110 The Imperial Government
complainsinthemannerofexilesthatthingshavechangedsincehistime;^42
histestimonyisperhapsequallyoutofdateinapassage—whichshouldre-
flect conditions under Domitian—where he describes how soldiers act as
spiesinRome:wearingciviliandress,theyencouragepeopletospeakillof
theemperorandthenarrestthem.^43 Thesameshouldbetruewhenhespeaks
ofthepossibilityof beingforcedtokissthefeetofCaesar.^44 Ontheother
hand, we find him mentioning adoption by the emperor—‘‘yet, if Caesar
adopts you, no onewill be able to endureyourconceit.’’^45 The reference,
andthetoneofit,isstrikingenoughwhenmadeinthereignofTrajan.But,
morespecificallythanthat,in108Hadrianwassuffectconsul,andduringhis
consulship(accordingtotheHistoria Augusta)wastoldbyLiciniusSurathat
Trajanwasgoingtoadopthim.^46 DoEpictetus’wordsreflectcontemporary
rumourandspeculationontheissue?
SinceRomeandRomanpoliticallifeloomedsolargeinthemindofEpic-
tetus, it is not surprising that when he came to discourse to his pupils on
whatmenimaginedtobegoodfortuneorbad,freedomorslavery,heshould
frequentlyuseasexamplescasesinvolvingthefavourordisfavouroftheem-
peror.Someofthesearerealincidents,someimaginaryortypicalcases.We
alsofindhimonoccasion,aswithMaximus,inconversationwithrealindi-
viduals passing through,or living in, Nicopolis, and discussing with them
theirattitudetotheemperorandtothepunishmentsorrewardswhichhe
hadtooffer.Insettingthisevidenceoutitwillbeeasiesttostartwiththose
itemswhichinvolveimperialslavesandfreedmen,andmoveontofriendsof
Caesar(amici Caesaris),senatorsandequestrians,andfinallyprovincials.Itis
ofcoursenecessarytoremembertheadvantagesanddisadvantagesofEpic-
tetus’viewpointastheslaveofanimperialfreedman,andthefactthathis
ownexperienceofRomewassomefifteenyearsoutofdate.^47
FirstwehavetwostoriesaboutEpaphroditusasa libellis.Thefirstrelates
how Epaphroditus approached Plautius Lateranus to enquire about some
concern of his, and got the reply, ‘‘If I want anything I will speak toyour
- 3,23,27:‘‘Ihavetoldyou,brother,howIclimbeduptothecrestofthehill;well
now,Ibegintobebesiegedagain.’’ - 4,13,5.
- 4,1,17.SeePliny,Pan.24,2comparingDomitianandTrajanonthispoint.
45.1,3,2.
46.HA,Had.3,10.SeeFIRA^2 A184.Butcf.Syme(n.28),232–34. - ForagoodanalysisoftheextenttowhichEpictetus’teachingreflectshisexperience
ofRomeunderDomitian,seeC.G.Starr,‘‘EpictetusandtheTyrant,’’Class. Phil.44(1949):
20,whichIoughttohaveknownbeforewritingthisarticle,butdidnot.