Full Idea
Tragedies are nothing but the sufferings of people who are impressed by externals, performed in the right sort of meter.
Gist of Idea
Tragedies are versified sufferings of people impressed by externals
Source
Epictetus (The Discourses [c.56], 1.04.26)
Book Reference
'The Stoics Reader', ed/tr. Inwood,B/Gerson,L.P. [Hackett 2008], p.196
A Reaction
The externals are things like honour, position and wealth. Wonderfully dismissive!