# CXLIX explained — Short Works

> Chapter companion for Short Works by Epictetus.

## What happens

A brief, proverbial reflection on the dual consequences of a child's marriage, framing it as a gain of a son or a loss of a daughter depending on the character of the son-in-law.

## Themes in this chapter

### Social Duty and Relationship

Examines the familial and social implications of marriage, highlighting how the virtue (or lack thereof) of a new family member directly alters existing kinship bonds and responsibilities.

### Dichotomy of Control

Implies that the outcome—gaining a son or losing a daughter—is contingent on the external character of the son-in-law, an element not within one's absolute control, and thus a source of potential fortune or misfortune.

## Key lines

> He who has been lucky in a son in law has found a son: but he who has been unlucky, has lost also a daughter.

A good marriage brings a new son into the family, while a bad marriage results in the loss of a daughter.

_Condenses the Stoic observation into a cause-effect statement, emphasizing the high stakes of a daughter's marriage in terms of familial gain or loss._

## Links

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