Epictetus -- Discourses, Fragment 26 (Schenkl) (AD 108) [tr. Gill (2013)]

Dave — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 17:48:28 +0000

You are a little soul carrying around a corpse, as Epictetus used to say.

[Ψυχάριον εἶ βαστάζον νεκρόν, ὡς Ἐπίκτητος ἔλεγεν.]

Epictetus (c. 55-c. 135 AD) Greek (Phrygian) Stoic philosopher [Ἐπίκτητος, Epíktētos]
Discourses, Fragment 26 (Schenkl) (AD 108) [tr. Gill (2013)]
(Source)

The sole source for this fragment is Marcus Aurelius, Meditations [To Himself; Τὰ εἰς ἑαυτόν], Book 4, ch. 41 (4.41) (AD 161-180). The parallel translations here are from translators of both Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus.

(Source (Greek)). Alternate translations:

What art thou, that better and divine part excepted, but as Epictetus said well, a wretched soul, appointed to carry a carcass up and down?
[tr. Casaubon (1634), 4.33]

Would you know what you are? Epictetus will tell you that you are a Living Soul, that drags a Carcass about with her.
[tr. Collier (1701)]

“Thou art a poor spirit, carrying a dead carcase about with thee,” says Epictetus.
[tr. Hutcheson/Moor (1742)]

As to your own being, "It is a living soul, that bears about with it a lifeless carcass," as Epictetus expresses it.
[tr. Graves (1792), 4.33]

Thou art a little soul bearing about a corpse, as Epictetus used to say.
[tr. Long (1862)]

You are a little soul carrying a dead body, as Epictetus said.
[tr. Long (1890), frag. 176]

Epictetus will tell you that you are a living soul, that drags a corpse about with her.
[tr. Collier/Zimmern (1887)]

What am I? "A poor soul, laden with a corpse" -- said Epictetus.
[tr. Rendall (1898)]

“Thou art a poor soul, saddled with a corpse,” said Epictetus.
[tr. Hutcheson/Chrystal (1902)]

You are a little soul, carrying a corpse, as Epictetus used to say.
[tr. Matheson (1916)]

Thou art a little soul bearing up a corpse, as Epictetus said.
[tr. Haines (Loeb) (1916)]

You are a little soul, carrying around a corpse, as Epictetus used to say.
[tr. Oldfather (Loeb) (1928)]

You are a spirit bearing the weight of a dead body, as Epictetus used to say.
[tr. Farquharson (1944)]

"A poor soul burdened with a corpse," Epictetus calls you.
[tr. Staniforth (1964)]

"You are a little soul carrying a corpse around," as Epictetus used to say.
[tr. Hard (1997 ed.)]

“A little wisp of soul carrying a corpse.” -- Epictetus.
[tr. Hays (2003)]

You are a soul carrying a corpse, as Epictetus used to say.
[tr. Hammond (2006)]

You are a bit of soul carrying around a dead body, as Epictetus used to say.
[tr. Dobbin (2008)]

You are a little soul carrying a corpse around, as Epictetus used to say.
[tr. Hard (2011; 2014)]

You're a pathetic little soul sustaining a corpse, as Epictetus used to say.
[tr. Waterfield (2012)]

Ennius -- Fragment from the Annales Book 1, frag. 11-12 [tr. Warmingham (1935)]

Dave — Thu, 10 Jun 2021 16:55:15 +0000

And earth who herself bestowed the body takes it back and wastes not a whit.

[Terram corpus quae dederit, ipsam capere neque dispendi facere hilum.]

Ennius (239-169 BC) Roman poet, writer [Quintus Ennius]
Fragment from the Annales Book 1, frag. 11-12 [tr. Warmingham (1935)]
(Source)

In Varro, De Lingua Latina, Book 5, sec 60, ll. 4-5 (1st C BC). In some locations, the Latin is given as "terraque corpus quae dedit ipsa capit neque dispendi facit hilum."

Alternate translations:

The body she's given Earth does herself take back, and of loss not a whit does she suffer.
[tr. Kent (1938)]

Earth herself takes back the body which she gave, and permits no loss whatsoever.
[Source (2013)]

WIST Quotations

Epictetus -- Discourses, Fragment 26 (Schenkl) (AD 108) [tr. Gill (2013)]

Ennius -- Fragment from the Annales Book 1, frag. 11-12 [tr. Warmingham (1935)]