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Read/Book VI/6.42
MED. 6.42Discipline of action
George Long · 1862EN · Long

TERMWe are all working together to one end, some with knowledge and design, and others without knowing what they do; as men also when they are asleep, of whom it is PERSONHeraclitus, I think, who says that they are labourers and co-operators in the things which take place in the universe. But men co-operate after different fashions: and even those co-operate abundantly, who find fault with what happens and those who try to oppose it and to hinder it; for the universe had need even of such men as these. It remains then for thee to understand among what kind of workmen thou placest thyself; for he who DOGMArules all things will certainly make a right use of thee, and he will receive thee among some part of the co-operators and of those whose labours conduce to one end. But be not thou such a part as the mean and ridiculous verse in the play, which PERSONChrysippus speaks of.

Original · ancient Greek

Πάντες εἰς ἓν ἀποτέλεσμα συνεργοῦμεν, οἱ μὲν εἰδότως καὶ παρακολουθητικῶς, οἱ δὲ ἀνεπιστάτως, ὥσπερ καὶ τοὺς καθεύδοντας, οἶμαι, ὁ Ἡράκλειτος ἐργάτας εἶναι λέγει καὶ συνεργοὺς τῶν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ γινομένων. ἄλλος δὲ κατ’ ἄλλο συνεργεῖ, ἐκ περιουσίας δὲ καὶ ὁ μεμφόμενος καὶ ὁ ἀντιβαίνειν πειρώμενος καὶ ἀναιρεῖν τὰ γινόμενα· καὶ γὰρ τοῦ τοιούτου ἔχρῃζεν ὁ κόσμος. λοιπὸν οὖν σύνες εἰς τίνας σεαυτὸν κατατάσσεις· ἐκεῖνος μὲν γὰρ πάντως σοι καλῶς χρήσεται ὁ τὰ ὅλα διοικῶν καὶ παραδέξεταί σε ὡς μέρος τι τῶν συνεργῶν καὶ συνεργητικῶν, ἀλλὰ σὺ μὴ τοιοῦτο μέρος γένῃ, οἷος ὁ εὐτελὴς καὶ γελοῖος στίχος ἐν τῷ δράματι, οὗ Χρύσιππος μέμνηται.

Leopold · Teubner 1908
Commentary

All are fellow-workers. The thesis: all (πάντες) contribute to one outcome (ἓν ἀποτέλεσμα) — some knowingly (εἰδότως), others "without awareness" (ἀνεπιστάτως). In support, the image of PERSONHeraclitus: even sleepers are "workers" (ἐργάται) of cosmic events (DK 22 B75). The governing discipline is action (the measure of one's own participation); the sustaining one is desire (the acceptance of universal TERMco-working).

Even the resister cooperates. A strong move: the fault-finder (ὁ μεμφόμενος) and the one who tries to resist (ἀντιβαίνειν) and undo what happens contribute "abundantly" (ἐκ περιουσίας) — "for the cosmos had need of such a one too." Resistance is built into the design as its material; the villain objectively plays a part. This is DOGMAprovidential optimism in its extreme form.

The choice of role. But indifference does not follow: "grasp among which workers you rank yourself" (σύνες εἰς τίνας σεαυτὸν κατατάσσεις). The one who governs the Whole (ὁ τὰ ὅλα διοικῶν) will use you in any case — the only question is as what: a conscious fellow-worker or "the mean and ridiculous verse in the play" (the image of PERSONChrysippus; the comparison is preserved in Plutarch, De comm. not. 1065d = SVF II 1181). Freedom lies not in whether to serve the cosmos but in whether to serve it with understanding and dignity.

Parallels. TERMCo-working and the MOTIFimage of cooperation — 02-01; Med. 5.30; 07-13; 06-43 (the sun and stars — different, yet cooperating to one end); the doctrines of DOGMAunity and DOGMAprovidence. Heraclitus on sleepers — cf. 04-46 (Heraclitus; the sleepers "turn away" from the common Logos).

DisciplineDiscipline of action
Record added2026-07-18
Statuspublished
Read·Book VI
Discipline of action

George Long · 1862· EN · Long

TERMWe are all working together to one end, some with knowledge and design, and others without knowing what they do; as men also when they are asleep, of whom it is PERSONHeraclitus, I think, who says that they are labourers and co-operators in the things which take place in the universe. But men co-operate after different fashions: and even those co-operate abundantly, who find fault with what happens and those who try to oppose it and to hinder it; for the universe had need even of such men as these. It remains then for thee to understand among what kind of workmen thou placest thyself; for he who DOGMArules all things will certainly make a right use of thee, and he will receive thee among some part of the co-operators and of those whose labours conduce to one end. But be not thou such a part as the mean and ridiculous verse in the play, which PERSONChrysippus speaks of.

Original · ancient Greek

Πάντες εἰς ἓν ἀποτέλεσμα συνεργοῦμεν, οἱ μὲν εἰδότως καὶ παρακολουθητικῶς, οἱ δὲ ἀνεπιστάτως, ὥσπερ καὶ τοὺς καθεύδοντας, οἶμαι, ὁ Ἡράκλειτος ἐργάτας εἶναι λέγει καὶ συνεργοὺς τῶν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ γινομένων. ἄλλος δὲ κατ’ ἄλλο συνεργεῖ, ἐκ περιουσίας δὲ καὶ ὁ μεμφόμενος καὶ ὁ ἀντιβαίνειν πειρώμενος καὶ ἀναιρεῖν τὰ γινόμενα· καὶ γὰρ τοῦ τοιούτου ἔχρῃζεν ὁ κόσμος. λοιπὸν οὖν σύνες εἰς τίνας σεαυτὸν κατατάσσεις· ἐκεῖνος μὲν γὰρ πάντως σοι καλῶς χρήσεται ὁ τὰ ὅλα διοικῶν καὶ παραδέξεταί σε ὡς μέρος τι τῶν συνεργῶν καὶ συνεργητικῶν, ἀλλὰ σὺ μὴ τοιοῦτο μέρος γένῃ, οἷος ὁ εὐτελὴς καὶ γελοῖος στίχος ἐν τῷ δράματι, οὗ Χρύσιππος μέμνηται.

Leopold · Teubner 1908
Related6
TERMσυνέργιαcooperation, joint actionDOGMAProvidence — the world is purposively ordered for the good of the WholeDOGMAThe unity of the cosmos — all things bound by a single LogosMOTIFCooperation — the interaction of rational beings as a natural lawPERSONHeraclitusIonian natural philosopher, "the Obscure" (ὁ Σκοτεινός); the most important Presocratic source of Stoic physicsPERSONChrysippusthird scholarch of the Stoa; systematizer of Stoic logic, physics, and ethics
Commentary

All are fellow-workers. The thesis: all (πάντες) contribute to one outcome (ἓν ἀποτέλεσμα) — some knowingly (εἰδότως), others "without awareness" (ἀνεπιστάτως). In support, the image of PERSONHeraclitus: even sleepers are "workers" (ἐργάται) of cosmic events (DK 22 B75). The governing discipline is action (the measure of one's own participation); the sustaining one is desire (the acceptance of universal TERMco-working).

Even the resister cooperates. A strong move: the fault-finder (ὁ μεμφόμενος) and the one who tries to resist (ἀντιβαίνειν) and undo what happens contribute "abundantly" (ἐκ περιουσίας) — "for the cosmos had need of such a one too." Resistance is built into the design as its material; the villain objectively plays a part. This is DOGMAprovidential optimism in its extreme form.

The choice of role. But indifference does not follow: "grasp among which workers you rank yourself" (σύνες εἰς τίνας σεαυτὸν κατατάσσεις). The one who governs the Whole (ὁ τὰ ὅλα διοικῶν) will use you in any case — the only question is as what: a conscious fellow-worker or "the mean and ridiculous verse in the play" (the image of PERSONChrysippus; the comparison is preserved in Plutarch, De comm. not. 1065d = SVF II 1181). Freedom lies not in whether to serve the cosmos but in whether to serve it with understanding and dignity.

Parallels. TERMCo-working and the MOTIFimage of cooperation — 02-01; Med. 5.30; 07-13; 06-43 (the sun and stars — different, yet cooperating to one end); the doctrines of DOGMAunity and DOGMAprovidence. Heraclitus on sleepers — cf. 04-46 (Heraclitus; the sleepers "turn away" from the common Logos).

DisciplineDiscipline of action
Record added2026-07-18
Statuspublished