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
abstain appointed avoid cakes cold conditions conflict conquer deal drinks eat exercise fine great hour itself likely mark olympic sports swallow trainer twist whether wine wish wrist
So you wish to conquer in the Olympic games, my friend? And I too, by the Gods, and a fine thing it would be! But first mark the conditions and the consequences, and then set to work. 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 no, in cold and heat; to abstain from cold drinks and from wine at your will; in a word, to give yourself over to the trainer as to a physician. Then in the conflict itself you are likely enough to dislocate your wrist or twist your ankle, to swallow a great deal of dust, or to be severely thrashed, and, after all these things, to be defeated.
honour price steal worth
I have a lantern. You steal my lantern. What, then, is your honour worth no more to you than the price of my lantern?
vices speak accusation
If someone speaks badly of you, do not defend yourself against the accusations, but reply; "you obviously don't know about my other vices, otherwise you would have mentioned these as well
perception spirituality circumstances
We cannot choose our external circumstances, but we can always choose how we respond to them.
fitness heart soul
It takes more than just a good looking body. You've got to have the heart and soul to go with it.
excellence
Don't be prideful with any excellence that is not your own
contentment delight littles
Contentment, as it is a short road and pleasant, has great delight and little trouble.
recovery fighting over-you
Fight against yourself, recover yourself to decency, to modesty, to freedom. And, in the first place, condemn your actions; but when you have condemned them, do not despair of yourself. For both ruin and recovery are from within.
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?
swans roles praise
If I was a nightingale I would sing like a nightingale; if a swan, like a swan. But since I am a rational creature my role is to praise God.
wicked enmity ought
We ought to flee the friendship of the wicked, and the enmity of the good.
scary mask bites
What is death? A scary mask. Take it off-see, it doesn't bite.
faults principles blame
When therefore we are hindered, or disturbed, or grieved, let us never attribute it to others, but to ourselves; that is, to our own principles. An uninstructed person will lay the fault of his own bad condition upon others. Someone just starting instruction will lay the fault on himself. Some who is perfectly instructed will place blame neither on others nor on himself.
insulting firsts characteristics
It was the first and most striking characteristic of Socrates never to become heated in discourse, never to utter an injurious or insulting word -- on the contrary, he persistently bore insult from others and thus put an end to the fray.