Onesimus, Memoirs of a Disciple of St. Paul, by the Author of 'Philochristus'. (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1882 edition. Excerpt: ... back again; but now the divine Claudius has decreed that if Death spare us, our masters shall spare us also. However my chief consolation lies not in the laws of Claudius, but in philosophy; for since you and I were last together, you must know. I have become a philosopher. "Prithee," said I, "if slaves can indeed become philosophers, let me have some benefit of your philosophy; for assuredly I have need of it. Did not your philosophy fail you when that cruel wretch so wantonly injured you?" "Pardon me," replied Epictetus, " he did not injure me, as indeed I explained to him at the time." "Explain then to me," said I, "this most mysterious riddle." "I told him that he could not injure me though he would injure himself. Hereon he retorted that he would break my leg. I replied, 'In that case my leg would be broken, but what of that 1' At this he stared like a bull, and said that he would cut off my head. To that I rejoined, 'And when did I ever tell you that I had a head of such a kind that it could not be cut off?' Upon that he burst into a passion, threw me down, kicked me, and began to twist my leg. As he proceeded, I warned him and said, ' If you continue, you will certainly break it.' He continued; and then I said to him, 'There, now my leg is broken; but you have not injured me, but only my leg, and perhaps yourself.'" All this seemed to me new and yet not new. Sitting down on the bench beside his pallet, I said, "Well, but, Epictetus, this differs not much from the philosophy of the Stoics or the Cynics." "I did not maintain," replied he, "that my philosophy was new. Nevertheless I do not perceive that it is very common in these parts." "You mistake," said I, "a great many in Hierapolis read Chrysippus, and not a few even in...