Discourses · Chapter
Against Those Who Readily Come to the Profession of Sophists explained
Epictetus criticizes those who superficially adopt philosophical teachings without internalizing them, comparing them to a sick person vomiting undigested food.
What happens
Epictetus criticizes those who superficially adopt philosophical teachings without internalizing them, comparing them to a sick person vomiting undigested food. He argues that true philosophy requires transformation of one's ruling faculty, demonstrated through actions—eating, drinking, marriage, citizenship, and enduring hardship—not mere recitation of texts. He warns against treating philosophy as a casual profession, insisting it demands divine guidance, proper age, life, and purification, akin to the sacred mysteries of Eleusis.
Themes in this chapter
Philosophy as Practical Discipline
Epictetus emphasizes that philosophy must be digested and shown through actions—eating, drinking, marriage, citizenship, enduring abuse—not merely recited as words.
Social Duty and Friendship
The chapter stresses the duty to bear with an unreasonable brother, father, son, neighbor, and companion, and to do the office of a citizen as proof of philosophical learning.
Characters to notice
- Socrates
Cited as one whom God advised to occupy the office of confuting error.
- Diogenes
Cited as one whom God advised to occupy the office of royalty and reproof.
- Chrysippus
Mentioned as a philosopher whose writings the sophist claims to expound.
- Antipater
Mentioned as a philosopher whose vehemence the sophist claims to add to his exposition.
- Archedemus
Mentioned alongside Antipater as a philosopher whose style the sophist claims to emulate.
Key passages
“First digest the thing, then do not vomit it up thus; if you do not digest it, the thing becomes truly an emetic, a crude food and unfit to eat.”
Internalize philosophical teachings thoroughly before sharing them; otherwise, they are like undigested food that only causes nausea.
Epictetus uses the metaphor of digestion to argue that superficial learning without transformation is harmful.
“Show us these things that we may see that you have in truth learned something from the philosophers.”
Demonstrate your learning through your actions, not your words.
Epictetus insists that true philosophy is proven by one's conduct in daily life.
“But you publish and divulge them out of time, out of place, without sacrifices, without purity; you have not the garments which the hierophant ought to have, nor the hair, nor the headdress, nor the voice, nor the age; nor have you purified yourself as he has: but you have committed to memory the words only.”
You recite sacred teachings without the proper preparation, context, or personal transformation, like an unqualified person performing religious mysteries.
Epictetus compares the unqualified sophist to someone who performs the Eleusinian Mysteries without the required rites and purity.