Epictetus | Discourses | II-3

Chapter III

Concerning such as recommend persons to the philosophers

Diogenes rightly answered one who desired letters of recommendation from him:

“At first sight he will know you to be a man; and whether you are a good or a bad man, if he has any skill in distinguishing, he will know likewise; and, if he has not, he will never know it, though I should write a thousand times.”

Just as if you were a piece of coin, and should desire to be recommended to any person as good, in order to be tried; — if it be to an assayer, he will know your value, for you will recommend yourself.

We ought, therefore, in life also, to have something analogous to this skill in gold; that one may be able to say, like the assayer,

Bring me whatever piece you will, and I will find out its value; or, as I would say with regard to syllogisms, Bring me whomsoever you will, and I will distinguish for you, whether he knows how to solve syllogisms, or not.

Why? Because I can do that myself, and have that faculty which is necessary for one, who can discern persons skilled in such solutions.

But how do I act in life? I sometimes call a thing good; at other times, bad. What is the cause of this? Something contrary to what occurs to me in syllogisms, — ignorance, and inexperience.