Short Works · Chapter
LXXV explained
A brief anecdote recounts the shipowner Lampis explaining the differing levels of effort required to acquire his initial small wealth versus his subsequent great wealth.
What happens
A brief anecdote recounts the shipowner Lampis explaining the differing levels of effort required to acquire his initial small wealth versus his subsequent great wealth.
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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 anecdote implicitly contrasts the initial struggle for modest gains with the relative ease of later abundance, touching on the value and nature of acquisition.
Key passages
“Lampis the shipowner being asked how he acquired his wealth, answered, With no difficulty, my great wealth; but my small wealth (my first gains), with much labour.”
When asked about the source of his riches, the shipowner Lampis replied that his massive fortune came easily, but his initial, smaller fortune required great effort to obtain.
Highlights a paradoxical view of wealth accumulation, where the foundational work is hardest, and subsequent growth can be effortless.
