Epictetus - How We Should Behave to Tyrants

If a man possesses any superiority, or thinks he does, if he is uninstructed in philosophy, he will, of necessity, be puffed up. For instance, the tyrant says, "I am master of all." And what can you do for yourself? Can you fulfill all your desires? How can you? Have you the absolute power of avoiding everything that would pain you? Can you achieve all your objects without error? How do you possess this power? You cannot do everything. When you are in a ship you trust to the helmsman. When you are in a chariot you trust the driver. It is the same in all other arts. So, where is your power? You say, "All men pay respect to me." Well, I also pay respect to my platter. I wash it and wipe it. For the sake of my oil flask I drive a peg into the wall. Are these things superior to me? No, but they supply some of my wants, and for this reason I take care of them. Well, I attend to my donkey. I wash his feet. I clean him. Do you not know that every man must look to himself? Some men regard you no more highly than their mules. For who has high regard for you? Show this person to me. Who wishes to become like you? Who imitates you as he imitates Socrates? "But I can cut off your head," you say. I had forgotten that I must regard you as I would a fever, and raise an altar to you as there is at Rome an altar to fever.