Someone asked Epictetus’ advice on how to get his brother to stop being on bad terms with him. Philosophy does not claim to secure for us anything outside our control. Otherwise it would be taking on matters that do not concern it. For as wood is the material of the carpenter, and marble that of the sculptor, so the subject matter of the art of life is the life of the self. ‘Well, what of my brother’s life?’ That, in turn, belongs to his own art of living. With respect to yours, it is one of the externals — no different from land, health or reputation; and philosophy makes no promises concerning those."