Short Works · Chapter
CXXVI explained
A concise, paradoxical statement equating unlawful actions with non-actions, suggesting a Stoic perspective on the true nature and value of deeds that violate universal or divine law.
What happens
A concise, paradoxical statement equating unlawful actions with non-actions, suggesting a Stoic perspective on the true nature and value of deeds that violate universal or divine law.
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
- Practical Ethics and Self-Discipline
The excerpt implicitly defines ethical action as action in accordance with law, framing unlawful deeds as philosophically void and not true 'deeds' for a virtuous person.
Key passages
“The things which are done contrary to law are the same as things which are not done.”
Actions that break the law hold no more validity or reality than actions that never occurred.
This emphasizes a Stoic view that true, meaningful action must align with rational, universal law; transgressive acts are philosophically insignificant.
