Evening star., 1925-07-23

The world today generally agrees
that an epicure is "a fellow who eats
too much" and a stole "a bird who
pretends Indifference to pain"
AS usual, the world has taken the
easiest way to arrive at these handy
definitions. 1t is less work to lump
matters off SO than to study from old
books just what an epicurean or a
stole really was.
webster's big dictionary defines
"epicure" as follows:
From Latin, Epicurus, famous
Greek philosopher, who has been re-
garded, but enormously, as teaching
doctrine Of refined voluptuousness.
'1. Follower of Epicurus.
seq. One devoted to dainty or lux
urious sensual enjoyments, especially
to the luxuries of the table
"Stoic" Webster defines as follows:
al. Member of school of philosophy
founded by Zeno about sos BIC.
"2. Hence, one not easily excited;
one apparently or professedly indif-
ferent to pleasure or pain"
The secondary definition, in each
case, is the one generally held, al
though the average person is apt to
forget today that the Stole was in
different to pleasure as well as to
pain-or at least tried to be.
1t will be noted that even the die
tionary is fair to Epicurus, in stating
that he has been enormously regarded
as teaching "a doctrine of refined
voluptuousness."
This error arose from the easy
twisting: of some of his ideas by those
opposed to his way of thinking.
Modern politics gives rise to much the
same thing.
There are today many unconscious
Epicureans and many Stoics who are
pointed out that the holding Of such
doctrines is in no way incompatible
with Christianity.
The founders of these old sects
were pagan seekers after God,' as
Canon Farrar expressed IL. They did
their best to arrive at a just con-
ception of the universe, which Is no
more than Darwin tried to do, or Mr..
Bryan is trying to do.
Epicurus remains today a much
maligned figure, whom 1t shall be our
pleasure some day, we hope. to pre-
sent in popular fashion in his true
light.
Today we will devote this space TO
consideration of Epictetus, one OF
the three great Stoics, the other two
being Marcus Aurelius, previously
treated in this column, and Seneca,
tutor of Nero.
Epictetus, born in Phrygia about
60 AID, became a slave of one
Epaphroditus, a freedman of Nero,
but later was freed. If it were not
for the slave, no one ever would have
heard of Epaphroditus.
The Emperor Domitian, a terrible
bruiser, could not stand the eternal
preaching OF Epictetus about being a
decent man, so banished him.
Epictetus then settled at Epirus,
where he had for pupil, among
others, one worthy Of him, Arrian,
who later wrote history of Alex
ander.
1t was Arrian who collected the
"Enchiridion," or Handbook" of Epic.
tetus, as well as the various books Of
his "Discourses." Epictetus himself
never bothered to write them down.
Epictetus is much harder reading
than Marcus Aurelius, lacking much
of the sweet dignity Of that great and
good man. His work, however, is
eminently practical, setting forth
virtue as the art Of right living.
Stoics never compromised with evil.
In this they were very near to Chris
tianity. The Stoics, such as Zeno him
self, taught that we must lead a life
according to nature, and they figured
out that nature hade a man use his
head to find out what is right. and
what is wrong. and then try to live up