Short Works · Chapter
LXXIII explained
A brief anecdote illustrating Nicias's extreme dedication to labor and discipline, to the point of neglecting basic personal needs like bathing and dining.
What happens
A brief anecdote illustrating Nicias's extreme dedication to labor and discipline, to the point of neglecting basic personal needs like bathing and dining.
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
Nicias's behavior is presented as a model of extreme self-discipline and prioritizing labor over bodily comfort.
- Moderation and Simplicity
The anecdote highlights a life of simplicity focused on work, though it borders on an extreme neglect of the body.
Characters to notice
- Nicias
Exemplifies extreme dedication to labor and self-discipline, neglecting basic personal comforts.
Key passages
“Nicias was so fond of labour (assiduous) that he often asked his slaves, if he had bathed and if he had dined.”
Nicias was so intensely focused on his work that he frequently had to ask his servants whether he had already taken care of basic necessities like bathing and eating.
Illustrates a single-minded focus on labor to the exclusion of bodily awareness.
