Epictetus
Epictetus
Epictetuswas a Greek-speaking Stoic philosopher. He was born a slave at Hierapolis, Phrygia, and lived in Rome until his banishment, when he went to Nicopolis in north-western Greece for the rest of his life. His teachings were written down and published by his pupil Arrian in his Discourses and Enchiridion...
NationalityGreek
ProfessionPhilosopher
writing wish ifs
If you wish to write, write.
ignorant birth goddess
You are a principal work, a fragment of [Goddess herself], you have in yourself a part of [her]. Why then are you ignorant of your high birth?
taken judgement wells
It is not my place in society that makes me well off, but my judgements, and these I can carry with me... These alone are my own and cannot be taken away.
writing wish needs
If you can make music with someone you don't need words. If you wish to be a writer, write.
thinking happens
It is not so much what happens to you as how you think about what happens." Epictetus
grief spirit hunger
It is better to die of hunger having lived without grief and fear, than to live with a troubled spirit, amid abundance
fighting men games
Neither the victories of the Olympic Games nor those achieved in battles make the man happy. The only victories that make him happy are those achieved against himself. Temptations and tests are combats. You have beaten one, two, many times; still fight. If you defeat at last you will be happy your entire life, as if you have always defeated.
desire together
Desire and happiness cannot live together.
mean giving give-me
Give me by all means the shorter and nobler life, instead of one that is longer but of less account!
children lost-love wife
Never in any case say I have lost such a thing, but I have returned it. Is your child dead? It is a return. Is your wife dead? It is a return. Are you deprived of your estate? Is not this also a return?
learning giving credit
We are not to give credit to the many, who say that none ought to be educated but the free; but rather to the philosophers, who say that the well-educated alone are free.
anger sacrifice emotion
If you would cure anger, do not feed it. Say to yourself: 'I used to be angry every day; then every other day; now only every third or fourth day.' When you reach thirty days offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the gods.
wise trying seems
Do not try to seem wise to others.
evil religion want
Either God wants to abolish evil, and cannot; or he can, but does not want to.