Tentative Response - Epictetus

What rationale can Epictetus have for saying that one should not be upset if members of your family die?

Much of the philosophy articulated by the Stoics has to do with how you should regulate your emotions in response to your circumstances. The ideal for Stoics and Epictetus is a kind of apathy, or non-reaction. The example of having one of your family members die is given because it is out of your control. For the stoics, everything that is out of your control is a part of nature, and if you can’t influence something, then you must accept that you can’t do anything about it because it is the will of nature. This worldview is particularly appealing for those groups of people (slaves, women) who are disenfranchised in society, and who wouldn’t have the power to effect change benefitting themselves.