Principal Doctrines, 26

Epicurus  Parallel editions

‹‹‹ Epic. KD 25 | Table of Contents | Epic. KD 27 ›››

Greek text: Usener edition

26Τῶν ἐπιθυμιῶν ὅσαι μὴ ἐπ’ ἀλγοῦν ἐπανάγουσιν ἐὰν μὴ συμπληρωθῶσιν, οὐκ εἰσὶν ἀναγκαῖαι ἀλλ’ εὐδιάχυτον τὴν ὄρεξιν ἔχουσιν, ὅταν δυσπορίστων <ᾖ> ἢ βλάβης ἀπεργαστικαὶ δόξωσιν εἶναι.

Hicks translation

26Some desires lead to no pain when they remain ungratified. All such desires are unnecessary, and the longing is easily got rid of when the thing desired is difficult to procure or when the desires seem likely to produce harm.

Saint-Andre translation

26The desires that do not bring pain when they go unfulfilled are not necessary; indeed they are easy to reject when they are hard to achieve or when they seem to produce harm.