# CLIII explained — Short Works

> Chapter companion for Short Works by Epictetus.

## What happens

A concise directive on managing social relationships, advising to avoid forming friendships with bad people and to avoid incurring the enmity of good people.

## Themes in this chapter

### Social Duty and Relationship

The chapter provides a practical rule for navigating social bonds, emphasizing the importance of aligning one's associations with virtue and avoiding conflict with the virtuous.

## Key lines

> We ought to avoid the friendship of the bad and the enmity of the good.

Steer clear of becoming friends with wicked individuals and avoid making enemies of good people.

_A straightforward ethical maxim focusing on the quality of one's social circle and the importance of maintaining peace with the virtuous._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/epictetus_short_works_se/chapters/cliii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/epictetus_short_works_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/epictetus_short_works_se/chapters