“The adherent would be provided with certain practical thought experiments or physical activities
designed to implant and reinforce the desired principles into his mind (or spirit). Among many examples
from Epictetus are the following:

1) Examining passers-by, making an observation about them, and then asking yourself whether the
    content of that observation lies within the moral purpose. If it does not, it is to be abandoned.
2) Applying the same technique to news that is reported to us.
3) While kissing your child goodnight, whisper to yourself “tomorrow you will die.”
4) Going through the inventory of “things” in one’s life by starting with the most trifling (e.g., a cup)
    and advancing to the most treasured (e.g., one’s child). With each item, consider it carefully and then
    “cast these things away from you.”
5) Anticipating possible unpleasant aspects of intended activities so as to diminish the effect of the
    aspect should it occur (e.g., anticipating being splashed and jostled at a public bath).

The point of all such exercises is to train oneself to adopt certain attitudes and make certain judgments.
The nature of the training is designed such that through constant repetition, the desired response becomes
second-nature to the adherent.” (Preston 16)

V. Men are disturbed not by the things which happen, but by the opinions about the things: for example,
death is nothing terrible, for if it were, it would have seemed so to Socrates; for the opinion about death
that it is terrible is the terrible thing. When, then, we are impeded or disturbed or grieved, let us never blame
others, but ourselves, that is our opinions.

5. "What upsets people is not things themselves but their judgments about the things. For example, death
is nothing dreadful (or it would have appeared dreadful to Socrates), but instead the judgment about death
that is dreadful--that is what is dreadful. So, when we are thwarted or upset or distressed, let us never blame
someone else but rather ourselves, that is, our own judgments."

Socrates views on death from the Apology.
 
“Death is one of two things: Either it is annihilation and the dead have no consciousness of anything, or it
is really a change—a migration of the soul from this place to another. Now if there is no consciousness but
only a dreamless sleep, death must be a marvelous gain…If death is like this, then I call it gain, because
the whole of time, if you look at it in this way, can be regarded as no more than one single night.”

“If on the other hand death is a removal from here to some other place, and if what we are told is true, then
all dead are there, what greater blessing could be than this, gentlemen? …one will find true judges there who
are beyond our reaches of so-called justice, and what of Homer and Orpheus? How much would you give to
meet them? I would die ten times over if this account is true…And above all gentlemen I should like to
spend my time there questioning and examining and searching people’s minds to find out who is wise
among them, and who only thinks he is.”

You too gentlemen of the jury, must look forward to death with confidence, and fix your minds on this one true
belief, which is certain—nothing can harm a good man in either life or death…”

So, Socrates views on death are: 1) It would be the best night’s sleep ever, so why not embrace it. 2) If the
soul did live on, he would be with greatness and be able to do what he did on earth with these great ones,
for he was a virtuous man as well. For Socrates then being sentenced to death for crimes he didn’t commit
was a good thing. Death held no grip on him and Epictetus’ point is that if anyone had a right to view death
as a bitter end—an innocent man being sentenced to death, Socrates did—but he didn’t.

XI. Never say about anything, I lost it, but say I have restored it.  Is your child dead? It has been restored.
Is your wife dead? She has been restored. Has your estate been taken from you? Has this then not also
been restored? But he who has taken it from me is a bad man. But what is it to you, by whose hands the
giver demanded it back? So as long as he may allow you, take care of it as a thing which belongs to
another, as travelers do with their inn.

11. "Never say about anything, "I have lost it," but instead "I have given it back." Did your child die? It was
given back. Did your wife die? She was given back. "My land was taken." So this too was given back. "But
the person who took it was bad!" How does the way the giver(God/cosmos) concern you? As long as he
gives it, take of it as something that is not your own, just as travelers treat an inn."

What is restoration/giving back? You are returning it back to nature and the cosmic soul. You are returning
your wife or child back to nature. You’ve lost nothing, you’ve only returned what wasn’t yours.

XIV. If you wish your children and your wife and your friends to live forever, you are silly; for you would have
the things not in your power to be in your power, and things which belong to others to be yours…

14. "You are foolish if you want your children and your wife and your friends to live forever, since you are
wanting things to be up to you that are not up to you, and things to be yours that are not yours…"

Death is not in your power, you cannot control the lifespan of your loved one’s, so you must adopt the proper
attitude towards it.

XXI. Let death and exile and every other thing which appears dreadful be daily before your eyes; but most of all
death: and you will never think of anything mean nor will you desire anything extravagantly.

21. "Let death and exile, and everything that is terrible appear before your eyes everyday, especially death;
and you will never have anything contemptible in your thoughts or crave anything excessively."

From Preston, we know that 5 explains why Epictetus wants us to concentrate on death. By anticipating it,
it loses its control over you. The more you consider it, the less you will be affected by it.

XXVI. We may learn the will of nature from the things in which we do not differ from one another; for instance,
when you neighbor’s slave has broken his cup, or anything else, we are ready to say forthwith, that it is one
of the things which happen. You must know, then, that when your cup is also broken, you ought to think as
you did when your neighbor’s cup was broken. Transfer this reflection to greater things also. Is another man’s
child or wife dead? There is no one who would not say, this is an event incident to man (or this is a common
event for all men). But when a man’s own child or wife is dead, forthwith he calls out, Woe to me, how
wretched I am. But we ought to remember how we feel when we hear that it has happened to others.

26. "Is it possible to learn the will of nature from the things in which we do not differ from each other. For
example, when someone else's little slave boy breaks his cup we are ready to say, "It's one of those things
that just happen." Certainly, then, when your own cup is broken you should be just the way you were when
the other person's was broken. Transfer the same idea to larger matters. Someone else's child is dead, or his
wife. There is no one would not say, "It's the lot of a human being." But when one's own son dies, immediately
it is, "Alas! Poor me!" But we should have remembered how we feel when we hear the same thing about others."

This is an example of Preston 4. You go through an inventory of what you hold dear. You start with the most
minimal thing and go to the thing of greatest importance. What this teaches you is stoic detachment. You
detach yourself emotionally from the situations. You take a rational perspective—the cup is the same as my
child which is the same as my wife. You don’t cry when you break a cup, thus you shouldn’t cry when your
wife dies. Notice the switch here from the first person (Woe to me…) to the third person perspective (But we
ought to remember how we feel…). Epictetus wants us to adopt a third person perspective on our events.
Stoic detachment then is just assuming a third person perspective on events and making a judgment from
that perspective.

XVI. When you see a person weeping in sorrow either when a child goes abroad or when he is dead…take
care that the appearance do not hurry you away with it, as if he were suffering in external things. But
straightway make a distinction in your own mind, and be in readiness to say, it is not that which has
happened that afflicts this man, for it does afflict another, but it is the opinion about this thing which
afflicts the man. So far as words, then, do not be unwilling to show sympathy (sympathize with him
verbally), and even if it happens so, to lament with him. But take care that you do not lament internally also.

16. "When you see someone weeping in grief at the departure of his child or the loss of his property, take care
not to be carried away by the appearance that the externals he is involved in are bad, and be ready to say
immediately, "What weighs down on this man is not what has happened (since it does not weigh down on
someone else), but his judgment about it." Do not hesitate, however, to sympathize with him verbally, and
even to moan with him if the occasion arises; but be careful not to moan inwardly."

Epictetus is often charged with having a theory that doesn’t allow compassion. However, this passage clearly
shows that he did. He says to grieve with the man if necessary, but don’t let the grieving affect you internally.
You would then be letting an external affect you. If the man were to change his opinion about death, he wouldn’t
need to grieve…

Suicide

“But, to sum it all up: remember that the door has been thrown open. Do not become a greater coward than
the children, but just as they say, ‘I won’t play any longer,’ when the thing does not please them, so do you
also, when things seem to you to have reached that stage, merely say, ‘I won’t play any longer,’ and take your
departure; but if you stay, stop lamenting.”  (Epictetus, Discourses, I.25. pp. 153-155).

These are Epictetus’ thoughts on suicide. When you have reached the point where life is no longer pleasing to
you, the correct act is to either end your life or stop complaining. What Epictetus thought was that if you are a
rational person, a philosopher, and you had enough knowledge to know that dying was better than living, suicide
is justifiable. In other words, you need to do it for the right reason and not the wrong one—externals are ruling
your life.