Epictetus Discourses 1:1

Greek Learning Greek
1

Has anybody here tried to read Epictetus? Is it just me or is this greek extremely difficult? (I thought he would be a piece of cake because I’m very familiar with him in translation and I read that his greek usage was similar to biblical greek).

Anyway,heres my actual question.

Epictetus Discourses 1:1
Τῶν ἄλλων δυνάμεων οὐδεμίαν εὑρήσετε αὐτὴν αὑτῆς θεωρητικήν, οὐ τοίνυν οὐδὲ δοκιμαστικὴν ἢ ἀποδοκιμαστικήν.

Here is my best guess:
You will find not one of the other powers itself (is?) capable of beholding (herself?), not for scrutiny nor rejecting.

I’m defininitely getting thrown off by the ‘autnv autns’ part.

What does ‘autns’ mean here? does ‘autnv’ go with ‘oudemiav’?

2

Yes, it is koine Greek and yes, it is very difficult, because of two characteristics which Epictetus shares with other Stoics : the language is intentionally unvarnished but full of technical terms.

The δυνάμεις here are arts, almost doctrines : Epictetus will mention Grammar, μουσική and finally Logics, the sole art being able to “behold herself herself”

αὐτὴν αὑτῆς θεωρητικήν is an “adjectivisation” of the phrase αὐτὴ αὑτὴν θεωρεῖ “She beholds herself herself” Such phrases are common in Plato. αὐτὴν is thus attributive (she does it herself), and αὑτῆς an objective genitive (Herself is what she beholds). :unamused: