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Updated: May 20, 2025
"They blanched even the Roman's cheeks. He was lividly pale as he completed what he deemed his duty. His own aristocratic hands were degraded to the menial task of searching the garments of a woman, the Queen, for forbidden wares, poisons or weapons. He was aided by one of Caesar's freedmen, Epaphroditus, who is said to stand so high in the favour of Octavianus.
A peasant, she told Epaphroditus, who was watching the meal, had given them to her because they were so remarkably fine. Some had already been snatched by the guards. The Queen and her companions ate a little of the fruit, and Proculejus, who had come to greet Cleopatra, was also persuaded to taste one of the finest figs. At the end of the meal Cleopatra wished to rest.
Charmian had just sunk on her knees, when some one knocked loudly at the closed door, and the voices of Epaphroditus and Proculejus imperiously demanded admittance. When no answer followed, the lock was hastily burst open.
He belonged to the secretary and companion of Nero, whose name was Epaphroditus, and who treated this poor Phrygian with great cruelty. And yet, what is very singular, the master caused the slave to be indoctrinated in the Stoical philosophy, on account of a rare intelligence which commanded respect.
"Hurry!" cried the freedmen. Nero placed the knife to his neck, but pushed it only timidly. It was clear that he would never have courage to thrust it in. Epaphroditus pushed his hand suddenly, the knife sank to the handle. Nero's eyes turned in his head, terrible, immense, frightened. "I bring thee life!" cried the centurion, entering. "Too late!" said Nero, with a hoarse voice; then he added,
What were the accidents or rather, what was "the unseen Providence, by man nicknamed chance" which assigned Epictetus to the house of Epaphroditus we do not know. To a heart refined and noble there could hardly have been a more trying position.
But the wise man will learn, like Epictetus the heroic slave, the slave of Epaphroditus, Nero's minion and in what baser and uglier circumstances could human being find himself? to find out the secret of being truly free; namely, to be discontented with no man and no thing save himself. To say not "Oh that I had this and that!" but "Oh that I were this and that!"
Very little is known of the life of Epictetus. It is said that he was a native of Hierapolis in Phrygia, a town between the Maeander and a branch of the Maeander named the Lycus. The date of the birth of Epictetus is unknown. The only recorded fact of his early life is that he was a slave in Rome, and his master was Epaphroditus, a profligate freedman of the Emperor Nero.
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