The Washington times., 1920-03-18
Let Us, Who Are Free, Learn
Of q CIaVn
of q Slave
He Talked Almost Nineteen Hundred Years Ago. But the
- World Still Listens.

L. World Stu LISTENS
Let US take few minutes today to learn lesson Of
humility.
We are free; that is, we are as free make our
selves At least, arc not slaves.
With all freedom, however Is there one name OF
men alive today that with all the advantages freedom gives
will be mentioned nineteen hundred years from now?
How many writer's and teachers of today will be quoted
when few one hundred years have passed.
But you read the sayings of Epctetus you Will avail
yourself Of wisdom that uttered more than fourteen
hundred years before this continent was discovered
Epctetus was q slave. He did not have, far as is
recorded even a name for "Epictetus is from Greek
word which acquired and is not proper name
cat all.
BE was the property of Epaphroditus who was mem
Der of the Of Nero and his master beat him so butay
that he made him q cripple
But the beatngs which injured his body did not disturb
his soul No whip could conquer his mind overcome his
determination and power to THINK
Perhaps while attending his MASTER he heard what tho
Greek philosophers said and taught From somewhere at
least he got foundation Of ideas which he built
philosophy of his own
Because physical inrmities he lost his value
slave and his master him free Thereafter he taught
other what he had learned and Aranoswho was the
historian of Alexander the Greatbecame his pupil and
wrote down the sayings of his teacher.
They called Golden Sayings perhaps because
there much that is left unsaid In them AS read
them You will supply in your mind what he did not
for they will make you think and expand the ideas of which
he sometimes only gave the merest hint and outline
As you read them think how much better opportunity
the poorest boy in Washington has than did this
abused slave Consider THAT he would have been if he
could have had the advantage of modern schools and
libraries and all the thousand and of information
that are free to those who will use them
It should make us feel very small and very humble
when we think that few years from now there will be
one to remember because have left nothing worth
while to be remembered BY
What Epctetus taught his students is useful to
it to them The Truth changes loses
its value never outgrows with old age, being applicable
What follows is worth reading aloud in the family cir
cle It simply and plainly worded that the chill
dren will understand practically all of it, and if here and
there something raises question in their minds explain it
TO them
If you like this kind of reading you can get all Of his
sayings in cheap binding for what you would spend on
cigar or glass of soda water.
These are some Of the things he taught:
When youth giving himself airs in the thea
ter and saying, 81 wise for have conversed with
many wise men, - Epctetus replied, a. too have con-
versed with many rich men, yet am not rch!''
If you told that such one speaks i'll of you,
make defense against what said, but answer,
He surely knew not my other faults else he would not
have mentioned these only!
At feasts remember that you entertaining two
guests body and SOUL What you give to the body you
presently lose; what give to the SOUL you keep for
ever
That was good reply which Diogenes made to
who asked him for letters of recommendation.
"That you man he will know when he sees you;
whether good bad he will know if he has anv
skill in discerning the good and the bad But if he has
none, he will never know, though write to him thou
sand times" 1t is though piece of silver money
desired to be recommended to to be tested
If the man be good judge of silver, he will know the
coin will tell its tale.
Not death or pain is to be feared but the fear of
death or pain. Well said the poet therefore, Death has
no terror; only Death of shame
When you have decided that thing ought to be
done, and are doing it, shun being doing it,