Lameness is an impediment to the leg but not to the will

Donald's Commentary on The Handbook of Epictetus #9

Disease is an impediment to the body, but not to the moral purpose, unless that consents. Lameness is an impediment to the leg, but not to the moral purpose. And say this to yourself at each thing that befalls you; for you will find the thing to be an impediment to something else, but not to yourself.

Commentary

This passage has attracted attention because Epictetus was reputedly lame himself. In Discourses 1.16, for instance, he says: “For what else can I do, a lame old man, than sing hymns to God?” His lameness was also referred to by later authors. For example, Celsus, who came from the generation after Epictetus, wrote that the Stoic philosopher was crippled as a slave when his owner, Epaphroditus twisted his leg until it snapped.