Short Works · Chapter
CLXII explained
The chapter advises using reason as a remedy for misfortune, comparing it to calling upon a good physician for aid.
What happens
The chapter advises using reason as a remedy for misfortune, comparing it to calling upon a good physician for aid.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This moment is the emotional and philosophical peak where Epictetus forces the reader into a crisis of choice,…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Reason as Guide and Consolation
Reason is explicitly prescribed as the therapeutic tool to apply against misfortune, acting as a healing guide.
Characters to notice
- Epictetus
The author of the advice, prescribing reason as the cure for misfortune.
Key passages
“We ought to call in reason like a good physician as a help in misfortune.”
When faced with hardship, we should summon our rational faculty to heal us, just as we would seek a skilled doctor.
Direct metaphor equating reason with medical intervention.
