Epicurus
Epicurus
Epicuruswas an ancient Greek philosopher as well as the founder of the school of philosophy called Epicureanism. Only a few fragments and letters of Epicurus's 300 written works remain. Much of what is known about Epicurean philosophy derives from later followers and commentators...
NationalityGreek
ProfessionPhilosopher
philosophy philosophical gains
In a philosophical dispute, he gains most who is defeated, since he learns most.
confidence power men
It is folly for a man to pray to the gods for that which he has the power to obtain by himself.
blessing men ideas
An irreligious man is not one who denies the gods of the majority, but one who applies to the gods the opinions of the majority. For what most men say about the gods are not ideas derived from sensation, but false opinions, according to which the greatest evils come to the wicked, and the greatest blessings come to the good from the gods.
drinking sea dancing
The pleasant life is not produced by continual drinking and dancing, nor sexual intercourse, nor rare dishes of sea food and other delicacies of a luxurious table. On the contrary, it is produced by sober reasoning which examines the motives for every choice and avoidance, driving away beliefs which are the source of mental disturbances.
goal pleasure natural
All sensations are true; pleasure is our natural goal.
future men he-man
The man least dependent upon the morrow goes to meet the morrow most cheerfully.
god prayer humility
If God listened to the prayers of men, all men would quickly have perished: for they are forever praying for evil against one another.
order joy body
Be moderate in order to taste the joys of life in abundance.
pain causes foolish
If death causes you no pain when you're dead, it is foolish to allow the fear of it to cause you pain now.
tomorrow birth eternity
We have been born once and there can be no second birth. Fir all eternity we shall no longer be. But you, although you are not master of tomorrow, are postponing your happiness...
fate night tyrants
A strict belief in fate is the worst of slavery, imposing upon our necks an everlasting lord and tyrant, whom we are to stand in awe of night and day.
wise wisdom philosophical
The misfortune of the wise is better than the prosperity of the fool.
philosophical loss envy
Riches do not exhilarate us so much with their possession as they torment us with their loss.
math mind has-beens
I was not; I have been; I am not; I do not mind.