Take it or pass? An Enough expansion on Epicurus and weighing pleasures

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The weighing ✅ "We do not choose every pleasure whatever, but often pass over many pleasures when a greater annoyance ensues from them", and we accept some pains when a greater pleasure follows: Letter to Menoeceus 129. Judging "by measuring one against another, and by looking at the conveniences and inconveniences": Menoeceus 130. No pleasure is bad in itself, but the means to some bring greater trouble: Principal Doctrine 8. Translations: Hicks.

His words ✅ hairesis (choice) and phygē (avoidance): Menoeceus 128-129. symmetrēsis (measuring one against another): Menoeceus 130. Heresy and symmetry are standard English word histories. "Nothing is enough for the man to whom enough is too little": Vatican Sayings 68.

Fun facts and his world ✅ Ten market officials checking weights and measures: Aristotle, Constitution of the Athenians 51. The pot of cheese: Diogenes Laertius, Lives, Book 10. Never too early or too late: Menoeceus 122. Pleasure as the beginning and end of the happy life: Menoeceus 128.

Our reading ⚠️ Every answer and every "what follows" line. The Gain and Cost pans are our picture of his measuring. The line about the new-car feeling fading draws on research into getting used to new things, which is still argued over. Whether a game teaches this is untested.

Not his ❌ The scales, the basket, the stall, the statue's remarks and the gull.

Synthesised by Dynas Heart · Enough: Take it or pass? v0.1 · 25 Oct 2026 · artwork by Dynas · nothing is sent anywhere. This device remembers which cards you've had, so they don't repeat. Start fresh clears it.