Epictētus (c.55 CE–c.135 CE) was a Greek Stoic philosopher. He was the most influential teacher of Stoicism of his time. He believed that one should concern oneself only with what one can control and suffer what one cannot influence.
Born a slave in Hierapolis, Asia Minor, Epictētus was lame from an early age, possibly from brutal treatment received while he was a slave. He is said to have endured his master’s physical abuse without complaint, treating his body merely as a garment.
Epictētus came to Rome early in life and studied under the Stoic philosopher Gaius Musonius Rufus. Epictētus was freed after Emperor Nero’s death. Like other philosophers who were critical of the tyranny of Emperor Domitian, Epictētus, got expelled from Rome around 89 CE.
Epictētus settled in Nicopolis in northwestern Greece. He was extremely popular, respected, and lived a life of the utmost simplicity, following Stoic doctrine. His reputation attracted people from all over the Roman world—disciples who came to hear him included Emperor Hadrian and a future historian by the name Flavius Arrian. Arrian became Epictētus’s pupil and recorded four books of his lectures as Discourses. Arrian also produced a synoptic version of Epictētus’s primary teaching called the Manual.
Epictētus’s philosophical and religious beliefs are a combination of Stoicism and Cynicism. They emphasize the universal unity of man, submissiveness, humility, and charity. They also assert the ability and duty of a person to mold his or her character in the effort to achieve self-control and independence of external circumstances.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Epictetus
It is no easy thing for a principle to become a man’s own unless each day he maintains it and works it out in his life.
—Epictetus
Topics: Time Management, Value of Time
Be not swept off your feet by the vividness of the impression, but say, “Impression, wait for me a little. Let me see what you are and what you represent. Let me try you”.
—Epictetus
Topics: Patience, Wisdom
You can be happy if you know this secret: Some things are within your power to control and some things are not.
—Epictetus
Topics: Joy
We cannot choose our external circumstances, but we can always choose how we respond to them.
—Epictetus
Topics: Perception, Attitude
You are a little soul carrying around a corpse.
—Epictetus
Topics: Life, Man, Living
As the touchstone which tries gold, but is not itself tried by gold, such is he who has the true standard of judgment.
—Epictetus
Topics: Judgment
There is only one way to happiness and
that is to cease worrying about things
which are beyond the power of our will.
—Epictetus
The essence of philosophy is that a man should so live that his happiness shall depend as little as possible on external things.
—Epictetus
Topics: Confidence, Philosophy, Money, Success, Happiness, Self-reliance
Is freedom anything else than the right to live as we wish? Nothing else.
—Epictetus
Topics: Freedom
We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.
—Epictetus
Topics: Listening, Communication, Kindness
To accuse others for one’s own misfortunes is a sign of want of education. To accuse oneself shows that one’s education has begun. To accuse neither oneself nor others shows that one’s education is complete.
—Epictetus
Topics: Adversity, Education
Neither should a ship rely on one small anchor, nor should life rest on a single hope.
—Epictetus
Topics: Hope
To adorn our characters by the charm of an amiable nature shows at once a lover of beauty and a lover of man.
—Epictetus
Topics: Kindness
If you wish to be a good reader—read.
—Epictetus
Topics: Reading
Do you know that disease and death must needs overtake us, no matter what we are doing? … What do you wish to be doing when it overtakes you? If you have anything better to be doing when you are so overtaken, get to work on that.
—Epictetus
Topics: Appropriateness, Time Management, Dying, Work, Death, Value of Time, Aptness
The soul’s impurity consists in bad judgments, and purification consists in producing in it right judgments, and the pure soul is one which has right judgments.
—Epictetus
Topics: Soul
Ask not that events should happen as you will, but let your will be that events should happen as they do, and you shall have peace.
—Epictetus
Topics: Acceptance
A thing either is what it appears to be; or it is not, but yet appears to be; or it is, but does not appear to be; or it is not, and does not appear to be.
—Epictetus
Topics: Realism
It is our attitude toward events, not events themselves, which we can control. Nothing is by its own nature calamitous-even death is terrible only if we fear it.
—Epictetus
Topics: Fear
Demand not that events should happen as you wish, but wish them to happen as they do, and you will go on well.
—Epictetus
The universe is but one great city, full of beloved ones, divine and human, by nature endeared to each other.
—Epictetus
Topics: Humanity
He is a drunkard who takes more than three glasses though he be not drunk.
—Epictetus
Topics: Drunkenness, Alcoholism, Alcohol
If virtue promises happiness, prosperity and peace, then progress in virtue is progress in each of these; for to whatever point the perfection of anything brings us, progress is always an approach toward it.
—Epictetus
Topics: Virtue, Progress
The greater the difficulty the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests.
—Epictetus
Topics: Difficulties, Success & Failure, Risk, Achievement, Adversity
If you set your heart upon philosophy, you must straightway prepare yourself to be laughed at and mocked by many who will say Behold a philosopher arisen among us! or How came you by that brow of scorn? But do you cherish no scorn, but hold to those things which seem to you the best, as one set by God in that place. Remember too, that if you abide in those ways, those who first mocked you, the same shall afterwards reverence you; but if you yield to them, you will be laughed at twice as much as before.
—Epictetus
Topics: Philosophy, Philosophers
First learn the meaning of what you say, and then speak..
—Epictetus
Topics: Communication, Speakers, Meaning, Speaking
What ought one to say then as each hardship comes? “I was practicing for this, I was training for this.”
—Epictetus
It is better to advise than upbraid, for the one corrects the erring; the other only convicts them.
—Epictetus
Topics: Advice
One that desires to excel should endeavor it in those things that are in themselves most excellent.
—Epictetus
Topics: Excellence, Perfection
It takes more than just a good looking body. You’ve got to have the heart and soul to go with it.
—Epictetus
Topics: Mankind, The Body, Man, Body
It is a sign of a dull nature to occupy oneself deeply in matters that concern the body; for instance, to be over much occupied about exercise, about eating and drinking, about easing oneself, about sexual intercourse.
—Epictetus
Topics: Body, Mankind, Man
Remember that you are an actor in a drama, of such a part as it may please the master to assign you, for a long time or for a little as he may choose. And if he will you to take the part of a poor man, or a cripple, or a ruler, or a private citizen, then may you act that part with grace! For to act well the part that is allotted to us, that indeed is ours to do, but to choose it is another s.
—Epictetus
Topics: Destiny, Choice
In theory it is easy to convince an ignorant person; in actual life, men not only object to offer themselves to be convinced, but hate the man who has convinced them.
—Epictetus
There is but one way to tranquillity of mind and happiness; let this, therefore, be always ready at hand with thee, both when thou wakest early in the morning, and all the day long, and when thou goest late to sleep, to account no external things thine own, but commit all these to God.
—Epictetus
Topics: Happiness
So you wish to conquer in the Olympic Games, my friend? And I, too… But first mark the conditions and the consequences. You will have to put yourself under discipline; to eat by rule, to avoid cakes and sweetmeats; to take exercise at the appointed hour whether you like it or not, in cold and heat; to abstain from cold drinks and wine at your will. Then, in the conflict itself you are likely enough to dislocate your wrist or twist your ankle, to swallow a great deal of dust, to be severely thrashed, and after all of these things, to be defeated.
—Epictetus
Topics: Competition, Sports
Who is not attracted by bright and pleasant children, to prattle, to creep, and to play with them?
—Epictetus
Topics: Children
A ship ought not to be held by one anchor, nor life by a single hope.
—Epictetus
Envy is the antagonist of the fortunate.
—Epictetus
Topics: Envy
Know, first, who you are, and then adorn yourself accordingly.
—Epictetus
Topics: Knowledge, Fashion, Dress
Only the educated are free.
—Epictetus
Topics: Learn, Society, Wisdom, Education
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