# Chapter LVIII explained — Short Works

> Chapter companion for Short Works by Epictetus.

## What happens

Epictetus uses the metaphor of a balance to illustrate that a truly just person, like a true balance, is an independent standard of correctness and cannot be invalidated by the judgments of others, whether they are just or unjust.

## Themes in this chapter

### Virtue as the Only Good

The just judge represents the internal, unassailable standard of virtue, which is its own measure and cannot be corrupted or validated by external opinion.

### Inner Freedom and Slavery

The judge's independence from the condemnation of the unjust highlights inner freedom—the state of being governed by one's own correct principles rather than the flawed judgments of others.

## Character check-ins

### Epictetus

The author, presenting the core analogy of the chapter.

## Key lines

> As a true balance is neither corrected by a true balance nor judged by a false balance, so also a just judge is neither corrected by just judges nor is he judged (condemned) by unjust judges.

A perfectly calibrated scale doesn't need adjustment from another accurate scale, nor can an inaccurate scale prove it wrong. Similarly, a person of true justice is not improved by other just people, nor can they be legitimately condemned by unjust people.

_Core analogy establishing the self-sufficient and incorruptible nature of true virtue and justice._

## Links

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