Epictetus his Morals, with Simplicius his comment made English from the Greek, by George Stanhope ...

CHAP. LXXIX.

Or this other.

O, Crito, If this be God's plea∣sure concerning me, His Will be done; Anytus and Melitus may take away my Life, but it is not in their power to do me any hurt.

COMMENT.

THis is quoted out of a Discourse of Plato's entituled Crito, and is spoken there in the Person of Socrates: The Sence is much the same with the former, only wrapp'd up a little close, and delivered in fewer Words. And indeed the Man, who can make this Profession, and whose Life speaks it as well as his Tongue, hath van∣quished all his Pride and Discontent, and cured the Degeneracy of his Nature, hath abandoned Corruption, gives up himself to God without any reserve, and submits to all his Dispensations with a perfect acquiescence of Mind. And to Me Epictetus seems to have produced these Sayings at the close of his Book, that by the Testimony and Example of such eminent Persons, he might con∣firm us in this Belief, That the utmost Perfe∣ction attainable by a Humane Soul, is a sincere Conversion or turning to God; and that a ready compliance with his Will upon all occasions is the Crown and Complement of all Vertues.

That last Clause, Anytus and Melitus may kill me, but they cannot hurt me, is taken out of Plato's Defence of Socrates, and spoken to his Accusers:

And thus our Author brings both ends together, by refreshing our Memory here with what he in∣sisted upon so largely at the beginning; viz: That the Man who places his Good and Evil only in the use of his Native Liberty, and those things that come within the compass of his own choice, and does not depend upon external Objects for his Happiness: This Man, I say, is above the World, he cannot be brought under the Dominion of any thing, nor is it in the Power of Men or Accidents to do him the least prejudice.

Thus have I finished those Meditations, which occurred to me upon this Subject; and because I thought they might be of some Service to those that shall read Epictetus, I was willing to contribute what little Assistance I could to the true Understanding of so excellent an Author. Nor does my writing this Commentary, prove beneficial to others only, for I my self have al∣ready found great Advantage from it, by the agreeable Diversion it hath given me, in a Sea∣son of Trouble and publick Calamity. All I have more to add, is only a Prayer proper to this Subject, and with it I conclude.

Grant, I beseech thee, O Lord, the Giver and Guide of all Reason, that we may always be mindful of the Dignity, of the Nature, and the Privileges thou hast honoured us withal; that we may act in all things as becomes free Agents, to the subduing and governing our Passions, to the refining them from Flesh and Sense, and to the rendring them subservient to excellent Purposes. Grant us also thy Fa∣vourable Assistance in the reforming, and dire∣cting

our Judgment; and enlighten us with thy Truth, that we may discern those things that are really Good; and having discovered them, may love and cleave stedfastly to the same. And, finally, disperse, we pray thee, those Mists which darken the Eyes of our Mind, that so we may have a perfect Un∣derstanding: And (as Homer expresses it) knows (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) both God and Man, and what to each is due.