Epictetus
c. 55–135 CE · Former slave, then influential teacher
Epictetus was born enslaved in Phrygia and later freed. He taught in Rome until exiled, then in Nicopolis, where his student Arrian recorded his talks. His "Enchiridion" (The Manual) and "Discourses" lay out the dichotomy of control — the idea that peace depends on knowing what is and is not ours to command.
Ideas from Epictetus
“Some things are within our power, while others are not.”
Epictetus · Enchiridion
“Men are disturbed not by things, but by the views which they take of things.”
Epictetus · Enchiridion
“Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.”
Epictetus · Fragments
“No man is free who is not master of himself.”
Epictetus · Discourses
“First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.”
Epictetus · Discourses
“It is not death or pain that is to be feared, but the fear of pain or death.”
Epictetus · Enchiridion
“If you want to improve, be content to appear foolish and stupid to others.”
Epictetus · Enchiridion
“Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens.”
Epictetus · Enchiridion
“Don’t demand that things happen as you wish, but wish that they happen as they do.”
Epictetus · Enchiridion
“He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.”
Epictetus · Enchiridion
“Only the educated are free.”
Epictetus · Discourses
“Keep silence for the most part, and speak only when you must, and then briefly.”
Epictetus · Enchiridion
“Everything has two handles, the one by which it may be carried, the other by which it cannot.”
Epictetus · Enchiridion
Freedom is not procured by a full enjoyment of what is desired, but by controlling the desire.
Epictetus · Discourses
Circumstances don’t make the man, they only reveal him to himself.
Epictetus · Discourses
There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will.
Epictetus · Discourses
He who laughs at himself never runs out of things to laugh at.
Epictetus · Discourses
“Know, first, who you are, and then adorn yourself accordingly.”
Epictetus · Discourses
Difficulties are things that show a person what they are.
Epictetus · Discourses
“If a person handed over your body to some passer-by, you would be angry; do you feel no shame in handing over your mind to any reviser, to be confused and troubled by him?”
Epictetus · Discourses
“Every habit and faculty is preserved and increased by correspondent actions: as the habit of walking, by walking; of running, by running.”
Epictetus · Enchiridion
“Remember that you must behave in life as at a dinner party. Is anything brought round to you? Put out your hand and take your share with moderation. Does it pass by you? Do not stop it. Is it not yet come? Do not stretch your desire toward it, but wait till it comes.”
Epictetus · Enchiridion
When anyone is harshly treated or insulted, remember that he thinks he is right.
Epictetus · Enchiridion
If anyone is unhappy, remember that it is because of himself alone that he is unhappy.
Epictetus · Discourses
It is in our power to have no opinion about a thing, and so be at peace.
Epictetus · Enchiridion
Sickness is an impediment to the body, but not to the will, unless the will itself chooses.
Epictetus · Enchiridion
“Never say of anything "I have lost it"; but, "I have given it back." Your child is dead — it has been given back. Your wife is dead — she has been given back.”
Epictetus · Enchiridion
If anyone is the object of another’s envy, do not concern yourself; remember that no one can be unhappy for the sake of another.
Epictetus · Enchiridion
When you are faced with a problem, consider whether it is a small thing or a great thing. Most of our problems are small things.
Epictetus · Discourses
If you set your affection on things outside yourself, then what you have will be at the mercy of whatever others do, and you will be at the mercy of fortune.
Epictetus · Enchiridion
“Do not be carried about by external impressions; with every impression, say: "This is an impression, not the thing itself."”
Epictetus · Enchiridion
Progress is not achieved by leisurely browsing through books.
Epictetus · Discourses
Every person must be content with what he has.
Epictetus · Enchiridion
“Things themselves are indifferent; it is our use of them that makes them good or bad.”
Epictetus · Enchiridion
“The beginning of philosophy is the consciousness of one’s own weakness and incapacity in the things that concern the conduct of life.”
Epictetus · Discourses
A cone is not harmed by being broken, nor is a man harmed by what happens to him from outside.
Epictetus · Discourses
If you would have these things, remember to ask yourself whether you can do without them.
Epictetus · Enchiridion
The essence of good and evil is in the will, not in what befalls a man.
Epictetus · Discourses
When a man speaks ill of you, do not defend yourself against his words, but set right your own thoughts.
Epictetus · Enchiridion
If you have a fever, do not be angry with your body; it is a natural occurrence, not an insult.
Epictetus · Enchiridion
When you are in a position of authority, remember that the person you were before the office will remain.
Epictetus · Discourses
When someone steals your lamp, remember that he gave it up for a thief.
Epictetus · Discourses
What is the first business of one who practices philosophy? To get rid of thinking that one knows.
Epictetus · Discourses
He is free who lives as he wishes; he is the master of himself who cannot be prevented in his will.
Epictetus · Discourses
Great things are not suddenly done; they are the end of a long series of small things.
Epictetus · Discourses
When a person has done something wrong, know that it is not his will but his judgment that is at fault; for no one is willingly deprived of the truth.
Epictetus · Discourses
The first thing to be attended to is the matter of our judgments; for what is not in our power to do cannot be in our power to do well.
Epictetus · Discourses
If a man could be persuaded that he is akin to God, he would not think of himself as worthless or mean.
Epictetus · Discourses
Confidence should be founded on caution, and caution on confidence; for confidence without caution is rashness, and caution without confidence is cowardice.
Epictetus · Discourses
The matter on which a good man should be employed is the will.
Epictetus · Discourses
Avoid immoderate laughter, and do not let your mirth run to excess.
Epictetus · Enchiridion
With regard to whatever objects give you delight, remember to say: what is the nature of this? It is mortal, and will not be yours always.
Epictetus · Enchiridion
When you have been delighted by a thing, reflect on its nature: you have received it, and you will return it.
Epictetus · Enchiridion
When someone provokes you, remember that it is not the person who provokes you, but the judgment you form about him.
Epictetus · Discourses
Remember that you are an actor in a play, of such a kind as the author chooses; for it is your business to act well the part given you.
Epictetus · Enchiridion
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 · Enchiridion
If you would be happy, keep your desires and aversions within your power, and do not stretch them toward what is not.
Epictetus · Discourses
It is not in my power to avoid what befalls me, but it is in my power to make good use of it.
Epictetus · Discourses
The soul is like a body: it becomes what it is exercised in.
Epictetus · Discourses
Keep yourself steady in the face of both good and bad fortune; neither be lifted up by one nor cast down by the other.
Epictetus · Enchiridion
It is not death or pain that is dreadful, but the fear of death or pain.
Epictetus · Enchiridion
Practise then from the start to say to every harsh appearance: You are but an appearance, and not the thing you appear to be.
Epictetus · Enchiridion
Do not be carried away by the impression; examine it, and then decide.
Epictetus · Enchiridion
If a person handed your body over to any passer-by, you would be angry; yet you hand over your mind to whoever comes along, and feel no shame.
Epictetus · Discourses
Freedom is not the power to do whatever you please, but the power to do what is right.
Epictetus · Discourses
Bear what you must, and do not add resentment to the burden; for the resentment is heavier than the burden itself.
Epictetus · Discourses
If you are content with little, you need little; and needing little, you are free.
Epictetus · Discourses
Difficulties are the gymnasium of the will; there the mind is trained and strengthened.
Epictetus · Discourses
Do not judge a thing good or evil by your desire, but by what it is.
Epictetus · Discourses
No man is able to make progress unless he trains himself, little by little, in what is difficult.
Epictetus · Discourses
Do not be a mere professor of wisdom; be a practitioner of it.
Epictetus · Discourses
What you would do, do often; for habit is formed by repetition.
Epictetus · Discourses
Your choice is the one thing that is entirely your own; guard it well.
Epictetus · Discourses
Withdraw from what is not yours gently, and you will not be torn.
Epictetus · Discourses
Do not blame fortune for what you can bear; blame only the judgment that says you cannot.
Epictetus · Discourses
Keep watch over your impressions, as a guard over a gate; not everything that approaches may enter.
Epictetus · Discourses
Endure and abstain; these two words contain the whole of the art of living.
Epictetus · Discourses
Decide first what kind of person you want to be; then act on every occasion accordingly.
Epictetus · Discourses
Practice is the only teacher; you learn by doing, not by reading about doing.
Epictetus · Discourses
Do not pretend to a virtue you do not practice; the pretense will be found out.
Epictetus · Discourses
Seek the simple life; the simple is within your power, the extravagant is not.
Epictetus · Discourses
If you are insulted, bear it; the insult is in the judgment, not in the words.
Epictetus · Enchiridion
Win small victories over yourself, and the great ones will follow.
Epictetus · Discourses
Trust your reason, not your impressions; the one is yours, the other is not.
Epictetus · Discourses
Attend to what matters, and let the rest be as it will.
Epictetus · Discourses