# Epictetus - Discourses chapter 11 - Ancient Greek - Original



## braus

Hey!

Curious and hopeful that someone could help me out getting the original quote of Epictetus in Ancient Greek. I read a translation of the discourses and i liked this chapter more than others, but im having a hard time finding this passage in its original forum on google.

Epictetus,  Enchiridion, chapter 11
Never say of anything, "I have lost it;" but, " *I have restored it*." Has your child died? It is restored. Has your wife died? She is restored. Has your estate been taken away? That likewise is restored. " But it was a bad man who took it." What is it to you by whose hands he who gave it has demanded it again? While he permits you to possess it, hold it as something not your own; as do travellers at an inn.

Im looking for the original wording of "I have restored it." Also, which might sound stupid, i wonder if the original uses a "." after the sentence or if this is just translation.

Regards


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## Acestor

Here you are, from TLG:

Μηδέποτε ἐπὶ μηδενὸς εἴπῃς ὅτι ‘ἀπώλεσα αὐτό’, ἀλλ' ὅτι ‘ἀπέδωκα’. τὸ παιδίον ἀπέθανεν; ἀπεδόθη. ἡ γυνὴ ἀπέθανεν; ἀπεδόθη. ‘τὸ χωρίον ἀφῃρέθην.’ οὐκοῦν καὶ τοῦτο ἀπεδόθη. ‘ἀλλὰ κακὸς ὁ ἀφελόμενος.’ τί δὲ σοὶ μέλει, διὰ τίνος σε ὁ δοὺς ἀπῄτησε; μέχρι δ' ἂν διδῷ, ὡς ἀλλοτρίου αὐτοῦ ἐπιμελοῦ, ὡς τοῦ πανδοχείου οἱ παριόντες.


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## Acestor

The exact equivalent of "I have restored it" would be "ἀπέδωκα αὐτό".


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## braus

Ah thanks alot!! Any chance you could explain it briefly to me? when i use "Greek Word Study Tool" i get:
ἀπέδωκα = Give up
αὐτό = Self

How do you think the translator thought when he made it into "I have restored it".

Just wanna make sure i understand it. Why chose the word restore instead of give up as translated in this case. Is it to stress the importance of never owning it in the first place?


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## fdb

I think "I gave it back" would be a much better translation. "I restored it" does not really work in English.


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## braus

This is from one of the more popular and recent translations of the discourses. Just wanna make sure i understand it.

"The Works of Epictetus: His Discourses, in Four Books, the Enchiridion, and Fragments. Epictetus. Thomas Wentworth Higginson. translator. New York. Thomas Nelson and Sons. 1890."


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## braus

Im unable to find ""ἀπέδωκα αὐτό" here though. Do any of you guys know where the sentence that Thomas Wentworth Higginson translated, exists in the ancient greek manuscript here? Epictetus,  Discourses, book 1, peri\ filostorgi/as.


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## fdb

αὐτό means "it". The translator has simply carried this over from the preceding clause (ἀπώλεσα αὐτό).


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## Acestor

The original does not say "ἀπέδωκα αὐτό". It uses the verb only, "ἀπέδωκα". 
You can see the original here:
Epictetus,  Enchiridion, chapter 11

or, with translation, here:
EPICTETUS, Encheiridion | Loeb Classical Library

c. 11. Μηδέποτε ἐπὶ μηδενὸς εἴπῃς ὅτι “ἀπώλεσα αὐτό,” ἀλλ᾿ ὅτι “ἀπέδωκα.” τὸ παιδίον ἀπέθανεν; ἀπεδόθη. ἡ γυνὴ ἀπέθανεν; ἀπεδόθη. “τὸ χωρίον ἀφῃρέθην.” οὐκοῦν καὶ τοῦτο ἀπεδόθη. “ἀλλὰ κακὸς ὁ ἀφελόμενος.” τί δὲ σοὶ μέλει, διὰ τίνος σε ὁ δοὺς ἀπῄτησε; μέχρι δ᾿ ἂν διδῷ, ὡς ἀλλοτρίου αὐτοῦ ἐπιμελοῦ, ὡς τοῦ πανδοχείου οἱ παριόντες. 

11. Never say about anything, “I have lost it,” but only “I have given it back.” Is your child dead? It has been given back. Is your wife dead? She has been given back. “I have had my farm taken away.” Very well, this too has been given back. “Yet it was a rascal who took it away.” But what concern is it of yours by whose instrumentality the Giver called for its return? So long as He gives it you, take care of it as of a thing that is not your own, as travellers treat their inn.


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## braus

Thanks alot! That translation uses the word give it back instead. I wonder why the other translator chose the word restore.


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## Acestor

The meaning of "restore" in the first translation is "give something back to its original or rightful owner". 
See definition 1.3 here:
restore | Definition of restore in English by Oxford Dictionaries


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