . ὥστε μάταιος ὁ λέγων δεδιέναι τὸν θάνατον οὐχ ὅτι λυπήσει παρών͵ ἀλλ΄ ὅτι λυπεῖ μέλλων . ὃ γὰρ παρὸν οὐκ ἐνοχλεῖ͵ προσδοκώμενον κενῶς λυπεῖ . τὸ φρικωδέστατον οὖν τῶν κακῶν ὁ θάνατος οὐθὲν πρὸς ἡμᾶς͵ ἐπειδήπερ ὅταν μὲν ἡμεῖς ὦμεν͵ ὁ θάνατος οὐ πάρεστιν͵ ὅταν δὲ ὁ θάνατος παρῇ͵ τόθ΄ ἡμεῖς οὐκ ἐσμέν . οὔτε οὖν πρὸς τοὺς ζῶντάς ἐστιν οὔτε πρὸς τοὺς τετελευτηκότας͵ ἐπειδήπερ περὶ οὓς μὲν οὐκ ἔστιν͵ οἳ δ΄ οὐκέτι εἰσίν . Ἀλλ΄ οἱ πολλοὶ τὸν θάνατον ὁτὲ μὲν ὡς μέγιστον τῶν κακῶν φεύγουσιν͵ ὁτὲ δὲ ὡς ἀνάπαυσιν τῶν ἐν τῷ ζῆν ( κακῶν αἱροῦνται . ὁ δὲ σοφὸς οὔτε παραιτεῖται τὸ ζῆν ) [ 126 ] οὔτε φοβεῖται τὸ μὴ ζῆν · οὔτε γὰρ αὐτῷ προσίσταται τὸ ζῆν οὔτε δοξάζει κακὸν εἶναί τι τὸ μὴ ζῆν . ὥσπερ δὲ τὸ σιτίον οὐ τὸ πλεῖον πάντως ἀλλὰ τὸ ἥδιστον αἱρεῖται͵ οὕτω καὶ χρόνον οὐ τὸν μήκιστον ἀλλὰ τὸν ἥδιστον καρπίζεται . Ὁ δὲ παραγγέλλων τὸν μὲν νέον καλῶς ζῆν͵ τὸν δὲ γέροντα καλῶς καταστρέφειν͵ εὐήθης ἐστὶν οὐ μόνον διὰ τὸ τῆς ζωῆς ἀσπαστόν͵ ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ τὸ τὴν αὐτὴν εἶναι μελέτην τοῦ καλῶς ζῆν καὶ τοῦ καλῶς ἀποθνῄσκειν . πολὺ δὲ χείρων καὶ ὁ λέγων καλὸν μὲν μὴ φῦναι͵
φύντα δ΄ ὅπως ὤκιστα πύλας Ἀίδαο περῆσαι
[
122
]
Let no one delay the study of philosophy while young nor weary of it when old . For no one is either too young or too old for the health of the soul . He who says either that the time for philosophy has not yet come or that it has passed is like someone who says that the time for happiness has not yet come or that it has passed . Therefore , both young and old must philosophize , the latter so that although old he may stay young in good things owing to gratitude for what has occurred , the former so that although young he too may be like an old man owing to his lack of fear of what is to come . Therefore , one must practise the things which produce happiness , since if that is present we have everything and if it is absent we do everything in order to have it .
[ 123 ]
Do and practise what I constantly told you to do , believing these to be the elements of living well . First , believe that god is an indestructible and blessed animal , in accordance with the general conception of god commonly held , and do not ascribe to god anything foreign to his indestructibility or repugnant to his blessedness . Believe of him everything which is able to preserve his blessedness and indestructibility . For gods do exist , since we have clear knowledge of them . But they are not such as the many believe them to be . For they do not adhere to their own views about the gods . The man who denies the gods of the many is not impious , but rather he who ascribes to the gods the opinions of the many .
[ 124 ]
For the pronouncements of the many about the gods are not basic grasps but false suppositions . Hence come the greatest harm from the gods to bad men and the greatest benefits [ to the good ] . For the gods always welcome men who are like themselves , being congenial to their own virtues and considering that whatever is not such is uncongenial . Get used to believing that death is nothing to us . For all good and bad consists in sense-experience , and death is the privation of sense-experience . Hence , a correct knowledge of the fact that death is nothing to us makes the mortality of life a matter for contentment , not by adding a limitless time [ to life ] but by removing the longing for immortality .
[ 125 ]
For there is nothing fearful in life for one who has grasped that there is nothing fearful in the absence of life . Thus , he is a fool who says that he fears death not because it will be painful when present but because it is painful when it is still to come . For that which while present causes no distress causes unnecessary pain when merely anticipated . So death , the most frightening of bad things , is nothing to us ; since when we exist , death is not yet present , and when death is present , then we do not exist . Therefore , it is relevant neither to the living nor to the dead , since it does not affect the former , and the latter do not exist . But the many sometimes flee death as the greatest of bad things and sometimes choose it as a relief from the bad things in life .
Let no one delay the study of philosophy while young nor weary of it when old . For no one is either too young or too old for the health of the soul . He who says either that the time for philosophy has not yet come or that it has passed is like someone who says that the time for happiness has not yet come or that it has passed . Therefore , both young and old must philosophize , the latter so that although old he may stay young in good things owing to gratitude for what has occurred , the former so that although young he too may be like an old man owing to his lack of fear of what is to come . Therefore , one must practise the things which produce happiness , since if that is present we have everything and if it is absent we do everything in order to have it .
[ 123 ]
Do and practise what I constantly told you to do , believing these to be the elements of living well . First , believe that god is an indestructible and blessed animal , in accordance with the general conception of god commonly held , and do not ascribe to god anything foreign to his indestructibility or repugnant to his blessedness . Believe of him everything which is able to preserve his blessedness and indestructibility . For gods do exist , since we have clear knowledge of them . But they are not such as the many believe them to be . For they do not adhere to their own views about the gods . The man who denies the gods of the many is not impious , but rather he who ascribes to the gods the opinions of the many .
[ 124 ]
For the pronouncements of the many about the gods are not basic grasps but false suppositions . Hence come the greatest harm from the gods to bad men and the greatest benefits [ to the good ] . For the gods always welcome men who are like themselves , being congenial to their own virtues and considering that whatever is not such is uncongenial . Get used to believing that death is nothing to us . For all good and bad consists in sense-experience , and death is the privation of sense-experience . Hence , a correct knowledge of the fact that death is nothing to us makes the mortality of life a matter for contentment , not by adding a limitless time [ to life ] but by removing the longing for immortality .
[ 125 ]
For there is nothing fearful in life for one who has grasped that there is nothing fearful in the absence of life . Thus , he is a fool who says that he fears death not because it will be painful when present but because it is painful when it is still to come . For that which while present causes no distress causes unnecessary pain when merely anticipated . So death , the most frightening of bad things , is nothing to us ; since when we exist , death is not yet present , and when death is present , then we do not exist . Therefore , it is relevant neither to the living nor to the dead , since it does not affect the former , and the latter do not exist . But the many sometimes flee death as the greatest of bad things and sometimes choose it as a relief from the bad things in life .