Previous Stoicism

ACTORS IN A PLAY

“Remember that you are an actor in a play, playing a character according to the will of the playwright—if a short play, then it’s short; if long, long. If he wishes you to play the beggar, play even that role well, just as you would if it were a cripple, a honcho, or an everyday person. For this is your duty, to perform well the character assigned you. That selection belongs to another.”

- EPICTETUS, ENCHIRIDION

Summary
Epictetus reminds us that life is like a play in which we are all actors, each given a role by a “playwright” beyond our control. Our job is to act out this role to the best of our abilities, whether it’s one of wealth or poverty, health or sickness, prominence or simplicity. We don’t choose the part we play—that decision is out of our hands. What we can control, however, is the quality of our performance.

Interpretation
In daily life, this concept emphasizes accepting our circumstances with grace and focusing on how we respond rather than what we experience. Just as an actor would embrace their character regardless of its challenges or flaws, we are encouraged to accept our personal circumstances and make the most of them. For someone familiar with Stoicism, this approach promotes resilience, detachment from things we cannot change, and a commitment to living with virtue and integrity in any situation, knowing that the true measure of a life is how well we fulfill our roles, not the roles themselves.

 

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