Principal Doctrines / Kyriai Doxai
{"WorkMasterId":5680,"WpPageId":269951,"ParentWpPageId":193732,"Slug":"principal-doctrines-kyriai-doxai","Url":"https://chrisdeasy.com/theos/humanities/philosophy/philosophers/epicurus-of-samos/principal-doctrines-kyriai-doxai/","RelativeUrl":"theos/humanities/philosophy/philosophers/epicurus-of-samos/principal-doctrines-kyriai-doxai/","HasFullText":true,"RawHtmlLength":88848,"CleanHtmlLength":34097,"Kicker":"Philosophy Work","Title":"Principal Doctrines / Kyriai Doxai","Deck":"The Principal Doctrines collect authoritative Epicurean maxims on gods, death, pleasure, desire, knowledge, friendship, justice, and social compact.","BackLink":{"Text":"Back to Epicurus of Samos","Url":"https://chrisdeasy.com/theos/humanities/philosophy/philosophers/epicurus-of-samos/"},"AuthorCard":{"Label":"Author","Title":"Epicurus of Samos","Url":"https://chrisdeasy.com/theos/humanities/philosophy/philosophers/epicurus-of-samos/","MediaHref":"","ImageSrc":"https://chrisdeasy.com/wp-content/uploads/epicurus-of-samos-01-met-marble-head-of-epikouros.jpg","ImageAlt":"Marble head of Epikouros","FilterTerra":"Eastern Mediterranean","ClickText":"Epicurus of Samos","ClickHref":"https://chrisdeasy.com/theos/humanities/philosophy/philosophers/epicurus-of-samos/","Copies":["341 BCE – 270 BCE","Samos","Greek philosopher from Samos whose Garden school joined atomist physics, a canon of sensation and feeling, and an ethics of pleasure understood as freedom from bodily pain and mental disturbance."]},"ContextCards":[{"Label":"Period","Key":"Period:1","Title":"Ancient History","DateText":"3000 BCE – 499 CE","Url":"https://chrisdeasy.com/theos/humanities/philosophy/eras-of-thought/philosophers-of-ancient-history/"},{"Label":"Era","Key":"Era:3","Title":"Classical Antiquity","DateText":"500 BCE – 499 CE","Url":"https://chrisdeasy.com/theos/humanities/philosophy/eras-of-thought/philosophers-of-ancient-history/philosophers-of-classical-antiquity/"},{"Label":"Composition","Title":"285 BCE","Url":"","DateText":""}],"DateNote":"Proxy ordering year 285 BCE. Transmitted as a collection of authoritative doctrines rather than a continuous treatise; HasFullText remains false.","GeoCards":[{"Label":"Region","Key":"Region:1"},{"Label":"Terra Avita","Key":"TerraAvita:2"},{"Label":"Terra Avita Region","Key":"TerraAvitaRegion:8"},{"Label":"Modern Country","Key":"Country:GRC:2"}],"OriginalTitle":"Κύριαι Δόξαι","Language":"Ancient Greek","DisciplineCards":[{"Label":"Primary Discipline","Key":"Discipline:ethics"},{"Label":"Secondary Discipline","Key":"Discipline:political-philosophy"}],"Tradition":"Epicureanism","FullText":{"Title":"Full Text","Copy":"Full text from MIT Internet Classics Archive: The Principal Doctrines .","Url":"","Label":"","Kicker":"","Cards":[]},"CoreThesis":["The Principal Doctrines collect authoritative Epicurean maxims on gods, death, pleasure, desire, knowledge, friendship, justice, and social compact."],"Classification":{"AlternateTitles":"Principal Doctrines; Kyriai Doxai; Ratae Sententiae","KeyConcepts":"Atoms; void; pleasure; ataraxia; aponia; canon; sensation; preconceptions; feelings; death; gods; friendship; justice; Garden; natural desire; vain desire","Methodology":"Concise doctrinal summary, atomist natural explanation, canonics, ethical therapy, theological demystification, maxim collection, ancient testimony, and fragmentary papyrus transmission.","Structure":"The page records a transmitted Epicurean work or work-group with visible letter, collection, digest, or fragmentary status and no imported full-text badge."},"Arguments":["The Principal Doctrines collect authoritative Epicurean maxims on gods, death, pleasure, desire, knowledge, friendship, justice, and social compact."],"Influence":{"InfluencedBy":"Democritus, Nausiphanes, Cyrenaic ethics, Pyrrhonian context, Plato and Academy context, and Hellenistic debates about nature and the good.","InfluenceOn":""},"Significance":["Included as one of the six transmitted or fragmentary Epicurus work pages approved for the full-process update.","The work remains central to debates about naturalism, fear of death, pleasure, desire, friendship, political obligation, religious fear, and philosophical therapy."],"EvidenceNote":["Direct work page approved in the Epicurus update. Diogenes Laertius biography, Lucretius, Philodemus, Usener Epicurea, modern readers, quote books, individual On Nature books, fragment collections, catalog rows, and scholarship remain evidence/Other Voices unless separately approved."],"MainSections":[{"Kind":"RawSection","Title":"Full Text","BodyHtml":"\u003cp class=\"dz-philo__section-copy dz-philo__full-text-source\"\u003eFull text from \u003ca href=\"https://classics.mit.edu/Epicurus/princdoc.html\"\u003eMIT Internet Classics Archive: The Principal Doctrines\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003carticle class=\"dz-philo__full-text-body\"\u003e\n\u003cTABLE BORDER=\"0\" CELLSPACING=\"15\"\u003e\n\u003cTR ALIGN=\"CENTER\" VALIGN=\"CENTER\"\u003e\n\u003cTD ALIGN=\"CENTER\" VALIGN=\"BOTTOM\" NOWRAP\u003e\u003ca href=\"/index.html\"Go to home page\u0027; return true;\" TARGET=\"_top\"\u003e \u003c/A\u003e\n\u003cFONT SIZE=\"-1\"\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003ca href=\"/index.html\"Go to home page\u0027; return true;\" TARGET=\"_top\"\u003eHome\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/FONT\u003e\u003c/TD\u003e\n\n\u003cTD ALIGN=\"CENTER\" VALIGN=\"BOTTOM\" NOWRAP\u003e\u003ca href=\"/Browse/index-Epicurus.html\"Browse a list of titles\u0027; return true;\" TARGET=\"_top\"\u003e \u003c/A\u003e\n\u003cFONT SIZE=\"-1\"\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003ca href=\"/Browse/index-Epicurus.html\"Browse a list of titles\u0027; return true;\" TARGET=\"_top\"\u003eBrowse and\u003cBR\u003eComment\u003c/A\u003e\u003c/FONT\u003e\u003c/TD\u003e\n\n\u003cTD ALIGN=\"CENTER\" VALIGN=\"BOTTOM\" NOWRAP\u003e\u003ca href=\"/Search/index.html\"Search texts\u0027; return true;\" TARGET=\"_top\"\u003e \u003c/A\u003e\n\u003cFONT SIZE=\"-1\"\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003ca href=\"/Search/index.html\"Search texts\u0027; return true;\" TARGET=\"_top\"\u003eSearch\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/FONT\u003e\u003c/TD\u003e\n\n\u003cTD ALIGN=\"CENTER\" VALIGN=\"BOTTOM\" NOWRAP\u003e\u003ca href=\"/Buy/Epicurus.html\"Buy books and CD-ROMs\u0027; return true;\" TARGET=\"_top\"\u003e \u003c/A\u003e\n\u003cFONT SIZE=\"-1\"\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003ca href=\"/Buy/Epicurus.html\"Buy books and CD-ROMs\u0027; return true;\" TARGET=\"_top\"\u003eBuy Books and\u003cBR\u003eCD-ROMs\u003c/A\u003e\u003c/FONT\u003e\u003c/TD\u003e\n\n\u003cTD ALIGN=\"CENTER\" VALIGN=\"BOTTOM\" NOWRAP\u003e\u003ca href=\"/Help/general.html\"Get help\u0027; return true;\" TARGET=\"_top\"\u003e \u003c/A\u003e\n\u003cFONT SIZE=\"-1\"\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003ca href=\"/Help/general.html\"Get help\u0027; return true;\" TARGET=\"_top\"\u003eHelp\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/FONT\u003e\u003c/TD\u003e\n\n\u003c/TR\u003e\n\u003c/TABLE\u003e\n\n\u003cHR SIZE=\"1\" COLOR=\"990033\" NOSHADE WIDTH=\"30%\"\u003e\n\u003cBR\u003e\n\u003cFONT SIZE=\"+2\"\u003e\u003cB\u003ePrincipal Doctrines\u003c/B\u003e\u003c/FONT\u003e\n\u003cFONT SIZE=\"+1\"\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003eBy Epicurus\u003c/FONT\u003e\n\n\u003cBLOCKQUOTE\u003e\u003cB\u003eCommentary:\u003c/B\u003e A few comments have been posted about\n\u003cU\u003ePrincipal Doctrines\u003c/U\u003e.\n\n\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003eDownload:\u003c/B\u003e A 11k\ntext-only version is \u003cA HREF=\"princdoc.1b.txt\"Download text-only version\u0027; return true;\"\u003eavailable for download\u003c/A\u003e.\n\n\u003cBR\u003e\u003cHR SIZE=\"1\" COLOR=\"990033\" NOSHADE\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\n\n\u003cA NAME=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cFONT SIZE=\"+1\"\u003e\u003cB\u003ePrincipal Doctrines\u003c/B\u003e\u003c/FONT\u003e\n\u003cA NAME=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003eBy Epicurus\n\u003cA NAME=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\n\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003eTranslated by Robert Drew Hicks\n\u003cBR\u003e\u003cA NAME=\"start\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\n\n\u003cA NAME=\"10\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cB\u003e1.\u003c/B\u003e A happy and eternal being has no trouble himself and brings no \n\u003cA NAME=\"11\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003etrouble upon any other being; hence he is exempt from movements of anger \n\u003cA NAME=\"12\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eand partiality, for every such movement implies weakness\n\u003cA NAME=\"13\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e2.\u003c/B\u003e Death is nothing to us; for the body, when it has been \n\u003cA NAME=\"14\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eresolved into its elements, has no feeling, and that which has no feeling \n\u003cA NAME=\"15\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eis nothing to us.\n\u003cA NAME=\"16\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e3.\u003c/B\u003e The magnitude of pleasure reaches its limit in the removal \n\u003cA NAME=\"17\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eof all pain. When pleasure is present, so long as it is uninterrupted, \n\u003cA NAME=\"18\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ethere is no pain either of body or of mind or of both \n\u003cA NAME=\"19\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003etogether.\n\u003cA NAME=\"20\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e4.\u003c/B\u003e Continuous pain does not last long in the body; on the \n\u003cA NAME=\"21\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003econtrary, pain, if extreme, is present a short time, and even that degree \n\u003cA NAME=\"22\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eof pain which barely outweighs pleasure in the body does not last for many \n\u003cA NAME=\"23\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003edays together. Illnesses of long duration even permit of an excess of pleasure \n\u003cA NAME=\"24\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eover pain in the body.\n\u003cA NAME=\"25\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e5.\u003c/B\u003e It is impossible to live a pleasant life without living \n\u003cA NAME=\"26\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ewisely and well and justly, and it is impossible to live wisely and well \n\u003cA NAME=\"27\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eand justly without living pleasantly. Whenever any one of these is lacking, \n\u003cA NAME=\"28\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ewhen, for instance, the person is not able to live wisely, though he lives \n\u003cA NAME=\"29\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ewell and justly, it is impossible for him to live a pleasant \n\u003cA NAME=\"30\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003elife.\n\u003cA NAME=\"31\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e6.\u003c/B\u003e In order to obtain security from other people any means \n\u003cA NAME=\"32\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ewhatever of procuring this was a natural good.\n\u003cA NAME=\"33\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e7.\u003c/B\u003e Some people have sought to become famous and renowned, \n\u003cA NAME=\"34\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ethinking that thus they would make themselves secure against their fellow-humans. \n\u003cA NAME=\"35\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eIf, then, the life of such persons really was secure, they attained natural \n\u003cA NAME=\"36\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003egood; if, however, it was insecure, they have not attained the end which \n\u003cA NAME=\"37\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eby nature\u0027s own prompting they originally sought.\n\u003cA NAME=\"38\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e8.\u003c/B\u003e No pleasure is in itself evil, but the things which produce \n\u003cA NAME=\"39\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ecertain pleasures entail annoyances many times greater than the pleasures \n\u003cA NAME=\"40\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ethemselves.\n\u003cA NAME=\"41\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e9.\u003c/B\u003e If all pleasure had been capable of accumulation, — \n\u003cA NAME=\"42\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eif this had gone on not only be recurrences in time, but all over the frame \n\u003cA NAME=\"43\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eor, at any rate, over the principal parts of human nature, there would \n\u003cA NAME=\"44\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003enever have been any difference between one pleasure and another, as in \n\u003cA NAME=\"45\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003efact there is.\n\u003cA NAME=\"46\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e10.\u003c/B\u003e If the objects which are productive of pleasures to \n\u003cA NAME=\"47\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eprofligate persons really freed them from fears of the mind, — the fears, \n\u003cA NAME=\"48\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eI mean, inspired by celestial and atmospheric phenomena, the fear of death, \n\u003cA NAME=\"49\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ethe fear of pain; if, further, they taught them to limit their desires, \n\u003cA NAME=\"50\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ewe should never have any fault to find with such persons, for they would \n\u003cA NAME=\"51\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ethen be filled with pleasures to overflowing on all sides and would be \n\u003cA NAME=\"52\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eexempt from all pain, whether of body or mind, that is, from all \n\u003cA NAME=\"53\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eevil.\n\u003cA NAME=\"54\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e11.\u003c/B\u003e If we had never been molested by alarms at celestial \n\u003cA NAME=\"55\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eand atmospheric phenomena, nor by the misgiving that death somehow affects \n\u003cA NAME=\"56\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eus, nor by neglect of the proper limits of pains and desires, we should \n\u003cA NAME=\"57\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ehave had no need to study natural science.\n\u003cA NAME=\"58\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e12.\u003c/B\u003e It would be impossible to banish fear on matters of \n\u003cA NAME=\"59\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ethe highest importance, if a person did not know the nature of the whole \n\u003cA NAME=\"60\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003euniverse, but lived in dread of what the legends tell us. Hence without \n\u003cA NAME=\"61\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ethe study of nature there was no enjoyment of unmixed \n\u003cA NAME=\"62\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003epleasures.\n\u003cA NAME=\"63\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e13.\u003c/B\u003e There would be no advantage in providing security against \n\u003cA NAME=\"64\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eour fellow humans, so long as we were alarmed by occurrences over our heads \n\u003cA NAME=\"65\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eor beneath the earth or in general by whatever happens in the boundless \n\u003cA NAME=\"66\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003euniverse.\n\u003cA NAME=\"67\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e14.\u003c/B\u003e When tolerable security against our fellow humans is \n\u003cA NAME=\"68\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eattained, then on a basis of power sufficient to afford supports and of \n\u003cA NAME=\"69\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ematerial prosperity arises in most genuine form the security of a quiet \n\u003cA NAME=\"70\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eprivate life withdrawn from the multitude.\n\u003cA NAME=\"71\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e15.\u003c/B\u003e Nature\u0027s wealth at once has its bounds and is easy to \n\u003cA NAME=\"72\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eprocure; but the wealth of vain fancies recedes to an infinite \n\u003cA NAME=\"73\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003edistance.\n\u003cA NAME=\"74\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e16.\u003c/B\u003e Fortune but seldom interferes with the wise person; \n\u003cA NAME=\"75\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ehis greatest and highest interests have been, are, and will be, directed \n\u003cA NAME=\"76\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eby reason throughout the course of his life.\n\u003cA NAME=\"77\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e17.\u003c/B\u003e The just person enjoys. the greatest peace of mind, \n\u003cA NAME=\"78\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ewhile the unjust is full of the utmost disquietude.\n\u003cA NAME=\"79\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e18.\u003c/B\u003e Pleasure in the body admits no increase when once the \n\u003cA NAME=\"80\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003epain of want has been removed; after that it only admits of variation. \n\u003cA NAME=\"81\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eThe limit of pleasure in the mind, however, is reached when we reflect \n\u003cA NAME=\"82\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eon the things themselves and their congeners which cause the mind the greatest \n\u003cA NAME=\"83\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ealarms.\n\u003cA NAME=\"84\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e19.\u003c/B\u003e Unlimited time and limited time afford an equal amount \n\u003cA NAME=\"85\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eof pleasure, if we measure the limits of that pleasure by \n\u003cA NAME=\"86\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ereason.\n\u003cA NAME=\"87\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e20.\u003c/B\u003e The body receives as unlimited the limits of pleasure; \n\u003cA NAME=\"88\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eand to provide it requires unlimited time. But the mind, grasping in thought \n\u003cA NAME=\"89\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ewhat the end and limit of the body is, and banishing the terrors of futurity, \n\u003cA NAME=\"90\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eprocures a complete and perfect life, and has no longer any need of unlimited \n\u003cA NAME=\"91\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003etime. Nevertheless it does not shun pleasure, and even in the hour of death, \n\u003cA NAME=\"92\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ewhen ushered out of existence by circumstances, the mind does not lack \n\u003cA NAME=\"93\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eenjoyment of the best life.\n\u003cA NAME=\"94\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e21.\u003c/B\u003e He who understands the limits of life knows how easy \n\u003cA NAME=\"95\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eit is to procure enough to remove the pain of want and make the whole of \n\u003cA NAME=\"96\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003elife complete and perfect. Hence he has no longer any need of things which \n\u003cA NAME=\"97\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eare not to be won save by labor and conflict.\n\u003cA NAME=\"98\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e22.\u003c/B\u003e We must take into account as the end all that really \n\u003cA NAME=\"99\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eexists and all clear evidence of sense to which we refer our opinions; \n\u003cA NAME=\"100\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003efor otherwise everything will be full of uncertainty and \n\u003cA NAME=\"101\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003econfusion.\n\u003cA NAME=\"102\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e23.\u003c/B\u003e If you fight against all your sensations, you will have \n\u003cA NAME=\"103\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eno standard to which to refer, and thus no means of judging even those \n\u003cA NAME=\"104\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ejudgments which you pronounce false.\n\u003cA NAME=\"105\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e24.\u003c/B\u003e If you reject absolutely any single sensation without \n\u003cA NAME=\"106\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003estopping to discriminate with respect to that which awaits confirmation \n\u003cA NAME=\"107\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ebetween matter of opinion and that which is already present, whether in \n\u003cA NAME=\"108\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003esensation or in feelings or in any immediate perception of the mind, you \n\u003cA NAME=\"109\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ewill throw into confusion even the rest of your sensations by your groundless \n\u003cA NAME=\"110\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ebelief and so you will be rejecting the standard of truth altogether. If \n\u003cA NAME=\"111\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ein your ideas based upon opinion you hastily affirm as true all that awaits \n\u003cA NAME=\"112\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003econfirmation as well as that which does not, you will not escape error, \n\u003cA NAME=\"113\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eas you will be maintaining complete ambiguity whenever it is a case of \n\u003cA NAME=\"114\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ejudging between right and wrong opinion.\n\u003cA NAME=\"115\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e25.\u003c/B\u003e If you do not on every separate occasion refer each \n\u003cA NAME=\"116\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eof your actions to the end prescribed by nature, but instead of this in \n\u003cA NAME=\"117\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ethe act of choice or avoidance swerve aside to some other end, your acts \n\u003cA NAME=\"118\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ewill not be consistent with your theories.\n\u003cA NAME=\"119\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e26.\u003c/B\u003e All such desires as lead to no pain when they remain \n\u003cA NAME=\"120\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eungratified are unnecessary, and the longing is easily got rid of, when \n\u003cA NAME=\"121\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ethe thing desired is difficult to procure or when the desires seem likely \n\u003cA NAME=\"122\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eto produce harm.\n\u003cA NAME=\"123\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e27.\u003c/B\u003e Of all the means which are procured by wisdom to ensure \n\u003cA NAME=\"124\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ehappiness throughout the whole of life, by far the most important is the \n\u003cA NAME=\"125\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eacquisition of friends.\n\u003cA NAME=\"126\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e28.\u003c/B\u003e The same conviction which inspires confidence that nothing \n\u003cA NAME=\"127\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ewe have to fear is eternal or even of long duration, also enables us to \n\u003cA NAME=\"128\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003esee that even in our limited conditions of life nothing enhances our security \n\u003cA NAME=\"129\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eso much as friendship.\n\u003cA NAME=\"130\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e29.\u003c/B\u003e Of our desires some are natural and necessary others \n\u003cA NAME=\"131\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eare natural, but not necessary; others, again, are neither natural nor \n\u003cA NAME=\"132\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003enecessary, but are due to illusory opinion.\n\u003cA NAME=\"133\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e30.\u003c/B\u003e Those natural desires which entail no pain when not \n\u003cA NAME=\"134\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003egratified, though their objects are vehemently pursued, are also due to \n\u003cA NAME=\"135\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eillusory opinion; and when they are not got rid of, it is not because of \n\u003cA NAME=\"136\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003etheir own nature, but because of the person\u0027s illusory \n\u003cA NAME=\"137\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eopinion.\n\u003cA NAME=\"138\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e31.\u003c/B\u003e Natural justice is a symbol or expression of usefullness, \n\u003cA NAME=\"139\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eto prevent one person from harming or being harmed by \n\u003cA NAME=\"140\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eanother.\n\u003cA NAME=\"141\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e32.\u003c/B\u003e Those animals which are incapable of making covenants \n\u003cA NAME=\"142\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ewith one another, to the end that they may neither inflict nor suffer harm, \n\u003cA NAME=\"143\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eare without either justice or injustice. And those tribes which either \n\u003cA NAME=\"144\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ecould not or would not form mutual covenants to the same end are in like \n\u003cA NAME=\"145\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ecase.\n\u003cA NAME=\"146\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e33.\u003c/B\u003e There never was an absolute justice, but only an agreement \n\u003cA NAME=\"147\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003emade in reciprocal association in whatever localities now and again from \n\u003cA NAME=\"148\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003etime to time, providing against the infliction or suffering of \n\u003cA NAME=\"149\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eharm.\n\u003cA NAME=\"150\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e34.\u003c/B\u003e Injustice is not in itself an evil, but only in its \n\u003cA NAME=\"151\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003econsequence, viz. the terror which is excited by apprehension that those \n\u003cA NAME=\"152\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eappointed to punish such offenses will discover the \n\u003cA NAME=\"153\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003einjustice.\n\u003cA NAME=\"154\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e35.\u003c/B\u003e It is impossible for the person who secretly violates \n\u003cA NAME=\"155\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eany article of the social compact to feel confident that he will remain \n\u003cA NAME=\"156\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eundiscovered, even if he has already escaped ten thousand times; for right \n\u003cA NAME=\"157\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eon to the end of his life he is never sure he will not be \n\u003cA NAME=\"158\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003edetected.\n\u003cA NAME=\"159\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e36.\u003c/B\u003e Taken generally, justice is the same for all, to wit, \n\u003cA NAME=\"160\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003esomething found useful in mutual association; but in its application to \n\u003cA NAME=\"161\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eparticular cases of locality or conditions of whatever kind, it varies \n\u003cA NAME=\"162\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eunder different circumstances.\n\u003cA NAME=\"163\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e37.\u003c/B\u003e Among the things accounted just by conventional law, \n\u003cA NAME=\"164\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ewhatever in the needs of mutual association is attested to be useful, is \n\u003cA NAME=\"165\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ethereby stamped as just, whether or not it be the same for all; and in \n\u003cA NAME=\"166\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ecase any law is made and does not prove suitable to the usefulness of mutual \n\u003cA NAME=\"167\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eassociation, then this is no longer just. And should the usefulness which \n\u003cA NAME=\"168\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eis expressed by the law vary and only for a time correspond with the prior \n\u003cA NAME=\"169\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003econception, nevertheless for the time being it was just, so long as we \n\u003cA NAME=\"170\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003edo not trouble ourselves about empty words, but look simply at the \n\u003cA NAME=\"171\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003efacts.\n\u003cA NAME=\"172\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e38.\u003c/B\u003e Where without any change in circumstances the conventional \n\u003cA NAME=\"173\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003elaws, when judged by their consequences, were seen not to correspond with \n\u003cA NAME=\"174\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ethe notion of justice, such laws were not really just; but wherever the \n\u003cA NAME=\"175\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003elaws have ceased to be useful in consequence of a change in circumstances, \n\u003cA NAME=\"176\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ein that case the laws were for the time being just when they were useful \n\u003cA NAME=\"177\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003efor the mutual association of the citizens, and subsequently ceased to \n\u003cA NAME=\"178\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ebe just when they ceased to be useful.\n\u003cA NAME=\"179\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e39.\u003c/B\u003e He who best knew how to meet fear of external foes made \n\u003cA NAME=\"180\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003einto one family all the creatures he could; and those he could not, he \n\u003cA NAME=\"181\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eat any rate did not treat as aliens; and where he found even this impossible, \n\u003cA NAME=\"182\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ehe avoided all association, and, so far as was useful, kept them at a \n\u003cA NAME=\"183\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003edistance.\n\u003cA NAME=\"184\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cB\u003e40.\u003c/B\u003e Those who were best able to provide themselves with \n\u003cA NAME=\"185\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003ethe means of security against their neighbors, being thus in possession \n\u003cA NAME=\"186\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eof the surest guarantee, passed the most agreeable life in each other\u0027s \n\u003cA NAME=\"187\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003esociety; and their enjoyment of the fullest intimacy was such that, if \n\u003cA NAME=\"188\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eone of them died before his time, the survivors did not mourn his death \n\u003cA NAME=\"189\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003eas if it called for sympathy.\n\n\u003cA NAME=\"end\"\u003e\u003c/A\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cB\u003eTHE END\u003c/B\u003e\n\u003cBR\u003e\u003cHR SIZE=\"1\" COLOR=\"990033\" NOSHADE\u003e\u003c/BLOCKQUOTE\u003e\n\n\u003cTABLE BORDER=\"0\" CELLSPACING=\"15\"\u003e\n\u003cTR ALIGN=\"CENTER\" VALIGN=\"CENTER\"\u003e\n\u003cTD ALIGN=\"CENTER\" VALIGN=\"BOTTOM\" NOWRAP\u003e\u003ca href=\"/index.html\"Go to home page\u0027; return true;\" TARGET=\"_top\"\u003e \u003c/A\u003e\n\u003cFONT SIZE=\"-1\"\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003ca href=\"/index.html\"Go to home page\u0027; return true;\" TARGET=\"_top\"\u003eHome\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/FONT\u003e\u003c/TD\u003e\n\n\u003cTD ALIGN=\"CENTER\" VALIGN=\"BOTTOM\" NOWRAP\u003e\u003ca href=\"/Browse/index-Epicurus.html\"Browse a list of titles\u0027; return true;\" TARGET=\"_top\"\u003e \u003c/A\u003e\n\u003cFONT SIZE=\"-1\"\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003ca href=\"/Browse/index-Epicurus.html\"Browse a list of titles\u0027; return true;\" TARGET=\"_top\"\u003eBrowse and\u003cBR\u003eComment\u003c/A\u003e\u003c/FONT\u003e\u003c/TD\u003e\n\n\u003cTD ALIGN=\"CENTER\" VALIGN=\"BOTTOM\" NOWRAP\u003e\u003ca href=\"/Search/index.html\"Search texts\u0027; return true;\" TARGET=\"_top\"\u003e \u003c/A\u003e\n\u003cFONT SIZE=\"-1\"\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003ca href=\"/Search/index.html\"Search texts\u0027; return true;\" TARGET=\"_top\"\u003eSearch\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/FONT\u003e\u003c/TD\u003e\n\n\u003cTD ALIGN=\"CENTER\" VALIGN=\"BOTTOM\" NOWRAP\u003e\u003ca href=\"/Buy/Epicurus.html\"Buy books and CD-ROMs\u0027; return true;\" TARGET=\"_top\"\u003e \u003c/A\u003e\n\u003cFONT SIZE=\"-1\"\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003ca href=\"/Buy/Epicurus.html\"Buy books and CD-ROMs\u0027; return true;\" TARGET=\"_top\"\u003eBuy Books and\u003cBR\u003eCD-ROMs\u003c/A\u003e\u003c/FONT\u003e\u003c/TD\u003e\n\n\u003cTD ALIGN=\"CENTER\" VALIGN=\"BOTTOM\" NOWRAP\u003e\u003ca href=\"/Help/general.html\"Get help\u0027; return true;\" TARGET=\"_top\"\u003e \u003c/A\u003e\n\u003cFONT SIZE=\"-1\"\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003ca href=\"/Help/general.html\"Get help\u0027; return true;\" TARGET=\"_top\"\u003eHelp\u003c/A\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/FONT\u003e\u003c/TD\u003e\n\n\u003c/TR\u003e\n\u003c/TABLE\u003e\n\n\u003cBR\u003e\u003cBR\u003e\u003cFONT SIZE=\"-1\"\u003e\u003cNOBR\u003e\u003ca href=\"/Help/permissions.html\"View information on copyright and permissions\u0027; return true;\"\u003e\u0026copy; 1994-2009\u003c/A\u003e\u003c/NOBR\u003e\u003c/FONT\u003e\u003c/FONT\u003e\r\n\n \u003c/article\u003e"},{"Kind":"TextSection","Title":"Core Thesis","Paragraphs":["The Principal Doctrines collect authoritative Epicurean maxims on gods, death, pleasure, desire, knowledge, friendship, justice, and social compact."]},{"Kind":"FieldSection","Title":"Classification","Fields":[{"Label":"Alternate Titles","Value":"Principal Doctrines; Kyriai Doxai; Ratae Sententiae"},{"Label":"Key Concepts","Value":"Atoms; void; pleasure; ataraxia; aponia; canon; sensation; preconceptions; feelings; death; gods; friendship; justice; Garden; natural desire; vain desire"},{"Label":"Methodology","Value":"Concise doctrinal summary, atomist natural explanation, canonics, ethical therapy, theological demystification, maxim collection, ancient testimony, and fragmentary papyrus transmission."},{"Label":"Structure","Value":"The page records a transmitted Epicurean work or work-group with visible letter, collection, digest, or fragmentary status and no imported full-text badge."}]},{"Kind":"TextSection","Title":"Arguments","Paragraphs":["The Principal Doctrines collect authoritative Epicurean maxims on gods, death, pleasure, desire, knowledge, friendship, justice, and social compact."]},{"Kind":"FieldSection","Title":"Influence","Fields":[{"Label":"Influenced By","Value":"Democritus, Nausiphanes, Cyrenaic ethics, Pyrrhonian context, Plato and Academy context, and Hellenistic debates about nature and the good."},{"Label":"Influence On","Value":"Metrodorus, Hermarchus, Lucretius, Philodemus, Diogenes of Oenoanda, Gassendi, early modern atomism, utilitarian debates, and modern Epicurean scholarship."}]},{"Kind":"TextSection","Title":"Significance","Paragraphs":["Included as one of the six transmitted or fragmentary Epicurus work pages approved for the full-process update.","The work remains central to debates about naturalism, fear of death, pleasure, desire, friendship, political obligation, religious fear, and philosophical therapy."]},{"Kind":"TextSection","Title":"Evidence Note","Paragraphs":["Direct work page approved in the Epicurus update. Diogenes Laertius biography, Lucretius, Philodemus, Usener Epicurea, modern readers, quote books, individual On Nature books, fragment collections, catalog rows, and scholarship remain evidence/Other Voices unless separately approved."]}],"SectionSequence":["Back Link","Work Title","Deck","Author","Period","Era","Composition","Date Note","Region","Terra Avita","Terra Avita Region","Modern Country","Original Title","Language","Primary Discipline","Secondary Discipline","Tradition","Full Text","Core Thesis","Classification","Arguments","Influence","Significance","Evidence Note"],"Counts":{"ContextCards":3,"GeoCards":4,"DisciplineCards":2,"Links":11,"Sections":24,"Styles":2,"Scripts":1}}