Theproprietyofaction，therulewhichJupiterhadgivenusforthedirectionofourconduct，evidentlyrequiredthisofus。Butifitwasaltogetheroutofourpowertodoeither，weoughtthentoconsiderthiseventasthemostfortunatewhichcouldpossiblyhavehappened；becausewemightbeassuredthatittendedmosttotheprosperityandorderofthewhole，whichwaswhatweourselves，ifwewerewiseandequitable，oughtmostofalltodesire。Itwasourownfinalinterestconsideredasapartofthatwhole，ofwhichtheprosperityoughttobe，notonlytheprincipal，butthesoleobjectofourdesire。
’Inwhatsense，’saysEpictetus，’aresomethingssaidtobeaccordingtoournature，andotherscontrarytoit？Itisinthatsenseinwhichweconsiderourselvesasseparatedanddetachedfromallotherthings。Forthusitmaybesaidtobeaccordingtothenatureofthefoottobealwaysclean。Butifyouconsideritasafoot，andnotassomethingdetachedfromtherestofthebody，itmustbehoveitsometimestotrampleinthedirt，andsometimestotreaduponthorns，andsometimes，too，tobecutoffforthesakeofthewholebody；andifitrefusesthis，itisnolongerafoot。Thus，too，oughtwetoconceivewithregardtoourselves。Whatareyou？Aman。Ifyouconsideryourselfassomethingseparatedanddetached，itisagreeabletoyournaturetolivetooldage，toberich，tobeinhealth。Butifyouconsideryourselfasaman，andasapartofawhole，uponaccountofthatwhole，itwillbehoveyousometimestobeinsickness，sometimestobeexposedtotheinconveniencyofaseavoyage，sometimestobeinwant；andatlast，perhaps，todiebeforeyourtime。Whythendoyoucomplain？Donotyouknowthatbydoingso，asthefootceasestobeafoot，soyouceasetobeaman？’7*
AwisemannevercomplainsofthedestinyofProvidence，northinkstheuniverseinconfusionwhenheisoutoforder。Hedoesnotlookuponhimselfasawhole，separatedanddetachedfromeveryotherpartofnature，tobetakencareofbyitselfandforitself。Heregardshimselfinthelightinwhichheimaginesthegreatgeniusofhumannature，andoftheworld，regardshim。Heenters，ifImaysayso，intothesentimentsofthatdivineBeing，andconsidershimselfasanatom，aparticle，ofanimmenseandinfinitesystem，whichmustandoughttobedisposedof，accordingtotheconveniencyofthewhole。Assuredofthewisdomwhichdirectsalltheeventsofhumanlife，whateverlotbefallshim，heacceptsitwithjoy，satisfiedthat，ifhehadknownalltheconnectionsanddependenciesofthedifferentpartsoftheuniverse，itistheverylotwhichhehimselfwouldhavewishedfor。Ifitislife，heiscontentedtolive；andifitisdeath，asnaturemusthavenofurtheroccasionforhispresencehere，hewillinglygoeswhereheisappointed。Iaccept，saidacynicalphilosopher，whosedoctrineswereinthisrespectthesameasthoseoftheStoics，Iaccept，withequaljoyandsatisfaction，whateverfortunecanbefallme。Richesorpoverty，pleasureorpain，healthorsickness，allisalike:norwouldI
desirethattheGodsshouldinanyrespectchangemydestination。
IfIwastoaskofthemanythingbeyondwhattheirbountyhasalreadybestowed，itshouldbethattheywouldinformmebefore-handwhatitwastheirpleasureshouldbedonewithme，thatImightofmyownaccordplacemyselfinthissituation，anddemonstratethecheerfulnesswithwhichIembracedtheirallotment。IfIamgoingtosail，saysEpictetus，Ichusethebestshipandthebestpilot，andIwaitforthefairestweatherthatmycircumstancesanddutywillallow。Prudenceandpropriety，theprincipleswhichtheGodshavegivenmeforthedirectionofmyconduct，requirethisofme；buttheyrequirenomore:andif，notwithstanding，astormarises，whichneitherthestrengthofthevesselnortheskillofthepilotarelikelytowithstand，Igivemyselfnotroubleabouttheconsequence。AllthatIhadtodoisdonealready。Thedirectorsofmyconductnevercommandmetobemiserable，tobeanxious，desponding，orafraid。Whetherwearetobedrowned，ortocometoaharbour，isthebusinessofJupiter，notmine。Ileaveitentirelytohisdetermination，noreverbreakmyrestwithconsideringwhichwayheislikelytodecideit，butreceivewhatevercomeswithequalindifferenceandsecurity。