Short Works · Chapter
LVII explained
The chapter presents a single, powerful statement attributed to Diogenes, which defines the only valid form of labor as that which aims to strengthen the soul's courage and fortitude, explicitly rejecting labor aimed at mere bodily strength
What happens
The chapter presents a single, powerful statement attributed to Diogenes, which defines the only valid form of labor as that which aims to strengthen the soul's courage and fortitude, explicitly rejecting labor aimed at mere bodily strength.
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
- Virtue as the Only Good
Diogenes's statement directly equates 'good' labor with the cultivation of soul-based virtues (courage, strength of soul), dismissing bodily ends as irrelevant to true goodness.
- Practical Ethics and Self-Discipline
The aphorism serves as a practical ethical criterion for evaluating one's actions and efforts, guiding the individual to focus their labor on internal, characterological improvement.
Key passages
“Diogenes said that no labour was good, unless the end (purpose) of it was courage and strength ( τόνος ) of the soul, but not of the body.”
According to Diogenes, the only worthwhile effort is that which has the specific goal of building moral courage and resilience in one's character, not physical prowess.
This paraphrase clarifies the philosophical target: labor is redefined from physical or external achievement to an internal, ethical project.
