PD16

Regularly Checking In On A Small Screen Device? Bookmark THIS page!

  • Bailey: 16. In but few things chance hinders a wise man, but the greatest and most important matters, reason has ordained, and throughout the whole period of life does and will ordain.

    “The wise man is but little favoured by fortune; but his reason procures him the greatest and most valuable goods, and these he does enjoy, and will enjoy the whole of his life.” Yonge (1853)

    “Fortune but slightly crosses the wise man's path; his greatest and highest interests are directed by reason throughout the course of life.” Hicks (1910)

    “Fortune but seldom interferes with the wise man; his greatest and highest interests have been, are, and will be, directed by reason throughout the course of his life.” Hicks (1925)

    “In but few things chance hinders a wise man, but the greatest and most important matters reason has ordained and throughout the whole period of life does and will ordain.” Bailey (1926)

    “Fortune plays but little part in the life of a wise man and the things that are of most value and consequence are subject to arrangement by rational planning, and throughout the whole extent of life are subject and will be subject to it.” DeWitt, Epicurus and His Philosophy 177-178 (1954)

    “Fortune seldom troubles the wise man. Reason has controlled his greatest and most important affairs, controls them throughout his life, and will continue to control them.” Geer (1964)


    “In a few instances does chance intrude upon the wise man, but reason has administered his greatest and most important affairs, and will continue to do so throughout his whole life.” O'Connor (1993)

    “Chance has a small impact on the wise man, while reasoning has arranged for, is arranging for, and will arrange for the greatest and most important matters throughout the whole of his life.” Inwood & Gerson (1994)

    “Chance has little effect upon the wise man, for his greatest and highest interests are directed by reason throughout the course of life.” Anderson (2004)

    “The wise are rarely infringed by chance; the matters that are most signifcant and decisive have been, are, and always will be governed by reason throughout the entire span of a wise person's life.” Makridis (2005)

    “Chance steals only a bit into the life of a wise person: for throughout the complete span of his life the greatest and most important matters have been, are, and will be directed by the power of reason.” Saint-Andre (2008)

    “Bad luck strikes the sophisticated man in a few cases, but reason has directed the big, essential things, and for the duration of life it is and will be the guide.” Strodach (2012)

    “Fortune impinges but little on a wise man; reason has directed his greatest and most important pursuits; these it directs and will continue to direct over the course of his life.” Mensch (2018)

    “Fortune has little impact on the wise; their reasoning has already arranged the greatest and most important matters, and it does so and will continue to do so throughout their lifetime.” White (2021)

Share

Comments 6

August 28, 2021 at 3:31 AM

Maybe one of many other ways to say it would be something like. "Even a wise many can be injured or killed by freak accidents, but the wise man will use reasoned judgement to avoid unnecessary dangers and live successfully in every aspect of his life, especially the most important ones."
August 28, 2021 at 3:28 AM

I think this one is useful for letting us see that proper reasoning is a very important part of life, bit it is also geared toward the issue of Fate and agency and saying that despite the fact that some things are beyond our control, for most people most of the time we do have a great deal of influence over what we do and how we do it, and we should act reasonably to see that we stay in control of our circumstances if we want to live as happily as possible.
August 28, 2021 at 12:36 AM

@Cassius my friend, would you please put this in a simpler way? I think this is one of those instances were language is not helping me. Thanks.
August 29, 2021 at 7:49 PM

Question: Cassius, I wish to continue asking you about PD16 here, if you don't mind, since the comments in that section of the website don't appear in my notification inbox. I feel disoriented about this PD bearing in mind the context of the thread about reason/logic. I understand "reason has ordained" as "reason has decreed", and this is confusing. "Reason has decreed" the most important matters? And what does this have to do with a man reducing the things that are out of his control (being wise to diminish chance)?

Answer: They don't ? that is not good. Maybe if you "subscribe" to the topic? Gosh I agree that "ordained" is a weird word. I'd like Don to comment on this too since he is good at the translations, so I will past this Q / A into that thread and see if he sees it. I think it means "through use of reason we can control" most things and limit the impact of chance.
August 29, 2021 at 7:50 PM

Q: Cassius, I wish to continue asking you about PD16 here, if you don't mind, since the comments in that section of the website don't appear in my notification inbox. I feel disoriented about this PD bearing in mind the context of the thread about reason/logic.

I understand "reason has ordained" as "reason has decreed", and this is confusing. "Reason has decreed" the most important matters?

And what does this have to do with a man reducing the things that are out of his control (being wise to diminish chance)?

Thanks


A: They don't ? that is not good. Maybe if you "subscribe" to the topic? Gosh I agree that "ordained" is a weird word. I'd like Don to comment on this too since he is good at the translations, so I will past this Q / A into that thread and see if he sees it. I think it means "through use of reason we can control" most things and limit the impact of chance.
August 29, 2021 at 9:05 PM

The tagging seems to work differently here too: @Cassius  @Don but it doesn't give you the option to "pick" the tagged person as in the regular forums, nor does it highlight it in red.

Unread Threads

    1. Title
    2. Replies
    3. Last Reply

    2. Philodemus' "On Anger" - General - Texts and Resources 18

      • Cassius
      • June 30, 2025 at 6:15 AM
    3. Replies
      18
      Views
      5.7k
      18

    4. Cassius

      June 30, 2025 at 6:15 AM

    2. The Religion of Nature - as supported by Lucretius' De Rerum Natura 4

      • Kalosyni
      • June 23, 2025 at 12:36 AM
    3. Replies
      4
      Views
      603
      4

    4. Godfrey

      June 23, 2025 at 12:36 AM

    2. New Blog Post From Elli - " Fanaticism and the Danger of Dogmatism in Political and Religious Thought: An Epicurean Reading"

      • Cassius
      • June 20, 2025 at 4:31 PM
    3. Replies
      0
      Views
      1.4k

    2. Best Lucretius translation? 9

      • Rolf
      • June 19, 2025 at 3:01 PM
    3. Replies
      9
      Views
      486
      9

    4. Cassius

      June 19, 2025 at 3:01 PM

    2. New Translation of Epicurus' Works 1

      • Eikadistes
      • June 16, 2025 at 6:32 PM
    3. Replies
      1
      Views
      452
      1

    4. Cassius

      June 16, 2025 at 6:32 PM