Epictetus Enchiridion
Epictetus: Don't allow such considerations as these…
Don't allow such considerations as these distress you. "I will live in dishonor, and be nobody anywhere." For, if dishonor is an evil, you can no more be involved in any evil by the means of another, than be engaged in anything base.
The passage follows a public-domain translation of the Enchiridion. The reading beside it is ours.
The fear of being nobody has pushed many people into work, relationships, purchases, and public arguments they did not really want. We act as though losing status is a moral catastrophe. Epictetus challenges that assumption. Someone can take away a title, spread a rumor, ignore your contribution, or exclude you from a group. None of that can force you to become dishonest, cowardly, or unjust. Those would be real injuries because they involve your own choices. Reputation still matters in practical ways, and it can be wise to protect it. But do not treat it as your soul. If you must choose between looking good and doing right, the latter is the only choice that leaves you intact. The next time embarrassment threatens to steer you, name the fear plainly. Then ask: Is my character actually at risk, or only the image I hoped to maintain?
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