The Discourses of Epictetus, tr. by P.E Matheson, , at sacred-
texts.com The essence of good and of evil lies in an attitude of
the will. What are external things then? They are materials for
the will, in dealing with which it will find its own good or
evil. How will it find its good? If it does not value over much
the things that it deals with. For its judgements on matters
presented to it, if they be right, make the will good, and if
crooked and perverse make it bad. This law God has ordained and
says, 'If you want anything good, get it from yourself.' You
say, 'Not so, but from another.' I say, No, from yourself. So
when the tyrant threatens and does not invite me, I say, 'What
does he threaten?' If he says, 'I will bind you', I say, 'He
threatens my hands and my feet.' If he says, 'I will behead
you', I say, 'He threatens my neck'. If he says, 'I will put you
in prison', I say, 'He threatens all my poor flesh', and if he
threatens banishment, the same. 'Does he then not threaten you
at all?' Not at all, if