Short Works · Chapter
CXII explained
A brief, stark warning about the deceptive and destructive nature of pleasure, which acts as bait to lure people toward ruin.
What happens
A brief, stark warning about the deceptive and destructive nature of pleasure, which acts as bait to lure people toward ruin.
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
- Moderation and Simplicity
The chapter directly warns against the dangers of pleasure, framing it as a deceptive lure that leads to destruction, which aligns with the Stoic call for moderation and avoidance of harmful indulgences.
- Practical Ethics and Self-Discipline
The excerpt serves as practical ethical advice, urging vigilance and self-discipline to recognize and resist the bait of pleasure that leads to negative consequences.
Key passages
“Pleasure, like a kind of bait, is thrown before (in front of) everything which is really bad, and easily allures greedy souls to the hook of perdition.”
Pleasure is a deceptive lure placed in front of harmful things, easily tempting those who desire it into ruin.
A metaphorical warning comparing pleasure to fishing bait that hides a dangerous hook, leading the undisciplined to disaster.
